Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

.....,. Y_II _It FIRST la ~ •••• "1111. LIII BucII "ft. ....C BucII, Or: Bel _, LIIC Buell, Cllif. ...... 42H4U (Am CMe 21J) F. . L.A......C • • • CII"." -THE YOICE OF CALlFOIIIIA8 PabU. er Cb8c:k Clay"" BalliDess M_ler••• .Sb_ ClayloD ~OIIM"ler.G~e~ Edi&or•••••••••••••••••••••• Rudi BlU'1mut Associate Edilor••••••• _ ••C&IOI Sims Adve~siDI Maaaler_ •••••.Jacll Dll1r Pboto·Editor•••••••••••DeIIIlis Greeae Ad & Edil. AssI.•••• RDbert Bradronl Productioa Assiatanl.••••• RaDdy say Published weekly except the first and last week of the calendar year by C&S Publishing Company, Post Office Box 498. Long Beach. Calif. KIl THIS MORE SOTERMYCLES Here is my entry in the ·SotemlYcle" contest. I crossed a BSA with a Cushman Eagle and got a Beagle! Keep up the contest and maybe I can come' UP with some really good ones. BRUCE FARLEY Palo Alto (·Keep tryiDg, Bruce. BSA broucbt out a macbiDe some years ll&O called a Beagle. A Sotermycle should be UDique.·) PROMISES. PROMISES Friday night, APril 7, I telephoned Ascot Park and was informed that the races definitely would be run that even- - " C'. CONTROVERSY TIME Mr. Rockwood's column in the March 30th issue tantalizes me: he must have knowledge which I lack; otherwise I would dismiss his statements as rash and his knowledge as inaccurate. Pe; haps you ean prevail upon him to enlighten me further. He has ·no doubts in his mind". for example, that Messrs. Hammer and Nixon are ·the two best road racers on these sbores." Can a weekend at Daytona convince a sober observer that these two extraordinary riders surPass. say. a tensome like Bauman, Buckner, Duff. Grant. Mann. Nicholas. Parriott. Rayborn, White. and Winters? And if one weekend is a sufficient criterion, did Daytona prove the superiority of Hammer and Nixon to all the rest? Then again. what precisely does Mr. Rockwood mean by the phrase ·the Honda team garage"? Are we to suppose that John Honda sent his racing team to North America? Has old John become senile. or does Mr. Rockwood mean merely that there was a team composed of some good Hondas? I also wish to know why all California ·tuners and backers can be justly proud· of Daytona. since so many potential winners had their Califomia-prePared mounts falter or fail. and for reasons which. to a less omniscient observer than Mr. Rockwood. seem absured-a wire poorly mounted 011 a magneto. an overdrilled backing plate for a brake. etc. Awaiting further oracular pronouncements. I remain. your puzzled but loyal reader. ANTHONY HERBOLD Piedmont. Calif. ("Were YOU there, Mr. Herbold?") REBEL & PROTEST . When you mix UP passengers iD the sldehack results that's forgiveable (once). But wheD you try and say Crash's HARLEY-DA VIDSON is a Triumph. I rebel aDd protest! MRS. CRASH Los Apgeles ' ("Our apologies 10 Mr. aad Mrs. Crash aad all the litlJe collisiODS!") PROTEST FROM SAUGUS The hig bike OPen Novice class has for some time been getting dam poor treatment and last Sunday. the Championship TT Scrambles was the final blow. These riders, like the Experts and Amateurs. usually drive a long distance to race and must sign up by a certain time. They pay the same fee to ride as everyone else but have to stand around all day waiting to ride. They seldom get to compete before 4:30 or 5 o'clock and by that time everyone is gettiDg tired and anxious to go home. The other riders, done for the day. head for home and so does the much needed moraleboosting spectator. As for last Sunday. it was more than I could take. WheD the trophies were giveD out to all the other classes (small bikes included). tbey were presented by a trophy girl and each winner had his name and his Dumber arlDounced. The winners also had their picture taken by a reporter I believe to be trom your PaPer. After the Open Novice Main. there was no trophy girl. no picture taken and the winner had only his number rather tiresomely called out to "come get your trophy." Again. these riders were slighted by not being able to run in the big bike sweepStakes before the Open Novices even had their first heat? It's about time these riders were given a well-deserved break. What·s wrong with running an OpeD Expert heat first. followed by an Amateur heat, a Novice heat. and