Etc.

etc.

USGP RETURNS!

After an 11-year hiatus, the Grand Prix circus returns to the U.S. for 2005. MotoGP promoters DORNA and the Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (SCRAMP), the organization that runs Laguna Seca Raceway, have reached “an agreement in principle” to bring MotoGP racing to the track for a five-year period. Red Bull has signed on as title sponsor for the event, scheduled for July 10, 2005, as the ninth round of the series. Book your hotel rooms now!

PURSUING A LARGER VICTORY

Victory Motorcycles and S&S Cycle Products have teamed up to produce performance accessories for the American bike-maker’s line of V-Twins. The first available products will be bigbore kits that increase the displacement of the standard 92and 100-cubic-inch mills to 106 cubes. The kits are scheduled to be available at Victory dealerships in the spring of 2005.

VARIOUS TRIUMPHS

No, it’s not quite up to Harley standards yet, but Triumph is having a banner sales year. Single-month and 12-month numbers topped all previous efforts by the Hinckley-based manufacturer. The main cited impetus? Crazy interest in the massive-motored Rocket III cruiser and its 2.3-liter Triple, plus an unusual amount of dealership walk-through love for the café-inspired Thruxton.

DAYTONA’S NEW TRACK LAYOUT

Big changes are in store for the Daytona 200, and for the track itself. Citing safety concerns, particularly over the speeds reached by 10OOcc Superbikes, Daytona International Speedway and the AMA have altered the track layout to exclude NASCAR Turns 1 and 2, moving the infield exit to accommodate this. The course length is reduced to 3.0 miles, down from 3.56. Further, the 200, scheduled for March 12,2005, will now feature 600cc Formula Xtreme bikes. “It’s no secret that Formula Xtreme equipment may one day form the basis for Superbikes,” said AMA Pro Racing CEO Scott Hollingsworth. “This possible ‘peek into the future’ was the ultimate factor in determining the best long-term solution.”

AMERICA’S MOST BEAUTIFUL

The Grand National Roadster Show is an American hot-rod institution, and organizers are looking to make it a custom motorcycle institution, too. While bikes have been featured prominently in the past, the January 21 -25, 2005, event at the Pomona Fairplex in California will be the first time that an official “America’s Most Beautiful Motorcycle” title will be awarded, with $10,000 up for grabs. For more information, visit www.hotrodshows.com.

CONGRESS RESPONDS TO OHV GROUPS

The Bureau of Land Management, it was decided by Congress, has been misusing a large portion of the $3.8 million in user-collected fees last year for the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area in California. Nearly $1 million had been directed toward environmental studies, while no new facilities to improve recreation areas had been added. This, said Congress, was contrary to the reason the National Use Demo Fees were implemented, and such spending by the BLM was a misuse of funds.

LEWIS LEAVES

Off-Road Editor Jimmy Lewis, after almost 12 years at Cycle World, has roosted off into the sunset, landing in the top seat at Dirt Rider magazine. He joins Ron Lawson (Dirt Bike), John Ulrich (Roadracing World) and Mitch Boehm (Motorcyclist) as former CW staffers who have gone on to head other moto-mags. We wish Jimmy all the best in his new position and remind him that he still needs to pass along the kickstart procedure for the Yamaha XT600 he left behind.