Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Former road racer Alice King, who in recent years handled Public Relations for Ducati North America followed by a stint as a sales rep with Tucker-Rocky Distributing, is now working as an Apparel Specialist for BMW Motorcycles.

We’re not sure what that means but King reports that since taking the job in August she has to wear business suits to work.

From a press release issued by Michelin:

MICHELIN’S FOUR-STROKE FORCE EXPANDS AT STEAMY SEPANG

The new-look MotoGP World Championship gets closer to going all-four-stroke this weekend at Sepang where four-stroke machines will account for half of the MotoGP grid for the first time. Just one week after Alex Barros (West Honda Pons RC211V-Michelin) forsook his NSR500 two-stroke to win at Motegi, Olivier Jacque (Gauloises Yamaha Tech 3 YZR-M1-Michelin) and Shinya Nakano (Gauloises Yamaha Tech 3 YZR-M1-Michelin) have consigned their YZR500 two-strokes to history, bringing the total of four-stroke bikes to twelve. Next year it’s expected that the entire MotoGP grid will be four-stroke, bringing a quarter of a century of two-stroke domination to an end.

Jacque and Nakano couldn’t have chosen a better place to make the switch, for Sepang is expected to favour the new breed of 200-plus horsepower four-strokes more than any of the other 15 Grand Prix circuits. Most pit-lane experts expect newly crowned MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi (Repsol Honda Team RC211V-Michelin) and his rivals to smash the existing 500 track record by around two seconds.

Sunday’s Malaysian GP is the 14th of the season and falls immediately after last weekend’s Pacific GP in Japan and before next weekend’s Australian GP. The first-ever four-stroke-based MotoGP season concludes at Valencia, in Spain, on November 3.


MICHELIN TYRES AND SEPANG

Sepang is one of the more challenging events on the Grand Prix calendar – mainly because of the withering tropical weather conditions. The high ambient temperatures, often around 35 degrees, can raise track surface temperature to over 50 degrees, a massive increase over that experienced at most GP circuits. It is Michelin’s job to ensure that their tyres offer riders maximum grip and endurance in these torrid conditions, and the company’s superb record at the Malaysian GP suggests that the French tyres manage this better than any others. Michelin has won all but two of the 11 premier-class GPs staged in Malaysia since 1991, at Shah Alam, Johor and Sepang.

“In normal conditions, most European GP circuits have a track surface temperature of around 35 degrees, so Sepang can be around 40 per cent hotter,” says Michelin Grand Prix manager Emmanuel Fournier. “But tyre temperature doesn’t increase by anything like as much, because we manage it by adjusting compounds and constructions. This is one of the toughest tracks for tyres, so it will be a big challenge for us, just like every race this year, because every circuit is new for the four-strokes. We have made many improvements to our tyres since the start of the season, mainly through construction, but then the bikes have also improved a lot.”

Sepang isn’t only the hottest GP track, it’s also the widest, which adds an extra element to riding technique. “The circuit is almost too wide for bikes!” adds Fournier. “Riders therefore need to be very clever to ride the best-possible lap here, because if they ride white line to white line, as they do at most tracks, for sure they won’t be so fast. The track is so wide that riders can use many, many different lines through each corner, so it’s the kind of place where we can see riders really use their talent to produce the best lap time. Also, they can change their lines from lap to lap, maybe sacrificing corner entry speed at one turn to increase their exit speed, or vice versa. And, of course, this makes it easier for riders to overtake each other.

“I think this will be a tough weekend for the two-stroke riders. We are still developing tyres for the 500s but Sepang is fast and open, so the more powerful four-strokes will have a definite advantage.”

Two years ago at Sepang Michelin tested an air-drying system for their paddock compressors, but while these units are widely used in similar conditions in car racing, they’re not so useful in bikes. “The volume of air within a motorcycle tyre is much smaller than that of an F1 car tyres,” explains Fournier. “So the pressure increase caused by the heat vapourising the wet air is negligible.”

SHINYA NAKANO AND SEPANG

There will be few happier people in the Sepang paddock than Shinya Nakano, who this weekend races a four-stroke MotoGP bike for the first time. Runner-up in the 250 World Championship two years ago, Nakano has raced 500s for the past two seasons, scoring a podium finish during his debut premier-class campaign, but this year hasn’t been so easy for the meek and mild Japanese star. The advent of the new four-stroke-based MotoGP rules has left Nakano struggling to keep up on his traditional 500, but from now on he’s four-stroke-mounted and aiming to get back up front.

