Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

report won't be filled with compression and gear ratios, but rather a report on bow the bike handles. its sp ed, comfort, economy, etc, ************* TALK ABOUT HARD LUCK DEPARTMENT - ·Stagecoacb" staT Alex Cord is an avid street and dirt rider who sbould never get off of a motorcycle. Every time be does, someone steals it! He has lost three new Triumphs since the first of tbe year. Perbaps I sbould say "two new Triumphs" because tbe last thief wasn't lucky enough to get away. Alex was riding with Jerry Heilman (the producer of • A fine Madness") and they parked their bikes for a spell along Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. While talking with some friends, Alex heard a familiar sound and looked up in time to see a teen-ager astride his bike trying to start it. and Hellman's bike being driven off into tbe sunset. AleX", who used to be a rodeo stunt man, started chasing his bike (and the thief) dow n PCH, and brougbt botb of tbem to the pavement with a spectacular flying tackle. The tbief was arrested. Alex got bis bike, and all ended happilyexcept for Jerry Hellman, who still hasn't recovered his motorcycle. ************* Weekends on Wheels -.. By Peter Rachtman (Ed. ote - This is the first in a new erie of colwnns de igned for the casual motorcyclist. Emphasis will be on how to get more enjoyment from our fa t-gro\\ing sport. Thing to do. places to go. and personalities in motorcycling will take precedence over compre sion ratios, valve timing and other technical aspects. Peter Rachtmao is a 27-year-old Personal Manager. handling a variety of entertainment personali ties. During the past few years he has somehow found the time between producing more than two hundred concerts and several plays to IM:/:ome an avid motorcycle enthusiast. He fs also an accomplished pilot. with several hundred hours in his log book, including two cross-continental solo flights in single engine aircraft. When we had an opportunity to visit him recently in his plush Sunset Strip o(flces. we were surprised to find him reading "Cycle News" tucked inside the latest copy of Variety.) *************** Our sport is mushrooming so rapidly there now is an entire new breed of cyclist. Many of the newer riders are tbe ·weekend" or • white coJlar" entbusiasts who have never competed in a race, (and probably never will), never changed a spark plug, and due to the reliability of tbe modern motorcycle. bave ridden many thousands of miles without ever getting tbeir bands dirty. This column is designed primarily for this ·new breed" of motorcyclist. We will be bringing you news and non-technical reports on new products and equipment and attempt to show you ways to get more enjoyment out of motorcycling. Every few weeks I'll be taking a one-day or weekend road trip and will give you a complete log with places to visit, the most scenic routes, and interesting rest-stops along the way. (Someone suggested that we call this section ·Cycle-DeJics - The Trip of the Montb"). I will attempt to cajole the manufacturers into loaning us a different bike for each trip so that I will be able to give you a Mroad impression" of vanous machinery available. This WILLOW SPRINGS AU ROAD UU llxc 'RODUalON , FIRST So many people I know have had their motorcycles stolen lately, that I decided to do a little cbecking into the actual statistics and found tbe problem bas reached monsterous proportions. Officer Hugb Polkingborne of tbe California Highway Patrol bas recently checked witb Sacramento regarding motorcycle tbefts and told me that while motorcycles represent only 2.41% of tbe total registered motor vehicles in tbe state (this includes all vehicles-trucks, buses, cars, etc_), 5.9% of the total tbefts are motorcycles. This is approximately 2\02 times the rate for all vehicles. However, the real shocker is tbat wbile 85-90% of vehicle tbefts are recovered. only 25% of the motorcycles are ever returned to their owners. Twenty-seven per cent of tbe total un-recovered vehiCles on the books in Sacramento are cycles! I tben discussed the problem with Jack Snyder, General Manager of Bud Ekins' shop in Sberman Oaks and was surprised to find that one of the big causes for the tremendous number of thefts is