From a press release issued by Tony Bell in response to an inquiry made on behalf of a reader:

I would like to update the progress on Vicky’s rehab from the motocross injury of May 1st 2003.

The fractured shoulder has healed quite well but surgery to repair ligament damage and tears to the rotor cuff will have to take place some time in the near future. The severity of the damage to the left hip resulted in nine screws and two plates being used to hold the socket together. Vicky was unable to walk for three months after surgery. She started to use crutches August 1st but the shoulder injury limited what she could do and a wheelchair was the only way to get around. Five months after the start of rehab she has a 20% range of motion moving the leg backwards, about 25% movement laterally and 10% rotation. The doctors have told her she will never regain a full range of motion but she continues rehab each week and visits the gym twice a week.

Knowing Vicky very well I knew that not being able to ride a dirt bike again would leave a big gap in her life as she has ridden dirt bikes and raced bikes since the age of nine. On December 1st she rode a Honda CRF250 around the Vet track at Elsinore. She has to stand on a bike stand to get on the bike and if it stalled when riding she would not be able to get it started so the idle has to be set quite high. She claims she is riding, “not to fall off” but is managing to clear most of the jumps and tabletops at the track. Although in pain she is doing what she loves especially when riding with our eldest son Christopher and we’re looking forward to having our youngest son James on a CRF50 with training wheels as soon as he’s out of diapers!

Tony Bell
[email protected]
Lake Forest, California

From a press release issued by Kawasaki Racing Team:

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2004
PRESEASON TESTING – MALAYSIA
14TH JANUARY 2004 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

KAWASAKI RACING TEAM: HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR 2004 SEASON

A new version of the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR MotoGP machine, together with two new riders and a change in tyre supplier for the 2004 season mean that expectations are high as the Kawasaki Racing Team head for Sepang in Malaysia, and the first of three overseas preseason tests.

Kawasaki’s assault on the 2004 MotoGP World Championship will be spearheaded by seasoned Grand Prix campaigner Shinya Nakano. Twice a winner of the prestigious Rookie of the Year award, Nakano will test the new Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR for the first time at Sepang next week, but already the 26-year-old Japanese rider has his sights set firmly on the podium.

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Shinya Nakano and Kawasaki’s Shinichi Morita.

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Joining Nakano on the Ninja ZX-RR will be former Kawasaki test and development rider, Alex Hofmann. The 23-year-old rider – the only German competing in this year’s MotoGP World Championship – is determined to build on his impressive wild card performances in 2003, with regular points scoring finishes on the new Ninja ZX-RR being the ultimate aim in his first full season in the blue-riband class.

Developed using the lessons learnt during Kawasaki’s debut MotoGP season, the latest version of the Ninja ZX-RR machine features a revised 990cc inline four-cylinder engine, housed in a new chassis, designed jointly by engineers in Japan and Europe. The new chassis, which will be built in Europe, has resulted in a much more compact Ninja ZX-RR and a lower centre of gravity.

Also new on the Ninja ZX-RR for the 2004 season are Bridgestone tyres. The Japanese tyre company have invested heavily in research and development in recent years and this commitment has been rewarded on the track, with Bridgestone securing their first MotoGP podium finish in 2003. Initial tests of the new tyres have been extremely positive, with Hofmann managing to improve his previous best lap time by almost two seconds during end of season testing at Valencia.

The Kawasaki Racing Team will test for four days at Sepang from 20-26 January, before returning on 11 February for a further three days of testing at the Malaysian circuit. The Phillip Island circuit in Australia will be the venue for the final four day overseas test, scheduled for 23-26 February, after which the Kawasaki Racing Team will return to Europe for the annual IRTA tests at Catalunya and Jerez.

Shinya Nakano – #56
“I am very happy to be joining Kawasaki and grateful to the factory for giving me this opportunity. I think it is a great project – Harald Eckl has explained the development plans for the bike and the details of the team for 2004 and I am extremely motivated for the challenge ahead.”

“I am looking forward to testing the new bike at Sepang and working with my new teammate, Alex Hofmann, to develop the bike ready for the start of the season. This will be my sixth year in Grand Prix racing and my target is very clear; to get back on the podium.”

Alex Hofmann – #66
“I am obviously looking forward to my first full season in MotoGP aboard the new Ninja ZX-RR machine. We tested the new bike briefly at the end of 2003 and it was a definite improvement over the previous version. I’m confident that, with an extensive preseason test schedule ahead of us, we’ll be able to improve the bike even further before the season gets underway in South Africa.”

“I’m also looking forward to working with Shinya, not just because he’s an experienced MotoGP rider who I can learn a lot from, but also because he’s such a nice guy and so easy to get along with.”