Nakano and team-mate Olivier Jacque get one YZR-M1 each for the last three races of the 2002 MotoGP World Championship. The bikes are almost exactly like those raced by Max Biaggi (Marlboro Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin) and Carlos Checa (Marlboro Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin), who have scored one win and four pole positions between them over the last few months.

And Nakano could hardly have chosen a better track at which to make his M1 debut. “Sepang is a good track for four-strokes and it’s also one of my favourite tracks – I won the 250 GP here in 2000 and last year I was only three tenths off a podium finish in the 500 GP,” says the former Japanese 250 champ who celebrated his 25th birthday the day before Malaysian GP qualifying got underway. “I like it because I like fast corners and it’s a fast track, which rewards smooth riding. But Sepang is a hard race –for the tyres, for the engine and also for the rider. The weather is always very hot and humid, and even though Japanese riders are more accustomed to these conditions, Sepang is still tough for us.

“The grip is so-so but the surface temperature is so hot that you can push very hard from the very first lap. The high temperatures also mean that you get even more feel when the tyres slide, though they do slide more than usual. But I don’t have to think about conserving my tyres at this track, it’s never a concern, so long as I work to choose the best tyres with my crew and with Michelin. I go flat-out from the start, no worries, and I push all the way. Maybe you have some big slides over the final few laps but it’s not a problem.

“Last winter Olivier and I did a lot of front-tyre testing for Michelin and I used to have ‘my own’ front, but midseason I changed back to a more standard front slick and I’m quite happy with that. Michelin have been working very hard on both front and rear tyres, and not only for the four-strokes. I’m surprised how much effort they’ve put into their 500 tyres, considering that the 500s won’t be around for much longer, though I’ve appreciated their help. But now, of course, I change to four-strokes!

“I tested the M1 at Yamaha’s Fukuroi test track during the summer break and also again at Shah Alam this week. It’s obviously important to get as much time as possible on the bike because I’ve never raced a four-stroke before, not even at the Suzuka Eight Hours. But I’ve been surprised by the M1, I’ve found it easy to ride and not so much different from the 500. The main thing is that it’s faster, especially on acceleration, and it can do quicker lap times, which is all that really matters to me! This has been a difficult season for 500 riders because it’s been impossible to be competitive with the four-strokes at most tracks, so I’m looking forward to being able to fight up front once again. The M1 does good lap times easily and it seems to look after its tyres well, because the power delivery is smoother, so I think I’m going to be having a lot of fun over the next few races.”

SEPANG DATA
Lap record
Valentino Rossi (Repsol Honda Team NSR500-Michelin), 2:06.618, 157.741kmh/98.016mph (2001)

2001 pole position
Loris Capirossi (West Honda Pons NSR500-Michelin), 2:05.637

Recent winners of the Malaysian GP
2001 Valentino Rossi (Nastro Azzurro Honda NSR500-Michelin), 44:46.652

2000 Kenny Roberts (Telefonica Movistar Suzuki RGV500-Michelin) 31:58.102 (race stopped early due to rain)

1999 Kenny Roberts (Suzuki Grand Prix Team RGV500-Michelin), 44:56.033

1998 Mick Doohan (Repsol Honda NSR500-Michelin), race held at Johor

1997 Mick Doohan (Repsol Honda NSR500-Michelin), race held at Shah Alam

1996 Luca Cadalora (Kanemoto Honda NSR500-Michelin), race held at Shah Alam


Michelin’s partners

Repsol Honda Team-Michelin (4S)
Valentino Rossi
Tohru Ukawa

Marlboro Yamaha Team-Michelin (4S)
Max Biaggi
Carlos Checa

Telefonica Movistar Suzuki Team-Michelin (4S)
Kenny Roberts
Sete Gibernau

West Honda Pons-Michelin (2&4S)
Loris Capirossi (2S)
Alex Barros (4S)

