Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

Cycle News 1966 01 27

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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EUROPEAN DESERT SCRAMBLES BY TWO CLUBS Photos by Carl Bartlett and Larry Haley For a successful day of European scrambling the Spokebenders got together with last year's new club Greyhounds MC down Mojave way, Sunday , Jan. 16. The dual event was organ ized to allow riders to have a fling on both courses. Different classes were staged at different times during the day, enabling the riders to switch from one course to the other. Weather was bright, Windy and cold. Cold, that is, for the spectators, but just about right for the riders. They seemed to enjoy the crisp bre ezes that swept competitors' dust from the course, allowing them to rid e each oth er's dra ft, mile-style, thro ugh th e tules. Races were sta rted with en gines dead, all riders cranking up after the flag had dropped. Seemed a fair system to th is correspondent. No flag-jumpers creepin g forward with slip p ing clutches, and a minimum loss of time du e to pre-start hand waving, First event awa y was the IOO class cc after a dela y due to some latecomers amon g the 2m entries. F irst man home with a long lead at the end of the three SINNERS ELSINORE TT SCRAMBLES The Sinners M.C. had great weather for their Jan . 23rd Elsinore meet, and got everything off in great shape, including having the results completed early. Honda-mounted Keith Mashburn look the 100cc Amateur class by storm, so maintaining his impressive record of current victories. Some of the best riding for the day was seen in the 250 Expert Class where competition is always fierce. DOUR Yerkes and Lee Stumpenhaus Fought it out all through the semi and repeated again in the Main, alth ough they were back from the leaders. Happiest rider was Dan Kelly who out- SHORT TRACK ACE KIETH MASHBURN, TURNING RIGHT FOR A CHANGE. rode the redoubtable "Feels" Minert and the "James" boys, Hunter and Bussey, to win' first place in the 350-500cc Expert Class. He not only beat them, but he be at them well. Everyone of the vanquished has, at one time or another, held the #1 plate. In all fairness, Chuck Minert's 2nd place was well -earned. He was riding a 21" Beezer and it was the Enduro model at that, Dusty Coppage took Open Class honors after Bill Riley came a cropper in the second lap, breaking up what could ha ve been a real scrap . CResults on pag e 12) DISTRIB. RAPS n». v. ~~.GOOF" CYCLE NEWS. TO THE RESCUE California Department of Motor Vehicles official Jim Tillery conceded last week that the department had erred in issuing a misleading "Summary of Important Legislation" to some 12 million California vehicle owners. In its summary of controversial section 23127 of the Vehicle Code, sent out with 1966 license renewal forms, the Department alleges, "Motor vehicles, including motorcycles and scooters, may not use private or public hiking . or horseback riding trails ... ," Called to task by U. S. Suzuki executive John C, McCormack, the DMV was accused of misrepresentation, prejudice and endangering both a major California industry and state tax revenues. In a lengthy letter addressed to DMV Director Tom Bright, McConnack called the statement an "irresponsible and dangerous misrepresentation of the law," and termed it "a multi -million dollar blunder." Section 23127 does not prohibit use of either pu blic or private lands to two or four-wheeled sports enthusiasts. It is basically a posting law that provides minimum standard for place ment of signs and prohibits riding of vehicles in areas so posted, un less the rider has written permission to do so. McCormack requested that the department mail retractions of the interpretation to every pers on who received a summary card. In a separate letter to the Governor, McCormack, the motorcycle industry's top spokesman, suggested establishment of a screening board that would give prior a pprova l to "all D.M.V. sta tements pertaining to the law of the State." He recommended establishment of a high level fact finding board to conduct a major study of nil phases of California Vehicle Legislation. The purpose would be to "strengthen existing legislation, and eliminate any glaring confusions, ambiguities or inconsistencies in the State's Vehicle Code:' He suggested a moratorium on all major vehicle legislation until a thorough study can be completed, and specifically included smog measures. McCormack also asked for establishment of a State commission on Motor Sports Vehicles, "similar in composition and purpose to the Los Angeles County Committee on Motor Sports Vehicles." The latter committee was formed under auspices of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors by Supervisor Warren Dorn. The State Commission. would be fin~ced from motorcycle, )CCP and scooter license fees. MAJ~R "OVERSIGHT" Tillery attempted to minimize the blunde r by calling it "an oversight." He denied tha t the error was deliberate or the result of prejudice. Tillery stated that mailing out retractions "could cost more than $400,000" and that the normal news media, rather than the state, shou ld straighten out the confusion his departm ent has caused. As one of those upon whom Mr. Tille,?, has so gaI1an~y transferred the. buck, ~ n~per .W1Shes to thank hun for his conflden~ 10 the . pow~r of the press, an~ to ask him, confidentially, how mu~h It cost the taxpayer to be told he couldn t go -'-.:::. o.;.; ti.;.;.;.;:.cd'--'-0_ p_i:_ _ ) C C.:::. n.;.; 0IIC· n-' a e 7-' "' . laps, was J. Morgan on a Hodaka, Next followed the 250's, with Novices, Amateurs and Experts ru nn ing in different even ts. Th ese, and the Open Classes were run on a time basis, with the yellow flag corning out for the leader after the time limit had elapsed. Th e checkered f1ajt followed the customary one lap later. Among the Experts Greeves ace Gary ' Conrad took an early lead but fell back with engine trouble. After a lengthy duel Creeves mounted B. Belt took number one position at the finish. Sandwiched between this and the Open came the sidehacks. Result, by a wide m ar gin was a win for J. Steven s and C. Nehlos, with M. C losh and M. Ovaldson second on their Harley-powered chario t. Wh en the Open Class got started on the Greyhounds course the bu siness got really serious! After the ir first run of the day with the Spokebenders they were really warmed up . The Novices and the Amateurs ama zed the onlookers, and themselves, with the ir varied and unique riding styles. There were 60 mph spee d wobbl es, plus frontwheel wheeli es to add to the thrills . The Open Amateur was the outstanding race of the day with the first three places being closely contested right to the line. At the finish it was #16 A. McKnight on a Triumph. To wind up his day Ron Nelson made no mistake in the Greyhound 500cc Experts, in which the 'top boys' made the rutty course look as smooth as silk with their polished performa nces. Ron took the lead in the first lap and never looked back. Widening the gap all the way he roared home to win by a mile. Number one plate Mike Patrick steered in to victory in the Greyhounds Open Expert division . Everyone was pleased to have the day's pleasures finish in daylight, enabling them to make a smooth start for home and warmth. Temperatures were said to be in the low 40's out there. CResults on pagc 12 ) CM ore photo s on center spread) -_ ROAD RIDERS BALL By Robert O. Fec Road Riding Motorcyclists and their friends, 387 strong, crowded the Pomona Elks Lodge Saturday evening , January 22nd for an evening of dancing and honors. The first award of the program was the Peaeor Memorial Award pre sented to Mrs. Bea Rathbun by the Committee for Better Motorcycling for consistent and outstanding efforts to improve the sport. Mrs. Rathbun received a standing ovation as Neil Butts, '65 RRC Chairman, pinned the gold medal to her dress. Master of Ceremonies Dick Gallo and Ken Harrison awarded the trophies for the '65 RRC parti cipation contest. Male Solo winners were: Vern Selby, 1st; Bob Scholz; J. M. Jones; Don May; and Dick Jerry, 5th. Women Solo winners: Ann Collins, 1st; Isab el Hetri ck, Lee Harrison, June Kampf, and Arlene Plumber, 5th . Passengers: Emily Scholz. l st: Dolores Jones, ( Continued on page 7) Norma Snyder , Vi Mitchel, and Sadie May, 5th.

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