Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup - Preview of Race 4, Le Mans, France 
Beach out for first win at Le Mans. 

The fourth race in the 2008 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup will be contested at the Le Mans Bugatti circuit on Saturday May 17th with double Jerez winner Luis Salom defending a 3 point championship lead over American JD Beach. 

When 16 year old Salom won at his home Grand Prix in Spain he completely dominated the two race weekend but with only a fourth place at the Portuguese round a month ago he allowed 16 year old Beach to close the gap with a string of three second places. 
Beach is threatening for the Cup lead but wants to grab it with his first win. "Three second places," he said after the race in Portugal. "That's OK but but I'm going wide open at Le Mans." 

It is a new track for most of the Rookies but obviously it offers an advantage to the French riders headed by Nelson Major. The 15 year old lies sixth in the Cup and stands every chance of moving up at his home event. Florian Marino, his 14 year old fellow countryman, is hoping to shake off the effects of early season injury to move up from 10th in the points standings. 

They are joined for Le Mans by a third Frenchman, 15 year old Quentin Jacquet who has a wild card entry. He races a KTM 125 in the French Championship and has already finished 10th at Le Mans in a national event this March so has an idea what to expect from the bike and the track. 

New to both is the second wild card rider at Le Mans, 16 year old Briton Ben McConnachie. His father Ian won the 1986 80cc British Grand Prix at Silverstone. He also finished 9th in the 80cc French Grand Prix at Le Mans in 1985. Twenty three years later his son will use the French round to get familiar with the bike so that he can enjoy himself fully in his second wild card ride at Donington in June. 

The machinery is available for two wild card riders at Le Mans because French law means that the riders must be 14 to compete. Therefore Japanese Daijiro Hiura, winner of the last round in Portugal must miss the event as he is only 13. Also sitting out this round for the same reason are Kevin Calia and Niklas Ajo. 

Another man missing from Le Mans is Deane Brown. The 14 year old Scot broke his leg when he crashed during the Sunday morning warm up for a British national event at Brands Hatch last weekend, May 11th. It is the same right femur he broke this time last year at a similar event. 

Thanks to excellent co-operation from the FIM it has been decided that, "The worst result of each rider will be deleted for the Cup standing." So while those who miss Le Mans will have that 'worst result' removed from their points total all the other riders must also have their worst result of the year dropped. This is considered the fairest way to mitigate the fact that some riders must miss the race because of their age. http://www.ktmpress.com/100075.0.html?nodeID=103167&cHash=67d23b5fc0 

 2008 Kawasaki Ninja® 250R is a Freakfest - Posted: 13 May 2008 01:54 PM CDT
Fast, Nimble, Affordable, Fuel Efficient, and Looks Good with D&D Pipe

Dyno Charts have just been completed on our new 2008 Ninja® 250R pipes and the numbers are looking good. 

New Meatier Pipe Would Make Rodger Hayden Proud

Kawasaki’s best selling sportbike, the Ninja® 250R, just got better with D&D performance exhausts. D&D just released a slip-on with heatshield (Part #539-11 A/B). The heat shield covers the pipe from where it meets the muffler to under the fairing, which provides improved protection and gives a meatier look.

Stock vs. D&D Slip-on - The dyno sheet shows D&D kicking the HP at 10,000 RPM and hitting it hard at 11.5. The chart shows stock system vs. D&D Ninja® 250R slip-on with stock air cleaner. Click the chart to see an enlarged picture. 

D&D loves the gutsy 249cc parallel twin on the 2008 bike that features dual overhead camshafts, a silky smooth six-speed transmission, larger 290mm front brake rotor and revised fairing and windscreen. The 250R not only looks good but is a pleasure to ride in the urban chaos with an extra kick from D&D.

The New Ninja® 250R is Kawasaki's Best Selling Sportbike

Riders can dial in more power by rejetting the motorbike but it is not required on the Ninja® 250R.

American Motorcyclist Association launches redesigned magazine, website and logo

PICKERINGTON, Ohio--The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) today unveiled its newly redesigned magazine, American Motorcyclist, a new web presence at www.AmericanMotorcyclist.com, and a new logo.

"These are elements of our larger effort to shine a light on the people and personalities of motorcycling, and to change the way motorcyclists view the Association," said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. "We continue to re-focus the AMA on its core mission of promoting and protecting the future of motorcycling."

