Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

Cycle News 1965 09 29

Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles

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, • Motorcycle Journa • VOL. • Nelso State Desert Champ n NO. 29 SEPTEMBER 29. 1965 P RICE: 15 CENTS . \~ CONRAD TAKES FOURTH PLACE ON 250 BIKE ~~ " RON NELSON, the fourth best des- • • .. • • . ert rider in the United States two weeks ago, was the best desert rider in California Sunday. And Gary Conrad, the best desert rider in the United States two weeks ago, was only the fourth best desert rider in California Sunday. Impossible? That's not what the records say. Nelson won the state championship hare and hound Sunday over a fast, well-marked 90-mile course laid out by the Shamrocks Motorcycle Club. Nelson, riding a 500cc Triumph, led the race off the line, was ahead by 30 seconds at the smoke bomb, three minutes at the 50-mile gas check and five minutes at the finish. Mike Patrick on a Norton was second overall and first open expert. Phil Bowers on a 500cc CZ finished third after a torrid, race-long duel with Conrad, fourth overall and first lightweight in on hi s 250cc Greeves. Conrad, who Se pt. 12 won the national championship hare scrambles title, led Bowers at the gas check and was narrowly nipped by him at the finish. Nelson finished fourth in the national event after losing his seat early in the race, returning to the pits, dropping more than 40 positions and charging back out t o pass all but three riders. First novice to finish the state t itle run Sunday was Eric Moberg, 11th overall, who beat scores of experts and every amateur. First amateur was Dick Romas, 13th overall, a mon g 85 finishers. First lightweight amateur was Ron Fry, who finished right behind Romas. The 236 riders got off the line quickly under warm, hazy skie s, and took an immediate liking to the course, with its smooth, rolling hills, clumpy bushes and almost complete absence of rocks or treacherous gulleys. For those overheated by their efforts and that included almost everyone - Shamrock club plumber Ed Mussellman siphoned water from a nearby aqueduct and rigged up a shower head. The race to the cold, comforting shower was almost as fast as - and considerably closer than - the race to the finish line. POL • • 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Rider Ron Nelson Mike Patrick Phil Bowers Gary Conrad Bob Ferro Dick Dean Curt Gibson Dusty Coppage LIONS AND FONTANA SHAPE UP BIKE PROGRAM Fun on Funbi#ces CHASING BUNNIES AT NIGHT Unaware that they were on the eve of a great discovery, four local riders made camp in the desert near Lancaster recently, unrolled their sleeping bags, built a lire (for it was already twilight) and., as motorcycle enthusiasts are apt to do, went for a ride in .the fast-ebbing light. What happened later was enthusiastically described by cartoonist Gordon South, who was one of the four to whom credit for the discovery must go, since he was the first to tell us about it. Gordon and his pals, in cluding a ch a p named Moose, were riding their funbikes, minding their own buzziness, following their four headlights beams through the random sagebrush when Moose spotted a pair of red lights glowing ahead. Riding closer, the cycles spotlighted a tall, lean jackrabbit attached to the red lights, which were his eyes. With a whoop, Moose gave chase and the hypnotized rabbit came to his senses, bounding away across the desert with four howling' motorcycles in pursuit. Mo ose was gaining on the buhny 9. 10. 11. 12 13. 15. 16. 17. Class 500E OE 500E 250E OE OE OE OE Bill Martin r ode a 250cc Yamaha streamliner to a new world speed record last weekend at Bonn eville Salt Flats, Utah. The record is su bject to F IM approval. Martin's time was 173.8 miles per hour, more than 20 miles per hour faster than the record' set last year by Harley-Davidson in the same 15cubic inch Formula C (Gas) class. The salt was slightly wet when Marti n, riding the Ya maha RD56 Rotary Valve Oil injection Special roared to his record. DRAG RACING 14. Ca lif . Champ ionship HARE AND HOUND Sept. 26. 1965 Martin Cracks World Speed Mark on flats 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. Fred Kenney Gary Preston Eric Moberg Bob McLaughlin Dick Romas Ron F ry Gene Dem pse y Jim Lameret Bill Stens William Fears Jack Forelich Neil Fergus Mike K onle Lynn Cole Don Watkins Reed Price Gary Cole OE OE ON OE OA 250A OE OE ON ON 500E 21-A O E 250A 500E OA 250E Illustrated by Gordon South when it suddenly hung a hard left, kicked up a roostertail of sand and disappeared in a thicket. "Aw," said Moose. "Shucks!" But already someone had spotted another rabbit and the chase was resumed. As s 0 0 n as this bunny escaped, another was spotted and another and the cycles ranged in hot pursuit of leaping lapins far across the desert, laughing like looneys. "It's the most fun I've ever had on a moton;ycle all in one night," Gordon asserts. "The only sad bit was crashing over a couple of kangr oo rats. They're hard to avoid hitting out there where they feel safe fr om traffic." The things to watch out for if you decide to go on a nighttime desert bunny chase is barbed wire. Ken Rowe, another local rider who has tried the new sport, says it is most fun with four riders and a full moon to light the way. "You have the thrill of the -ch as e and competition with each other to spot the next rabbit and lead the way." Lightweights are probably the best bikes for bunny chasing. Thirty m ph top speed is enough to overtake the most agile pack, and little bikes can bound over hummocks with funloving ease. Rowe prefers a Greeves with lighting equipment. Other riders swear by Gileras, Yamaha 80s, and South even likes using his 650 Triumph f or the sport. There is seldom a lack of game to pursue. The nighttime desert and many nearby meadows have jackrabbits in abundance. And since all the animal loses is a little weight, there are still plenty there for everyone. We haven't yet given the game a try, but we soon shall, and believe it we are going to wear plenty of protective clothing just in case Bre'r (Continu~~ o;t Page Z) AFTER YEARS OF BEING shuffled to the bottom of the drag strip deck, motorcycles are finally coming up aces. At both Lions Drag Strip in Long Beach, and Fontana Drag Strip out there, two wheeled sprinters are n ow encouraged to come show their stuff among the dull stock cars. The makeshift regulations that in the past were so confusing have been replaced with sensible rules and reasonable classes: A. 75 lce to open B. SO lee to 750ee C. 3S1ee to SOOee D. 20 l ee to 351ee E. Zero to 201ee There are three divisions to each class: Street, Gas and Fue~ If there are at least two bikes in a class, one is entitled to a trophy. Gloves, helmet and goggles are r equired of r id - Paul Ackerma nn a nd his new 'Ho nda 350 at lions. O nly th e thi rd time ou t, it turn ed 13.70 Sunda y. ers and all except street class must have full leathers. Bikes will have to pass a safety inspection before they are allowed to run. Req uirements are chain guard, sn ap return throt tle or deadman switch, steering d am - , per, firmly attached seat and at least one working brake. Easy en ough so far, and besides trophies, both strips pay money; only a $50 purse at Fontana (competitors can sign u p from one to 6 p.m, on Saturdays) and Lions pa ys onl y $40 a week, but it is a start in the right direction. Competitors are invited to Lions (Continued ~ Page 5)

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