The Doctor
04-14-05, 05:21 PM
Let's talk to Alex Goffman of Fuchs Kawasaki --
http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2005/Apr/tb/050414a.htm
The Portuguese Grand Prix got off to a painful and slightly embarrassing start for Kawasaki's Alex Hofmann when the 24-year-old German crashed his Ninja ZX-RR during an exhibition ride at Estoril's seafront Casino on Wednesday afternoon.
...
A brief demonstration by the two-stroke contingent went off without any problems but the power of the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR caught Hofmann out as he started his return run on the short demonstration course.
The Kawasaki rider got on the gas a little too early as he prepared for the uphill run back to the casino, with the result that the back of the bike span up on the slippery road surface and unceremoniously flicked him over the high side, much to the astonishment of the watching crowd and television crews.
"I guess it was just a combination of cold tyres and a slippery road. It's bad enough crashing at any time, but to do it at 40 kph during a demonstration parade is incredibly embarrassing. I didn't want to take my helmet off in front of the crowd, because they'd have been able to see how red my face was!"
And then the really bad news --
'I went over the top of the bike and hit my left hand quite hard on the ground. My wrist is quite sore and swollen at the moment, but I'm hoping that resting it today will mean it's okay for the start of practice tomorrow,' added the bruised, but upbeat, Kawasaki rider."
As of tonight, the news is that Hofmann has a cracked scaphoid in his wrist and his inclusion in the weekend's action is currently uncertain. First practice for the Portuguese Grand Prix gets underway at 10am local time tomorrow (Friday).
http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2005/Apr/tb/050414a.htm
The Portuguese Grand Prix got off to a painful and slightly embarrassing start for Kawasaki's Alex Hofmann when the 24-year-old German crashed his Ninja ZX-RR during an exhibition ride at Estoril's seafront Casino on Wednesday afternoon.
...
A brief demonstration by the two-stroke contingent went off without any problems but the power of the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR caught Hofmann out as he started his return run on the short demonstration course.
The Kawasaki rider got on the gas a little too early as he prepared for the uphill run back to the casino, with the result that the back of the bike span up on the slippery road surface and unceremoniously flicked him over the high side, much to the astonishment of the watching crowd and television crews.
"I guess it was just a combination of cold tyres and a slippery road. It's bad enough crashing at any time, but to do it at 40 kph during a demonstration parade is incredibly embarrassing. I didn't want to take my helmet off in front of the crowd, because they'd have been able to see how red my face was!"
And then the really bad news --
'I went over the top of the bike and hit my left hand quite hard on the ground. My wrist is quite sore and swollen at the moment, but I'm hoping that resting it today will mean it's okay for the start of practice tomorrow,' added the bruised, but upbeat, Kawasaki rider."
As of tonight, the news is that Hofmann has a cracked scaphoid in his wrist and his inclusion in the weekend's action is currently uncertain. First practice for the Portuguese Grand Prix gets underway at 10am local time tomorrow (Friday).