Fortuna Honda Gresini-Michelin (4S)
Daijiro Kato

Gauloises Yamaha Tech 3-Michelin (4S)
Shinya Nakano
Olivier Jacque

Antena 3 Yamaha-d’Antin-Michelin (2S)
Norick Abe
Pere Riba

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

1. Valentino Rossi, Honda RC211V, 2:05.643
2. Daijiro Kato, Honda RC211V, 2:05.817
3. Alex Barros, Honda RC211V, 2:06.137
4. Loris Capirossi, Honda NSR500, 2:06.568
5. Jeremy McWilliam, Proton KR3, 2:06.986
6. Kenny Roberts, Suzuki GSV-R, 2:07.015
7. Sete Gibernau, Suzuki GSV-R, 2:07.078
8. Carlos Checa, Yamaha YZR-M1, 2:07.200
9. Tohru Ukawa, Honda RC211V, 2:07.558
10. Max Biaggi, Yamaha YZR-M1, 2:07.605
11. Shinya Nakano, Yamaha YZR-M1, 2:07.717
12. Tetsuya Harada, Honda NSR500, 2:07.771
13. John Hopkins, Yamaha YZR500, 2:07.921
14. Jurgen v.d. Goorbergh, Honda NSR500, 2:07.944
15. Norick Abe, Yamaha YZR-M1, 2:07.983
16. Nobuatsu Aoki, Proton KR3, 2:08.185
17. Garry McCoy, Yamaha YZR500, 2:08.633
18. Regis Laconi, Aprilia RS3, 2:08.730
19. Olivier Jacque, Yamaha YZR-M1, 2:09.358
20. Akira Ryo, Suzuki GSV-R, 2:09.386
21. Jose Luis Cardoso, Yamaha YZR500, 2:09.966
22. Andrew Pitt, Kawasaki ZX-RR, 2:13.127

From a press release issued by Daytona International Speedway:

Connell Not Holding Anything Back Entering Next Week’s Fall Cycle Scene At Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., (Oct. 10, 2002) — Aussie Craig Connell won’t be playing it conservatively during next week’s Fall Cycle Scene at Daytona International Speedway.

Connell, a native of Queensland, Australia, owns the championship leads in both the Lockhart-Phillips Unlimited Superbike and Pro Honda Oils Sportbike entering the Oct. 17-20 Fall Cycle Scene, which features the season finales for both the Championship Cup Series and the Formula USA National Road Racing Series.

While Connell wants to secure both championships, he’s not going to be racing any differently at the “World Center of Racing” than he has anywhere else this season.

“I’ll be racing to win,” said Connell, who rides the No. 6 Arclight Suzuki.

The 34-year-old Connell holds an 11-point advantage over Floridian Michael Barnes in the Lockhart-Phillips Unlimited Superbike, the premier division of Formula USA.

There will be 51 points up for grabs between the two legs of the Lockhart Phillips Unlimited Superbike season finale at Daytona on Sunday, Oct. 20 which will leave Connell, Barnes, third-place rider Shawn Higbee and four-place rider Larry Pegram with statistical shots at the title.

In the Pro Honda Oils Sportbike, which will also be on Sunday, Oct. 20, Connell has all but clinched the title. He holds a 25-point lead over Pegram, and with only 26 points at stake in the division’s season finale at Daytona, Pegram will have a hard time catching Connell.

“The pressure is off on that one a little bit,” Connell said.

Connell got the season off to a slow start during Daytona 200 Week in March. He finished eighth in the Sportbike and eighth and seventh in the Lockhart-Phillips Unlimited Superbike legs.

But Connell was still adjusting to a new bike (he switched from Ducati to Suzuki) and was recovering from an arm injury from the previous season. He has been able to bounce back by staying consistent and focusing on the races that he felt like he could win.

“We got on top of those nibbling problems and all is working well,” Connell said.

Connell made his first trip to Daytona International Speedway in March, 2001 and says that the 3.56-mile road course is like nothing he has ever seen in his career.

“I’m from Australia,” Connell said. “We have nothing like that back there. It was a total learning curve.

“It was the entire place, just the size of it. It was totally different from anything I’ve done before. I’ve ridden around the world and Daytona is not like anything else. Daytona is one of those places that you don’t have anything else to relate to.”

Tickets for Fall Cycle Scene are available online at http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling the Speedway ticket office at (386) 253-7223.

From a press release issued by Proton Team KR:

PROTON TEAM KR LAUNCH FAST-FORWARD FOUR-STROKE

Proton Team KR, the only fully independent team in top-level motorcycle racing, is taking a bold step into the future in 2003, with a head-on challenge to the factories with their new V5 four-stroke MotoGP racer. And today they showed a full-scale model of the motor for the first time.

Team Owner Kenny Roberts has made the commitment, after five years of racing a lightweight alternative two-stroke machine, in a rewarding but ultimately not fully successful attempt to beat the big manufacturers at their own game.

