From a press release issued by the Kawasaki Racing Team:

FULL THROTTLE ON THE WATER

Fuchs Kawasaki Racing Team riders Garry McCoy and Andrew Pitt took some time off the race tracks, but not off motor racing. Spending two leisurely weeks at home in sunny Queensland after the season-opening Grand Prix in Suzuka, the two Australians took a chance to race each other aboard two brand-new Kawasaki Jet Skis on the Gold Coast, one of Australia’s most famous tourist destination on the Pacific Ocean. Garry McCoy, who already owns last year’s 750 cc stand-up version, spontaneously upgraded to the sleeker, more powerful 800 SX-R with 80 hp that Kawasaki released for this summer season. Andrew Pitt, who already owns an 1100 STX three-seater two-stroke model, was especially impressed with the grunty, 145 horsepower strong all-new 1200 STX-R two-seater four-stroke.

Andrew Pitt:

“It was my first time on stand-up Kawasaki Jet Ski, and I got pretty wet! I spent a lot of time under water, and falling off. But I got the hang of it in the end, and it really is good fun. It is a bit more of a challenge to ride those than the sit-down ones for sure!

But the 1200 STX-R two-seater is a blast also. I own the 1100 fuel-injected two-stroke three-seater, which runs great. But I didn’t know that they actually released a version with a big four-stroke engine. The acceleration of the 145 hp engine is pretty impressive, and the engine runs a lot quieter, which is fantastic. I also took the STX-R out into the open water through the seaway, and jumped a few waves. It feels a bit more solid than mine, too, so it seems better for jumping. I like it – it might be the time for a trade-in! “

Garry McCoy:

“The new stand-up Kawasaki Jet Ski 800 SX-R is pretty good, I really like it. It’s definitely got a little more grunt than the older one from the previous year that I’ve got. I wish riding Kawasaki Jet Skis was part of my regular training routine, but as we are racing all year long, it’s pretty much an off-season thing. Just to have fun, to wind down, and to train a bit at the same time – everything put into one.

The big 1200 STX-R four-stroke feels really different to what I’m used to. Jet Skis have been all two-strokes in the past, and they are only starting to bring out the four-strokes now, which definitely feels good with their different and smoother range of power. The four-stroke motor is a perfect match for the more relaxed, more leisurely way you drive these sit-down ones!”

From a press release issued by Yamaha:

MotoGP Set-up report – Welkom

Round: 2, South African MotoGP
April 27, 2003
Circuit: Phakisa Freeway, Welkom
Country: South Africa
Track length: 4242 m
Opened: 1999
Fastest Lap Ever: 1′ 34.629 (Valentino Rossi, 2001 – MotoGP)
MotoGP lap record: 1′ 34.834 (Tohru Ukawa, 2002)
Last year MotoGP winner: Tohru Ukawa
GP250 lap record: 1′ 36.828 (Marco Melandri, 2001)
Last year GP250 winner: Marco Melandri
Circuit tel: +27 57 3918000
Circuit web site: http://www.phakisa.com

2002 MotoGP race summary

Carlos Checa put in a determined ride during the 2002 South African MotoGP to finish the 28-lap race in the top five. Up until the closing stages the Spaniard held a solid grasp on fourth place when 2001 MotoGP 250 World Champion Daijiro Kato (Honda) made a late charge to dive through on the penultimate lap. It was a solid result that could have slipped through the Spaniards fingers before the race even began after he stalled the YZR-M1 on the warm-up lap and was forced to push-start the four-stoke machine. He eventually made it to his allotted seventh place on the grid moments before the start.

The race looked set to produce a second consecutive Valentino Rossi (Honda) victory after both he and Tohru Ukawa (Honda) broke away from the rest of the MotoGP field. Only Loris Capirossi (Honda) – who finished the day third on the first two-stroke machine – was able to keep the two four-strokes in sight. Then, at two-thirds race distance, Ukawa made his first attempt on the race lead, which he took successfully and held until Rossi fought back on lap 26. An unexpected mistake by the defending MotoGP world champ opened the door for Ukawa. The Japanese took advantage of the rare situation only to be attacked by the Italian on two more occasions. But as before Rossi wasn’t able to make the moves stick and Ukawa was left to take his first MotoGP race win.

