Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
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INTERVIEW SHERCO FOUNDER MARC TEISSIER P98 the sport, the factory, the motor club. If we become too elitist we are then trying to run a race for three riders and not 300 and this is no good." Like today at the Ales Trem Extreme Enduro. We have 450 riders, including some of the best riders in the world here. That is fantastic to see. But we must also remember the race is for the majority—for the hobby guy. If the first lap is impossible, then the hobby guy goes home disappointed. He may not come back. They are the bloodline of our sport. They work all week and just want to play on their bike with their friends for one day. His Sunday is for fun. It's a hobby he juggles with family life and if he can't have fun then it is no good. About three years ago Sherco released a video of their two-stroke fuel injection. Since then you've been quiet about it and now it looks like KTM will be the first to bring their system to market this year. When will you move to fuel injection? Initially we were afraid of the EU homologation so that's why we began to develop the fuel- injection system for two-strokes. But we also worked to find ways to keep the system we have and are now able to pass the Euro4 homologation with the carbure- tor. And for me that is better. Carburetion is the two-stroke mentality. It has simplicity and ease of use and maintenance for the customer with less cost. Fuel injection will add an extra cost Sherco got started in trials and is still Teissier's number-one passion. on the bike. I don't see the need to rush things right now. I feel we made that mistake by being the first four-stroke fuel-injected bike on the off-road market. It was all very new then and the customer was afraid of the changes. So this is why we wait a little. We have all the technology for the four-stroke, and now also for the two-stroke fuel injection but we wait. The bike is ready, the sys- tem is ready and we are ready, but it is not yet necessary to put it on the market. What are your thoughts on these European Union emis- sion laws; are they too black and white without taking into account minorities like en- duro or trials? Politics doesn't allow for discussion. Our voice isn't heard and while they are pushing for cleaner air and emissions their decisions are stupid for minori- ties like us. We sell 6000 bikes, enduro is tiny and companies like Easyjet or Ryanair make more contamination with one flight than we will in a year. But I suppose this is the way it is. And the future goals, as world champions, what's next? Next step? That is to finish the job. This year we will have all models so we want to make a good job with that before trying new things." CN