Etc.

etc.

MX MONSTER

Honda has released more details on its four-stroke motocrosser, officially known as the CRF450R. The liquidcooled, four-valve, 449cc Single has a 96.0 x 62.1mm bore and stroke, and uses a single overhead camshaft, which acts directly on the intake valves and, via a forked rocker, also controls the exhausts. Both frame and swingarm are aluminum, the former a twin-spar design as used on the CR125 and 250. Claimed dry weight is 225 pounds. The bike will debut stateside in the AMA Outdoor MX series, which kicks off May 13 at Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, California. Still no word on a production version of the bike.

AMA WINS APPEAL

The multimillion-dollar judgment awarded to former AMA Roadracing Manager Roger Edmondson in his 1998 suit against the AMA has been overturned on appeal. In its decision, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, reversed the lower-court ruling on two of the 10 points raised by the AMA, and ordered the lower court to correct mistakes in four other areas. The decision reduced damages from $3.2 million to $240,000.

SPORT TOURISMO II

Ducati North America has announced plans for its second-annual Sport Tourismo Ride Series. More than 40 events are scheduled between February and October in the U.S. and Canada, and participants are eligible for prizes from Ducati Performance, Dunlop and Campagnolo. For more information, log on to www.ducatiusa.com or call 888/DUCATI-2.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING...

According to a recent MIC report, an estimated 6.6 million motorcycles were in use in the U.S. in 1998 (the most recent year for which statistics are available). Of the registered streetbikes, two-thirds displaced more than 750cc. On the other hand, most Offroaders sold were relatively small, with 88 percent displacing less than 350cc.

STEERING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

Do you steer a motorcycle by leaning or by turning the handlebars? California Superbike School founder Keith Code says it’s the latter. For proof, hop aboard Code’s latest innovation, the “No Body Steering Bike.” The modified Kawasaki ZX-6R, which is rigged with two sets of bars and a second throttle assembly, travels to all CSS events. For a schedule of upcoming classes, call 818/841-7661 or log on to www.superbikeschool.com.

SETTING THE STANDARD

If European Parliament member Bernd Lange has his way, high-performance motorcycle parts will soon be a thing of the past. Besides an immediate ban on all engine-oriented aftermarket add-ons, the German is calling for new models to wear onboard diagnostics that cannot be over-ridden and are easily inspected.

PIAGGIO BUYS DERBI

Spanish bike-maker Derbi has merged with Italian scooter-giant Piaggio. As a result, Piaggio will take complete control of Derbi’s 125cc Grand Prix team and its stock. Andreu Rabasa Palet is president of Piaggio’s new Derbi division. Derbi was founded in 1922 in Martorelles, and was Spain’s last independent motorcycle manufacturer. Last year, it produced 60,000 machines, including some that bore the Bultaco name.

TRAVEL AND ADVENTURE

Academy Award-winner Robert Redford will executive produce the upcoming feature film, The Motorcycle Diaries. The screenplay is based on Cuban freedom-fighter Ernesto Che Guevara’s 7000-mile journey through South America on a 500cc Norton. Redford, for those who don’t remember, starred in the motorcycle-racing cult classic, Little Fauss and Big Halsey.