Olivier Jacque (Yamaha) attempted to follow Kato’s move on the final lap, but couldn’t find a way by Checa’s YZR-M1 and was forced to settle for sixth place. Even so the Frenchman was more than happy with the result, as hot on his tail was the ever persistent Norick Abe (Yamaha), with eighth placed Shinya Nakano (Yamaha), in turn, all over his back wheel.

YZR-M1 Set-up Report

Over the past five years the Phakisa circuit has developed a notorious reputation for being both bumpy and slippery – the latter a side effect of the area’s flat and dusty surroundings. Combined, these two elements make setting up a 210 plus horsepower MotoGP machine uniquely difficult. Therefore the key to a successful result at this isolated venue is not outright horsepower, or an overly aggressive chassis geometry; rather a place on the podium hinges on a predictable power curve and a balanced, yet receptive suspension package.

With strong winds a regular occurrence in the region, along with rather dry conditions and irregular circuit use, it is common that a heavy film of grit is usually covering the track surface upon the arrival of the MotoGP spectacle. This factor alone makes finding the perfect race day set-up difficult, with the track conditions constantly changing as the round progresses. During the three days of the race weekend the circuit tends to offer more grip as a cleaner racing line begins to appear, often resulting in faster lap times – the beginning of an endless cycle of chasing chassis settings to suit the increasing pace.

With this in mind each rider is likely to opt for a chassis set-up that is initially plusher than would usually be expected for such a medium to high speed layout, in an effort to increase predictability and feel. A combination of balancing the YZR-M1’s rear ride-height, reducing compression damping and increasing the spring preload will reduce the likelihood of the bike’s rear suspension unit squatting under power – otherwise there is the risk of understeer during the exit of corners. At the same time this more forgiving set-up will also reduce excessive overload on the sidewall of the tyres over sharp and unpredictable surfaces; in turn making the bike behave more predictably. However as the times drop, with the increasing presence of a cleaner racing line, the cornering forces will build and will therefore require the need for increased spring weights along with firmer compression damping.

Improving the overall balance and feel further for Yamaha riders Carlos Checa (Fortuna Yamaha Team) and Alex Barros (Gauloises Yamaha Team) will be the availability of a further evolution of the M1’s Deltabox frame, which was first sampled by Checa in Suzuka following the opening round of the MotoGP World Championship. Initial results indicate that the latest incarnation offers improved rear wheel traction, increased predictability and greater braking stability, although further evaluations are needed. For this reason both riders will have access to one new unit each in Welkom to allow further comparisons to the current chassis package.

Since most Welkom corners are of medium to high speed, with very little in the way of seriously hard braking areas, front fork set-up will mimic the rear shock – increasing the front fork preload/spring rate to compensate for the reduce compression damping. As the speed increase, again the necessary adjustment will be made to compensate for the more aggressive riding.

Due to circuit’s high elevation, and the regular high temperatures, power loss is also a major issue for all concerned – even for the mighty four-strokes. The less dense air will see all motorcycles down on power by nearly 15 percent. In an attempt to reduce the effects Yamaha technicians will sacrifice a little low rpm drive to chase a stronger top-end and midrange power delivery. This is possible since there are virtually no stop-and-go corners on the 4242m circuit.

Again Checa and Barros’ M1s will benefit from the improved aerodynamics of the more aggressive fairing, which they first sampled in Suzuka. Meanwhile Olivier Jacque (Gauloises Yamaha Team) and Norick Abe (Fortuna Yamaha Team) – temporarily filling in for the injured Marco Melandri – will continue with the 2003 spec machines until the European leg of the championship begin.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

The Jerez circuit, located near the city of Jerez de la Frontera in the south of Spain, will host the MotoGP World Championship series through the year 2011. The announcement was made Wednesday by Jerez de la Frontera mayor Pedro Pacheco and Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta.

