Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Briefly... 30 YearE Ags-.. Jdnudra e7, l97E Motocrosser DaYe Tayor, executing a textbook cross-up, was featured on the cover 30 years ago. We ran the photo because...well. we liked it... On the inside, we ran a photo of the new Montesa Cappra 125 GlS, and we were excted by its werghing just 196 pounds. Perhaps its liSht weitht had somethinS to do with ir not havint a mulIler... We bust- ed out the crystal ball and looked into the future of the 1976 Grand National Championship Series... Editor Jody wei5el checked ou! lhe motocross tracks of Texar... We took a pair of Honda CRl25 Elsinores and did a DG versus FMF hop-up comparison. So who won? Didn't matter: A stock 1976 Suzuki RM 125 smoked both ofthem. ?O Yea,E Ago... Jdnudrg 29, ,gAE Team Honda's David Bailey traced the cover of 20 years ago alter winning one of the most farnous Super- cross races of all time - the epic battle he had with team- mate Rick ,ohnson at Anaheim Stadium... We reported that Paris-Dakar Rally organizer Thierry Sabine and four others were killed in a helicopter crash during the event... The day after the Anaheim Supercross, lefi Ward headed north and won the third round of the Golden State Nationali at Sunrise Cycle Park... Bob Hannah and ,olo Keller topped the Florida Vvinter- Al'4A round ar Croom Raceway... Our two-part l25cc MX rhootout concluded with us declarinS the Honda CRl25R an ,D Yedrs Ago... Januarg 24, ,996 Eelieve it or not, Anaheim Stadium did not host the opening round of the AHA Supercross Serier l0 yearr ago: instead, the Citru! Eowl in Florida had the honor, and Team Honda's le.emy f :f ,rJ',#*. j::::'"f,""".$il::"',H lralian Edl Orioll had won the Daka. Rally for the fourth tinre... We also reponed the retirement of road racer Dale Quarterl€y... Brian Swink and Ron Tichenor were the big winners at the Florlda Winter-At'|A Series in Ocala... leromy Buehl came away with two Arenacross wins at the will Rogers Coliseum in Texas. Conrinoed ho.n page I I respectively, taking place onluly l6 and October 22. The Konica Minolta Honda team has announced it will come back to the MotocP World Championship with essentially the same package as laJ. year - with Honda suppon and Makoto Tamada as its rider. 'After a reinviSorating winter break, I can say I had all the time neces- sary to recharge the batteries," Tamada sajd in a team release. "l have done a lot of physical preparation; I am trustful and convinced to be able to use in the best way last year's not-too-happy experience. lt has been important for me; for this reason, I consader the 2006 sea- son the year of the positive turning point of my career. I have never stopped believing in my and the team's abilities. I thank Honda and Konica Minoka for their trust. " Travelcralt has obtained addirional hotel rooms for the l'4otocP at L-aguna Seca. The rooms are at the Hyatt Regency Monterey, for three niShts or long€r For information or reservations, call 800/258- 0755 or visit www. mototpj€una. com. Racer Productions, the producer ofthe Suzuki Grand National Cross Country Series, will increase the 2005 payout for the top Pro and Pro-Am bike and Ary racers in the series. A $ 10,000 GNCC Pro and Pro-Am purse will be up for grabs at each of the l3 GNCC evens, totaling $ 130,000 in purse money for the 2006 season. The larger purse guarantees money back to lfth place in the GNCC Bike and ATV Pro classes. whereas the purse payback was previously based on the number of Pro entries. Also, the top five Ary Pro-Am racers are guaranteed money, The Al'lA has announced that the Virginia Governor's Motorcycle Advisory Council, which was named by Governor Mark R. Warner last week, includes I I Al'4A members. The 3l-person panel, com' prisinS state and local officials, state agency representatives, and motorc),.cle enthusiasts, will promote motorcy.le safety, tourism, and business development. The Council is the next step in the Gover- nor's "Motorcyclevirginia!" initiative. "Virginia has worked ao expand its tourism markets in so many areas - and motorcycle tourism is a Ereat opportunity for us," said Warner 'Additionally, as the Common- wealth Srapples with the transportation challen8es of the next decade, motorcyclists need [o