“My aim for this season is to continue to improve my riding, score points in every race and, hopefully, be in a position to challenge for top ten finishes on a regular basis towards the end of the year.”

Harald Eckl – Team Manager
“This, our second year in the MotoGP World Championship, is obviously very important to us and excuses about being beginners in this class just won’t cut it anymore. We have applied the lessons learned in 2003 and, as a result, we head into the coming season with a new team structure, an updated version of the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR, a new tyre supplier and two new riders. Expectations are high.”

“The latest version of the Ninja ZX-RR is a result of collaboration between engineers at Kawasaki in Japan and engineers based in Europe. The chassis will be jointly developed, which gives us the development flexibility we need to compete at the very highest level. Engine development will be conducted entirely in Japan. For me it is a very promising package.”

“We also have two good riders in Shinya Nakano and Alex Hofmann. Shinya’s Grand Prix experience will undoubtedly accelerate our development process, with his input allowing us to close the gap on the top teams in the championship. This will be Alex’s first full season in MotoGP, but I fully expect him to be up there with Shinya in the races.”

From a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

DUCATI CORSE PRESS INFORMATION
Phillip Island (Australia)
14 January

DUCATI FILA TESTING CONTINUES IN AUSTRALIA FOR LACONI AND TOSELAND

Regis Laconi and James Toseland (Ducati Fila) both made substantial progress in lap times on the second day of pre-season testing at Phillip Island. The 28-year-old Frenchman completed a total of 74 laps on the Ducati 999, recording a time of 1:34.00 on softer Pirelli tyres and 1:34.28 on race rubber, which is not far off last year’s best race lap of 1:33.8, set on Michelins. Team-mate James Toseland also made considerable progress on yesterday’s time, improving to 1:34.50 in the morning before a crash brought his day to a premature end.

Out of the massive selection of compounds Pirelli have brought along for the tests, Laconi was able to find a selection of tyres that satisfied him in view of the race, and tomorrow’s final day will be devoted to two long-runs in the morning and the afternoon.

“The weather was much better today and it was easier to work” declared Regis. “We found a good solution for the front tyre and the settings, while the rear is quite good although we still need to find more side grip. My times are good, I did over half a race in the 1:34s. It’s difficult to know how much more improvement I can make because the conditions change all the time here, but I’m confident I can get into the 1:33 bracket tomorrow.”

Toseland arrived at Honda corner on his nineteenth lap of the morning before highsiding at low speed. The 23-year-old British rider cut his right knee and had to have three stitches put in. He stayed off the bike the rest of the day but will test again tomorrow.

“I opened up coming out of Honda curve” explained James, “and the bike suddenly lost grip at the rear. It was a low-speed crash, but I’m sure I’ll be OK for tomorrow.”

In two sessions, Ducati Fila engineers have succeeded in ironing out the problems of stability that emerged during Valencia testing in November and the 999 is now at a good competitive level in view of the start of the season in six weeks’ time.


LANZI MAKES FURTHER PROGRESS WITH THE DUCATI 749R SUPERSPORT

Lorenzo Lanzi also completed a total of 74 laps on the 749R he will race in this year’s World Supersport championship, improving to 1:37.46 on the second day. The Italian mainly concentrated on tyre testing and managed to obtain satisfactory grip levels at the rear.

“We did a lot of tyre testing work today” said Lanzi, “but unfortunately I’m still suffering from jet-lag and felt tired later in the afternoon. The bike feels good, the engine also, and the set-up is almost perfect, we just need to improve with the rear tyre.”

Tomorrow will see the third and final day of testing for the Ducati Superbike and Supersport teams at Phillip Island.

From a press release issued by BMW North America:

BMW MOTORRAD USA POSTS SEVENTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR OF RECORD SALES

Year-to-date sales up 13 percent over last year
Woodcliff Lake, NJ – BMW Motorrad USA, the importer and distributor of BMW motorcycles in the United States, posted its seventh consecutive year of record sales. In 2003, a 13 percent increase in sales was recorded over the previous year. For the first time ever, motorcycle sales surpassed the 15,000 mark in the U.S., with a total of 15,299 units sold. Sales in December were the second-best for that month in the company’s history, while the month of September broke previous sales performance records.

“Our sustained success during our 80th anniversary year demonstrates the strength of the BMW brand across a broad range of models,” commented Arturo Pineiro, General Manager for BMW Motorrad USA.

BMW’s top-selling motorcycle models during 2003 were the R 1150 RT sport tourer, the K 1200 GT (one of Cycle World’s 10 best motorcycles for 2003), the new R 1150 R Rockster, the classically-styled R 1200 CLC tourer, and the trans-continental R 1150 GS Adventure.