then do the semi and main events? I believe that this would be more equit..ble than having the Open Novices ride when all the others are completely finished. JACKIE MORTENSEN saugus ("6nulted, Jackie, that occasiooal iDequities do OCOlf iD scrambles programmJnC. ADd it·s uafortuDate that Novice riders are iDvariably Ibe ODes wIIo bear the bruat of it. But don·t you agree that ovices shouid be cODcentratiDc on making Amateur•••rather than the trophy glrl?") OPPORTUNITY Established importer and distributor of several malles of national, accepted motorcycles seelcs two 1INlII, conversant with the two-wheeled IIInet, who are capable of assullling respoasible positioas in the field of lIICII'ketjng and sales. This position oHers a career growth opportunity, tile right JneII wiI fiIId cOlllpellsation, friIIge benefits aad working conditioas most rewanlillg. We are looIling for real "pros," ... who are w~ to travel at least 50% of tile yew'. For a pro....t, cOllfidentiaI interYiew, send yow I1!SUIIIe to: Box IS, P.o. IIOx .a. LoDe Buell. c.m. dresa~, . secoDd C1aIiB Posta&e pUt at LollI Beach. caur. Mrs part of this DeWIIPlIPef except COP1ricbted IIIatter IIIQ be wsed witbout perm1aaloD as loa. as c~ it 18 11Yen. Edllortal stories. caP mos. pbotos are welCOllled and *ill be paid for \IIlOD publication. A~ dressed. stamped envelope &SSures return. Sbcle COP3' price • • • • • • • • • ~ SlIbecdpCiaDa: ODe )'eaJ 2IId clue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1.51 AdvertUUc rates wUl be _ t 011 reqaellt. BEFORE IT KlUS YOU! Word has just reacbed tbis newspaper that the California lelislature is holding heariDgs OD tbe assembly bill to require crashbars OD all motorcycles in the state, this Tuesday, April 2:i. Telegrams requestinl the immediate disapproval of Assembly Bill 978 sbould be addressed to tbe TransportatioD Committee, c/o HOD. Jobn F. Foran, state Capitol, Room :i17:i, SacrameDto, California. Bill 978, besides making crasbbars mandatory, would also require a person to first obtaiD aD automobile drivers license before applying ror a motorcycle operator's permit. Don't Wrlt.--WlRE I Ing. When I got there at seven o·clock. atter driving from the San Fernando Valley. I was angry enough to take on J .C. and his whole crew. The riders were there and they will be there next week. But what about the casual spectators that came who live and breathe motorcycles? Will they return? Will they chance ruining their Friday nights merely because J.C. promises to have a race? Not a chance. JOHN ACE CARTER Canoga Park ("Would you !IUggest baviDg raced new novices lUId tust-tiJae amateurs on a lOucb. daDcerous race lraek? AMA officials decided._DOt a duutce.") P1_ alJatr tIuee weeks fur ado At this late date our oDly cbaDce to kill tbe bill before it kills us is for each of us to send a wire, via Western Union's low "Public Opinion" rates to the TraDsportation Committee. Cbairman John FraDcis Foran is also tbe autbor of the bill. Crashbars, especially on ligbtweigbt motorcycles, could cause tile machine to "bigbside" in case of a sliding .fall, causinl iDjury to tbe rider. Also, tbe use of crasbbars OD trail bikes would be ridiculously unsafe. Tbe driver's liceDse prerequisite would cause uDdue bardship to l:i%-year-olds aDd would put them at tbe controls or a potentially more daDgerous vebicle during tbeir learning pbase. By Chuck Clayton In recentl weeks I have attended several meetings convened by various lea~ ers in our sport. There was the Theft and safety Seminar at the Hollywood Roosevelt put on by the American Motorcycle Service Association and there were informal dealer doings and meetings oflarge and small associations dedicated to improving the sport as a whole. While looking about the rooms, I aiways noticed the same industry leaders in attendance: representatives of BSA and Johnson Motors. Yamaha executives, the American management of Suzuki and most of the western publications. At many. the insurance profession was represeDted by Mr. John Maynard. Occasionally Earl Flanders or Bill Berry of the AMA-MSATA would attend. These are the people. it seems to me, who are demonstrating the most concern over the present predicament and future prosperity of the sPOrt. Yet every meeting further compounds the difficulty that the motorcycle sport faces. for every spoDsor of every meeting seems to teel that the whole sport sl\ould rally behind his ambitions and thus achieve unity with this person at the center. "Only theD.