Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

You'll always s•• it FIRST in fI1P1I&B •••• 6477 N, Long Beach Blvd. Long Beach, Calif,90805 Or: Box 498, Long Beach, Calif. Phone: 423-0431 (Area Code 213) From L,A, Phones: 636-8844 "THE VOICE OF CALIFORNIA" Charles Clayton Editnr Sharon Clayton .. Business Manager Gaye Thomason .....Circulation Mgr. Gil Brown ......Advertising Manager Robert Bradford .4.sst. Editnr Dennis Greene Photn Editnr Published weekly except the first and last week of the calendar year by C&S Publishing Company. Post Office Box 498, Long Beach, Californi a Second Class Postage paid at Long Beach. Calif. Any part of this newspaper except copyrighted matter may be used without permission as long as credit is given. Editorial stories, ca~ toons, photos are welcomed and will be IJaid for upon publication. Addressed, stamped envelope assures return. Single copy price ••••••••• 25¢ Subscriptions: One year 2nd class mail •••••••••••••••• $7.50 Advertising rates will be sent on request. I J 11 \• • ? • ,.. l~ ANS· WE- RS GUEST EDITORIAL - ~BAN By Bob Eheling This was the cry of the American Hot Rod Association in reply to a two page protest petition that was submitted by Tom A. Hawk of Arizona, to A.H.R.A. President Jim Tice. - l By the Answer Man QUESTION: On my Honda 305 there is a lot of ex h a u s t smoke when [ shut off or reduce "Speed suddenly. Could you tell me what it is? [ know [ am running good plugs and my carbs are jeUed like all the other 305' s [ know. D.S. Los Angeles. ANSWER: Your problem could be either serious~ or minor. First check the air vent hole or tube that comes from the head and if it is clogged, that may be your problem. If the vent is clear then the most likely course is excessive clearance between the inlet valve and guide. QUESTION: J What is the formula to find out my gear ratio? L.S.-San Diego. ANSWER: Assuming you want high gear and it is one Jo one in the box, the number of teeth on the clutch sprocket times the rear wheel sprocket, divided by the engine sprocket teeth times the counter sprocket will give you the ratio. Ex.:.Q.....~.X R.W.S.-li eq. 4.74:1 E.S. 30 C.S. 17 QUESTION: I have had to put new points in my bike twice in a short trip. What could be causing them to burn up? S. V. -Sacramento ANSWER: There's probably a loose connection in your ignition system or the condenser is defective. Check the battery and condenser c~nnections and if they are not loose the blame can be placed directly on the condenser. QUESTION: [ have an Indian Bonneville 74 Chief that I am restoring. What is the cam timing and point timing? D.D.-Los Angeles. ANSWER: THE DRAG mKE" The inlet opens 30 degrees before top c e n t e rand closes at 60 degrees after bottom center. The exhaust opens at 60 degrees before. bottom dead center and closes 30 degrees after top center. The points should just begin to open 5/8" before top dead center with the spark lever fully advanced. The petition was signed by one hundred individuals as a result of what they termed "the unsatisfactory treatment of motorcycle rider s· at the A.H.R.A. Winter Nationals. held at Beeline Dragway in Phoenix, Arizona. In a return letter tn Hawk, president Jim Tice said. "The board of directors of A.H.R.A.. after much studying and deliberation, have arri ved at the decision not tn allow motnrcycle participation at our national events hereafter. This decision was arrived at with much regret but we feel that your people must police themselves in a much more contrite manner and obtain a better safety record than you have attained in the last year before we will allow you tn participate in our national events.- Not By The Rule Book The- news of this stunning blow was handed to me at the recent all bike drag meet in Las Vegas. Nevada via a newspaper column written by Dennis Wood. Immediately on arriving back in Los Angeies I piaced a call to Bo b Braverman, the winner of top bike honors at the Winternational meet and asked what could ba ve prompted the mo ve by Arizona cyclists. Bob claims there are justified reasons and gave these exampies: During the three days of his attendance at Beeline Dragway, he obtained only five single runs. In one instance, on Saturday, the pit steward who waS emptying the staging lanes progressed to the one that contained the cycle competitors and with an exclamation "Aw, cycles!· passed by and released the next rows of automobiles out of turn. The strip manager was approached to find where the cycle director was and he told Mr. Braverman that the director was not present for he had job obligations to his employer which allowed him to be present only part time. Motnrcycles are being outlawed due to someone else's errors and a lack of organization at the national meet. Mr. Jerry Ballah, owner of Beeline stated, "I realize that things did get out of hand and they will be corrected. The thing (Winter Nationals) just got tn big, much bigger than we had anticipated. We had 1,000 entries.