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/789906
CN III VOICES W H A T Y O U A R E S A Y I N G "American road racers will never climb to the top perch again without serious factory support of the MotoAmerica series." Hooligans I've been watching races at the Salem Oregon indoor flat track for about seven years and noticed something odd about four years ago when some skinny-jeans wearing hipsters and their suicide girlfriends showed up to race some beat up old Hondas with plank seats in the amateur classes. They were very out of place among the big-truck, rebel- flag, over-the-hill regulars. The next season they were back, but more of them and better bikes. This coincided with See See Coffee's The One Show and their interest and support moving this racing forward. Cut to Roland Sands and Indian's involvement, and now it's a series! What really surprised me this weekend (at the opening round of the 2017 Hooligan Series) was the variety of teams that showed up to the race in Salem, including a well-funded contingent of Latinos from Long Beach! With Marc Marquez' Super- Prestigio and now the wave of Hooligans into good ol' 'Meri- can dirt track, it feels like the world has shifted a bit. For the better? I think so. Jon Dowd Honda, Jake Gagne And MotoAmerica Welcome back Honda! I had hoped MotoAmerica, and especially Wayne Rainey, replacing the DMG would have been enough to bring you back into the paddock sooner, as well as some of the other facto- ries. It's a start. American road racers will never climb to the top perch again without serious factory support of the MotoAmerica series. Thanks Honda! Howard Halterman Eh, not an official factory team. More like just a factory support team. Joe Bold Official vs. Support: It's still a good thing that Honda is back in and helping. No pressure, Jake, just get on the podium so Honda will throw some more support towards this series. Hey Kawi, hey Ducati—when are you going to fully come out of the closet in a country where you sell more bikes than anywhere else in the world? I'm all open to fact-checking (on my sales comment); I just get tired of your "all-in" efforts in BSB, WSBK and/or MotoGP and nothing on our side of the pond. Bob Close I might actually start watching MotoAmerica now! Well done, Wayne and crew for bringing another manufac- turer back. Hopefully there is close racing now! Dean Rye I've been waiting on Honda to return to the top level of superbike racing for some time. I can't wait to see what the largest manufacturer in the world can do once they get up to speed! Good luck, gentlemen! Lee Cason GasGas Contact Test Love it, read the review, [but I] wish there was something a little bit less expensive, some- thing in line with the old Honda Reflex. I rode trials for many years. I no longer have a trials bike but would love to have something to play with in the back yard and occasionally ride a regional event. I don't really want the complexity or the cost of a new trials bike. What would be super fun would be an adult-size electric trials bike. Marty Dunleavy Letters to the editor can be sent to voices@cyclenews.com. Published letters do not necessarily reflect the position of Cycle News. Letters should not exceed 150 words and are subject to editing. Anonymous letters won't be considered for publication and each letter should contain the writer's name, address and daytime phone number… Editor P6