Ramblings
Ramblings
UP FRONT
David Edwards
INFO-SCRAPS, DATA FRAGMENTS, LITTLE-known facts and late-breaking news that wouldn’t fit anywhere else:
Moto Trivia #1: What part did motorcycling play in the career of the world’s most famous canine? According to TV. Guide, the collie that went on to become the beloved Lassie was abandoned by its original owners because they couldn’t break the dog of a nasty habit: chasing after motorcycles....
Could it be that the styling mavens at BMW have gone too far with the new RI 100R? My barometer here is my brother Kevin, long-time Beemer owner-and as evidenced by his Moto Morini 501 Camel, no stranger to the avant-gardc-who took one look at the neo-standard Boxer, cocked his head RCA-dog-like and said, “1 give up, what were they thinking?”
Roadrace Wars, Round 2: As we went to press, a release was faxed to the CW offices announcing that the North American Super Bike Series, the breakaway organization led by former AMA roadrace principles Roger Edmondson and Patrick Murphy, had inked agreements with six racetracks-notably Braincrd, Mid-Ohio, Road Atlanta and Road America-to run seven multi-class events in 1995. Apparently, those four tracks will not run AMA programs in '95, leaving that group's Superbike series in need of more venues. Stay tuned, we've got Kevin Cameron on the case, look for a story next month....
Also on tap for next month: an exclusive test of Yamaha’s Diversion 900, the enlarged, shaft-driven version of the Seca 600. 1 let Yamaha product planners have it with both barrels for not bringing in the Euro-only Diversion (see “Ups and Downs 1994,” Up Front, January); now we'll have a chance to see what the bike's all about....
Suzuki product planners also drew flak in that same column. Word has filtered down that company sales-dismal for the first half of '94-turned around nicely in the last half, and that “exciting” models are already in the pipeline for 1996, '97 and beyond. Top of the list should be a heavily tweaked, beam-frame GSX-R750 and a restyled Intruder. Would it be too much to hope for a Bandit 1 100?
What’s that they say about imitation being the sincerest form of flattery? Big Twin, this company’s all-Harley
quarterly, continues its success story, and has inspired at least four other publishing houses to fire up likenesses. If you haven’t seen BT. it’s big-format and all-color (no nudes, no letters from prison), available at better newsstands nationwide....
Required reading-after Cycle World and Big Twin, of course: If you're into old motorcycles, you already know about England’s excellent Classic Bike magazine, but you may not have seen The Classic Motor Cycle, published by the same company. The latter generally covers older bikes than does CB, and features outstanding photography by John Overton and a homey “You Were A\sking” column by the entertainingly encyclopedic Brian Woolley-and I’d say that even if Brian didn’t recently feature a query from California about a certain Velocette GTR...
If speed-reading is more your style, try Kevin Schwantz: The World's Champion, a very well done, 272-page hard-cover book just out. Written by long-time GP reporter Peter Clifford with the cooperation of the Schwantz family, the $45 book celebrates the Suzuki star’s 1993 championship season, and chronicles his rise from young trials rider to MXer to flat-tracker to one of the world’s fastest and most popular roadracers. A very good read, highlighted by an excellent lay-out and some of the best racing photographs you’ll ever see. Available at select Suzuki shops or from Schwantz Racing (fax 512/321-7899)....
Dr. Pat Murphy, the family physician I wrote about last month (see “Doctor’s Orders,” Up Front, February). continues his new-found love affair with two wheels. Fie recently computer-mailed me with the news that a 1994 BMW RI 100GS now shares garage space with his Honda Transalp and Yamaha Seca IL...
Speaking of the Information Highway, Cycle World Online, the computer version of this magazine, just entered its fourth month in cyberspace. To date, we’ve had more than 5000 entries on the bulletin-board section, and now have improved graphics capabilities. If you haven’t yet merged onto the Info Superslab, but want to give it a quick spin, get a free 10-hour trial membership by calling 800/827-6364....
Moto Trivia #2: You probably knew that Peugeot made a motorcycle, but can you name some other French bikemakers? Werner, Clement, Deronzière, René Gillet, Terrot and Motobecane, among others, were French-mades....
Pack your bags, we’re going to Europe. Cycle World's GP Euro Tour III is on for August 13-22, when we'll again team up with Edelweiss Bike Travel for a week of sport-riding in the Alps, working our way to Brno for two days of race-watching at the Czech Grand Prix. If you want to join us. or just need more information, contact Edelweiss North America at 800/255-7451....
Freddie’s back (again)! You can read about the goings-on at Dunlop’s Daytona tire test in this issue's Race Watch section. Well, one week later. Michelin rented the Florida racetrack for its contracted teams. Biggest news from the three-day session was that the enigmatic Freddie Spencer, out of racing since his disastrous GP comeback of 1993, saddled up a Fast by Fcrracci Ducati 916 Superbike and reeled off lap times in the 1:51 range, less than a second behind the times posted by Scott Russell, the fastest Dunlop-shod rider. Also on hand for the Michelin tests were FBF lead rider Mike Smith and Honda RC45-mounted Doug Polen, but neither man was able to match the former three-time world champion’s pace. Whether this means we'll see Fast Freddie on the World or AMA Superbike circuit in ’95, though, no one was saying....
