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Short subjects

ROUNDUP

The Laverda factory is now in the hands of a receiver appointed by the Italian courts. Rumor has it that motorcycle production there will end after the assembly of 200 three-cylinder SFC 1000s for June delivery. Production of other four-strokes shut down at the family-owned Italian manufacturer last October.

The entire production capability of the bankrupt West German Zundapp company has been sold to the Chinese People's Republic and is in the process of being shipped there. Mass production of Oriental Zundapps is to begin in 1986.

Not only the Japanese see the Third World as a potentially lucrative motorcycle market. Italy’s Garelli has finalized plans to build 20,000 small-capacity machines in India next year, in association with the Kelvinator Corporation. Target output for 1990 is 125,000 bikes.

In spite of the crippling, six-week metalworkers’ strike that adversely affected production, BMW enjoyed a 19.9-percent increase in motorcycle deliveries in 1984. building 33,919 bikes compared with 28,291 in 1983. Exports rose by 24 percent.

Britain’s Heron-Suzuki GP team is now racing a carbon-fiber honeycomb chassis that, at 1 12 kilograms (247 pounds) dry. is the lightest 500cc machine presently on the grids. Just as well: Rider Rob McElnea is one of the beefiest GP jockeys of the day. Strong rumors have it that the team is about to sign a lucrative sponsorship deal with Skoal Bandit. The same rumors claim that Skoal was scared away from motorcycle racing for a while by the $1.7 million requested by Randy Mamola's manager for a single GP season.