From a press release issued by Yamaha:

Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd and Team d’Antin are pleased to announce the continuation of their partnership in MotoGP World Championship. The new agreement will see the Yamaha d’Antin four-year amalgamation in the premier class, which began in 1999, extended for 2003 with a further option for 2004. The Yamaha-satellite team will contest the 2003 MotoGP season as a single Yamaha entry with new rider signing Shinya Nakano, aboard a factory-supported 2003 spec four-stroke YZR-M1.

Nakano, the 2001 MotoGP ‘Rookie of the Year’, recently signed a one-year agreement with the Spanish-based team and is looking forward to continuing the form he discovered in the closing stages of the 2002 season after switching to the race winning M1 four-stroke in Sepang, Malaysia. The 25-year-old, who made his GP debut as a wildcard rider in the 1998 Suzuka GP250 World Championship round, will be the fifth and final full-time MotoGP four-stroke Yamaha entry in the 2003 line-up.

Nakano’s international GP history began in 1999 when the Japanese star finished fourth in the 250cc championship, aboard the Yamaha YZR250 – claiming ‘Rookie of the Year’ in the process. He then progressed through to challenge for the title the following year, only to miss out on the number one plate by a mere 0.014 seconds to his own Yamaha teammate, Olivier Jacque, at the final round. Natural progression saw Nakano move into the MotoGP class in 2001, aboard the YZR500, clinching his second ‘Rookie of the Year’ title, and a solid fifth place in the final all-two-stroke championship.

Former D’Antin Team rider Norick Abe, who has played the role as lead rider with Luis d’Antin owned outfit since its inception and has had a history with Yamaha in the premier class dating back to 1995, will continue with the Yamaha camp as a dedicated YZR-M1 test and development rider. Although the final program is still to be confirmed it is likely that Abe will also contest selected rounds of the 2003 championship, as an official Yamaha factory wild card entry aboard the YZR-M1.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

After reading the articles about the KWS fraud case on your website, I felt compelled to share an experience I had. As a majority partner in a digital imaging company I was shocked to find that we had been party to a similar fraud. Turned out that somehow our corporate checking account number had been stolen, the criminals had been making checks that appeared to look like ours and cashing them all over town, as it turned out the checks were called “Versa Checks.”

These checks can be purchased at any office store and simply printed on any ink jet or laser printer. The sad thing is that checks have cost business in the Columbus, Ohio area thousands of dollars. The criminals were targeting large corporations, and even McDonalds wasn’t safe, the total amount that we lost was over $20,000; luckily the criminals were caught, but that will not replace the money we lost.

So my advice to any business that plans to accept these checks is to get as much identification from that party that you can and protect yourself, it’s only money, but it is your money.

Christopher J. Stets
Vice President
Digital Domaine Studios Inc.
Creative Development Manager
Sarcom

Columbus, Ohio




I work at a company that sells high performance automotive parts over the internet and through an 800 number. It is similar to the motorcycle market since we are make-specific (Volvo only). It seems somewhat naive in today’s market to get burned for that kind of cash.

We will not ship COD to a first-time customer. Period. Overnight delivery to someone I have not done business with previously is another red flag that makes me sit up and dynamite the brakes.

The last thing to watch for is how appropriate the purchases are. Does a club racer with no history really need three sets of new wheels delivered overnight? Did he order universal parts that fit any machine in large quantity?

Remember that the delivery driver is required to deliver all those boxes by 10:30 and he is not really focused on how fishy the location is. Credit cards are safer since the verification usually includes name and address. If you ship somewhere that is not verified, and any other red flags are up, it’s probably fraud.

Ken Pruett
Portland, Oregon

From a press release issued by the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum:

MOTORCYCLE HALL OF FAME MUSEUM reveals PLANS FOR new 2003 exhibit “HEROES OF HARLEY-DAVIDSON PRESENTED BY PROGRESSIVE MOTORCYCLE INSURANCE”

PICKERINGTON, OHIO — The Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, the premier museum on motorcycling in America, has announced plans for “Heroes of Harley-Davidson, presented by Progressive Motorcycle Insurance,” an expansive new exhibit scheduled to open February 2003. The 8100 square-foot installation, the largest ever in the museum’s 12-year history, will chronicle a century of Harley-Davidson people, personalities and products that transformed The Motor Company from an experiment in a backyard shed into today’s billion-dollar success story.

