Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

,]rere :X' YEARS AEO... Marrh Z, ,9176 That i'n't a stock CZ on the cover of lssue #8. but rather it is a "Czechered" flag-grabbing proj- ect CZ, courtesy of South Bay Motor- cycles of Redondo Beach, California. The cover bike was used to show the modifications that could be made to bring the slighdy dated CZ up to par with the best of the new ofterings lrom Japan and Western Europe--- We also ran a profile on motorcycle fllmmak- er Peter Starr, who was hard at work on his fifth half-hour television sp€cjal in iust over two years. Entitled "The All American Race," the film covered por- tions of the '75 Al'4A Grand National Championrhip, about which Starr pro- claimed, "ln motorcycle racing. the only true American event is flat track; every- thinS else that American racers compete in originated somewhere else." ZO YEARS AEO... Marih 5, 1986 ,D YEARS 460... MdtEh 5. ,996 UJdLJJIJJ Our 1996 Daytona preview issue was packed with stories, including a preview of the Dapona 200, AMA S u perbike and AMA Grand National seasoh pre- dictions, interviews with Team Honda manager Gary Mathers, flat tracker Jo€ Kopp, road racers Steve Cr€yier, Mat Mladi and Dale Quart€rley, and a pre- view of the Daytona Supercross. . . We also featured a historical retrospective on Giacomo Agostini and the lrry Agusta 500... limmy Gaddis (Kaw) went three for four in Pll Super Arenacross Series ac-tion in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, February 9-10... A "crate fresh" l98l Yamaha TZ | 25H road racer was up for sale in the Wart Ads section of the paper. The arking price was $5900. There was a lot goinS on in this edi- tion of lssue #8, including an inside look at the factory Superbikes of Honda and Suzuki. lnterertingly, Honda was 50 adamant that its VFR750 appear as stock as possible that the bike even used the standard bodywork and paint... Rick Johnson (Hon)was the man at the Atlanta Supercross on Feburary 22. Rl outgunned teammate David Bailey to pull out a 20- point lead over Bailey in the series stand- ings... Larry Roeseler (Hus) won the District 38 King of the Desert race in lmperial, California, on Februa-ry 23. Dunlop Stepping lt Up Reitnint F'lotoGP Champion Valentino Rossi says Carlos Che.a could spring a major surprise in 2006 after the Spaniard's impressive dis- play on the D u n lop-shod Tech 3 Yamala in Sepan8 last Checa's fast and consistent times raised more than a tew eyebrows, as it seems that Dunlop could finally be ready co shake off its "whipping boys" tag in the pre- mier class. k is now been eight years since Simon C.afar won Dunlop's last l'lotocP race when the Kiwi romped to a dominant victory at Doninglon Park's British GP - back when 500cc tvvo-strokes ruled the roost in the pre- mier class. And while Rossi cast doubt on whether Checa could emulate that displa, he admitted that the Spaniard wa5 capable of springing a few surprise results this season. "Checa is very fast, and he did a lot of Sood laps," Rossi said. "That means that Dunlop isn't so bad, so we have another new tire brand. With Carlos, I think it is very good for Dunlop to undeastand their level, because he has a lot of expedenae and he is in good shape. I rhink for a rider who for some time doesn't rhink he has a bike, when you have a bike... f--k, you are very happy." Rossi's Camel Yamaha teammate Colin Edwards was also impressed by Checa's display. "l'd heard that Dunlop were making some big steps with their tires at the end of last year with Gregorio Lavilla in British Superbikes," Edwards said. 'All they've needed is a good bike and a Sood rider to show what they can do. lt's good for the competition vvith the tire brands if somebody else can step up." Morxhew Bitt Melandri Fast, But Crashes Marco Melandri knows that he faces a I lmammorh task to b€come the first rider to beat Valentino Rolsi since 2000. even rhouSh he beat his big MotoGP rivals in last week's Sepang MotoGP test. Th€ 2]-year-old ltalian topped the timesheets with an impressive best lap of 2:01-65, set on the first day, but incredibly played down his own title chances after a drsastrous final two days dented his morale. He was only I lth quickest on day two and then slumped even further down the rankings to post the l2th-best time on the llnal rain-hit day. Two huge crashes and m4or problems with l'{rchelin's new-teneration 2006 rear !ires took the tloss off l'aelandri's timesheet-toppint Performance. "Yamaha and Rossi have a very fast rhythm, and they are also very consistent,'_ l4elandri said. "This is another problem to add to the many I already have." The main reason why Melandri felt so deflated. despite smashinS Nrcky Hayden's 2005 lap record by 1.3 seconds, centered around l'4ichelin's new rear tire. Designed Ior improved edge Srip at maximum lean angle, Melandri struggled more than most to adapt to it in Malaysia and was a second faster on 2005 tires. "My fastest time means nothing, because I was only fast at rhe end of the day, when the track was ar its best and the temperature was cooler," Melandri saad, "lt looks like every Honda rider is strut- 8lin8 with the nevv Michelin rear tire, while Yarnaha has made a big step. What I hear is, they can ute the new tire better than we can. The tire seems fine when you first open the throttle, but to enter the comert it is really djfll.ult. l'm not sure what the problem is, and ldon't undemand. The bike doesn't turn, and every time I enter the

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