Untitled - Dunlop Motorcycle Tires

CONTENTS
2
4
WELCOME
4
DUNLOP RIDERS DOMINATE WORCS 2009 OPENER
4
JOE BYRD AND DUNLOP QUADMAX SPORT
TARGET 2009 ATV CHAMPIONSHIP
4
WINTER WEATHER TIRE SHOOTOUT
5
ROLAND SANDS COMPLETES “THE MISSION” FOR RFK
5
SO YOU THINK YOU KNOW HOW TO CHANGE A TIRE?
6
MEET THE NEXT GENERATION: DUNLOP GEOMAX
10
A NEW ERA OF AMA ROAD RACING BEGINS AT DAYTONA
12
BEN BOSTROM INTERVIEW
13
NEIL HODGSON INTERVIEW
14
2009 DUNLOP SX UPDATE
16
2008 TEAM DUNLOP WRAP-UP
18
UPCOMING EVENTS
3
WELCOME
You are looking at the first issue of Dunlop Download, a magazine we hope will provide insight into the exciting powersports field. Dunlop is
involved in hundreds of activities each year, from racing to rallies, from charity events to new-model motorcycle launches, and we plan to bring
you the inside line on these and other exciting powersports happenings. Dunlop Download is a monthly e-zine publication that will be distributed
directly to customers, to media outlets, dealers and others in the powersports field. It contains links to original videos and photo galleries, product
materials normally reserved just for media, and more. We hope you enjoy Dunlop Download.
Dennis Teed, Director of Marketing Dunlop Tires
DUNLOP RIDERS
DOMINATE WORCS
2009 OPENER
More than 1100 riders showed up for round one of
the 2009 WORCS (World Off Road Championship
Series) races held outside of Phoenix, AZ, but out of
this crowd it was an unbeatable contingent of Dunlop
riders who christened the new year with the top four
spots. Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ricky Dietrich
won the opening round followed by defending
WORCS Champion Bobby Bonds on his Valli
Motorsports Team Honda. Team FMF Suzuki Off
Road’s Nathan Woods filled the final podium spot as
he edged out Honda-mounted Tim Weigand, riding
for Johnny Campbell Racing.
ROLAND SANDS COMPLETES “THE MISSION” FOR RFK
Custom bike builder Roland Sands has completed “The
In addition to the Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier tires, other
Mission,” his third one-off machine in three years that will
machine highlights include paintwork by AirTrix, Hot Bodies
benefit the Ride for Kids charity/Pediatric Brain Tumor
undertail and fender hugger, Vortex rearsets, Spiegler braided
Foundation. Last year, Sands built the ConqueRR, which
brake lines, custom RSD (Roland Sands Design) top triple-
brought in more than $84,000 for the fight against childhood
clamp, aluminum frame sliders and special RSD wheels.
brain tumors, and Dunlop Tires is once again proud to have
JOE BYRD AND DUNLOP
QUADMAX SPORT TARGET
2009 ATV CHAMPIONSHIP
played a supporting role in this worthy cause. This newest eye-
Tickets to win The Mission are available at a cost of one for
popping beauty based on a Honda CBR1000RR is currently
$5 or five for $20. All proceeds benefit the Pediatric Brain
making the rounds of the Cycle World International Motorcycle
Tumor Foundation. You can buy your tickets to win The
Shows, where it has been garnering a tremendous response.
Mission at any of the Cycle World International Motorcycle
Shows, online at www.pbtfus.org/rideforkids or you can order
“I was amazed to hear that we set records with last year’s
them from the PBTF by calling 800-253-6530.
bike,” said Sands. “It pushed me to want to create a bike that
In 2009, two-time ATV Champion Joe Byrd will rejoin the AMA ATV MX Nationals
competition aboard his Dunlop-equipped Honda TRX450R. This will be Byrd’s second
consecutive year vying for top honors armed with Dunlop Quadmax Sport tires. Round
one of the series kicks off at Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, CA on March 7/8.
everyone would want to win, a bike to break our own records.
To order tickets by mail, send a check payable to the PBTF
With ‘The Mission’ we have a chance to record the greatest
with “IMS Motorcycle Drawing” in the memo line to: PBTF, 302
amount of donations for a giveaway. And all for a cause I truly
Ridgefield Ct., Asheville, NC, 28806. A random drawing will be
believe in.”
held to pick a winner on May 1, 2009.