Built in 1986, Jerez has hosted the premiere motorcycle road racing series since 1987 and regularly draws in excess of 100,000 spectators on race days and drew a three-day attendance over 200,000 for its 2002 MotoGP event.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By Beth Wyse

The third and final day of AMA team testing at Road Atlanta saw Mat Mladin still at the top of the time sheets, although his time of 1:23.8 on the Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 was not as quick as the 1:23.32 he set on Tuesday.

Yoshimura Suzuki hosted the test and invited all of the factory teams, as well as Austin Ducati and Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki, to participate. Honda decided to skip the third day so they could get a head start for Barber Motorsports Park, where many of the teams will test on Thursday.

Team Kawasaki ran only in the morning and left early in the afternoon.

With an hour and a half of open track time remaining, Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki was the only team still running. Steve Rapp was the iron man of the paddock, turning laps by himself on his Suzuki GSX-R1000 for 30 minutes until the track was shut down for the day.

Jamie Hacking was the fastest Supersport rider again, setting a fast time of 1:26.4 on his factory Yamaha YZF-R6.

Kawasaki’s Tommy Hayden concentrated on his 636cc Superstock Kawasaki ZX-6R. His best time was a 1:27.6.

Damon Buckmaster was the quickest Formula Xtreme rider Wednesday, and set the overall second-quickest time of the day with a 1:24.1 on his Graves Yamaha YZF-R1. Yoshimura Suzuki’s Ben Spies was close with a time of 1:24.2 on his Formula Xtreme Suzuki GSX-R1000.

Most riders turned slower times Wednesday afternoon due to higher temperatures and the resulting loss of grip on the track.


Thursday’s Unofficial Lap Times:

1. Mat Mladin, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:23.8
2. Damon Buckmaster, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:24.1
3. Ben Spies, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:24.2
4. Eric Bostrom, Kawasaki ZX-7RR, 1:24.3
5. Jamie Hacking, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:24.5
6. Aaron Yates, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:24.8
7. Anthony Gobert, Ducati 998, 1:25.0
8. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:25.1
9. Steve Rapp, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:25.27
10. Jamie Hacking, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:26.4
11. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki ZX-6R, 1:27.6
12. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:27.9
13. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:28.0
14. Tony Meiring, Kawasaki ZX-6R, 1:28.0
15. Jamie Stauffer, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:28.3
16. Matt Furtek, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:28.7

From a press release issued by Harley-Davidson:

HARLEY-DAVIDSON REPORTS ANOTHER RECORD FIRST QUARTER

Milwaukee, Wis., April 16, 2003 — Harley-Davidson, Inc. (NYSE: HDI) today announced record revenue and earnings for its first quarter ended March 30, 2003. Revenue for the quarter was $1.1 billion compared with $927.8 million in the year-ago quarter, a 20.0 percent increase. First quarter diluted earnings per share (EPS) were 61 cents, a 56.4 percent increase compared with last year’s 39 cents.

“We are pleased with our outstanding results for the first quarter of 2003 as we continue to execute our long-term Plan for Sustainable Growth,” said Jeffrey L. Bleustein, chairman and chief executive officer of Harley-Davidson, Inc. “While the long winter experienced by much of our nation has delayed some retail sales, dealer confidence and other measures that we use to track Harley-Davidson motorcycle demand remain strong.”

“With these indicators in mind and with construction of our new factory in York, Pennsylvania proceeding to plan, we are raising our shipment target for 2003 from 289,000 to 290,000 Harley-Davidson motorcycles,” added Bleustein. The Company’s new target is a 10% increase over 2002.

From a press release issued by the AMA:

Two-stroke Dirtbike and ATV Ban Proposed in Massachusetts

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — The sale of new two-stroke off-highway motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles would be banned in Massachusetts under House Bill 1909, introduced by state Rep. J. James Marzilli Jr. (D-Arlington), the American Motorcyclist Association reports.

