WHAT’S NEW AT NOLEEN–APRIL 25

Former AMA National rider Clark Jones recently announced that he has taken back the Noleen name. At one time Noleen was a powerful force in motocross. In the early ’90s Noleen fielded Yamaha?s satellite race team and supported riders Larry Brooks, Kyle Lewis and Larry Ward. Brooks and Craig both won MTEG Ultracross Championships for Noleen, while Larry Ward finished second in the 1995 AMA Supercross Series. Mike Craig also had a Team Noleen ride, but was drafted up to a Team Yamaha ride before the 1995 season started.

In the ?90s, Noleen began making mountain bike shocks and forks. Their mountain bike components were so successful that ski and mountain bike manufacturer K2 bought the Noleen mountain bike line–and moved them to Washington State. At the time, K2 had no interest in motocross, so they licensed the Noleen name to a small group of investors and ex-employees. Clark Jones worked for K2 as a suspension consultant and had nothing to do with the new Noleen.

Over the last four years, Noleen?s motocross visibility has waned–as they focused on private labeling exhaust systems for other companies. They now do business under the name Flow Performance Exhausts. Flow Performance can be reached at (909) 340-2555. They make their own brand of pipes and will make pipes for other companies.

CLARK STEPS BACK IN

Starting immediately, Clark Jones will take over the Noleen motorcycle division and begin to build it back up. Although public awareness has waned, Clark believes that his core audience still remembers the Noleen name. The new Noleen, whose only connection to the Noleen of the past five years is the name, will be based in Apple Valley, California.

Initially, the new Noleen will focus on the suspension modifications that made the old Noleen famous. Noleen has plans to transplant their “Smart Shock? from mountain biking. The Smart Shock uses electric impulses to change the stiffness of the valving.

For more info, contact Clark Jones at Noleen Racing (760) 948-1677.