· Cycle Need Organization Too The A.H.R.A. bestowed upon me the title of "Motorcycle Director· and yet did not call upon me for attendance at the national meet. Their reference to a "better safety record·. is lame excuse for this cycle ban. Cycles in previous Nationals held under my direction have an unblemished safety record. Green Valley Raceway of Texas, had an accident in which a cycle rider collided head-on with an auto. The rider is still in a coma at this time. Bob Long, a local So. Calif. rider~ was involved in an accident at the Beeline dragway. I was not present at either event to preside or practice my director's position, thus I blame the A.H,R.A. for not providing the organization that cycles de- serve and need as much as autos. I placed a call to the A.H.R.A. offices . in Kansas City ~ Missouri, in an attempt to reach Mr. Jim Tice. He was not present at the time and I spoke to Ruth Tice and later Jim placed a return call. In the conversation with Ruth Tice I asked who composed or sat on the board of directors. She replied. "Strip owners are considered members and several insurance reps. hold seats.· Ruth also stated. "Strip owners are sent letters and their opinions polled. Most drag strip owners do not wish to run bikes.· I ask a Question that has been brought forward before and Question the A.,H ,R.A. , slogan, "An association composed only of friends and supporters of the sport.· Ruth also said, "Mr, Tice was acting under pressure from the insurance com... pany, that under investigation of its records has decided cycles an unworthy risk.. - In the call I later recei ved from Mr. Jim Tice he validated all Ruth ha'd said and added more. Mr. Tice admitted that he was in errOr by not having me present at the event, but he also said. "The petition was, "derogatory and without sense. Only thirty cycles were entered in competitioo at Phoenix and yet the letter bore one hundred signatures. Since the petition was also sent to the press, a great deal of publicity damage was done to the A.H.R.A. The insurance is a definite problem for accidents involving bikes have been numerous. At Fremont Raceway in Fremont, Calif.• there have been eight in the past year." Mr. Tice asked if I could offer an explanation and I did, At many locations there are not adequate safety inspections. When I visited Fremont during the past year my bike was passed without any inspections. When I visited Fremont during the past year my bike was passed without any inspection whatever. They did no t now my posItion with drag racing or the A.H.R.A. This must OCCII! at many other locations. Still A Chance Mr. Tice also asked, "What couid be done to prevent disobedienc e of speed laws and exhi bition in pit areas at drag strips?· I replied only one thing. "Immediate expulsion of the rider and machine from the premises. With our future in jeopardy there can be no soft hand.· Mr. Tice is also dissatisfied with motorcycle distributors and their cooperation in promotions and publicity. I asked Jim who represented the cycles to the board of directors and he replied, "I did. the same person who has been doing it for many years.· Mr. Tice said, "There is still a faint chance of the program for cycles to resume.· He requested I send a letter explaining how the problems which have now presented themselves can be avoided. The letter .will be mimeographed and sent to strip owners and the insurance company and a new poll will be taken. Jack Pine Lost to Element A great issue, the Feb. 2nd. It's a shame that our A.M.A. mag never seems to approach the feel of Cycle News. The Guest Editorial by Officer Haeckel expressed the point of the" good coP." a fine answer to myoid pal, Refugee from from The East, Earl Roloff. Having just finished Hunter's "Hell's Angels," the book-extension of a lengthy article that appeared in ·Nation· magazine last year. one' can better appreciate the police problem with the motorcycle lunatic fringe. The latest loss. of course. being the Jack Pine national, thanks to the Sick Ones from Detroit this time, tearing up a diner and a beer hall in West Branch. the day before the Jack Piners even arrived! If good, sound proff was ever needed about the good guys On cycles, the a~ ticie on the Desert Champs efforts to find the missing L.A. fireman was it. Whi ch reminds the wri ter of a su ggestion that ought to be made to our Army-Navy and Marine leaders. who refuse to see the usefulness of lightweight bikes for training exercises - as done in by the British. Russian and other forei go services. Down South, there are huge. wild forest preserves which would make ideal enduro country. Supposing the Army units, which own these tracts, would equip each company with say, a dozen lightweight machines (make 'em Harley two-strokers. who cares?) Then. working map reading training, and cooperative riding together. match each company agalDst one another-to go from Point A to Point B on a map. The winning company would be the group who arrived wi th the best score-as in any endurothe least damage to their mounts, etc. What a grand fun way for troops to train! Let's have some more thoughts on this idea from ex-g.j's who love bikes. JACK MERCER New York FAN LETTgR Last week we had several guests from the cycle crowd and we enjoyed having them with us and hope to have them back often. MR. & MRS. ROG MORRIS. Mgr. Minuteman Motel 3757 Las Vegas Blvd. S. Las Vegas, Nevada By Herman PLUG FOWLER & FRIENDS I'M WARNING 'Iou BARBS, YOU BEITER SHUT

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