Under his proposal, it would be illegal for anyone to sell “a recreational vehicle containing a two-stroke engine, including, but not limited to, a snow craft, an all-terrain vehicle, a personal watercraft, or a motorboat.”

“This is the most sweeping ban ever introduced in any state,” said Royce Wood, AMA legislative affairs specialist in charge of off-highway issues.

If passed, the bill would outlaw new sales of the vast majority of motocross bikes in the state, although anyone who bought a two-stroke built before June 1, 2004, would be allowed to resell the vehicle.

The bill has been referred to the Joint Committee on Natural Resources and Agriculture. Letters from Massachusetts residents opposing the bill should be sent to the committee chairwoman, Sen. Pamela P. Resor (D-Middlesex), Joint Committee on Natural Resources and Agriculture, Room 473F, State House, Boston, MA 02133.

Or, Massachusetts citizens can go to the AMA Rapid Response Center at the AMA website at www.AMADirectlink.com to send a message opposing this bill.

From a press release issued by Dr. Rob Tuluie:

Setup, Setback and Win – Robert Jensen Wins on the Tul-aris!

The first CRA race weekend of 2003 at the Mid-America Motorplex saw Robert Jensen setting the pace all weekend long. Upon arrival at the flowing circuit, we were greeted with perfect sunny racing weather and further improved facilities. First, Robert practiced on the Tul-aris and his own stable of bikes, a Yamaha R1, R6 and Suzuki GSXR750. Throughout Thursday and Friday practice Robert was consistently faster on the Tul-aris than his own bikes by ½ to 1 second. This is remarkable since Robert has much more seat time racing 4-strokes and yet he was turning the fastest times on the less familiar Tul-aris. As times were coming down for all bikes and riders, Robert was still lapping faster on the Tul-aris than anyone else, including such top national privateers as R1-mounted Larry Denning and Shawn Conrad.

We were making gains with rear suspension linkage ratio adjustments, suspension damping adjustments, brake feel and jetting. In particular, we found that a new Tul-aris linkage ratio, machined by Tul-aris team member Tim Wirtz, offered better stability and drives out of the turns. We make fine adjustments to the linkage ratio by using a quick-change eccentric adjustment in the linkage. Once we found a good ratio, we worked on our Ohlins suspension’s damping adjustments until brake stability and cornering traction were on par. We also improved brake feel by changing brake pad compound and adjusting the GP Tech/AP Racing adjustable radial master cylinder’s lever ratio, a very convenient feature which has proven quite helpful in tuning for just the right amount of brake bite and power.

On the other hand, our Michelin tires worked excellent all day and our first set was good for over 100 racing miles, when other tire brands were being torn up rapidly by the abrasive track surface. Likewise, the Hot Seat Performance Polaris 800cc motor, powered with Nutec GP2 fuel, worked excellent, with awesome acceleration and long, multi-gear power wheelies – which is where the trouble started:

Coming out of the 2nd gear turn onto the front straight, an exuberant Robert wheelied, short shifted into 3rd, continued to wheelie into 4th at which point the front wheel started heading towards earth again – all of it well document by the on-board data acquisition system (see enclosed graph). The problem was that the front wheel was going 80 mph when first lofted into the air and then didn’t touch the ground until Robert was up to 115 mph. Unfortunately, the steering was turned slightly to the side, so when the 80 (or less) mph front wheel hit the 115 mph pavement it instantly skidded, and Robert fell down. He was fine, but the bike was caked in mud. Thankfully the Tul-aris was not damaged too badly, but Tul-aris team member Dave Heisserer and I spend many, many hours disassembling and removing mud and sand from everything, including the crankcase. Hence we spend all of Saturday working on getting the bike back together and missed valuable setup time.

Two quick runs down the handy Mid-America drag strip Saturday night at 11pm by yours truly, in front of an assembled crowd of local burnout enthusiasts, confirmed that the motor was functional. The sight, sound and smell of the Tul-aris seemed like a UFO in this alien environment, with the real purpose of this endeavor known to few. Let’s just say that the Tul-aris launches about as well as a lowly ’79 Pinto.