WINTER WEATHER TIRE SHOOTOUT
SO YOU THINK YOU KNOW HOW TO CHANGE A TIRE?
What’s the best motorcycle tire for riding in wet, cold weather? Brit magazine TWO
You may think you know how to change a motorcycle tire, but chances are you’re probably doing it the wrong way—
(Two Wheels Only) sends former World Superbike and World GP racer James
and also the hard way. Let six-time National Motocross champion Broc Glover and Manager, Off-Road Technical
Whitham out in winter weather for a five-tire shootout. And the winner? Two hints:
Brian Fleck teach you the easy way to change tires by checking out these short videos.
the name starts with “Road” and ends with “smart”.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE REPORT
4
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO
5
MEET THE NEXT GENERATION:
DUNLOP GEOMAX
An unrelenting commitment to research and development plus decades of championshipwinning tire technology now culminates in the newest off-road tire designs from Dunlop:
Introducing the Geomax line of tires. The Geomax MX51 is designed for use in intermediateterrain settings, while the Geomax MX31 is built for soft riding conditions. Both tires are aimed
squarely at riders who compete on the racetrack, as well as serious off-road riders who
demand the ultimate levels of performance from their tires.
The Geomax MX51 serves as the successor to Dunlop’s hugely popular D756 tire, and it
noticeably extends performance parameters by excelling in intermediate terrain while also
delivering excellent performance in soft terrain as well as hard-pack conditions. In addition, the
MX51 offers more durability than the D756. The Geomax MX31 supplants the highly regarded
D773 by establishing new performance benchmarks in soft terrain, especially in sandy and
muddy conditions.
The MX51 as well as the Geomax MX31 both incorporate innovations that elevate MX tires to the
next level. “Tie-bar” design elements reinforce the tread blocks for greater tread stiffness, while
shallow recesses in the areas between tread blocks give improved tire compliance for enhanced
ride comfort. The knobs are placed in a unique Geomax Reinforced Pattern (GRP) shoulder block
distribution to further enhance grip, and both rear tires feature recessed biting edges within the
tread blocks to yield more traction for greater grip, especially in corners and ruts.
As the old saying goes, you can’t stop progress. And in the case of the new Geomax MX51
and MX31, the obvious advantages these tires deliver to MX and off-road riders represents true
progress that becomes clearly apparent after the first ride.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE GEOMAX PRESS KIT
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BOTH TIRES INCORPORATE INNOVATIONS
THAT ELEVATE MX TIRES TO THE NEXT LEVEL
CLICK HERE TO FOR TREY CANARD’S MX51 EXPERIENCE
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A NEW ERA OF AMA ROAD RACING BEGINS AT
DAYTONA
It’s a new day in AMA Pro Racing, and the first
concrete signs of the changing times appeared at this
year’s fall Dunlop Daytona Tire Test. This annual event
previously included many participants as factory
teams as well as several independent efforts availed
themselves of the opportunity to test Daytona-specific
tires for the upcoming season.
The 2009 racing season brings a legion of major
changes, among the most notable being Dunlop Tires
serving as the Official Tire supplier to the series, and
the fact that the Daytona 200 will be run at night under
the lights. Also, the Daytona testing session was run as
an additions to the three official track testing sessions
allowed by the AMA, and economic pressures and
extensive changes to the 2009 rulebook have placed
participation by a number of racing teams—including
factory efforts—into question. Therefore, many familiar
names and faces were missing in Daytona this year.
DUNLOP TIRES
SERVES AS
THE OFFICIAL
TIRE SUPPLIER
Key participants included Yamaha with Ben Bostrom,
Josh Hayes, Josh Herrin and Tommy Aquino, Honda
with Neil Hodgson, Erion Racing’s Jake Zemke and
Chris Peris, Larry Pegram aboard a Ducati 1098R,
Michael Barnes and Shawn Higbee on the Richie Morris Racing Buell team, plus Martin Cardenas, Chris Ulrich and Blake Young representing Team M4 EMGO
Suzuki. A number of privateer riders also participated
in the testing.
Much progress was accomplished during the tests,
and by the session’s end Neil Hodgson emerged with
the fastest Superbike lap time, while Ben Bostrom led
all others in the Daytona SportBike class.
