Etc.

etc.

HONDA HOMECOMING SET

Gather your Valkyries, your ST1100s, your Shadows: It's time for Honda's 10th annual Homecoming festivities, and the company is pulling out all the stops. Scheduled for July 23-25 in Marysville, Ohio, the rally will incorporate factory tours, live entertainment and demo rides of early release `99 Hondas. Plus, the event coincides with Honda's Ride for Kids, a fundraiser benefiting the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation of the U.S. Registration fee is $35, and more info is available from Honda, 24000 Honda Pkwy., Marysville, OH 43040; 937/644-7737.

DAYTONA HONOREES

Three-time Daytona 200 winner Dick Klamfoth is spearheading an ef fort to honor former winners of the famous Florida race. Plans call for a $75,000 monument to memorialize those who competed on the original beach course from 1937-1960, and contributions are welcome. Dona tions of $250 will get the donor's name engraved on the statue's base. Later winners will be honored on the Wall of Champions, to be funded by the motorcycle industry. For details, contact Dick Klamfoth, 10213 Honda Hills Rd., Thornville, OH 43076; 740/323-3921.

BACK TO SCHOOL

Cornering guru Keith Code is at it again, this time taking his popular California Superbike School over seas. Code recently opened fran chise schools in England and Australia, both of which are staffed by experienced instructors. State side, the school is expanding, too. More venues have been added, many preceding or following AMA nationals. Exclusive two-day camps feature the school's Panic-Brake Bike and Slide Machine. The latter is an outrigger-equipped Kawasaki ZX 6R, which allows riders to slide the bike without fear of crashing. On board videotape captures key points for review and correction. For school schedule, locations and prices, call 818/246-0717.

`98 ZX-6R: THE NUMBERS

Mother Nature didn't cooperate for the Spanish press launch of Kawasaki's all-new ZX-6R (see Roundup, May), which eliminated any chance of performance testing. Once back in (mostly) sunny South ern California, however, we arranged for pickup of a green-and-purple Sixxer, which we promptly weighed, lashed to the dyno and subjected to dragstrip testing at Carlsbad Race way. Here's what we found: Without gas, the $7999 bike tips the scales at 418 pounds, and makes a class leading 93.9 peak horsepower and 43.5 foot-pounds of torque. It's quick, too, posting a chart-topping 10.86 quarter-mile at 126 mph. Top speed is a staggering 157 mph.

DIRT DOWN UNDER

Support the Six Days! The AMA and Central Park Travel are offering tour packages to the 1998 Interna tional Six Days Enduro in Traralgon, Australia, November 1-16. Pack ages include round-trip airfare to Melbourne, a rental car and 14 nights at one of the official Team USA hotels. Prices start at $2132 per person. For additional informa tion, contact Central Park Travel at 800/657-2550.

INSURANCE UPDATE

Dairyland Insurance now offers two new coverage options for motor cyclists: Physical Damage Plus and Broad Form Liability. In the event of an accident, the former guarantees the use of genuine manufacturer re placement parts. Also, accessories purchased within the last five years will be replaced without a deduction for depreciation. Broad Form Liability is for riders who wish to insure three or more motorcycles. The blanket policy provides liability-only cover age for substantially less than what it would cost to insure each bike in dividually. For an agent near you, call 800/345-0335.