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
TOP DESERT RIDDS A VISIT By Dick "ript J adI Moq:lUI will be carrying IUIIber plate one (j)r tbe trail bike clall8 la l1Ie desert for 1967, Be earned over twice TO THE L.B. as _ny points as the 2Dd maD In 1iJte., whicb is quite a lot of wlnniag, Jack is a native CallfomiaD, ace 33, and manied, Bis first race was In OclDber of 196:i at Ensenada. Be earned enough points In 2~ months to get No. 13 for the 1966 season. Jack colllPiled a long list of wills last year; a total of 19 out of a possible 32 point runs. All of bis competition riding bas been on his reliable Bodalla TRAINING CLASS 90, Student stops at mock Intersection and pUls a fool or two on the pav.... ent, as he has bun taught to do. Cycle News attended the second session of the Long Beach Police Motor Patrol Association Motorcycle Training Program on a recent Saturday morning. About a dozen people and eight motorcycles were waiting at the gate to Douglas A viation's airfield in North Long Beach when we rode up. Two of the gentlemen wore white denim dungarees and were conversing with a uniformed policeman named Erby Noblett. They were waiting for officer Bob Samuelson. the spark-plug of the training progmm. to arrive with the key. The denim-clad men were introduced as Ed Howie. Technical Advisor to the L.B. Motor Patrol and Ernie Moore, head cycle Instructor for the Long Beach Police Dept. Bob Samuelson arrived in his car simultaneously with a truck from Long Beach Honda bearing two practice bikes. and L.B. Honda's Merv Parso. riding his own 450 (shoeshine. tie and all). Samuelson unlocked the gate and led the way to a deserted runway. where Officer Noblett. and another uniformed cOP. Ron Burgess helped Dave Priddy set up the course using rubber marker cones and home made traffic signs. All of the cops were donating their off-duly time to make the school a success. ·The course we use is exacUy the same as the street driving course used for training motor patrol omcers.· Bob Samuelson explained, We'll observe the students through the course and score their performance. Then we'll check them on the same course again at the end of the program to measure their progress.· Bein g the inquisitive reporters that we are, the next question was. who's footing the bill for the training program? ·The foods come entirely from the Motor Patrol Association,· Ofllcer Samuelson replied. ·We saw that the job needed doing. and nobody else was doing it. so the Association initiated this program. We bave bad considerable belp from tbe motorcycle dealers in tbe The race be enjoyed tbe most was the Dual European Scrambles of Simi Valley, sponsored by tbe Sinners M.C. in December, where he diced witb -Big· Frank Wheeler (#12 last year) all the way, 10 both events tbey were never more than 50 feet apart; they passed and repassed each otber about four times in Jack (#1) lID,... eadl race. od Jadl was able to ta1Le IIotb wi-. We asked Jack U be bad any poUters for tile new rompeUUon rider, aad his answer was, ·Twllng and preparing the bike befon! each race is haH tbe battle; I go over my entire bike after every race. Good handling is also very important." Jack ts a real detennined competitor, and we wisb him lots of luck in the coming season. NEW SPEED REOORD CHALLENGER ·That reminds me of a contest we were challenged to last year by the Highway Patrol,· he said•• All the Long Beach motor officers went to the Highway Patrol's training grounds in Orange County for a kind of intra-official field meet on Our police motorcycles. They laughed when they saw our guys had accepted their challenge. but we won the meet! Got a big trophy. too.· Arter tbe class was over, we asked one of the students if be thought that the program was improving his riding, ·Ob yes.· be said. ·I've learned a lot that I didn·t know,· Riders ranged in skill from one lady who had never ridden before, to boys with nearly a year's experience. The machines brought by the students includ ed a Vespa, a Harley 74 and a gaggle of lightweights. The first class will continue every Saturday until February when the second class will begin tbe program. Anyone locally who is interested in joining the class may fill out the application blank printed here and send it in. You will receive full information from the Motor Patrol Association. ..,And tbe complimen ts and thanks of this newspaper goes to the Association for the extra-eurricular service to the community that they are performing in this vital subject of rider training, Bob Leppan of Detroit, already world's fastest two-wheeler at 245 mph. breaks in a tWin Triumph engine dragster aimed at breaking 160 mph in the 1 mile in early Spring 1967. 4 area.- For the next two ~hours the eleven trainees in the pilot program maneuvered their mounts through circles, Ertums, U-turns. braking, parking, slow riding and slalom turns as the volunteer officers scored their mistakes. The program looked a great deal to us like a small field meet on pavement. On hearing this Observation, Officer Samuelson laughed. Cycle Instructor Ernie lIoore explains startIng procedure to a lady who Is taking her first solo ride. IIPRADO~RiISOPENiGAiNlI, FEB.12,19&7 I CALIFORINA ·.:·-f- GOPHERS PRESENT I THE 11th ANNUAL TT SCRAMBLES I .·.Ait NEW SURfACE . . I DIsr.31 SANCTIONED PT. EVENt" I fIRST RACE 8:30AeM. SMALL BIrES IN THE MORNING t· BIG BIrES IN THE Af'TfRNOON REQUIREMENTS: I Class ''(" Tract;o. (IIol."";es) I fll' L."ers Appro," He. ef BailE,", Levers b:-' J hiiH .e follli., PetS II.'er p,.fe,ec'. fro. liver.e frw,. IIe.r Po.o... 1 _ --!....!.wL...!!-!~ C.,!!!._ _ _ SEE & I'DE TH'S ALL IIEW BLACI BEAUTY AT ANY Of OUI fOUl COIIVEII'EIIT LOCAT'OllS LISTED BELOW PLUS HUGE 51 V'"GS ON THE fE.·.·:*f.A'"'''G J966 BSA' 5 'N STOt, LONG BEACH HONDA BSA HEADQUAITEIS 5105 ATLAIITIC AVE 4318 E.AIIAHE'M ST 43J W. PAC. CST. HWY.. Jl141 E. CAISOII ST LOIIG BEACH CALIf.