“We chose a lightweight three-cylinder bike against the four-cylinder factory machines because we believed that its agility would outweigh any relative lack of ultimate performance,” said Roberts.

“Now we are building a full-scale multi-cylinder machine to tackle the new-generation four-strokes directly … because I’m tired of seeing our riders get overtaken on the straights.”

The new project combines a spirit of sporting and technical adventure with well-founded and thoroughly developed existing strengths.

The all-new V5 motorcycle is a truly innovative exercise in prototype engineering, with a clear goal of racing success for the independent team against the might of the major factories.

At the same time, Proton Team KR will be relying on 17 unbroken years of GP racing experience, and on technical and other partnerships formed and polished during that time.

The new motor, offering high power from a compact package, breaks new ground in its configuration as well as the scale of its ambition. The running gear, meanwhile, will incorporate hard-won knowledge from three previous generations of KR3 racers, including a wide-line chassis already tested and raced successfully in 2002.

Running a four-stroke racer will be a new experience for Proton Team KR, but they are already highly skilled and familiar with racing in general and the motorcycle GP series in particular. The team has already been reinforced this year with ex-F1 technical staff, who can add the special skills demanded by the four-stroke engine.

Former triple World Champion King Kenny Roberts was a legend as a racer. After retirement, he proved himself as a multi-title-winning team owner of Team Roberts Yamaha. Then he struck off as an independent racing manufacturer, and Proton Team KR has earned huge respect during five years in the hardest of all motorcycle sport disciplines.

Kenny and his unique team’s latest venture will prove that the years until now were just the beginning.


AOKI AND McWILLIAMS SIGN UP FOR NEW FOUR-STROKE ADVENTURE

Proton Team KR is pleased to announce that the two riders who joined the team in 2002, and who between them have produced some of the best results and finest performances in the team’s history, have signed to stay on board for 2003.

Japanese star Nobuatsu Aoki and top British rider Jeremy McWilliams, both GP winners, agreed terms before the end of the 2002 season for fresh one-year contracts.

“Each of them has performed way beyond anybody’s expectations so far this year,” said team owner Kenny Roberts, himself a triple World Champion and racing legend.

“I knew they were both good riders, but I had no idea just how much they would bring to the team, how hard they would be prepared to try, nor how well they would work together.

“They’ve surprised all of us not only with their speed and ability, but also the focus and sheer determination they’ve brought to every race.

“They’ve also pushed the machine to new limits, sometimes uncovering weaknesses that hadn’t come to light before, and pushing our engineers to continual improvements to achieve new levels of performance and reliability. They’ve raised each other’s standards, and the level of the whole team,” he continued.

“There was never any question in my mind that I wanted them both to stay for our new four-stroke venture, I’m pleased and proud that they have shown their faith in the team by signing on to stay.”

McWilliams had no hesitation in deciding to stay with Proton Team KR. “In fact, I wish I’d joined the team a lot earlier. It suits me in so many ways, and I think it’s fair to say that I am the right sort of rider for this team as well,” the 38-year-old Ulster rider said.

“I like the independence of the operation, and I’ve been very impressed with their professionalism and dedication, and Kenny’s determination to be successful, which he passes down to the whole team. I think a lot of people have made the mistake of under-estimate them. They surprised me with their capabilities, and the quality of their engineering.

“Working with Nobuatsu has also opened my eyes, to how good a rider he is, and also how a team-mate like that can raise your own standards. We have a meeting every day at the races, and it helps both of us, as well as the team. On the track, we push each other to go better. I’ve certainly learned a lot from him,” continued McWilliams.

“I’ve never raced a four-stroke before, but I think we’ve seen that they’re easier to ride than the two-strokes. There’s only a handful of people who can get the best out the old 500s, and they don’t have any trouble when they get on a four-stroke. I don’t say it’ll be easy, but I don’t have any fears, and I’m really looking forward to it.”

Aoki (31) came to the team after a year testing tyres for Bridgestone, preparatory to the Japanese tyre manufacturer’s entry to the top class of racing. Prior to that the GP winner had ridden factory Honda and Suzuki machines in 250 and 500cc classes.

“I am very happy to stay with this team,” said Aoki.

“I have been so impressed with their efforts during my first year, and also the partnership with Jeremy has been very good. We help each other a lot, and also enjoy racing against each other, which improves our performance as well as the team chances.

