LeoVince Grape Crusher Ride 2011 Details

Richmond, CA – LeoVince USA is pleased to announce the return of the 6th annual Grape
Crusher Charity Ride, an incredible ride through Northern California back roads and the wine
country and a brand new event the LeoVince Grape Crusher Track Day! What better way to kick
off your Infineon West Coast Moto Jam Weekend then with a great ride through the incredible
scenery of Nor Cal or a full day riding the world famous Infineon Raceway.

You have two options for your day of fun. Tickets are $25 for the 6th annual Grape Crusher
Charity Ride which can be purchased in advance or on the morning of at LeoVince. The ride
will commence on Thursday May 12, 2011 at the LeoVince USA headquarters located at 1445
South 50th street, Suite B, in Richmond, CA. Rider registration will start at 8:00 A.M. and the
ride will start promptly at 9:30 A.M. We will take a spin through some great back roads ending
up at Infineon Raceway between 12:30-1:00 P.M. for a lap of Infineon then refreshments and our
raffle prize drawing!

The Grape Crusher Trackday will also be on Thursday May 12th, 2011, but riders will need to
be at Infineon Raceway with safety gear and prepped bikes by 7:00 A.M. The Leovince Grape
Crusher Track day tickets are $150 and this event is limited to the first 50 entrants and you must
book your spot in advance. The trackday will be hosted for LeoVince by Zoom Zoom Trackdays
and will be an exciting day of spirited riding!

For more information or to sign up now go to www.LeoVinceUSA.com, or email questions to
grapecrusher2011@leovinceusa.com or call 510-232-4040 and secure your spot on either of
these great rides.

GRAPE CRUSHER BREAST CANCER RIDE featuring AMA Pro MELISA PARIS
Join Racer Melissa Paris at this year’s Grape Crusher charity ride as we work to raise money and
awareness for breast cancer. LeoVince USA will be donating the proceeds raised on the Grape
Crusher ride to help Melisa Paris reach her goal of raising $10,000.00 this year for breast cancer.
Registration will begin at 8:00 A.M. at LeoVince USA located at 1445 B. South 50th Street,
Richmond CA 94804. Riders will be split into three groups according to riders comfort level:

Group “A” will be a fast paced spirited ride with the most experienced riders and will be made
up primarily of sport bikes and sport touring bikes.

Group “B” will be a moderately paced group and is ideal for sport bikes, adventure bikes, dual
sports and sport touring bikes.

Group “C” will be a casual paced ride to look out and smell the roses and enjoy all that Nor Cal
back roads have to offer, great for cruisers, adventure & touring bikes.

Rider meeting will be at 9:00 A.M. and groups will begin staging and rolling out at 9:15 A.M.
and will end between 12:30 and 1:00 P.M. at Infineon Raceway with “One Lap of Infineon”.
After we will serve refreshments and snacks and have our raffle drawing of awesome prizes!

GRAPE CRUSHER TRACK DAY INFO:
Riders who register for the Grape Crusher Track Day will need to be at Infineon Raceway
located at Hwy 37 & 121, Sonoma California 95476 by 7:00 A.M. on Thursday May 12th.
This is BYOB (Bring Your Own Bike) and bikes will need to have all glass and breakable

lenses taped up (this can be done at track) and motorcycle must be in good running condition.
Novice riders may wear an Aerostitch or similar one or two piece textile suit. Riders wanting
to ride in the advanced groups (A, B) must have two piece zip-together leathers or one-piece
leathers. Riders meeting will commence at approximately 8:00 A.M. and the track goes hot at
8:30 A.M. There will be one or two “Instructor Lead” morning sessions (instructor determined).
Sessions will run between 20-30 minutes each. After the morning introduction session or
sessions (instructor determined) riders will then be separated into “A, B & C” groups by the
instructors. This will be done according to skill levels for rider’s safety and to ensure a good safe
environment for riders of all skill levels. After group separation each day will be conducted as a
normal track day. There will be a one hour lunch break between 11:30 A.M. & 12:30 P.M. and
in the afternoon there will be more riding session throughout the afternoon until 3:00 P.M. when
the track will go cold.

JD Beach – The next chapter for Cycle World Attack Kawasaki

By Stephen W Clark

Nineteen year old JD Beach is no stranger to motorcycle racing but at the recent AMA test JD headed out on the track riding a 1000cc Superbike for the first time. Joined by the best and most experienced racers in the US JD spent two days lapping Miller and getting up to speed on the most powerful bike he has ever ridden. JD riding the Attack Cycle World Kawasaki is beginning of another chapter in an already impressive story of this team.