· we are told. ·can motorcycling make progress in public relatioDs, organization and legislative support.· ••. -'bat New Heights..... AMA spokesmen make CIte same plea. "I bave orten wODdered... to what new beicbta tile AMA would have lisen wilb Ibe belp lUId support or aU selDleDta of tile iDclustry," Exec. Director Bill Beny receDt.)y 1IIlI8ed. We wonder too, but I dUDlI I may kDow wily dUs ~port was DOt eotbusiastical1y fol1bcomlJII. We have found in the course of publishing this newsPaPer that the sport like the Deity. helps those who help themselves. No other sport this size has so many organizations and so little Organization. The sport and industry demands. quite wisely, that a comPany or an association or a racer first show what he can do without help, and then he'll get the helP he deserves or needs. SO tar the AMAMSATA has shown us that it is permanent. Its few pald and many volunteer members have staved off utter chaos in the Ame riean sport over the years, and for this it should be commended and rewarded. Lately AMAMSATA has shown signs of opening up to the demands of its second-class members. the two-dollar dues payers (you and me) and this will rate further approbation. If all goes well. we look forward to reporting giant progress aDd good thin gs abo ut our oldest asso ciations. We would lilIe to report Uat both the AMA and tile trade assoctatioD are aetively seekiDl DeW members. It woald be nice to be able to say that COl_ _ s lIIJIII'Oves local errorts at bettedDl tbiJlp iD Ibe sport, .rely or leetslaUve tlelds. WIleD it 1IDppeas, we wUl rel~ il. Public opinion that was ne glected tor many years is beginning to make itself felt in our national legislature and periodicals. The positive benefits of motorcycle freedom have to be emphasized now as never before. The first association that can do that adequately will have the support of all 3 million motorcycle enthusias ts in the U.5.. including this rider. (CootiDued OD pace 14) I Road Rider Roundup ROAD RIDERS' SPRING TOUR Motorcyclists from all Parts of the SOuthland will roll into the seventh Annual 29 Palms Run - official spring tour of the SOuthern California Road Riders COll)D1ittee - on saturday and Sunday. APril 29-30. According to William J. Procter. 29 Palms Director of Parks and Recreation. the two-day event will apin beDefit the free. nonsectarian City of Hope. _ The top sponsoring committee Includes Chester E. Ellis ot the 29 Palms Chamber of Commerce; Bud Ford, local restaurateur and host of a barbecue which climaxes tbe event. Bob Adsit of Ontario is Chairman ot the S.C. Road Riders Committee. assisted by Shennan Ames of Pomona. Tbe event. sanctioDed by the AMA. annually attracts motorcycle enthusiasts from Nevada. Arizona and California. The tour qualifies as a Road Riders point run. with R.R.C. awards given. A parade will include the Ace of Clubs Drill Team and the famous Victor McLagleD Drill Team will perform their fabulous stunts. A weekend in Las Vegas will be among the prizes ami trophies to be awarded. TIle proll'lUll at tile destiDaUoa point -29 Palms KDOtt Sky Park-iDcludes tile parade, a barbecue. Ileld events. a ~ urday nicbt _gfest arowad tile ClUIIP"' fire. awards or trophies aad prizes, aad CaQliDC. Eugene Panzer of La Puente will coordinate an intricate system of communications over the entire route with the San Gabriel Valley Communications Mobile Units. Proceeds from the individual $3.00 donations go directly to the City of Hope. DEPT. OF CORRECTIONS An error in a recent issue of CYCLE NEWS has caused considerable annoyance to Jim Kuntz of LakeWOOd. and we would like to right the wrong i! possible. It seems that Mr. Kuntz was reported as having WOD a motorcycle at the sports Cycle Expoaition when in fact he recei ved a Bell helmet. courtesy of BSA Western. Although pleased with his prize. Mr. Kuntz is unhappy about the number of dealers who have contacted him to see if he wisbes to sell his "Prize bike." We hOPe this alleviates the confusion.

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