“Of course, I am also very excited about riding the V5. It’s already an interesting idea for a motorcycle. To develop this new machine with an independent team is a big responsibility for a rider, and an honour as well. Not many riders get a chance like this,” said Aoki.


BRIDGESTONE LOOK FORWARD TO FACING THE NEW CHALLENGE

Bridgestone tyres, who came into the top class in GP racing in 2002 with Proton Team KR, will continue with the team in 2003. And the successful Japanese manufacturers are looking forward to the new challenge of the four-stroke machine.

“Our results so far this year have been better than we expected, and that is partly thanks to Proton Team KR, who have given us a lot of valuable input and information,” said Mr Hiroshi Yamada, motorcycle racing manager of Bridgestone Tyres.

“We know we face a new level with the new four-stroke project. The machine will be more powerful and also heavier, and we will need another step forward to achieve the grip and durability,” he continued.

“We will begin tests before the end of this year with another four-stroke machine that is already racing this season. By the time the Proton starts testing we will already have some experience and data,” he said.

“Our experience with Proton Team KR this year has been very rewarding – the team includes gifted engineers with some very original thinking.

“Next year will be a new level, and we are happy to take that step with this team,” he concluded.

Kenny Roberts echoed the mutual confidence achieved between team and tyre manufacturer in their first year together.

“Bridgestone came into the top class with no previous experience, and they have achieved a high level well before the end of their first season,” he said.

“They bring new tyres to every race, and they’ve made very big strides – especially since the restart of the season after the summer break, when the endurance of the tyres improved significantly,” he concluded.


FOUR-STROKE PROTON ON SCHEDULE FOR 2003 DEBUT

Construction of the exciting new V5 Proton engine has already begun, and the project is on schedule for its debut in the first GP of the 2003 season.

The full-scale model shown today is not a working engine. But it is a significant piece of equipment nonetheless – making use of Proton’s rapid prototyping facility to fine-tune details of the design even before the whole engine has been made in metal.

In this way, details such as exhaust and coolant plumbing can be refined, as well as the fit in the chassis.

Meanwhile, back at Proton Team KR’s base at Banbury in England, large parts have already begun arriving for machining and assembly, with the engine on schedule for bench-testing soon after the end of the 2002 racing season.

The first stage is reliability and endurance testing, which should be concluded during the month of November.

Directly afterwards, track testing will begin. This is scheduled for January, starting in Europe and moving to Malaysia soon afterwards.

By the time the season begins in April the new Proton will not only have hundreds of laps and miles completed, but the process of refinement – to turn a first rough prototype into a fully developed racing motorcycle – should already be well advanced.

“We know from experience what a big job it is to make a racing motorcycle from scratch. At the same time, that same experience means that it should be much easier this time round,” said team owner Kenny Roberts.


Specifications

Engine and Transmission

Type: Four-Stroke Liquid-cooled V5

Bore / Stroke: na

Displacement: 990cc

Horsepower: More than 200 PS above 15000 rpm

Induction: Downdraft inlet tract with butterfly throttle and multipoint programmable fuel injection

Exhaust: Multi-branch titanium

Pistons: Aluminium, one compression ring and one oil control ring

Lubrication: High pressure oil

Ignition: Fully programmable CDI

Spark Plugs: NGK

Clutch: Dry multi-plate

Transmission: Six speed sequential

Drive Chain: Regina

From a press release issued by what used to ne known as Sears Point Raceway:

Fans Trade Food for AMA Tickets at Thanksgiving Food Drive

SONOMA, Calif. (IMMEDIATE RELEASE) – Community members and race fans have a chance to help those in need while helping themselves to race tickets at Infineon Raceway’s 2nd annual Thanksgiving Food Drive.

Infineon Raceway will partner with Froggy 92.9 FM, The Fox 101.7 FM, Cycle Gear, Destination RKA and Friends In Sonoma Helping (FISH) to help feed the needy in Sonoma County by collecting non-perishable food items. The public is encouraged to bring food items to the raceway during regular business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.) from October 14 – November 18. Items can be dropped in bins located in the main office.

Those who cannot make the trip to Infineon Raceway still have a chance to participate in the food drive. The Destination RKA store in Healdsburg will serve as a satellite food drop location and is located at 1423A Grove St. RKA is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. For directions, please call (707) 433-3727. Participants can also drop their food at Froggy 92.9 FM, located at 1410 Neotomas Ave., Suite #200 in Santa Rosa.

