Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

l By Chuck Clayton New Q&A Dept. Bows Next Week Next week we will start a new department in Cycle News, called Questions and Answers. Here's how it works: Readers are invited to write in and ask any questions pertaining to motorcYcles, the sport or the industry and we will use all Our journalistic knowledge to get the answers. We will not answer questions pertaining to legal matters. medicine, Or sex. Anything else goes. Questions and answers will be printed in Cycle News as space permits. For an individual reply, please enclose a stamPed, addressed envelope. No questions will be accepted over the telephone, they must be written to be answered. Cycle News Drags columnist Bob Ebeling. a man of many talents. will honcho the new Q&A department. Look for it next week. experienced some dilficnlty witb other fuD nders in the past, but realized dlat the orcanized competition riders were doinc no bann. Carter also requested that course planners not carry guns when they ride Into people'S yards. Tbis rather unnerves the nati ves, as you may imagine, THE RUMOR MIU GOOD NEWS FROM DIST. 37! Thanks to the efforts of Jean Carter, Dist. 37's hardwooong sports committee prez, at least one part of the Desert is happy to have us "race in their front yards." Carter told Cycle ews he attended a meeting of the Hi Vista city council at die suggestion of Mr. Reese, who keeps die Hi-Vista Store, frequented by desert cycle mUs during their many points runs dlere. Jean rePorts that the people of Hi Vista said they welcome the competition riders at all times except during dleir April "Wildflower Festival" when the desert flowers are in bloom. There are two sections near Hi Vista which are off limits to all traffic, and Jean will caution clubs against laying their runs dlrougb there. The desert residents said they had WOULD YOU BELIEVE••• ••• What's tbis we hear that one Yamaha dealer won $17,000 from the blackjack tables during their recent 3-day convention in Las Vegas. ..... •••That Wes Cooley is limping around this week with a broken foot? Official story is that he fell off his pickup at Willow Springs Sunday. Does this mean that Wes will be kicking less than usual? Stick to racing, ••• it's safer! ·............ ...... ·.................. •••That tbe District 31-Sports COllIn ittee meeting mom is bugged? •.•That motorcycle stunt artist Evol Knievel will jump across Grand Canyon on July 4th. 1968, assisted Qy booster jets and a TriUlll.llh Bonneville? •••And that this summer Evol will jump his motorcycle over the new Angels stadium in Anaheim? •••Or that next month the daredevil will attemPt to jump a bike over 15 cars at Ascot Park? World record (held Qy Knievel) is 14 cars. ·.................. ...Thattbe 45-cubie-lnch Haney-Davidson sturred into a Sprint-inspired road racing frame (built by Jerry Branch of Long Beach H-D) mentioned in tbis dePartment last week will be ridden in the Daytona 200 mile National by none otber than noted New York pencil-pusher Gordon H. Jennings? Gordo calls his remarkable ride "the Midget." ·. .............. ... ... That Cycle News made a mistake once? Last week's report of the Never Readies road run listed the Ace of Clubs as the largest club in attendance and it should have read: Nuggets M.C. ·..... . ...... ...... ...That AMA Executi ve Secretary Bill Berry bas made Rlore appearances in Southern California in tbe past few montbs than all his predecessors did in tbeir entire Ii ves? ·. ............. . . .. FREE CYCLE NEWS FOR MEN IN SERVICE Got a friend or relative in the Army, Navy. Marine or Peace Corps? We'd like to send him (or her) a free copy of the latest Cycle News via air mail. Send us the name and address of the person you'd like to NO SUBSTITUTE After reading all the comments about cycle legislation I think you people are guilty of wishful thinking. You cannot legislate common sense, or an awareness of safety. I believe you people are Passing the buck as the anti-gun people try to do and make legislation the fall guy. By this me thad you can wash your hands of the affair bY saying. "we have laws.- DISTRICT 31 FACTS TO COME As a favor to Jean Carter, District 37 Sports Committee President, I have agreed to postpone our report of the February meeting (held last Thursday night) until after Washington's Birthday so that, in the meantime, mOre facts in the matter can be ascertained. In return, Carter has agreed to help the newspaper find the answers to a number of questions which have arisen regarding AMA organization, history and policies where they affect scrambles riders. In the past I ha ve been accused of injuring the "AMA image" by reporting such facts as were available "without telliDg the other side of the story." It is not, and has never been the intention of this newspaper to burt or embarrass the only national organization in the SPOrt. But I do bope. by reporting news without bias. to stimnlate interest and participation in die affairs of the AMA. I will never abdicate my responsi bility to our readers by suppressing news which affects their chosen sport, nor will Cycle News cease to wd'rk diligently for communication. fairness and improvement in every aspect of motorcycling. If you honestly think there is no room for improvement in all phases of American motorcycling. I would like to hear from you. U you have suggestions or complaints. let's hear those, too. Your newspaper believes that motorcycle riding is not a passing fad, but rather is a new and vital. growing sport. With your continued support your newspaper will continue to stress the best and deplore the rest so that all of us will enjoy greater prosperil;y and public favor in the years to come. VOICES ha ve a free copy of the motorcycle newspaper sent to and we'll do the rest. Address card or letter to ·Samples for Servicemen", Cycle News, Box 498, Long Beach, Calif. This offer will continue indefinitely. ... Look at it this way, we recently had a tragic accident up here where one of our better riders, a seasoned. mature man who could pass any test devi sed. lost a leg in an auto. cycle crash. Only bY education of motorist and cycle rider can an awareness of safety be attained. A riding test I have no quarrel with, but after the test then what? There are on the books at present all the laws necessary for safety if you pay heed to them. I agree that proper clothing is a must for cycling but I resent my loss of freedom in not being allowed to choose. There is nothing more pleasing than a slow ride down a forested country lane with the wind in your face and hair biowing allover. By the same token you will find me on the freeway, with helmet, viSOr, leather jacket, gloves, bOots. etc. I want the freedom to choose. The easiest wav to eliminate a problem is to legislate it out of existence. I have seen Volkswagen drivers doing and getting Qy with more rule breaking than any right-minded cYclist would try. Give those drivers a seat belt and a small car and presto! Le Mans! How do you teacb at what speed and what radius a cycle will lose traction on an asphalt curve. Even seasoned road racers come off at time s. There is no substitute for defensive riding. To me everything else has the right of way. me last. I get there just the same - I start sooner, love every minute of it and look forward to returning. I ride freeways on a TR 6R and dirt on a SPrint. My son, age 1<1, has been riding for three years wor\

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