With one short Sunday morning practice relegated to a quick functional check of the bike, we were no longer the fastest bike on the track and a small miracle would have to happen in order for Robert to pull out a win. We decided to use our first race for practice and focus on the 2nd race, the feature Unlimited GP race. The problem was that we only had 20 minutes between races to make adjustments. As soon as Robert came in from the practice-race, we adjusted the shock linkage ratio (3 min), suspension damping (1 min), brake pad compound (2 min), shock spring preload (1 min), refueled (1 min), ignition timing (3 min), and tire warmers and lowers on/off (1 min each) – not bad for a volunteer crew! Of course Roberts’s perceptive and detailed feedback helped in setting us onto the right track and setup decisions were made quickly thereafter.

The start of the Unlimited GP race found Robert in 3rd place, but he quickly moved past the leaders and was leading the race after the first lap. He was lapping 2 seconds faster than he did just minutes earlier in the practice-race, so our quick adjustments paid off. Almost immediately, Robert pulled out a big lead. Robert was able to make up time in quick left/right transitions and with his unmatched ability to get super drives out of the turns. It was exciting to see him transition from full left lean to full right lean much faster than anyone else, then roll on the throttle at a lean angle that seemed to defy what normal ability, tires and suspension offer. Robert won the 8-lap race with a 7 second advantage over 2nd place, CRA #1 plate holder Scott Ruehle on a Yamaha R1. In addition, Robert won every race he entered on his own bikes, save for the practice-race on the Tul-aris and an unfortunate DQ on one of his own bikes in another race.

The big winners this weekend were Robert Jensen, Michelin, and all others who helped this effort: MotoDynamics, Nutec Racing Fuel, Ohlins USA, Hot Seat Performance, Lofgren Racing/Manley Cycle, GP Tech, Yoyodyne Titanium, Mason Racing Tires, MTS Systems Corporation, Carbon Fiber Specialties Products, DCM Services and Deus Ex Machina. Special thanks to Eric Christensen, Brian Gillingham and Chad Pierce at Polaris as well as a special thanks to Dave Heisserer for this exhausting, but ultimately successful racing weekend.

Robert Jensen is sponsored by Butler Machinery, Michelin, Arai Helmets, RS-Taichi Leathers and Sidi Boots.

Our next race is the largest CCS road racing event of the year, on April 25-27 at Road America, north of Milwaukee, WI.

From a press release issued by Spectrum Ducati:

Spectrum Ducati is offering three replica versions of the Ducati 999 in Corse FILA SBK colors. The bikes have painted in SBK Fila colors to a quality as good as the original paintwork and the wheels have been powder coated for durability. The bike show is a 999 Mono and has a double bubble bronze screen, suede seat, adjustable footrests and a Stainless Steel Termignoni exhaust. The Termignoni exhaust kit includes a new CPU and air filter upgrades which increase the overhaul power output by approximately 8%.





The 999 mono and 999s replicas are available for immediate delivery with the R version to be delivered in the near future.The 999 mono version sells for $20,995 ( as shown $23,995 ), the 999S version is $25,995 and the 999R version will be $35,995. Spectrum Ducati has a wide array of Ducati Performance and other after market accessories available for all Ducati models. Shipping bikes out of state is not a problem.

 

For more information contact Tony Bell at 949 859 3186 or email [email protected] Spectrum Ducati is located at 45 Oldfield, Irvine, California 92618

From a press release issued by Yamaha:

Defending Japanese 250 champion Tekkyu Kayo is to make his World Supersport Championship debut in round three at Sugo, Japan (25-27 April).

Fresh from his wild-card appearance on the two-stroke Yamaha TZ250 at the recent Japanese 250GP, 21-year-old Kayo will again ride as wild-card, but this time in the colours of Yamaha Belgarda Team. It should prove to be an exciting time for Kayo. Sugo will mark his first outing on both the production-based four-stroke Yamaha YZF-R6 and the official Pirelli tyres used by the Italian team.

