32 Four Aces

A card for every player.

-by Jon F. Thompson

52 Boutique Buell

Art and the V-Twin.

-by Steve Anderson

58 Turbo Monster

Force-fed Duck.

64 Quitting School

Featherbed: The making of the world’s

most famous frame.

-by Kevin Cameron

44 MZ Skorpion Hepllca

Monoposto supermono.

48 Skorpion Sport

A yellow streak.

72 KTM360E/XC

Proof that size matters.

88 Long-Term Wrap-Up

Suzuki RF600R.

pg. 78

78 Cordura Riding Jackets

All-weather interceptors.

94 Yoshimura Zyclone Plus

Slip-On Mufflers

Horsepower in a baffle.

96 Helmet Fresh

The sweet smell of nothing.

98 Paris Supercross

Le Motocross plus grand.

-by Davev Coombs

11 UPFRONT

Investment Biker.

-by David Edwards

14 LEANINGS

Should you buy an American bike?

-by Peter Egan

16 TDC

Air power.

-bv Kevin Cameron

18 Letters

20 New Ideas

22 Roundup

116 Service

123 Showcase

130 Slipstream

You haven’t experienced everything in motor-

cycling until you’ve uncrated a brand-spanking-

new bike. Lifting the cardboard container reveals

the wheels first, like the curtain going up on a play. In the case of the

MZ Skorpion Replica, which was drop-shipped straight to ClPs

offices from Germany, the cast of characters is quite impressive:

Metzeler tires, Marchesini wheels, a mix of Brembo, Braking,

Grimcca and Nissin brake components, WP suspension, Yamaha

engine, Sebring exhausts.

MZs are truly world bikes. Assembled in what used to be East

Germany by a revitalized company once known for its primitive,

square-barreled two-strokes, the Replica boasts top-flight compo-

nents from Austria, Germany, Holland, Italy and Japan.

Considering that it’s powered by a 47-horse-

power, 660cc Single, it’s totally overbuilt:

Race-worthy 3.5 x 17-inch front and 5.0 x 17-

inch rear wheels carry Z-rated radials capable

of sustained speeds of 150 mph; dual four-pis-

ton front brake calipers suitable for use on a

200-mph 500cc GP bike grasp 11-inch floating

steel rotors; an inverted 40mm fork, only

/ >? slightly smaller than those used on 355-

pound Superbikes, is held in place by

stout billet triple-clamps; even the

j . speedometer reads to 140 mph, 26

/ * over the bike’s measured top speed.

None of this is without reason...