“Harley-Davidson isn’t just an internationally admired marque—it’s a symbol of American ingenuity, innovation and determination,” said Mark Mederski, Executive Director of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum. “While the company’s unparalleled success in creating passionate, lifelong customers has been the subject of countless business case studies, this exhibit will focus on the human side of Harley-Davidson—how the lives and experiences of these Harley-riding heroes helped to create today’s Motor Company.”

Twenty-two exhibit sections, from a replica of the 1903 backyard shed that served as Harley-Davidson’s first “factory” to the story behind Buell, will trace a century’s worth of intriguing history, illustrated by unique photographs, in-depth biographies and rare artifacts.

Displays will include some of the most valuable bikes ever shown publicly, including an original, unrestored1934 Model VD complete with original factory tool kit and a 1920 Banjo-Case Pocket Valve Racer, one of only two examples known to exist. Modern-day classics will range from a replica of the famous Captain America chopper to the 1988 FLHTC that former Motor Company President Vaughn Beals rode cross-country to celebrate Harley-Davidson’s 85th anniversary. And, visitors will meet the many “rule breakers” who helped create that special Harley-Davidson mystique by transcending barriers and conventions—people like ace dirt track racer Tammy Kirk and the man who created the custom category, Arlen Ness.

Curator Ed Youngblood thinks that visitors will find these stories especially inspirational. “This exhibit will be an eye-opening experience for anyone who only knows the more frequently chronicled chapters of The Motor Company’s phenomenal success. While we certainly pay homage to many of the famous names and legendary motorcycles, it is the lesser known—and sometimes overlooked—chapters that make ‘Heroes of Harley-Davidson’ one of the most engrossing as well as entertaining exhibits the Museum has ever offered.”

To celebrate the opening of the exhibit, the Motorcycle Hall of Fame is planning a number of special events and activities, including an exclusive charity preview to be held on Tuesday, March 4, 2003, during Daytona Bike Week. Attendees will have a chance to meet several of today’s “Heroes of Harley-Davidson,” plus be among the first to sign up to win a 2003 Harley-Davidson Heritage Springer Softtail, personally autographed by one of the Motor Company’s best-loved modern-day heroes, Willie G. Davidson. The Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum is also planning additional enthusiast and media events during the weekend of May 2-4, 2003, including a special ride-in for the exhibit’s grand opening celebration.

“It’s only natural that another company known for innovation as well as its involvement in motorcycling sponsor ‘Heroes of Harley-Davidson’,” said Ben Sheridan, General Manager, Progressive Motorcycle Insurance. “Progressive has grown to be the nation’s largest insurer of motorcycles by listening to riders’ needs and innovating to provide them with what they say they want. We’re thrilled to bring an exhibit that honors the heroes of our sport to enthusiasts young and old.”

“Heroes of Harley-Davidson, presented by Progressive Motorcycle Insurance” will be open through December 2004. Exhibit details will be released in January 2003.

About the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum:

The goal of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, located on the campus of the American Motorcyclist Association in Pickerington, Ohio, is to tell the stories and preserve the history of motorcycling. The Motorcycle Hall of Fame honors those who have contributed notably to the sport, and three major exhibition halls showcase the machines and memorabilia that have shaped motorcycling. The Museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; noon to 4.p.m. on Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day; and closed on New Year’s, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Adult admission is $4 per person; ages 17 and under are admitted free. For more information, call (614) 856-2222, or visit the Museum’s website at www.motorcyclemuseum.org.

About Progressive:

The Progressive group of insurance companies, in business since 1937, is the nation’s largest provider of motorcycle and personal watercraft insurance and ranks fourth in the nation for auto insurance. The company provides all of its customers with competitive rates and 24/7, in-person and online service. The Progressive Corporation, the holding company, has headquarters in Mayfield Village, Ohio and is publicly traded at NYSE:PGR. More information can be found at www.progressive.com.