Kayo’s machine will be in the same specification as those of regular team riders Jurgen van den Goorbergh and Simone Sanna. Kayo brings with him the technicians from his domestic championship team, but together they will work closely with the Belgarda engineers to find an optimum set-up for the demanding Sugo circuit.

Kayo’s previous four-stroke experience is limited but he is keen to gauge his performance against the World Supersport regulars. He said: “This is the first time I will race a 600cc machine. I have not had many opportunities to ride a four-stroke but have participated twice on a YZF-R7 in the Suzuka 8-hour endurance race. Last year I finished fifth so I now have a good feel for the characteristics of a four-stroke bike.

“I am anxious about racing in World Supersport but on the other hand I am also excited. I am expecting very much and can’t wait for the race week to come. I am also looking forward to racing with fellow Japanese rider (Katsuaki) Fujiwara. I think that this class is a good opportunity to test my ability in a close race, because the regulations mean that the results depend on not only the machine performance but also the rider’s skill.”

Profile
Nationality: Japanese
Date of Birth: 22.11.81
Place of Birth: Setagaya Tokyo, Japan
Resides: Tokyo, Japan
Marital Status: Single
Height: 168 cm
Weight: 56 kg
Hobbies: Cinema, motorcycle racing

Career highlights
2003 GP250 Japanese National Championship
GP250 World Championship wild-card Suzuka (ninth)
2002 Japanese GP250 Champion
2001 13th GP250 Japanese National Championship
2000 3rd GP250 Japanese National Championship
1999 3rd GP250 Japanese National Championship
1998 10th GP250 Japanese National Championship
1997 GP125 Western Japan Area Champion

From a press release issued by Cartersport Motorsport Media and Management on behalf of Russ Hodgson Racing:

Virgin Mobile Yamaha R6 Cup – Round 2 – Snetterton – 13th April 2003

MORE POINTS FOR RUSTY

Following on from a superb top ten result in the opening round, Yarm motorcycle racer Russ Hodgson continued his good form with another superb result in the Virgin Mobile Yamaha R6 Cup in front of 20,000 fans at Snetterton, Norfolk yesterday.

After battling to ninth position on his four stroke debut two weeks ago at Silverstone, the 21 year old managed to slot the Tillston’s supported machine on row two of the grid during Saturday’s qualifying before taking to the start in front of a live Sky Sports TV audience.

Hodgson was battling with the leading bunch at lap record pace around the ultra-fast track when he was almost high-sided from his machine at the infamous Bomb Hole at half distance causing him to run wide and lose momentum.

Undeterred, the former 125cc racer bounced back into contention but had to settle for seventh at the flag, just as he was closing in on the pack in front.

“I felt really happy on the bike and but for that slide, I think I could have been a few places higher. But I’m happy, especially as I was dicing with Peter Ward who won the opening round so I know there’s more to come” said Rusty afterwards who moved up to seventh in the points table as a result.

Round three of the twelve race series, whereby all riders race identical machines, takes place at Thruxton in Hampshire on Easter Sunday.

Race Result (17 laps)
1. Cal Crutchlow, 21m 10.820s, 2 Benjie Cockerill, 21;11.760, 3 Tommy Hill 21:12.050, 4 Kiel Bryce 21:14.350, 5 Kieran Clarke 21:15.479, 6 Peter Ward 21:17.095, 7 Russ Hodgson 21:20.060, 8 Jason Page 21:22.157, 9 Carl Ogden 21:23.379, 10 Alister Bailey 21:25.255.

Championship Standings (after round two)
1 Tommy Hill 36, Benjie Cockerill 36, 3. Peter Ward 35, 4.Cal Crutchlow 25, 5. Kieran Clarke 24, 6.Kiel Bryce 22, 7.Victor Cox 16, Russ Hodgson 16. 9. Jason Page 13, 10. Ross Connolly 12.