Etc.
etc.
MX ESCAPE
Fancy spending a behind-the-scenes week with none other than former AMA 250cc National and three-time World Champion Greg Albertyn? Then sign up for the South African’s ultimate motorsports vacation, and you’ll become a factory motocrosser, with opportunities to ride race-prepped machines at various Southern California tracks, and tour industry hot-spots such as Pro Circuit and Troy Lee Designs. Best of all, everyone from Beginners to Pros is welcome. For more information, call 909/261 -1649, or log on to www.mxescape.com.
BIKING’S YELLOW PAGES
Who manages Alaska Buell? Where is the Four Stroke Singles National Owners club based? Are there any bike detailers in Fresno, California? Find the answers to these questions and more in The Motorcycle Directory. Offered in both 600-pluspage spiral-bound ($99) and PC/Mac-compatible CD/ROM ($119) versions, the directory boasts names, street addresses, telephone and fax numbers, key contacts and website addresses for more than 14,000 bike-oriented companies. To order, call 480/890-0003, or log on to www. themotorcycledirectory. com.
ACCIDENT UPDATE
According to a report published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, alcohol was involved in the majority of fatal single-vehicle motorcycle accidents in 1999, the most recent year from which complete data is available. Almost one-third of riders killed didn’t have a proper motorcycle license, which may explain why poor bike-handling skills and speeding were also linked to the crashes. Twothirds of the accidents happened at night and 60 percent occurred on curvy rural roads.
KOREA'S FUTURE FLYER
Hyosung Motors & Machinery got its start in 1978, and has had ties with Suzuki since `79. So it should come as no surprise that the Korean bike-maker's first large-displacement model (there have been stacks of small twoand four-stroke cruisers, en duros, scooters and ATVs) looks a lot like a GS500E. Except the steel-framed single-shocker is powered by a 65-horsepower V Twin, not unlike Suzuki's popular SV650. Hyosung produces more than 200,000 motorcycles per year, owns 40 percent of the do mestic market and exports to more than 60 countries, includ ing Brazil, China and Germany.
RENAULT BAGS BEN ELLI
French car giant Renault's plans to enter the once-lucrative scoot er business with a line of badgelabeled Benellis have been put on hold due to a sudden downturn ir the market. This comes as a real blow to Benelli, the born-again Italian motorcycle manufacturer that was already gasping for air following a huge drop in domesti scooter sales, and which was counting on profits from the Renault deal to finance production of its Tornado Ire 900. That three-cylinder machine competed in select rounds of the 2001 World Superbike Championship with development rider Peter Goddard, and was slated to contest the entire 2002 series with a two-rider team.
