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Custom FZ1 auction for Doug Henry

Motocross legend recovering from partial paralysis
By Motorcycle.Com Staff, Jun. 20, 2008
A custom Yamaha FZ1 will be sold for auction to benefit AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame inductee Doug Henry who is fighting to overcome partial paralysis from the waist down.

The three-time AMA Motocross national champion suffered a broken back during a Supermoto race in 2007.

The FZ1 will be auctioned off following the Summer X Games in August by the Road 2 Recovery Foundation, an organization that provides support for professional Motocross racers who suffer serious injuries. Dunlop Motorcycle Tires commissioned the one-off custom motorcycle.

It is truly a privilege for Dunlop to take part in this project on behalf of Doug Henry, says Dunlop vice president Mike Buckley. Doug is a genuine hero and a racing legend in our motorcycling community, and we are honored to lend him and his family our support as we give them our best wishes.

Graves Motorsports constructed the custom FZ1.

Proceeds from the sale of this custom FZ1 will support Motocross legend Doug Henry.

Building this bike is a real labor of love for me, says Chuck Graves, president of Graves Motorsports Inc. Im proud to be able to do something to assist Doug in his recovery, and I also enjoyed creating a bike that I would personally love to own for street riding. A race-tuned Yamaha R1 would be a bit too much for the street, so I took a Yamaha FZ1 and tweaked the chassis for sport handling and also increased the power output. The end result is a bike that is very comfortable, but still delivers lots of excitement.

The custom FZ1 features a modified crankshaft, cylinder head, transmission and slipper clutch from a Yamaha R1 with a tuned Graves exhaust system, Dynojet Power Commander and a race-style speed-shifter setup. Graves added a specially valved adjustable type 46 rear shock and Road & Track Front Fork from Öhlins. The stock front brakes were replaced with 320mm rotors. Graves also added adjustable footpegs, an Öhlins steering damper, a Pro Taper Henry-bend handlebar, Marchesini wheels and Dunlop Roadsmart tires. Graves also made several detail changes, including a custom paint job.

Dunlop has also added Henry to the roster of motorcycle racing champions honored in its Legends Poster Collection. Henry will join legends such as Malcolm Smith, Wayne Rainey and Kenny Roberts in the series of 19x26-inch collectible posters, available for $29.95 at www.cyclenews.com. All proceeds from the poster sales will go to the Clayton Memorial Foundation benefiting injured motorcycle riders.

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Motorcycle.com Staff
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