Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125622
one mile from the f1n1sh line, hitting about 30 mph, as I was coming over the top of a rise, I bad a cbance to meet him bead 00 - this kid was comJDg ~ the rise 00 the other s1de (rid1ng the course backwards). Upon making contact with him, I greeted him with a few cboice words. (The kind they print in the Free Press). What made this a bad situatioo, there were no danger marks whenapproacbing this rise to let me know of the danger waiting to greet me on the other side. When going out to ride, I expect to go down. But I sure would like to do it on my own. I don't need any belp. This kid sbould have learned a lesson - if you want to ride on the course, get a number and go in the right direction. 300 pounds of bike landing on top of you can be pretty heavy. I would like to thank this kid for not staying around to see if I could get going again. Thanks. Damages: 1 set of bars, 1 throtUe cable, 1 brake lever, 1 knee with torn cartileges - thanks to the rider on the Sachs for getting word to my pit crew. 100's, it was still a good run even if you didn't have the danger marks in the "rigbt place." BILL ZAREMBA 224 Covina, Cal. FREE GUEST EDITORIAL The recent big bang over the L.A. AFM Chapter by a Mr. Al Mark seems to me as the best tb1ng that's happened all year. First off,Idon'tknowMr.Mark or very few of the people he names in his two editorials. I just happen to be one of the Free L.A. chapters tech inspectors he seems to dislike. On a race day I work from 7 a.m. until about 6:30 p.m. belpingtogetarace run, all for free. It Mr, Mark is so full of energy why doesn't he take my job and therefore with all his great experience and knowledge he could really tech the boys in fast, safe and clean. Of course, the pay is low and the bours long, but you do get in the race for free. Instead of fighting and back-biting, why not pitch in and try to belP. You can have my job. It's free. BOB FORREST West Covina, Cal. •••••••••••••• • • : Gllst : • • : Editorial : • • • • •••••••••••••• • By Ronald Doll NOTE: The editors do not nece9" sariJy agree wilh the opinioos ex- I • 'I pressed In this department, but publish them in the interest or (ree speech. Equal space will be provided to any who wish to take issues with the statements orrered bere. . - - Mr. Al Mark lett a few facts out of his "sligbtly slanted editorial" in Cycle News June 17 issue. I can only speak on behalf of A. F. M. because it is the only road race organization I belong to. I am not in any way attached tG or affiliated with the governing body ~ A.F.M. I only reply as a Sunday road racer who has raced Orange County Int. Raceway. On November 28, 1968 Mike Johns (driver) and I, (passenger) crashed Into the wall around the tower turn at Orange County Raceway. John s was critically injured and I sustained several bead and face injuries. We were taken immediately to Santa Ana Hospital. (We both recovered satisfactorilY.) Our bosp1tal bills were $3000 and $1400 respectively. That particuJa,r day we paid $15 entry fee. out of this $15 came money for the track rental, the $600 guarantee purse and insurance premium for the rider. The track insurance which 1s supplied by L.A. A.F .M. paid all but $100 of our hospital bills. Mr. Mark, do any other organizations offer this benefit? I'm sure they don't. Not only do all L.A. AFM racEShave insurance, but a purse of at least $600. (This increases on increased attendance). Mr. Mark was "sniveling" about high cGSts of rac1ng. W1thall the benet1ts at A.F.M. I can't see bow anyone could afford to race anywbere else. ADd I'm sure Mr. Mark will agree. We all must remember that motorcycle racing d. all kinds is a luxury, and if people like Mr. Mark can't afford to race, maybe they should be spectators only. Mr. Mark wants to start a riders union; I feel this 15 unnecessary because you sbould be able to voice your opinion at the various AMA, A.C.A., and A.F .M. meetings. All tbe A.F.M. meetings I've ever been to, the riders opinions and requests have always been honored and respected. I wonder if this is true in Wes Ccdey's club, A.C.A.? Are you unhappy with A.C.A, Mr. Mark? It sure sounds that way. As a member of A.F.M. and the fabulous Side Hack Association I am perfectly happy with these two fine organizations; as I'm sure all the members must be. Road racing on sidecars is a gas, a real thrill. And to see this action you must go to an A.F.M. road race. Does this tell you something Mr. Mark? I'm sure more editorials like Mr. Mark's can only hinder all of the road race enthus1asts, by alienating the racers against each other. Its racers like Mr. Mark we don't need. By Barbara Adams Dahms The other day I went to the local DMV office and did what some motocycIists have already done and all the rest are faced with eventually. I renewed my driver's license and obtained a motorcycle-riding license. I remember very well when this law was passed last year. It was one half of the helmet-license bill which Foran bad packaged. It was the half we could accept. It sounds good in theory to require Iicenses for operating motor vehicles. It keeps the incompetents off the streets and higbways. It promotes greater safety for the public and the individual who is operating the vehicle. Or at least it is supposed to. ADd in this dIQ' d. goyernment autbor"ity and respoosiblUty who would questioo that a law does wbat it 1s supposed to? But I wonder, as I wondered as the bill was being passed wh11e we were all agreeing to it (because not agreeing to it was unAmer1can and unMotorcycle) if licenses really keep the incompetents off the street and everyone sater. The ,!!ajority of fatal motorcycle atcidents occur on the first r1de, usually on a borrowed machine. How the statisticians reached the conclusion about the first ride I don't know. That it was the first ride on a borrowed machine is easier to determine. The first ride on a machine one is not used to can be lJl1te an experience, especially if made in heavy traffic! Among the major manufacturers there are several coordination patterns currently in use. Handling characteristics of small and large machines, street and knobby tires, high and low torque, to mention a few, making riding each different model- sometimes eacb machine - a new experience. There are answers besides standardtzationfor this problem. But the current license law, in any state, isn't providing them. As currently administered in California, the license law provides notb1ng. They might at least watcb you r1de down the street, see if you gIve band s1gnals and look over your shGulder before turning and changing lanes and if you stop at a stop sign. That would have more to do with whether you know bow to ride a motorcycle on the street than going around 1n twenty-foot circles and riding along a line for a very short distance. The DMV was apologetic. "We can't test much but balance," explained the examiner, who is himself a non-rider but has been to several clInics about motorcycle operation and testing. The legislators make laws because we send them to the capitol to do so. They want to do good and positive things so we will send them back again. We support them because good and pGSitive are the things to be. Safety has become as sacred as motherhood used to be. But sometimes one pauses to wonder if all these laws in which the government takes care of us are really as good and positive as they seem or are they just one more hassle for John C1tizen to endure. 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