Donations can also be made in the Bay Area at select Cycle Gear locations, including Cycle Gear stores in Pleasanton (5755 Johnson Dr., (925) 251-1110), San Francisco (2nd & Townsend, (415) 546-0212), Hayward (22249 Misson Blvd., (510) 888-9100) and Concord (2350 Monument Blvd. (925) 680-8018). Food items can also be sent in by mail to: Diana Rose, Infineon Raceway, Highways 37 and 121, Sonoma, CA, 95476.

Those who donate three or more food items will be rewarded with a free ticket to AMA Supercuts Superbike qualifying on Friday, May 2. To receive your ticket voucher, simply present a photo ID with your non-perishable food items to the employee at the front desk. Only two tickets are allowed per family. Those who donate food at any of the satellite locations or by mail will receive their ticket vouchers by mail.

Infineon Raceway was able to donate more than 1,000 pounds of food in 2001 thanks to generous donations, and the goal is to eclipse that record this year. FISH works to provide emergency and temporary assistance to Sonoma Valley residents experiencing times of need. Each year, FISH supplies 1,853 households with three days of groceries, and calls for assistance continue to come in at a rate of more than 12 calls per day.

For more information, please contact Diana Rose at (707) 938-8448 ext. 118 or by e-mail at [email protected]

From a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing:

“THE GREAT OUTDOORS” PREMIERE PARTY SET DURING AMA PRO RACING AWARDS BANQUET

PICKERINGTON, Ohio–A new No Fear-sponsored film centered on the 2002 AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Motocross Championship “The Great Outdoors”, will premiere following the AMA Pro Racing Awards Banquet at the Venetian Resort Hotel Las Vegas on November 23. Troy Adamitis, best known for his videos “Frezno Smooth” and “Chain Smoke”, directed the film, a gritty documentary that follows all 12 rounds of the 2002 AMA U.S. Motocross Championship.

“This film will bring an in-depth look at the U.S. Motocross Championship,” said Jeff Surwall of No Fear. “No Fear has done a number of freestyle videos and we thought it was about time to do a movie on the motocross series. These riders are certainly some of the best athletes on the planet and we wanted to give people a chance to see what goes on behind the scenes.

“At first we thought Ricky Carmichael’s domination of the championship was going
to make for a boring season, but as he kept winning and then started making a run at the perfect season the tension grew and it turned out to be one of the best things that could have happened. We’ll look back on this some day and be glad that we were able to document RC’s incredible season.”

“The Great Outdoors” is the first film to focus exclusively on AMA Motocross.

Director Troy Adamitis is excited about showing motocross fans a different side
of the sport.

“We shot literally hundreds of hours of film,” Adamitis said. “We miked riders and mechanics, filmed from helicopters, cable cams and used unique angles. I think we were able to capture both the excitement and agony the sport often generates.”

To reserve your seat at the AMA Pro Racing Awards Banquet, which includes admission to “The Great Outdoors” premiere being shown at the C2K Nightclub within the Venetian at 11:30 p.m., November 23, contact AMA Pro Racing’s Michele Rossi at (614) 856-1910, ext. 1342, or e-mail [email protected].

From a press release issued by the AMA:

AMA Applauds Efforts to Extend Emissions Comment Deadline

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) praised three Illinois congressmen for asking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to extend the comment deadline on the agency’s proposed emissions standards for
road-going motorcycles.

In a letter to the EPA, Republican Congressmen Timothy Johnson, Donald Manzullo and John Shimkus asked that the comment deadline of Nov. 8 be extended to Jan. 8, 2003.

“The cost-effectiveness and safety issues regarding this proposed rule are the primary, though certainly not the sole, areas of concern raised by small business owners, motorcycle riders, and other stakeholders in our districts,” the congressmen wrote. “The seriousness of these concerns warrants additional time to review and comment on the proposed regulations.

“Three months is simply insufficient time for affected parties to thoroughly examine — and EPA to properly address — the impact it will have on our constituents,” the letter said.

Edward Moreland, AMA vice president for government relations, noted that the AMA has been involved in the rule-making process from the beginning, including testifying before EPA officials on Sept. 17.

“EPA officials have been receptive to the suggestions of riders during this long
rule-making process, which began nearly two years ago,” Moreland said, “and we sincerely hope that the EPA will continue its course of considering the needs of riders by granting this comment deadline extension.”