The Cycle World team originally formed mid-way through last season with a partnership between several major players in the motorcycle industry. Cycle World Magazine were the driving force behind the project and brought together a Yoshimura GSXR-1000 Suzuki with Richard Stanboli from Attack Performance as crew chief and four time AMA National Champion Eric Bostrom came out of retirement to ride the bike at the last four rounds of the 2010 AMA American Superbike championship. The bike was built using over the counter parts including a Leo Vince Corsa exhaust system and proved to be competitive, Eric qualified the bike on the front row in VIR and finished seventh at both VIR and Laguna Seca. It was remarkable that this newly formed team on a tight budget and no special parts was so competitive in the highest level of National competition.

Following the four AMA races in 2010 the team went into the off-season satisfied with their results. But the project resurrected again when Mathew Miles at Cycle World decided to have the team to race again at Daytona, Cycle World had done a Daytona project in the nineties and wanted to do it again. It was decided to bring the same team from 2010 back together but this time use the brand new Kawasaki ZX-10R. Eric Bostrom would again pilot the superbike and promising young rider JD Beach was brought into to ride a ZX-6R.

Stanboli and his team built two ZX-10R’s and four ZX-6R’s and conducted a series of tests at Chuckwalla, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Buttonwillow and Daytona to get the new bike up to speed. With limited time and an brand new bike to set-up and develop parts for the team worked around the clock in the weeks leading up to Daytona.

Unfortunately Eric Bostrom’s Daytona experience was plagued with problems and bad luck. In the first Superbike race Eric was hit by another rider and crashed, the second Superbike race was better but with a less than ideal set-up Eric had to settle for an 8th place finish. The premier race of the event the Daytona 200 once again luck was not on Eric or the teams side as Eric blew a motor on the second lap. In spite of Eric’s disappointing results the team still experienced success at Daytona with JD Beach. JD qualified his ZX-6R 4th for his first ever Daytona 200 and during the race was right in the thick of the lead group action. JD led the race for a few laps and narrowly missed out on podium, finishing 4th in one of the closest AMA race finishes in many years.

In a way the team was happy with the Daytona result but as far as the new ZX-10R Superbike was concerned they didn’t feel they had given the bike a fair shake. Although the original plan was just to race Daytona the team was back on-track at Miller Motorsporst Park testing the ZX-10R Superbike but it was JD Beach riding the #10 American Superbike and not Eric Bostrom. Eric did not attend the test and during the test announced that he was hanging up his leathers and was finished roadracing.

JD Beach is one of the most promising young riders in the US at the moment and although only 19 JD already has a very impressive resume. JD began racing dirt track when he was 3 years old and had a successful dirt track career that netted him many wins at National level, in 2007 JD was accepted into the Red Bull Rookies Cup and in 2008 won the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup. In 2008 JD returned to the US and finished 2nd in the AMA Supersport Championship and forth in the AMA Pro Flat Track Singles Championship. In 2009 JD raced the AMA Supersport Championship again this time winning the East Championship. Replacing four-time AMA National Champion and World Superbike race winner Eric Bostrom, JD has big shoes to fill. Crew chief Rich Stanboli told us that he had been impressed with JD’s maturity and how he was consistently fast so with Eric gone it made sense to put JD on the Superbike.

On the first day of testing at Miller the team broke JD in gently to the incredible power of a superbike putting him on a bike with a stock engine and with the Motec tractional control turned up. JD spent the day getting used to the bigger bike gradually getting faster. For the second day of testing Stanboli put JD on the other ZX-10 with a mildly built motor. When asked how JD was adapting to the bigger bike he told us the Superbike was a lot different than his 600, a lot faster and very different to ride. Not only is JD adapting to a new bike but also coming up to speed with a mature group of riders. The Superbike class has some of the top US riders with several of them having also enjoyed world level racing success. JD told us that he does a lot of cycling with Josh Hayes and knows Roger Hayden and Ben Bostrom really well so it was really cool to be on track with these guys.

During the test JD’s laptimes gradually improved and in one session it appeared that Josh Hayes was mentoring the young rider. JD ended the Miller test with just two seconds off the fastest lap set by Josh Hayes with the 12th quickest time of 1:52.386. On the long Miller front straight the Kawasaki ZX-10R posted a trap speed of 187.73 mph the fastest speed of the test. It was an impressive performance considering it was JD’s first time on a Superbike and the first time at Miller since 2007. The team is hoping to have JD race the ZX-10R superbike for the first time at Round 2 of the AMA championship at Infineon.

AMA Racer James Rispoli - The Lead-Up to Round 2

Reprinted from James Rispoli's Blog at: http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/blogs/post.cfm?cid=42559

Hi everyone! Before I get going, I want to give a shout-out to both my mechanics, Dustin Say and Ryan Kelly. These guys and their wives, Lindsey and April, have been awesome. They have to be in order to put up with moto-heads in their homes 24/7. And, Lindsey is about to give birth to the Say family's first child in a few weeks, which is going to be an awesome event. I can tell you based on all the gear-head toys in the Say family household, I know I'll be training my future team rider soon, so watch out all you future racers out there—the Says are building a new team!