The June issue of American Motorcyclist magazine has a stronger focus on the Association's members, and includes a number of member-generated stories. The cover story features rider and entertainer Jay Leno, and future editions will highlight people from throughout the motorcycling community, each of whom has made a significant contribution to motorcycling in America.

Along with the re-launch of American Motorcyclist, the AMA has created a new landing page for the organization's primary website, www.AmericanMotorcyclist.com. The new design compliments the look of American Motorcyclist and expands upon the magazine's mission.

"Rest assured that, along with new, compelling stories and fresh designs, you'll find that the most popular content of the Association's magazine and website remains," said Dingman. "If it has anything to do with the people, the lifestyle or the sport of motorcycling, it has a place in American Motorcyclist."

To re-energize the AMA's visual identity, the AMA also redesigned its logo. The Association went straight to Troy Lee, one of the industry's leading purveyors of cool, to fulfill the vision. Lee started with what worked--the AMA logo that was used predominately in the era from 1970-2000--and went from there.

"The old AMA logo was like Coca-Cola, just so recognizable," Lee said. "It was such a visible statement, and it had an American theme. So, we started with the old logo, changed it up maybe 20 percent, added some speed to it and made it a bit racier-looking, a bit faster-looking." The resulting design is being phased in over the next year, starting with American Motorcyclist.

"For 84 years, the AMA has evolved to meet the changing needs of America's motorcyclists," said Dingman. "Although the new magazine, website and logo are three very visible parts of that process, this is not an evolution of image only. The AMA is changing in a number of tangible ways that will improve motorcycling across the board. The best part? We're just getting started."

 KTM US 5th Annual Adventure Rider Rally Now Open for Registration 
Make plans to join KTM staff and enthusiasts at the 5th annual KTM Adventure Rider Rally this summer July 18-20, 2008 in beautiful Snowshoe, WV. 

The event provides riders of all skill levels an opportunity to ride with and learn from adventurers from all over the country and beyond! The KTM Adventure Rider Rally is designed for KTM 640, 950, and 990 Adventure owners but is open to all street legal, dual sport motorcycles. 

The KTM Adventure Rider Rally is entering its fifth year as the only national festival for KTM owners and enthusiasts. This year’s rally offers great cultural and historic interest as well as unbelievable adventure riding opportunities perched nearly a mile high in the Alleghenies of West Virginia. If you love KTM and you love Adventure, you won’t want to miss this event. 

This year’s KTM Adventure Rider Rally includes riding and technical seminars, Friday lunch and dinner BBQ, plus Saturday nights Awards dinner. There will be free demo rides and guided tours (including to Davis, WV home of the legendary Blackwater 100). The price is $125 per person. 

For more information please visit www.ktm.com  or call (951) 677-2823. Get your entry in now.
 

Outlaws and Hell's Angels showdown on beach - Sent By Reader
PANAMA CITY BEACH — A member of the Hell’s Angels motorcycle club was selling T-shirts on Panama City Beach when he was confronted by members of the Outlaw Motorcycle Club, deputies with the Bay County Sheriff’s Office wrote in an incident report. The Outlaws consisted of three men on motorcycles and a fourth man in a gold Lincoln. A woman wearing a property of Outlaw vest was also with them, deputies wrote. 

Each of the Outlaws pulled guns out of their pants while the Hell’s Angel held a knife, the Hell’s Angel said. The Outlaws told the man to leave their territory or they would kill him, the Hell’s Angel said. The Outlaws then took the man’s shirts and left, deputies wrote. 

The case is under investigation. http://www.nwfdailynews.com/article/14239 

Biker injured in head-on
Willits News, CA - A Guerenville motorcycle rider was airlifted to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital Friday evening after striking a pickup driven by a Willits man on Eel River Road in Potter Valley.
The rider, Matt Reed, suffered a broken leg and shoulder injuries, state traffic officers report.
He was later arrested on suspicion of drunken driving.
Officers say Reed was riding north on a friend's motocross-style cycle on the wrong side of Eel River Road at about 8 p.m. when he collided head-on with a 2007 Dodge pickup truck being driven by Michael Hammang on a curve north of Oat Gap Road.
Hamming escaped injury.