Ups And Downs
UPS AND DOWNS
ROUNDUP
UP: To 9-year-old dirt-tracker Kati Ash, for not giving up. Last year, the 1990 AMA District 27 50cc class champion was diagnosed as having epilepsy. Though her illness significantly curbed her riding time, Kati still managed to finish third in the 1991 AMA National Championships. Ash’s accomplishments were featured in the December, 1991, issue of Sports Illustrated For Kids. For 1992, the fourth grader from Tenino, Washington, hopes to ride a Yamaha YZ80 and a Honda CR60 in selected dirttrack events.
DOWN: To Multi-Developers, Inc., for its discriminatory hiring policy. According to an article published in Business Week, Multi-Developers, a 100-employee property-management and development company based in Atlanta, Georgia, “won’t employ workers who engage in hazardous activities and pursuits including such things as skydiving, riding motorcycles, piloting private aircraft, mountain climbing, motor-vehicle racing, etc.” When questioned on the policy, a company spokesperson refused to comment and the president of MultiDevelopers, Debbie Wilson, would not return our phone calls.
UP: To Rick Venturi, coach of the Indianapolis Colts, for his enthusiasm towards our favorite sport.
Venturi’s passion for motorcycles was documented in the November 1, 1991, issue of The Indianapolis News. In the article, Venturi described how riding his Kawasaki Concours provides him with an outlet from the hectic world of professional football. “It’s a great diversion,” said Venturi. “I’ll go out for an hour and I’ll just enjoy the hell out of it. There’s some beautiful country roads, beautiful scenery and I just love it.” Our kind of coach.
DOWN: To Bill Fitch, New Jersey Nets head coach, for his asinine comparison of motorcycling to coaching professional basketball. Fitch was quoted in a recent issue of The Kansas City Star as saying, “Coaching is a lot like riding a motorcycle. If you do it long enough, you’re going to get killed.”
UP: To Norton Motors Ltd., for its recent recovery from near collapse. Under the direction of new boss David McDonald, Norton has not only returned to production, but its latest motorcycle, the FI Sport, passed strict German emissions tests, something previous models failed to do. This means that Norton can market its bikes throughout Europe, a necessity for the company’s survival. Powered by the same liquid-cooled rotary engine used in the FI, the Sport’s chief difference is the adoption of SU carburetors over the Fl ’s CV Mikunis. The Norton FI Sport retails for approximately $16,200-about 30 percent less than the old FI. For additional information, contact Norton at Lynn Lane, Shenstone, Lichfield, Staffordshire WS14 OEA, England.