I also wanted to update you all on what is happening around here in Daytona Beach where I have been living all winter long. Moving down to Florida for the winter months was the best move I ever could have done. I have been staying at Ryan's house, where most of the post-Daytona bike work is being done. We have gathered most of the parts for our new GSXR 600s and we have been on a holding pattern waiting for bikes to actually arrive since Daytona.

It's been a challenge getting bikes due to the terrible tragedy in Japan causing factories to slow or stop deliveries in some cases. So in the meanwhile, Ryan has been painting body work, sorting through and organizing parts, talking to our engine builder, and getting prepared to accept the new bike when they arrive. The good news is that two brand-new 2011s showed up last week compliments of our sponsor STAR School!

Now the bikes are all torn down to bare frames, heads out for work, and everything cleaned up and ready to be put back together as race machines. Some additional Dyno work and tuning will occur over the next couple of weeks as well. I am so excited to get a handle on the new bikes. I talked with Vesrah's Cory West, and he loves the new bike over the older models. He said it was faster, handled quicker, and came off the corners like a rocket, a huge advantage over the older bikes. With 20 less pounds, five more horsepower, and better handling, what's not to like!

Another awesome advantage of living in Florida for the winter is my ability to train year round. There are so many places to ride and practice on a motorcycle, but I am also able to get out each and every day and peddle my bicycle as well. I was able to hook up with a great group of cyclists and train with them on a regular basis. I also was able to hook with #59 Jake Holden and together we have been able to train and push each other each and every day! It has been awesome. Prior to coming down to Florida, I would have normally just been doing inside training back in my home town of Attica, New York. It would have been snowy, cold, and wet and sometimes hard to keep motivated. Being here in Florida during the winter months has me pumped to be in the sunshine to work and play every day. It has been my "secret-weapon," for sure.

I want to close by making sure I send some great props out to all my sponsors. (Check out the fleet of new helmets from sponsor AGV with paint compliments Monster Energy.) Each and every one of them plays an important role in my and my team's success. We couldn't do it without them. It's not just the financial support that matters; it's each and every product, no matter how big or how small, that makes a significant impact on my ability to put my all into everything I do each and every day. For that I give them my heartfelt thanks. In return I hope to live up to expectations—that includes doing well on and off the track racing, providing the highest levels of integrity, honesty, and an example of the best of the best in all I do.

Next up, I'm getting ready to head out to California to support my sponsor STAR School and NationalGuard.com in a multi-day motorcycle training program. I will be on track for several days and can't wait to be riding, training, and having a great time. So it's time for me to sign off. Remember, do what I always do—have FUN and GO FASTER....

JamesRispoli.com

Valeria's Laguna Seca Track Day

Valeria Mollo, daughter of LeoVince owner Gianni Mollo, rides the track at Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, CA for the first time during a track day session. 

From Melissa Paris, With Love

Melissa Paris takes the fast approach to life, whether she's on the racetrack, picking up a new sport or building a loyal following of fans. She sums it up aptly when she says, "I'm an active person. I don't like to sit around. If there's something in which I can race or compete against someone, I'm into it."

These days, that need for competition is fulfilled on the racetrack: Melissa races the HT Moto Yamaha YZF-R6 in both the AMA Daytona Sportbike class and the WERA West Series. The Oceanside, California, resident says that track time is vital to staying on top of her game, and she plans to get plenty of it this year.

Melissa has always been a tomboy, thanks in large part to growing up with four older brothers, but it wasn't until her freshman year of college that she finally climbed onto a sportbike. In typical Melissa style, she jumped right in: less than a year after learning to ride, Melissa entered her first race. She raced in the second half of the 2004 WSMC and CCS Southwest seasons, then turned expert in 2005.

The top finishes began to stack up. In 2005, she earned two second-place finishes in WSMC's 125GP class. The next year, she added a win, two seconds, and two thirds to her résumé in the WERA National Endurance Series.

The 2009 season was a special highlight, as Melissa raced in World Super Sport at Miller Motorsports Park, and she notched the highest finish by a female in the Daytona 200 with 21st.

It was also the year that Melissa signed on with LeoVince. "They're not your typical company to deal with; it's really more like a family there. Tim Calhoun and the team at LeoVince have been so helpful, making sure I have everything I need. It's a really good relationship and they're good people," she says. "What I like is that what their top racers use is what the customers get."

Melissa's 2011 season began at Daytona International Speedway, where she finished 18th in the Daytona 200. "Unfortunately, in the race, we ended up melting a piston. I suppose I'm lucky I even finished the race. It was frustrating during the race because I could tell the bike was down on power," Melissa says.

Still, the result made her optimistic. She adds, "It gives me a lot of hope going forward, I know if I can finish 18th on three cylinders, then things are looking up for the rest of the year.