CLICK HERE TO SEE OUR
DAYTONA PHOTO GALLERY
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Honda Racing’s Neil Hodgson set the
fastest Superbike lap time at the
Last year was the first time I had ridden the new CBR1000RR.
This year it was totally different. Even though there are some new
rule changes, it really didn’t change the bike much. So it was nice
Dunlop tire test at Daytona
International Speedway in December
to jump on the bike—it felt as good as it always feels, and I was
able to do some fast lap times.
2008. Neil talks about the test,
NEIL
HODGSON
and what makes Daytona unique.
BEN
BOSTROM
Yamaha Factory Road Race Team mem-
machine. The new AMA Pro Racing rules are great for us, and
tona SportBike lap time at Daytona
we are going to be the guys to beat this year. We didn’t get to
really, really impressed with their product. Superbikes produce so
much power, and at Daytona you’re on the banking at speed in
that one spot on the tire all the way around. It just burns the tire
up, so Dunlop has to go super hard with the compounds. It’s a
bit sketchy when you get on the infield, but that’s the way it has
to be. I’d rather have the safe tire on the banking and the slippery
tire on the infield than the other way around.
run many laps at the test, but we ran a blistering pace. Running
2008 aboard his YZF-R6. The two-time
at night at first was scary because the lights threw some funny
AMA champ previews the Daytona 200
shadows and the track looked slippery. The look kind of freaked
and the upcoming season.
my fastest lap on either my last lap or one of my last laps. I am
I love the Yamaha YZF-R6. It’s insane, it’s such a perfect
ber Ben Bostrom set the fastest DayInternational Speedway in December
Dunlop’s support level is incredible. Many times last year I’d set
me out, but then we realized it was the same as the daytime
surface and we got going. This is my first nighttime race. You
can’t ever really know what’s going to happen at Daytona, and
I’m a little bit nervous, but I know that the tires are going to be
good no matter what.
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2009 DUNLOP
SX UPDATE
CLICK HERE TO SEE OUR SX PHOTO GALLERY
The 2009 Supercross season is underway and with three of 17 rounds contested, Dunlop riders are off to a great start. Honda Red Bull Racing’s Andrew Short and GEICO Powersports
Honda’s Kevin Windham have successfully raced to podium finishes aboard their Dunlop-fitted
CRF450Rs. At Anaheim one, half of the top ten finishers in the Supercross West Lites competition represented Dunlop, and Short put Dunlop second on the Supercross podium. In Phoenix,
five Supercross West Lites top-ten finishers rode on Dunlop tires, with Justin Brayton finishing
second. Four Dunlop riders finished in the Supercross top ten. Returning to Anaheim for round
three, Dunlop scored well again, with Windham finishing on the podium in third, and seven
Dunlop Supercross West Lites racers finishing in the top ten.
CLICK HERE FOR A LOOK BEHIND THE SCENCES
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2008 TEAM DUNLOP
WRAP-UP
The 2008 Amateur National competition has drawn to a close and Team Dunlop members
captured a whopping 39 amateur national titles at amateur racing’s foremost events: Lake
Whitney Spring Classic, Oak Hill, World Mini Grand Prix, Loretta Lynn’s Amateur Championship,
Ponca City Grand National and Mini O’s Winter National Olympics. Team Dunlop rider Eli Tomac
triumphantly led the Dunlop charge at the six rounds, winning the most amateur national titles—
11 in total. Adam Cianciarulo followed with eight title wins and Jessy Nelson nailed down seven
championships. It was a successful and hard-fought season by all 18 Team Dunlop members.
CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE ON TEAM DUNLOP
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UPCOMING EVENTS
2009 AMA SUPERCROSS
CONSUMER SHOWS
February 7
February 6-8
V-Twin Expo
Angel Stadium
Chicago, IL
February 7-9
Anaheim, CA
EXPOSITIONS
Cincinnati, OH
February 13-15
February 14
Minneapolis, MN
Qualcomm Stadium
San Diego, CA
Dealer Expo
February 13-16
February 20-22
Indianapolis, IN
Greenville, SC
February 21
Georgia Dome
Atlanta, GA
February 28
Lucas Oil Stadium
Indianapolis, IN
©2009 Dunlop Tires • P. O. Box 1109, Buffalo, New York 14240-1109 • 1-800-845-8378 • dunlopmotorcycle.com