Ups And Downs

UPS AND DOWNS

ROUNDUP

DOWN: lo IV station KIlO. in Sioux Falls. South l)akota. for misrepresenting motorcyclhts. In a re cent television nev~ broadcast. reporter Ste~ e I r~'i fl took several pot shots at sporthike enthusiasts. using ofllV smart-mouthed. irresponsible riders as his subjects. During the filming, which took place in down town Sioux Falls. Irvin's camera crew captured helmetless (iS\-R. inja and F/R pilots exhibiting botched wheel ies and full-throttle. stoplight-tO-stoplight passes. Instead of focusing on the capabilities of current sporthikes. Irvin con centrated his efto)rts on cliché inter views. grisly horror stories and plans to legislate "racing motorcycles out of existence. Predictably. respon sible sporthike riders were not repre sented in the segment.

EP: to Krisann \Vh,tlcv. t~r hcin~ ch(~en \1~. I Iarlev-1)avidson. \ot \ OUF ru n-of-the-ni ill beau t\ -Loll test v~ inner. the 23-year-old texan and recent iraduate of Southern NiethOdHt U niversitv OWflS a I 9~9 Low Rider and is an active member of her local I-loG chapter. 1 he title \VJ~ crcttcd in I 983 to promote motorc\ I iii~ tO d ro\ving \VOfllCfls ii~arkct. :\ecording to company tatistic~. tpproximateIv I 2 percent ot~ tIi~t-tin~e I Iarlev-I)avidson o~vner~ are vonien.

t F: to 1/u' ()r,~oniaii. Oregon'~ Ia!~!c~t newspaper. for its creative advertisi fl2. :\ recent ad for the pa per featured a smiling retired couple poised on a I larlev-I)avidson Fat I3ov. \ccordin~ to \1 ike Sheen of Cole Weber, the newspaper's advertising agency, the ad was designed to break down long-standing stereotypes. "So often, older people are depicted in a negative manner. We wanted to portray a more positive image. Most older people lead very active lives: using the motorcycle was a perfect way to show that,” said Sheen.

UP: To Team Marlboro Roberts, for its excellent promotion of motorcycle road racing. At the Meadowlands CART lndycar race. WI.RA formula USA competitors Rich Oliver and Robbie Petersen put on a riding exhibition and answered

questions about their Yamaha YZR500 racebikes. Lour-time Indianapolis 500 winner Rick Mears was particularly interested in the exotic bikes, essentially last year's GP equipment. "These machines are really in a different class from anything we've seen before. Motorcycle racing involves a lot of precision and athletic ability, just like lndycar racing. With a bike though, the rider can show more individuality. I'd like to give them a try someday,” commented Mears.

If YOU conic across a motorcYcle-related item that YOU think should he singled out for an UP or DOWN, send the information to CW Roundup. /399 Monrovia Ave.. Newport Beach. O f 92663.