BMW Group In America
BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975. ROLLS-ROYCE Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand, the MINI brand, and the ROLLS-ROYCE brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, an industrial design firm in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Corp. in South Carolina is part of BMW Group’s global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all Z4 roadster and X5 Sports Activity Vehicles. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 340 BMW passenger car centers, 327 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 148 BMW motorcycle retailers, 73 MINI passenger car dealers, and 25 ROLLS-ROYCE Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group’s sales headquarters for North, Central and South America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

Information about BMW Group products is available to consumers via the Internet at:
www.bmwusa.com
www.bmwmotorradusa.com
www.miniusa.com
www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com

From a press release issued by Norton Motorsports, Inc.:

Norton Motorsports now accepting applications for Charter U.S. Dealerships

Norton Motorsports is seeking ten established motorcycle dealerships to become Norton motorcycle dealers. Dealers will be expected to take delivery of 2004 Norton 952 Commandos and provide outstanding service and support to new Norton owners.

Norton is producing 100 952 Commandos for 2004. In 2005 Norton will increase its production capacity to 300 units, and for 2006 the company will both expand its model line by introducing two new Commando-based models, and increase its production output to a total of 1000 units. The first Norton dealers will be uniquely positioned for the rapid and exciting growth of one of the world’s most prestigious motorcycle marques.

Norton will offer a variety of accessories for the 952 Commando, including performance exhausts, dual-seats, and spoked wheels. Additionally, a wide variety of Norton merchandise (shirts, caps, etc.) will be sold by dealers.

Interested dealerships should contact Norton’s Patrick Leyshock either via email at: [email protected], or via telephone at: 503-650-5390.

From a press release issued by Foggy Petronas Racing:

Constructive developments for Foggy PETRONAS Racing

Foggy PETRONAS Racing riders Troy Corser and Chris Walker made encouraging strides forward in tyre development on the second day of the team’s test at Phillip Island today.

With yesterday’s blustery conditions having receded, and with new Pirelli tyre constructions and compounds to test, each rider was able to make significant improvements on their times from the first day.

Troy set the pace with a best time of 1:35.4 at his home circuit, where he achieved the best finish of fifth during the team’s debut season last year. But team-mate Chris Walker also sliced nearly 1.5 seconds off his best time of yesterday to post a lap of 1:35.9, with signs of healthy competition between the two riders already starting to develop.

Corser, who completed 52 laps of the picturesque coastal circuit near Melbourne, said: “We have been working through all the different compounds and constructions today and I think it’s now clear that the construction is more important than the rubber compound. I have found one that is more consistent but we still need to work on finding a combination of grip and durability. I changed the bike set-up today to run it exactly as I raced last year, which made a big difference of two seconds.”

Chris, who also enjoyed significantly more track time with 58 laps today, said: “We have found a tyre construction that didn’t have any chatter and that produced a transformation. The bike is now starting to feel like my bike. Changes to the pivot point made it more compliant and easy to ride. All we are lacking in set-up now is a bit more support at the rear. At the moment it feels nice in slow corners but I am running a bit wide in faster corners.”

Chief engineer Steve Thompson added: “We need to be repeating the times we were posting before here, and we are almost doing that in a non-race situation, which is very encouraging. Both riders and the team performed well today.”

From a press release issued by the AMA:

AMA VINTAGE MOTORCYCLE DAYS TO CELEBRATE BMW

PICKERINGTON, OHIO — The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) has announced that BMW will be the “Featured Marque” at AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days 2004, to be held July 16 – 18 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.

In celebrating the 81-year-old marque, AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days 2004 will benefit the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum and will feature an exhibit of classic motorcycles and memorabilia. The traditional “Grand Marshal” of the event will be announced soon.

The legendary Mid-Ohio circuit will again host American Historic Motorcycle Racing Association (AHRMA) roadracing throughout the weekend; two days of AHRMA motocross, plus observed trials and dirt-track racing, also will be on the schedule. In all, the AHRMA racing events are expected to attract more than 1,100 competitors.

AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days 2004 also will feature two vintage bike shows; the traditional all-brands AMA Swapmeet, North America’s largest; a slate of guest speakers, including renowned designer Craig Vetter; demo rides offered by BMW, Buell, Harley-Davidson, and Moto-Guzzi; an array of vendors featuring new products from top manufacturers and dealers; the annual Motorcycle Hall of Fame Auction of motorcycles and memorabilia; and the return of Rhett Rotten’s original 1941 “Wall of Death” drome, with vintage Indians and Harley-Davidsons defying gravity on its hardwood walls.

This year marks AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days’ tenth annual event at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Motorcycles previously honored with the Featured Marque distinction include BSA, Honda, Norton, Penton, Vincent, Indian, Spanish motorcycles and, most recently, Harley-Davidson.