From a press release:



Fischer Motor Company, an Illinois Corporation, is pleased to announce the development of the first American Superbike of the modern era. A collaboration among several top industry veterans, the Fischer MR Series will be the first American motorcycle to offer world-class performance and styling, and will accomplish this by using the world’s best suppliers. The vision of company president and former racer Dan Fischer, the MR1000 is the first product from the new company, scheduled to go into production- in Chicago- late in 2004.

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The chassis was developed by Gemini Technology Systems of Mukwonago, Wisconsin. Extensive research was performed on many of the bikes currently offered by the various manufacturers, and also the known numbers for some of the GP bikes. “That’s where we based our geometry,” says company president Dan Fischer. “The MR chassis was done entirely in CAD before any metal was cut. While the frame looks massive on the computer screen, it’s actually quite small like a GP chassis, but that gives the flexibility to build bikes for a variety of purposes and riders of any size. We also made sure that various engines could be used, since building our own complete motor is still some time away. With Gemini in charge of engineering, we’ll definitely have some performance engine parts that are ours on the first product.” Gemini is well known for getting the most out of the Harley VR1000 Superbike. “The technology Gemini possesses is incredible,” says Fischer, “everything from CNC to FEA to Computrack to carbon fiber.”

Styling is another area where Fischer has brought in world-class talent. Famed Stylist Glynn Kerr penned the original drawings and collaborates on design decisions directly at the Fischer R&D/engineering facility. Kerr supervised clay modeling himself, and brings his experience working with almost every major manufacturer to the program.

The prototypes use the Rotax V-997 cc engine, the same one used in the Aprilia Mille and their other big bikes. Rotax engineers worked with Fischer and Gemini during development, but the Fischer chassis was planned for use with multiple V-twins, in various displacements.

While the planning stage alone took almost a year, the talent involved and the technology available, including rapid prototyping machines, has moved the project along to where test bikes are now being built.

“Every motorcycle is the sum of its parts,” continues Fischer, “that’s why we look at every single part for everything from weight savings to styling. Having this much talent involved with the project means that there isn’t just attention to the details, there’s experience tending to the details, and that means everything.”

While new companies can be sure of few things, this assembly of talent guarantees an interesting product.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

This just in, proving once again that you can find any type of expert you need, in the paddock:

Being a Detective here in Illinois I can add a little more information to Kevin Hunt’s unfortunate screwing.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to be a criminal these days. Prison thugs are now carrying labtops and printers and bouncing from town-to-town printing fictitious checks/money orders. We see it all the time at work. The big thing now is scanning in large company checks, changing the signature line and you have the makings of your own U.S. Mint. Businesses don’t question them as much. This is compounded by bouncing from town-to-town.

Obviously the internet is a haven for the same thing. Be wary of hotmail, yahoo and other accounts. Anybody can create a fictitious name and buy stuff from it. I, too, use a hotmail account, but give people my work and secretary’s number for verification.

I had a buddy that almost got screwed on a Ducati motor. He sent the check for the motor to the guy and it never showed up. He did some checking and the guy’s voicemail was a internet voicemail that was bogus and tracked the check to a bank 90 miles from the address. Luckily, I was able to help him get his money back after I got involved. Something I learned through the process was Western Union doesn’t require identification for wire orders under $600. That’s why the guy wired the money back in two increments.

From a police standpoint, these cases are extremely hard to investigate because they require enormous amounts of work with several jurisdictions. Unfortunately, most States Attorneys Offices won’t spend the resources/time to go after them unless they have multiple cases of it or huge sums of money taken.

I had a case of computers being shipped to an empty apartment in a multiple-unit building. UPS couldn’t deliver it so they held it at their shipping facility. UPS doesn’t record your information when someone shows up to pick it up. They only require that the i.d. matches the name on the box. It’s not hard to make a fake i.d. I was unable to do anything with the case.

Kevin has some good advice. Here’s a few things to add to it.