have a voice in that debate." The Al'4A members named to the Virginia Govemor's l'lotorcycle Advisory Council are: Robert P Crouch Jr- (Chairman). Counselor to the Gov- ernor, and chair of 'Motorcyclevirginia!"; David L. JenninSs Sr, Metro Richmond AMA Community Council; Bernard A. Adams, Freedom Riders l"lotorcyale Club; Bruce Biondo, VirSinia Department o, lYotor Vehicles; Dale Coyner, author of "Motorcycle journeys Th rough the Appalach ians"; Charles S. Finl€y .jr , Execirtive VP of the VirSinia l'lotorcycle Dealers Association: Melissa S. Franklin, founder of Supreme Ladies l"lotorrycle Club; Richard 5. Holman, owner of The Gallery of l'lountain Secrets; Keith N- Lindgren, president of the l"lotorcycle Safety League ofVirtinia lnc.;Joseph R. Harshall, Rich- mond Riders l'lotorcycle Clubi Charles E. Talley. founder and presi- dent of Cobra-One Motorcycle Club. lnfineon Raceway end the AFM have ioined forces on a proiect that will increase on-track safety for motorcycle riders in the Sonoma Valley, according ro lnfineon Raceway. The raceway has aSreed to give the AFM a $70,000 no-interest loan, with the AFM using the money - in addition to AFH funding - to purchase 92 pieces ofAir Fence- lnfineon Receway has aSaeed to store the Air Fence on its property, and will oversee maintenance, which includes insralla(ion and removal during motorcycle events - at no cost. As a result ofthe lnfineon Raceway agreement, the AFI'4 will also receive an additional l0 pieces of Air Fence donated by the Roadracing World Aation Fund, which is a nonprofit orSanization dedicated to educatinS people on the importance of deploying soft barriers. Over the years, the organization has raired more than $400,000. "This is part of our onSoing desire to make lnfineon Bacewey as sate es possible for everyone," saidJere Starks, vice president offacilities at lnfineon Raceway and an avid motorrycle rider. "We've spent millions of dol' lars on improvements over the last four years for safety, and this is one more element." The iir Fence, which will b€ available for rental during motorrycle track days ar lnfineon Ra.eway, will also be used at the KawasakiAl*1A Superbike Showdown, presented by Supercuts, May l9-2l.The 102 pieces of Air Fence will be used solely at lnfi- neon Racewa/. "lt s be€n extremely tratifying to get this help from che manaSement at lnflneon Raceway," said Kevin Smith, president o[ the AFI'1. 'They didn't hesitate when I made the request. and their support means that all motorcycle raaers and riders at lnfineon Race- way will have the full benefit of these soft barrieE starting this spring. The 102 pieces of Air Fence equates to about 650 feet, and wil, be used to help make lnlineon Faceway safer for motorcycle rjd- ing. Air Fence is an inflatable barrier that is designed to gradually absorb the enerty ofa creshed rider: lt is the primaq/ choice of rid- ers. who prefer it over hay bales. which are typically placed in front of concrere walls or barriers on racetracks The olficially licensed lordan Brand motorcycle apparel, pro- duced exclusively byJoe Rocket, will mak€ its East Coast debut at the New York City lnternational Motorcycle Show. Januar/ 20-22, at the lacob K. Javits Convention Center. The apparel will be for sale at the Hudson Valley Motorcycles booth, which will also host two-time AMA National Road Race Champion and MichaelJordan Motorsports Suzuki racerJason Pridmore, who will sitn autotraphs on January 2l and 22. Thelordan/loe Rocket apparel lineup includes men's and women's leather jackets, textile jackets, and Sloves featurinS the unique.Jordan Brand colors and styling, includint the slSnature 20th- anniversary Jordan history graphics. Jordan Suzuki race-team replica iackets, in leather and textile styles for men and women, are also paft ofthe collection. A l*4ichael .lordan Motorsports race-team replica motorcycle will also be on displa), at the Hudson Valley Motorcycles booth for the duration ofthe NYC show- For more information. con- tact H udson Valley M ororcy.les at 9 l4/7 62-2722. GPR Stabilizer has announced its sponsorship ofthe Califomia Supcrbik€ School. GPRStabilizer will provide its high-performance steering dampers for all of the s

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