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/131396
CN III CARRUTHERS SAYS P124 BY PAUL CARRUTHERS THE GOOD OL' DAYS Y ou've been warned: Those of you who have exaggerated a tad about your racing accomplishments in the Pro class at Indian Dunes in 1978 might want to start back-tracking now. That's because you may just have to prove it to your friends and family in the coming days with the release this week of our Cycle News Archives. That's right. Over 2300 back issues of America's Motorcycle Weekly have been digitized and are now available for the world to see. Which may mean someone just might call bulls#!@ on your claims from '78. It also means that those of you who didn't fib might be able to use the Archives to your advantage. Could there be a better pick-up line at the bar than this one? "Hey, did you know I used to be a Pro motocrosser?" At that point, you whip out your smart phone, pull up issue 26 from 1998 and there you are – with the holeshot. Tell me… who can argue your greatness at that point? Rounds of cocktails abound and you are the toast of the town. But let's not get carried away. After all, there are plenty of other reasons to be thrilled that we've finally completed the tedious task of scanning every page of every issue beyond your ego if your name is somewhere to be found in these hallowed pages. How about just the simple fact that the pages comprise the complete history of motorcycling in this country (and really the world) from the mid-1960s until present day? And you can read them all. Without getting ink on your fingers. Want to look up some obscure fact about a particular race, a test ride on a motorcycle from your past? It's all here. For motorcycle enthusiasts, the Cycle News Archives are Google Gone Mad. And, yes, they are completely searchable. Want to know how Jeff Emig did in the World Minis in Las Vegas in 1987. Just type in Jeff Emig and every reference to Emig will show up. Magic. I've been helping fill these pages since 1985, but I am still excited to go back and start poking around. But it should come with a warning: It's addictive, so be careful. A few of us started looking at back issues last week and an hour flew by before we knew it. And this doesn't come as a surprise to me. After all, I've seen the visitors come through the Cycle News offices – from Long Beach to Costa Mesa to our current location in Irvine. I've seen them spot the bound volumes from afar, watch them pull just "one" out to see just "one thing." And then I look out there a few hours later and see them pouring over issue after issue. I'm sure there will end up being meetings for such abusive behavior. "Hello, I'm Dave and I'm a Cycle News Archiveaholic."