1) Get as much information as possible, i.e. work numbers (call them to verify), driver’s license numbers and date of birth. Cell phones are hard to track because you have to have subpoenas and search warrants.

2)Use the internet to your advantage by doing the reverse lookups.

3) Use paypal or other ways that are insured.

4) I might open up a can of worms, but call me with questions or if you need help, 217-351-4561.

Detective Kevin Hanson
Champaign, Illinois
[email protected]
CCS #65, AMA #165

From a press release issue by Alan Blair:

It’s that time again, folks! It’s December, and very nice in south Louisiana this time of year!

Last December, RPM had weather in the 70’s for Open Track Day and School. And, this will be your final chance at getting a WERA license this year to get prepared to race next season. We’ll be putting on a WERA Rider School, and getting plenty of track time!

So bring your racing buddies and get on down to Louisiana’s No Problem Raceway in Belle Rose.

If you need more information or directions, visit the track’s website at www.noproblemraceway.com, or e-mail me at [email protected].

Alan Blair
RPM Racing

From a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

DUCATI CORSE PRESS INFORMATION
Jerez de la Frontera (Spain)
Tuesday 3 December 2002

SECOND DAY OF DUCATI CORSE TESTING AT JEREZ WITH THE DESMOSEDICI

Excellent weather conditions greeted today’s second day of testing for the Ducati Corse MotoGP team at Spain’s Jerez de la Frontera circuit. A warm sun and improved track conditions allowed Loris Capirossi and Troy Bayliss to successfully conclude the workload scheduled for the second day of a three-day test.

Capirossi, who made minor adjustments to yesterday’s set-up, worked on engine braking and tested numerous sets of tyres brought to Jerez by Michelin. His feeling with the Desmosedici is continuing to improve rapidly and Loris completed 46 laps, dipping below the 1:44 mark several times and ending up with a quickest lap of 1:43.1.

Troy Bayliss again got to grips with the unfamiliar but difficult Spanish circuit today, completing a total of 60 laps. The Australian also concentrated on chassis and suspension set-up as well as new tyres and his best time was 1:44.2.

Test rider Vittoriano Guareschi missed the second day of testing after going down with a viral infection during the night which forced him to stay in bed all day. He received a medical check-up in the morning but had to forego today’s test session.

Corrado Cecchinelli, Ducati Corse Track Technical Director, declared: “We are really satisfied with the way today went. Every time we take to the track we are making improvements and the indications that come from Troy and Loris are helping the new Desmosedici make rapid progress. The times obtained are satisfactory, considering that they were set on race tyres and also because it’s more or less the first time we have tested at Jerez after the session here two weeks ago was hit by rain. Tomorrow is the final day of testing and Loris and Troy will use the engine in Twin Pulse mode as well.”

Ducati Corse is unable to supply any images or rider comments of Loris Capirossi until the end of 2002.

From a press release issued by Honda:

HONDA RACING INFORMATION
HRC winter test Valencia, December 3, 2002.
HRC Riders Shine in the Gloom at Valencia

Frigid temperatures and a slight rain shower in the afternoon were hardly a deterrent, with all three HRC riders improving their times on the second day of a two-day test at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit, on the outskirts of Valencia, Spain.

The three Honda RC211V MotoGP riders were greeted with high winds and low temperatures, 14 degrees when the day started. Rear tyre grip was less than what the riders experienced at the grand prix a month ago, but new Michelin tyres, tested mostly by Ukawa, allowed all three riders to achieve better times.

American Superbike Champion Nicky Hayden turned a best lap of 1:35.50 late in the day, though his track time was curtailed by a crash just after noon. Hayden was entering the first right hand corner on the predominantly left-hand course when the front end slid away. The damage to the bike was such that it had to be completely re-built and the team lost over three hours of track time in the process.

“I just lost the front end,” Hayden, who completed 55 laps on the day, said. “Got in there and it pushed a little. Went to get on the gas and it went. It was pretty early in the corner. Maybe it was a little loss of concentration. I was thinking ‘Do I come in this lap? Do I stay out?'”

