Etc.

ETC.

THE APRILIACAGIVA CONNECTION

From the “What if...” department comes word that Aprilia boss Ivano Beggio tried to purchase Ducati from Cagiva no less that three times in the past year, only to be denied on the grounds of corporate pride.

After repaying a multimillion dollar loan five years early, Beggio had banks falling all over themselves to extend him lines of credit. But in spite of this, Cagiva’s Castiglioni brothers turned him down each time.

It’s no secret that Beggio wants Aprilia to get into the big-bore streetbike business-and, in turn, to gain a foothold in the lucrative U.S. market. And one way to shortcut this process would have been to use an existing dealer network, such as that of Ducati. Furthermore, adding Aprilia’s scooter and small-bike range to Ducati’s bigbore twin-cylinder models would have created a true fifth force in world motorcycling-instead of which, Aprilia will now go it alone, while 49 percent of Ducati has been sold to American investors. Pity.

BUBBA THUMBS-UP

Talk.about presidential approval: As part of his ongoing effort to revamp the nation’s health-care system, President Clinton put his John Hancock on the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, which prohibits insurance companies from denying coverage based on an individual’s participation in motorcycling and other “high-risk” activities. “This legislation will allow motorcyclists to continue riding their bikes, secure in the knowledge that they won’t be facing financial ruin should they be in an accident,” explained Wayne Curtin of the Motorcycle Riders Foundation. Now, if we could just get insurance companies to stop blacklisting sportbikes, our worries would be over.

LIGHTS OUT DOWN UNDER

ROUNDUP

As more and more automobiles sold in the U.S. come equipped with motorcycle-style daytime running lights, it’s interesting to note that our friends in Australia see things differently. Lawmakers in that country recently voted to repeal legislation mandating that all bikes sold there had to be fitted with hard-wired lights that could not be turned off. Australian motorcycle-rights activists successfully convinced politicians that there was no evidence supporting the notion that the lightson ruling (which was on the books since 1992) had any effect on traffic safety.

TWO CLUBS, DOUBLE THE FUN

Are you a cruiser or touring bike rider looking to meet people with similar interests? Then you’ll be interested to learn of two new motorcycle clubs that don’t have any specific brand affiliations.

The Cruiser Rider Club caters to owners of “cruiser, power-cruiser and custom-style motorcycles,” whether you’re talking a brandnew Harley-Davidson or a Japanese custom from the 1970s. Regional charters cost $20 per year; details are available from club director B.J. Ondo at RO. Box 18282, Colorado Springs, CO 80935; 719/635-3719.

The Motorcycle Touring Association grew out of the Venture Touring Society, which was expanded to include riders of all touring bikes after Yamaha discontinued its Venture touring model in 1993. Membership costs $35 per year (plus $5 for a co-rider or spouse), and an optional roadside-assistance program costs an additional $23.

More information is available from the club’s executive director, Joe Schaerer, at 1615 S.

Eastern Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89104; 702/457-6657.