Spectator tickets for AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days 2004 are available from Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course at 1-800-MID-OHIO or www.midohio.com. For more information about AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days 2004, including dirt-track tickets, auction details and swapmeet registration, visit www.AMADirectlink.com or call 1-800-AMA-JOIN.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Shinya Nakano has signed to race the factory Kawasaki ZX-RR in the 2004 and 2005 MotoGP World Championships, according to reliable sources.

The Japanese rider will team with German Alex Hofmann on the Bridgestone-shod machines and is expected to make his debut at a multi-team test scheduled for Sepang, Malaysia starting on January 20.

Nakano, 26, won the All-Japan 250cc Championship in 1998, finished second in the 2000 250cc World Championship to Olivier Jacque and was named the 2001 MotoGP Rookie of the Year. Nakano finished the 2003 MotoGP Championship tied with Alex Barros for ninth in points, with best race finishes of fifth (at Mugello and Catalunya) on the d’Antin Yamaha YZR-M1.

From a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

DUCATI CORSE PRESS INFORMATION
Phillip Island (Australia)
13 January

LACONI AND TOSELAND (DUCATI FILA) START 2004 TESTING IN AUSTRALIA

Regis Laconi and James Toseland returned to testing duties for Ducati Fila, together with the Foggy Petronas team, at the Phillip Island circuit in Australia on the first day of a three-day pre-season session. Strong winds in the afternoon prevented any improvement from being made on the morning’s times, when warm conditions (27°C air/33°C track) prevailed.

Laconi (75 laps) and Toseland (71) put in a considerable amount of mileage around the spectacular 4.448 km Phillip Island circuit, and concentrated on getting back into the racing groove for the new season which starts in just over six weeks time. The 999 bikes used in Australia were still in 2003 spec, but Ducati Fila engineers were also able to experiment with a new clutch.

The first day of testing also focussed on getting to grips with the new Pirelli tyres which will be used by all competitors in this year’s World Superbike championship. Ugo Forner, Pirelli’s Motorcycle Director, was on hand to oversee the development work.

“That wasn’t too bad for first time out” declared Laconi, “but it was very windy and hard to ride today. We’re working on the bike and making changes all the time and the front feels really good. It’s been a long time since I was last on the 999 and I’m sure we can get the times down more tomorrow”.

“I felt a bit rusty out there this morning” added Toseland. “It’s so fast round here compared to Valencia, which was the last time I rode a bike, and by the time I got going, it was blowing a Force 9 gale! My 999 felt a lot better than Valencia and although it’s difficult to get it to turn in with the conditions, I’m pretty happy with the way things are going.”

Times: Laconi 1:35.19
Toseland 1:35.80



LANZI CRASHES OUT ON DUCATI 749R SUPERSPORT

Lorenzo Lanzi crashed out today on the first day of testing at Phillip Island with the Ducati 749R Supersport. The Italian, who was lapping on track with the Ducati and Petronas Superbikes, flew off on oil deposited by Troy Corser (Petronas), but was unhurt.

By then Lanzi had completed a total of 17 laps, recording a time of 1:38.39. The bike was repaired in the afternoon, but the Italian was only able to complete a few more laps due to the windy conditions.

From a press release issued by Foggy Petronas Racing:

Winds of change blow for Foggy PETRONAS Racing

Foggy PETRONAS Racing riders Chris Walker and Troy Corser made the most of testing conditions on the first day of their three-day test at Phillip Island, Australia, today.

Chris set his fastest time of 1:37.1 during the most blustery of the afternoon conditions, while Troy struggled to maximise his local knowledge during a stop-start day of limited track time. But the team made valuable progress with World Superbike championship tyre manufacturers Pirelli, and will test the specially-produced new constructions tomorrow.

Chief engineer Steve Thompson said: “We have worked through a lot of tyre compounds and constructions and Chris has gone very well today, considering the fact that he was unable to complete as many laps as we would have liked.”

Chris said: “We have improved the feel of the rear, by changing the shock to make it more user-friendly. We have also made some progress in getting rid of the chatter that we experienced in the previous test at Valencia, through alterations to the rear shock and using different pivot points. I have also tried a couple of different front tyres and found a softer one with more grip. I went faster in the afternoon when the wind was up, which was encouraging, and tomorrow I’ll be working on the front end feeling.”

Troy said: “We had a few mechanical problems today so it was difficult to make too many changes. But I think we will have to change the fork and shock set-up for the new tyres, in order to improve the way the bike steers. It’s difficult to make direct comparisons between the tyres as there is so much difference between here, where you carry more corner speed, and Valencia.”