Hayden suffered only a minor abrasion to the knuckles of his right hand in the spill “It’s just one of those things that happens. One of the learning things. It won’t be the last one. Until I learn some more, there will definitely be some more because this bike is so challenging,” he said, as he continues to learn the intricacies of the MotoGP World Championship-winning 990cc five-cylinder Honda RC211V four-stroke.

His confidence was temporarily knocked back, but in the afternoon he got back up to speed, consistently running lap times as fast as those run by Tohru Ukawa in the November GP. That despite a light rain shower which forced all the riders to pit for a brief period.

“I ran a string of laps in the 35’s, mid 35’s,” Hayden said. With so much time lost, the team reverted to the original settings he’d used on Monday and concentrated on testing tyres. “I tested about four rears and the last one I tried had good grip and gave good feedback. They were the same compound, just different construction.”

Ukawa clocked his best lap ever at Valencia, a 1:33.76, under the 1:34.053 he’d run in qualifying for the November race. The feat was especially impressive considering the track conditions and temperature. Ukawa was the workhorse on the day, turning in 104 laps of the 4.005km circuit.

“The tyre I used had more grip, more feeling,” Ukawa said.

Nicolas Goubert, Michelin’s Motorcycle Group Manager, said that today they’d worked strictly with compounds, including some that favored today’s conditions. “Some of them worked quite good in low temperature,” he said. “We still have to make sure we can use them in the race. We have to check the endurance.”

Ukawa said of his day’s work. “It was the same rider, the same bike as I raced at the GP. I didn’t know that was my fastest lap. It just felt like any of the other laps.”

Daijiro Kato knocked a few hundredths off his Monday time, ending the day at 1:34.54. It would have been more, but a problem early in the afternoon limited his track time to 50 laps. Kato said that he was concentrating on making the RC211V better for the race and wasn’t changing tyres.

“We made an improvement in total performance, not just one area,” Kato said. “We improved the machine for the race, but it was not a big step.”

This just in from Suzuki Canada Marketing Manager Ian McKinstray, (who competed in the 1991-1996 WERA National Endurance Series with R.A. Racing):

I wanted to pass on this bit of information to you on the Toronto Motorcycle show being held this weekend at the Toronto Congress Centre on Dec 6/8, 2002. As part of the Suzuki display, we will have Kenny Roberts GSV-R MotoGP Bike on hand for the weekend as well as the three Canadian National Road Racing Champions and their #1 bikes:

Jordan Szoke, Pro Superbike
Francis Martin, Pro Open Sportbike
Clint McBain, Pro 600 Sportbike

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Michelin North America plans to supply No Limits Motorsports Honda and Annandale Honda as well as Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki with not only tires but also an extensive testing program in 2003, with even bigger plans for 2004.

“We’re coming back to take control, I guess you might say. We’re going to make our presence known,” Michelin North America Motorcycle Road Racing Manager Ron Wood told Roadracingworld.com. Wood also confirmed the company’s plan to return to the AMA Superbike class in 2004, saying, “We plan to participate in all classes in 2004.”

After confirming new tire supply deals with No Limits Honda and Annandale Honda and Michelin’s ongoing relationship with Valvoline EMGO Suzuki, Wood said, “We’re going to have tire testing set up all through the year at a lot of different tracks. We’ll participate in, I guess, the majority of all the Honda test days also. We’ll have some of our own so that we can get Valvoline and everybody else there. We’ve got some tentative plans, but I can’t say anything until we’ve got them totally ironed out. We are planning up to four tests ourself, in addition to all of the others (multi-team tests). Probably one, if not two, before the season starts, then at least two afterward, if not more.”

Wood is also trying to organize a Michelin tire test at Daytona. “We’re still trying to do that,” said Wood. “If worst case scenario, we have other alternatives where we can go do simulated testing, like at Texas World or something like that.”

Located in College Station, Texas, Texas World Speedway is a 2.0-mile, D-shaped superspeedway oval with 22-degree banking, less than Daytona International Speedway’s 31-degree banking.

Wood said he expected to finalize some of the Michelin testing plans before the holidays.