Up Front

UP FRONT

Ups & Downs, 2003

David Edwards

IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN. ALL THE important 2003 models tested, sales figures in, trends identified, events chronicled, new models announced, concept bikes unveiled, most of the race series wrapped up, champions crowned. Time, in other words, for a little reflection:

Any year that sees the passing of motorcycle greats like former rim-riding flat-tracker George Roeder, Ken “The Shoe Man” Maely and the incomparable Barry Sheene, archetype for the modern superstar roadracer, has to be considered a DOWN, but for lives well led, entertainment given and friends made, a big UP to all three and Godspeed.

On that note, an UP to an old racer you may never have heard of. Freddie “Demon” Marsh died in June, aged 103, one of the greatest amateur racers ever, if only for the longevity of his career. Marsh dirttracked Indians all over the Northeast starting in the 1920s and rode his last hillclimb in 1988 at the age of 88. Even past 100 and with failing eyesight, Marsh put in 75 laps every morning-riding an Indian-badged moped around the parking lot of his Connecticut Moto Guzzi dealership, only tuning left, of course. “It keeps me going,” he said of the ritual. Must have worked.

A Congressional DOWN to U.S. Representative Bill Janklow, who blew through a stop sign at 70 mph in his home state of South Dakota last August and killed Harley rider Randolph Scott, 55, a Vietnam veteran, volunteer firefighter and former American Legion post commander. While professing sorrow, Janklow pleaded innocent to the variety of charges brought, including felony manslaughter. After his upcoming trial, the House may vote on censurship for Janklow, a former four-term governor of South Dakota. Hopefully, he’ll enjoy that particular shame from the thin, hard mattress of a prison cell.

Hate to do it, but a DOWN to the Ducati 999, for failing to find an audience. It didn’t help that (to most eyes, not mine) the better-looking 998 raced alongside the new bike in World Superbike, or that the shockingly competitive Desmosedeci V-Four garnered all the headlines by upsetting the Honda RC211V applecart in MotoGP An UP out of all this is that Ducati dealers may now entertain discounted offers on what I believe will eventually be seen as a classic design. And no, I’m not getting a kickback from designer Pierre Terblanche on every unit sold-probably wouldn’t amount to much, anyway.

A pair of related DOWNS to the works Suzuki and Kawasaki MotoGP entries for not even getting a faint whiff of the Honda freight train. Pretty embarrassing stuff, really.

Yamaha gets a DOWN for once again not showing the mighty Mr. Max a little love. In his 19th year without a major makeover, he’s looking more than a little tired. Restyle, re-suspend and revitalize what is still the best power-cruiser in the business, Yamaha, and I’m a V-Max customer-along with thousands of others, I bet.

Let’s give an UP to Daytona International Speedway for (finally!) doing something to put more butts in the bleachers. Heavy schedule revisions for Bike Week 2004 were just announced, moving the Supercross to Friday night under the lights, and freeing up Saturday for allday roadracing, starting with the (cylinder) head-banging BMW BoxerCup contest, followed by the 600 Supersport draft-fest, then the big Superbike 200miler. That leaves Sunday as a rain day if needed. Because many Daytona-goers have never set foot inside the speed bowl, here’s a little help with tickets: Buy ’em online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com (a DOWN for all those keystrokes?) or call 386/253-7223.

How ’bout an UP to Carl Fogarty & Co. for their fabulous flop, the Foggy Petronas FP1 Superbike? Arguably the best-looking racebike ever, powered by a wailing, Formula One-derived Triple that threw flames three feet behind on decel, it couldn’t hang with the two factory Ducati 999s, the squadron of nonfactory 998s and the odd privateer Suzuki GSX-R1000 that, sadly, made up the World Superbike starting grid. But in a blow for diversity, Foggy vows to be back in 2004, packing more power and with a legitimate shot at podium finishes.

A DOWN to wannabe revivalists, for not sticking to the script. An Indian should never have a Harley-Davidson engine, clone or otherwise, never mind the shaped cylinder finning, extra cc’s or carb flip-flopping. And, Aprilia, while your concept Laverda SFC1000 looks like a million bucks, what’s with the Rotax VTwin under the hood? A proper Laverda should be shoved down the road by a grunty three-cylinder lump, and to do otherwise risks the wrath of the Motor Gods. Hey, doesn’t Colin Edwards’ MotoGP Aprilia use an inline-Triple?

Gotta give the Indian name an UP, though, for refusing to curl up and die. When $145 million wasn’t enough to successfully restart the brand and investors balked at forking over any more, the factory was forced to shut its doors and the company’s assets, including that famed script logo, were put on the auction block. At presstime, all of this was up in the air, but the rumor mill has been running at redline, suggesting that one strong bidder is Proton, the Malaysian auto-maker and sponsor of King Kenny Roberts’ MotoGP team. Other supposedly interested parties? Maybe Polaris and-hold on to your non-DOT beanies-maybe Harley-Davidson. Indian owned by Wañzy-freakin'-Davidson?! 01’ Demon Marsh is probably spinning in his grave. U