"My goals for the rest of the year are to be consistently in the top 15, and better at some of the tracks I'm stronger at. I have the confidence in myself that I have the ability to move forward. I'm getting quicker every time I'm on the bike and I think it will be an exciting year."

Melissa adds that her new approach to training should help her be more competitive on the track. "I've incorporated a lot of strength training into my program," Melissa explains. "At my pre-season test, I found myself doing things I couldn't do before. My husband even noticed I was riding different. As a girl you want to be petite, but as a motorcycle racer I want to be strong."

In addition to racing, Melissa has a passion for cycling, supermoto, motocross and swimming. She loves staying fit and active, but admits she has a weakness. "Anyone who knows me knows I have the worst sweet tooth known to mankind! I'm always open to awful treats. I've had two fans bring me cupcakes with my number on them. Sugar is the way to my heart!" Melissa says.

We just hope that the next time a fan brings cupcakes with Melissa's lucky number 13 on them, they bring enough for all of us. Sponsors love cupcakes, too!

Photos courtesy: http://www.melissaparis.com/media.php

Rider Profile: Ernie Vigil

Ernie "EDUB" Vigil has a simple philosophy to stunting. "I think the future of the sport for us is to bring speed and danger into everything. If you're the guy who looks like you're going to crash at any second, that's who people watch," he says.

Vigil, who sports a LeoVince system on his 2004 Kawasaki 636, may not be doing a lot of crashing, but people are definitely watching. The 32-year-old from Albuquerque, New Mexico, has a busy year ahead. He'll be competing at every XDL round and is one of the stars of the ICON Limiter show.

In addition to that, Vigil says he'll be stunting "anywhere I can get work! I hate just sitting at home doing nothing." (When asked how someone can book him for a show, Vigil points to www.ernievigil.com. Although he didn't specify, we suspect he's most interested in being booked for bachelorette parties.)

Getting to shows is often more adventurous than the show itself. Vigil, along with five or six other riders, crams into a converted box van that serves as a home away from home.

"We've adapted ourselves as gypsies. We're like circus carnies," Vigil says, who adds that they find ways to keep from getting bored. "At every stop we bean each other with a heavy ball we carry around. It's like a sick version of hackey sack, and we call it Murder Ball. We play pranks on each other, too."

Some of the crazier things Vigil has done weren't pranks. His most memorable moment to date came while stunt riding for the movie "Yes Man," in which he had to wear a hospital gown. "I was basically naked under my hospital gown. That was a little creepy: being butt-naked under a hospital gown, and having to ride barefooted," Vigil recalls.

Nearly naked stunting aside, Vigil has found his calling. Ultimately, he says, "I just like to go fast on bikes. My whole thing is I like to be on the gas."

LeoVince Continues to Lead World Scooter Market with Release of the New H.M. ZX-R 2-stroke Exhaust and Redesigned 4 Road Exhaust

With gas prices on the rise, scooters offer an affordable and fun transportation alternative. Scooter mania is on the rise in the United States, and LeoVince's Scoot line provides scooter exhaust solutions with the redesigned 4 Road exhaust and all-new H.M. ZX-R 2-stroke exhaust.

Handmade ZX-R (H.M. ZX-R)

The latest release from LeoVince’s Scoot brand, the H. M. ZX-R has earned its new 'R' designation with improved performance, a redesign of the carbon fiber silencer, and a high-temperature clear coat for protection. These elements all combine to create a modern super sport exhaust for a variety of 2-stroke scooters. Each exhaust is individually developed to maximize the performance and acceleration of the engine for which it has been developed.

• Great performance increase for 50cc 2-stroke scooters
• Individually engineered for broad power
• Handmade expansion chambers for maximum return in performance
• Carbon fiber exhaust canister
• Performance clutch weights and springs included when needed
• CAD/CAM designed for precise fit

Visit the LeoVince main site

4 Road

The LeoVince Scoot 4 Road has been specifically developed for the 4-stroke engines found in today’s maxi-scooters. The 4 Road is constructed of stainless steel for durability, and there is a carbon fiber heat shield inlay for improved looks and added rider protection. The silencer itself is internally coated with a proprietary material to prevent “cold” spots and internal rusting of the silencer.

The LeoVince Scoot 4 Road header pipes and silencer are designed to ensure enhanced performance while not dramatically increasing the noise level output of your maxi-scooter. The result is an increase in torque, improved throttle response and better overall peak power. Reduced weight over stock exhausts further enhances scooter performance.

• Broad power increase for 4-stroke scooters
• Produces deeper tuned tone at a reasonable sound level
• Pipes made of TIG-welded 304 stainless steel
• CAD/CAM designed for precise fit
• Machine-specific tuning to work with stock fuel settings

Visit the LeoVince main site