The EPA is about to implement revised national emissions standards for new road motorcycles that would require those bikes to meet strict emissions standards beginning with 2006 models. The federal standards would be the same as those adopted by the state of California, but would go into effect two years after California’s standards.

The first tier of the new national standards would go into effect in 2006 and the second tier would be in place for 2010.

The new national emissions standards are expected to result in an increased use of fuel injection and catalytic converters on new motorcycles. Some motorcycles sold in the United States already meet California’s strict 2008 standards, which is the same as the planned federal EPA 2010 standard.

The new California standard that begins with the 2004 model year, and the planned federal standard that would take effect for the 2006 model year, require new motorcycles to emit no more than 1.4 grams per kilometer traveled of hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides and 12 grams per kilometer of carbon monoxide.

The current federal emissions standards for street motorcycles are 5.0 grams of hydrocarbons and 12 grams of carbon monoxide per kilometer traveled.

The EPA is accepting written comments on its proposed street motorcycle emissions rules until Nov. 8. You can e-mail comments to [email protected], or go to the Rapid Response Center at the AMA website at www.AMADirectlink.com to send comments. You can see the proposed rules in the “Protecting Your Right to Ride” part of the website.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

1. Toni Elias, Aprilia, 2:09.258
2. Marco Melandri, Aprilia, 2:09.608
3. Sebastian Porto, 2:09.928
4. Fonsi Nieto, Aprilia, 2:10.067
5. Roberto Rolfo, Honda, 2:10.471
6. Emilio Alzamora, Honda, 2:10.560
7. Randy de Puniet, Aprilia, 2:10.688
8. Franco Battaini, Aprilia, 2:10.695
9. Roberto Locatelli, Aprilia, 2:10.822
10. Shahrol Yuzy, Yamaha, 2:11.095


From a press release issued by MS APrilia:

Second time, first provisional row for Marco Melandri in the first day of qualifying sessions at Sepang.

The rain that briefly dampened the MotoGP sessions came down hard at the start of the 250 qualifying. Much of the session thus took place on a wet track with humidity sky high. Marco Melandri opened up fully only at the very end of the session and, moments before the flag came down he made a terrific lap, which moved him up from 11th to 2nd provisional place. Three Aprilias on the front row: Elias (Aprilia) takes pole, followed by Marco Melandri, Porto (Yamaha) and Nieto (Aprilia).

# 3 Marco Melandri – (MS APRILIA RACING) – 2nd – 2’09.608

“A tough session, with a wet track almost to the very end. The track was dry enough and in a good state for the fast lap only in the last five minutes. Perhaps I waited a bit too long before switching over to dry tyres. I’m very pleased with the way the bike’s going and we’re just about ready for the race. We’ll make a few tweaks to the geometry of my Aprilia and to the suspension, and then we’ll test the tyres. The few laps in the dry didn’t give us all the references we needed to make a definitive choice and we’ll do all the duration testing we need tomorrow. On Sunday, I’ll be racing for the championship. I’m calm, all the team’s calm and I don’t feel I’m under pressure. I’m just going to make sure I don’t run any risks and try to make a dream come true.”

From a press release issued by Kawasaki:

ERIC BOSTROM “CRUISES FOR KIDS”
Kawasaki lends support to charitable event

Irvine, Calif. – Kawasaki Road Racing’s Eric Bostrom will switch from his NINJA ZX-7R-based Superbike to a Kawasaki VulcanÒ cruiser this weekend to participate in the fourth annual Cruise 4 Kids. The event gets underway Sunday, October 20, from three separate staging areas located in Orange and Los Angeles Counties and ends with a post-ride party at CBS Studio Center in Studio City. All proceeds benefit the Olive Crest Abused Children’s Foundation. Bostrom will join Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, Orange County Sheriff Michael Corona and motion picture and television actor Perry King and well-known auto racing legend Dan Gurney at the charity function.

After the ride, Bostrom will be stationed at the Kawasaki Road Racing semi in the streets of CBS Studio Center signing autographs and mixing with the crowd. Bostrom has also donated his racing leathers as one of many prizes scheduled to be given away at the post-ride party. Other Cruise 4 Kids activities include a street rod show, food, a special effects show, CBS studio tours, and live entertainment by 2000 Lbs. Of Blues, The Soul Dogs with David Carradine and Sticky Fingers, a Rolling Stones cover band.