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/125491
=' <:l I Ii Q) ~ ~ t.i l'o - ..; ~ ~ • 0; .9 j a. ~ .. = ... 01 Q) ~ U) Ok Io:l 2: Io:l d ~ u G IOrle Smllll of Fr.....t - one of lIIe _starters. Sonora Club's Winter Endurance Test By James Campbell Thomson U one did not see the motorcycles the atmosllhere at the Sonora M.C.'s Enduro a cOuPle of weeks ago was somewhat like a small waterfront town when the fishing boats come in. Large groups of mddy, robust men dressed in rubber boots and rainsuits stood around. But these men seemed to bave been dipped in rod. This reporter was of the opinion that Enduro riders were rather a sedate type, who ettioyed pUtt-putting around on trails, but didn't want to risk their necks going fast in all-out racing. Alter all, it doesn't sound too rough to average 24 mph on a motorcycle. Well baby! I got a strong dose of the truth. The referee of the s p 0 n s 0 rin g SOnora M!C club said "In the Past this event was considered a gravy run.· However a COuPle of days of rain ending with half a foot of snow changed the complexion of the proposed course. The length was shortened down to 74 miles and there was sPeculation that a river crossing would have to be changed because the water was rising. Of the 323 riders who entered only 208 started and of these barely 31 finished in time for lloints. The temperature was two degrees abo ve freezing. From the start, what began as a road dropped off steeply into a foot-deep pool of soupy mud. This sPot was to be a major impasse for returning riders. From there the trail ran along a power line road and then down to some abandoned railroad tracks. Here a bottleneck developed as riders mounted the rails for a jouncing 2-mile ride down the tracks. Anotber section ran through dense young pinewoods that seemed to grab at riders' KAWASAKI' Bob K.,es, _ d • • to flDlsll, on It Gre_s. legs as they stormed througb, tlYlng to keep up with that "easy" 24 mph average. First man back at the finish was Tom Stacker on a Ve10cette 500cc single. He was not necessarily tbe winner, for enduros are won by steadiness, not by speed. An estimated 5 minutes later Bob Keyes came charging through on a 250 Greeves. As the traffic increased I took uP a station above the mudbole. I found it difficult to stand there imPassively watching, as exhausted men slid back into thi s mud pool. One was heard to utter, "Ooob, and its so hard to startl" Other things tbey said wouldn't make the paper. A goodly number of the natives were still wallowing around in it as I left for home. Tbey may even be there yet. (RellUlts are still being tallied) AIIlI 0, tINs It f•• JDlMI III stllll! makes a tiger that isn't built like a tankl the 250c.c. SAMURAI The slashing SAMURAI 250 is llerformance-bred to give you tbe most power, acceleration and speed ever engineered into a 250. Features include: .2:10 CC DuaJ Rotary Valve, 2-strnke engine develops 31 BP!8000 RPM• • ~lube oil injection - DO ruel premixillll: • Multi-Disc wet plate clutch. Double leading hunt brake • Dual Exhausts. 5ealed beam beadligbt with high beam indicator. Maximum Speed 100 - 10:1 MPH DIEALERS: Exclusive francllises for tile full line of 2 and 4-stroke, 50 cc to 650 cc Kawasaki motorcycles are still available in many clloice areas. Dealers are backed bY K_asaki's world-wide reputation tor quality, service and pertonnance. SIlift up - witll til. new K_asalli line. America. Kawasai; Mo'orc,cle Corp. P. O. Box 2066, 15205 So. Main St., Gardena, calif. (213) 329-1152