Etc.

ETC.

WHO HAS THE URAL?

Remember the Ural? Nope, we don’t mean the 1400-mile-long river that empties into the Caspian Sea. We mean the motorcycle produced in Russia that is still, to this very day, not terribly dissimilar from the BMW design victorious Soviet armies spirited into the Soviet Union following what Rooskies call the Great Patriotic War, the one we know as World War II.

Several months ago a firm called the Federal Institute of Negotiation announced the availability of Ural motorcycles for sale in the U.S.

Now comes another letter, accompanied by a letter of authorization from the Ural factory, indicating that Ural America, Inc. is the only factory-authorized Ural importer in the U.S. Got to have one of the sidecarequipped machines? Contact Ural America, Inc. at 16301 NE 8th St., Suite 251, Bellevue, WA 98008; 206/746-4743.

CHANGES AT BIMOTA

Since the inception of Bimota more than 20 years ago as a heating and air-conditioning specialties company, Giuseppe Morri’s name has provided the “mo” in Bimota and has been synonymous with exotic motorcycles. But no longer, as he recently announced his departure as Bimota’s managing director. Morri will stay on with the company, for an unspecified period, as a member of Bimota’s board of directors. Walter Martini, formerly CEO of Belgarda, the Italian Yamaha importer, has been appointed Bimota’s new managing director. The effects of these changes on Bimota’s racing program, and on its plan to introduce a street-legal, fuel-injected, 500cc two-stroke Twin next year, remain to be seen. Of the other two founding members of Bimota, Valerio Bianchi is retired and Massimo Tamburini is chief of styling at Cagiva.

SAFER AND SAFER

Fatalities resulting from motorcycle accidents declined 17 percent last year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The agency tracked 2325 deaths in 1992-thafs 483 fewer than in 1991, a year in which motorcyclists were involved in 1 percent of police-reported motor-vehicle accidents but comprised nearly 7 percent of total traffic fatalities.

IRON HORSING AROUND FOUR CORNERS

If you’ve got time on your hands, a Hog in the garage and a desire to ride the stunning Four Corners area of the American West, here’s a tip: Check out the Four Corners Iron Horse Motorcycle Rally, scheduled for September 3-6 in Ignacio, Colorado, and sponsored, in part, by several ABATE chapters, the Four Corners HOG, the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and U.S. Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell. For more information contact Tim Craig at 303/563-4502.

STAFF COMINGS AND GOINGS

A perusal of this month’s masthead will divulge that Managing Editor Mitch Boehm has gone missing. You’ll find him over at Motorcyclist magazine, where he will occupy the desk left vacant when long-time Editor Art Friedman stepped down recently. We’ll miss Mitch around here, and wish him good luck in his new job.

With Boehm gone, Cycle World is looking for another staff member. Candidates should have a strong journalism background and a love of motorcycles. If you think you’ve got the stuff, send a resume to us at CW Edit., 1499 Monrovia, Newport Beach, CA 92663.

Sharp-eyed readers will notice Steve Anderson’s byline in this issue. Anderson, formerly Cycle’s Editor, and previous to that Cycle World’s Technical Editor, joins the magazine as an occasional contributor.