that one 24¢ key, that can be purchased in most motorcycle sbops, will fit most English motorcycles built prior to 1966. Fortunately, manufacturers are now attempting to remedy this by building better locking systems on their newer models. Tbe main reason that so few bikes are ever recovered is that many of them are never ridden on the streets after they are stolen. Many are dismantled and used for parts. and still more are stripped down and converted for dirt use. This is probably the greatest crime of all - most motorcycle thieves are not in it for tbe money - they are actually riders who are trying to increase or repair their rolling stock! The number of thefts are already so high, most insurance companies will be raising their rates within tbe next year. Probably the only preventative measure tbat we can take is to carry a cbain or cable lock and • double SUNDAY, SEPT, 25tb • - OSSA lock" your bike whenever you park it. I know it's a nuisance to carry that extra 10ck ... I do. and all of you who are losing your bikes are really playing hell with my insurance rates. ************* Next week, we'll bring you our first ·Cycle-Delic Road Trip· and I'll report some adventures and misadventures on a Suzuki X-6 Hustler. NEWS • FROM NEVADA • By Reg Sheldricll The Stellar pre-sentation of the Ground Shaking M.C. club of Las Vegas, featured 11 rounds of desert dueling at the squared off arena in the dirt off Spring Mt. Rd. The gong sounded for the first round at 8:30 am, with 22 contestants dicing for the Southern Nevada European Scrambles Championship title. After 11 rounds of rough riding, Max Switzer and his Galloping Greeves outpointed his fellow warriors by virtue of lapping the field, won the whole stick and went borne with the title. Max was timed over the last 4 go-go rounds in 3 mins and 15 sec's. Closest rival most of the way was Bill Hill. who, if he hadn't fallen, would have been a close finisher. Bob Tooley, riding a Yamaha fOT Art's M.C. Shop, led the little bikes around and took 1st in his class. The arena was well laid out and most of the action could be seen from the hills. Speaking of hill s, Max Switzer shipped his Bultaco to the hills of Calif. and wlll finish the season on his Greeves. Second overall spot in the scrambles went to Terry Griebel. Bu!taco mounted. 3rd to Greeves rider Bill Hill. Class Winners were, Lonnie Lawrin, Yamaha, 250 Nov; Keith Neilson, open. BSA; Bob Tooley Yam; 100cc Sr. Danny Darland, Hodaka, took the 100cc Jr. .. • .. Sport and Safety Week-end in Las Vegas Four m/ c events precede the Bl6 scrambles at Sunrise Speedway this weekend. For those or you wbo have not seen the posters, eycle Action Theater starts the week-end with motorcycle racing movies Fri. nite Sept. 30th 8 p.m. at the Gold Room of the Convention Center. The Las Vegas Jr. Cbamber of Co~ merce will hold a motorcycle safety inspection starting at 8 a.m. at the Convention Center parking lot. Motorcycles will be test ridden by the members of the Southern Nevada M.e. Racing Association. A road ride leaves the center at 2:30 p.m. led by the Shrine Motor Patrol. to Day Dream Ranch. Swimming. dancing, western show, ranch dinner. and night hayride are on the menu. Sunday~ s events start Qff with a poker run. Seven trophies were given by each of tbe local m.c. shops. The run ends at the SUnrise Speedway. Two sky-diving parachutists will drop into the track carrying the flags for the starter. Miss Betty Hutchison, of the Folies Bergere show, playing at the Tropicana Hotel, will be the Tropby Girl for the day. The Mint Hotel has given a large trophy for tbe sweepstakes race and a sbowgirl to present it. A free cocktail party at Honest John's and Lucky (free) nickels to all competitors and their friends, after the race. If you have any camping gear, bring it along and camp free overnight at the Day Dream Ranch. Just tell them at the gate that you're racing Sunday, and you have the use of the grounds. , We expect over 100 out of town entries! Will you be one?? Contact me at 382-8156(702) for further info. MOTORCYCLE SALES-SIRVICI • • • • • .. 0 .. Sepulveda I'"d., lOuth of NordhoH St. "In the heart of the Valley" PARTS • ACCESSORIES .. UlGE SELECTION 01 USED MOTOICYCUS IIMnl

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