Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/262687
said, within the spirit of the regulations. Which may sound a bit rich coming from Honda, but is all a matter of interpretation. Honda has always made production racers one step down from their prototypes. Remem- ber the grid-filler V-twin 500s of the late 1990s? They were in a secondary race of their own. And that, Honda seem to believe, is the way it should be. The spirit of their rules is that factory bikes are meant to win. This has been a thorn in Ezpeleta's side and over the years he has striven to take control of racing away from the factories. He created the production-powered CRT class as a clear threat: saying he was prepared to turn MotoGP over to them altogether. The RCV1000R – apparently selling at a significant loss – is HRC's response. Its relative lack of performance suits their book better than it does the Dorna chief's. Doubtless the Yamaha is more to Ezpeleta's liking. This is partly due to circumstance. While the RCV1000R is a carefully designed product, the overall concept of the so-called FTR-Yamaha was created piecemeal when the original plan – to lease engines only – ran out of time. Ezpeleta has another card up his sleeve, and the opportunity for more pressure, via the con- trol electronics. These were tried last year and went from diabolical at the first races to pretty workable by year's end. The same pace of de- velopment during this coming season has the potential to bring all the Open bikes closer to the factory machines. Espargaro in particular was given another boost after the tests. Last year the CRT riders had the benefit of a softer tire range than factory riders, which worked much in their favor at a number of tracks. The rea- son was that the production engines didn't have enough power to heat up the harder tires. Nobody was sure whether the new Open bikes would need this extra leeway. After the tests, Bridgestone decided that they did. Aleix will have softer tires at his disposal all year long. CN VOL. 51 ISSUE 7 FEBRUARY 19, 2014 P111 LOOKING BACK 40 Years Ago February 26, 1974 Motocross was featured on the cover 40 years ago. A $1500 purse attracted more than 400 riders and 4000 spectators to Saddleback Park, and Rex Staten went home with the loot... CZ-mounted Tony DiStefano was the big winner at the Flor- ida Winter-AMA MX Series in Hialeah… We covered the Calico Ghost Run En- duro in Four Corners, California… We tested the $1395 Bultaco 360 Pursang. 30 Years Ago February 29, 1984 Donnie Cantaloupi was pictured on the cover 30 years ago for winning the CMC/Labatt's Invitation Supercross in Edmonton, Canada. Pete Hames also got a spot on the front page to accom- pany our interview with the upcoming dirt track start… Jeff Ward, Johnny O'Mara and Goat Breker were the stars at the CMC Golden State Series MX at Sunrise MX Park in Califor- nia… Larry Roeseler won the Moose Run Hare & Hound on a 250cc Husky. 20 Years Ago February 23, 1994 Our four-stroke off-road special issue featured the latest thumpers from Husa- berg and ATK on the cover… Yamaha factory team rider Mike Craig won the Tampa Supercross, the first of his career, ending Jeremy McGrath's four-race win streak… Rodney Smith won the National Hare Scrambles at Hollister Hills OHV Park… Ty Davis and Larry Roeseler took it to the streets at the Adelanto Grand Prix. 10 Years Ago February 25, 2004 The Bostom brothers, Ben and Eric, where featured on the cover 10 years ago to accompany our interview with the two racers… We reported that An- thony Gobert was planning a return to Honda… Chad Reed won the Houston Supercross; returning from injury, James Stewart won the now 250F four-stroke- filled 125 class on a 125cc two-stroke. Subscribe to nearly 50 years of Cycle News Archive issues: www.CycleNews.com/Archives