DuHamel to Ride Red Twin

Testing Turmoil
 
 

American Suzuki officials are up in arms about Vance and Hines Ducati testing at Pike's Peak this week (Tue/Wed) as they state that it is in violation of the AMA rule prohibiting testing at a facility that the AMA will race at, within ten days of the race.

According to the AMA, the test was legal, as the rule states that the team must not test within ten days of actual race day (sunday). Suzuki contends that the rule means it's within ten days of the event, which starts next Friday, which means the test was in direct violation of the AMA rulebook.

The rule:
AMA Pro Racing Rulebook
pg 12,
"B. (1) At a race track facility where a National road race is to be held, track
rentals by manufacturers, teams or individuals within ten days preceding the
national road race are not allowed. Regional type race meets or promoter/race
track organized open practice within the previously specified time will not be
restricted."

Miguel DuHamel announced at the Honda dealer show yesterday in New Orleans that he has decided to ride a red twin next year in AMA Superbike competition. Plenty of Honda people were bummed to hear this, as DuHamel has been riding for American Honda since the 1995 season and it was expected that he will ride there for two more years, at least.
 
 

Then DuHamel announced to the crowd that he wasn't swapping to Ducati, but would instead be riding Honda's brand new RC51 V-twin Superbike next season, which was debuted minutes later. Honda has not raced a Twin since their Grand National dirt track program days in the mid-1980s, and this is a most radical departure for Big Red.

Production versions of the RC51 will retail for just  $10,000, have upside down Showa forks, big side radiators and hopefully a passenger seat to go along with the passenger pegs. It puts out 130 horsepower in stock form. The first public sighting of the Honda twin in Superbike trim will be at the Dunlop tire test in January.

Honda also debuted a new CBR900RR and other bikes. Check it out on their site: www.hondamotorcycles.com.

Harley-Davidson rider Scott Russell has pledged a set of leathers to the Stew Goddard auction, and Nick Hayden has donated some items as well. More info is available at the www.stewartgoddard.com site.

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