Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

Y. .II II"',,' _It FIRST I. ~ •••• 141111, L_C Beacll BI., L_C Be"', Callf, ...5 Or: Btl _, 'L_C Be_, Calif, PIIIH: t2H4S1 (Am CIH 2U) F. . L,A, .....1; . . IllIt -THE VOICE OF CALIFORNIAPubl1llber Chuck Clayton Basiaess Manager••• .8baroa Clayton Circulation Manager.Gaye 'Ibomason Rudi Hartmut Editor Associate Editor Carol Sims .Jack Da.lr AdverUsing Manager Pholb Edttor Dmnis Greene Ad & Edit. Asst Robert Bradford Production Assistant...... Randy 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. • • • QUESTIONS AND • ANSWERS if By The * Answer Man ANSWER: Not necessarily. Alcohol burns with no more energy or power than gasoline, in fact it is slightly less. The only advantages to using alcohol is that a higher cylinder compression ratio can be used without experiencing detonation, and the engine's internal combustion temperature will be less. QUESTION: I'm thinking of taking up road racing as a hobby. Could you tell me what is the best way to begin? I am 33 years old, weigh 180 lbs. and my wife is against it. My riding experience so far has been just 3,000 miles on a 50cc Suzuki. -N.E.~ Altadena. ANSWER: First get the MRS. on your team. She'll probably have to help you more than you both realize. Teach her to ride, if you haven't already. Then strip down your 50 and correct any mechanical disorders. When you put it back together, leave off the parts that make it a street bike. including the handlebars, lights, fenders and covers, Bolt on a pair of clip-ons available from your dealer and haul it out to the once-a-month road racing school at Whiteman Air Park (watch the Calendar of Events in Cycle News). They'll teach you the fundamentals. By that time Cycle News will have run several articles telling how to super-tune a 50. If you follow those instructions on your bike, all you'll need is to invest in a suit of leathers (a helmet, gloves & goggles you should already have) and do battle. First event coming up that will cater to 50's is the AFM Whiteman Grand Prix May 21. QUEST! ON: Will I get better performance if I use alcohol instead of gasoline for fuel? B.D, San Diego, Cal if. QUESTION: Recently I rode at the District 37 championships at Elsinore. Between races I watched tbe events from tum #1 and noticed quite a few riders falling, hitting the tires and landing much harder than they would have if the tires weren't there. Why then can't Elsinore Raceway move the tires back about twenty feet? Most of the riders would be able to correct and get back on the course, if the tires weren't there. With the equipment the raceway has the job could be done in about an hour and this would save a few broken arms and legs. Elsinore is a good track but shouldn't this tum be fixed on the outside of the track? C.K. - Newport Beach. ANSWER: Rather than relying upon our crystal ball, a call was placed to Mr. Ch uck Coye. Half-owner in the Elsinore track. Mr. Coye stated, -The tires are used to mark the track's boundaries for the protection and interest of both riders and spectators. If the tires were moved back or forward twenty feet the track would of course be enlarged or shortened." Those tires are the least dangerous objects. Send JOur questions to TIle Ans.er lIan, Care of Crele N.... Box .91, Lonl Bach, Calif, SoD'}', volume lJf 11III11 does not allow us to send Indlvlcmal replle., zse SiDd.e oopy price • • • • • • • • • SubscdpUoas: ODe yeaJ' 2M class ....n •••••••••••• '" ••• 11.58 AdverUslnc rates wt1l be seat oa request. WORTHY SUGGESTIONS COMPU LSORY HB.METS, TWICE REJECTED, WILL PROBABLY PASS Patrol. Called to defend their value as "safety" devices. he admitted that the CHP installs crashhars on their motorcycles to protect the bike. and not the rider. in case of a spill. Other odious or illogical requirements went througb the Committee unscathed. Our protests fell on deaf ears, as the Chairman of the Committee, Assemblyman Foran was also author of the bill, and be rePresents San Francisco, an area of meager motorcycle enthusiasm. We may have a better chance of having our needs considered when the bill is heard in the Senate Transporttation committee. The bill contains many provisions whicb are good, and some which may not be gooil. but probably inevitable. It seems pretty certain that the compulSOry helmet part will pass. dress cbaD&e. second Cws Postallll paid at Long BelICh, Calif. AllY part of this newspaper except copyrilbted matter may be used without perm1&&lon as 101ll as cr~ it is given. Editortal stories, cartoons, pbotos are welcomed and will be paid for upon publication. Addressed, stamped envelope &Ssures return. and wan t them to know we aPpreciate having such a nice group with us again. We are looking forward to more of them as the season gets better. Thanks again one and all. You were certainly all a nice group and we enjoyed you all. RAY AND ANN MORRIS Minuteman Motel Las Vegas, Nevada (" And thank YOU for tbe hospitality and the kind words.-) CAL. CONGRESSMEN KICK OUT CRASHBARS by Cbuck Clayton Thanks to a swarm of angry telegrams and the personal appearances of major executives in the motorcycle industry. the California state transportation committee decided last week to amend the proposed motorcycle "Safety Law." Before the first hearing of the controversial A.B. 978, CYCLE NEWS was able to alert enthusiasts to the impending legislation in time for public opinion telegrams to be sen,t, opposing the illconsidered bill. At the first hearing last week the riders' position was further stated by Mr. Paul McCrillis, Government Relations advocate for the M.S. & A.T.A. Trade Association. What finally killed the ridiculous crash-bar requirement was the testimony of the Chief Officer of the Highway Please allow three weeks for ad- CLUB NEEDS MEMBERS To all those couples who would be interested in actively participating in an AMA sanctioned road riding club in the San Luis Obispo, Calif. area, please contact Ray or Mary Larson at (805) 543-0312 or Rt. 3. Box 295-1. San Luis Obispo 93401. The club would take in such events as scrambles, poker runs. hillclimbs, etc. If any of the members would be interested in competition. I'm sure the rest of the club members would give their support. I have all the required AMA info and membership application blanks. The club name and placque have been designed, so all we need are you prospective members• RAYMON G. LARSON Rt. 3 Box 295-1 San Luis Obispo LOST IN THE DESERT Regarding the Hare Scrambles Sunday. April 23rd, put on by the Foothill Hawks at California City; The Trail bike run was a fiasco from the start. The banner was handled in a silly manner. and caused a false start. the course itself was poorly marked in spots, and inter-mingled with the old April 2nd Shamrocks Enduro 1st. loop. This scrambles was to be marked with orange ribbon and lime. However. .!here was orange arid yellow ribbon, plus lime, all the way over to Cinco's cafe on Hwy. 14. That's where about 40 of us wound up when the mistake was realized. APparently the culprit was a half-hidden, two-foot long, lime arrow showing a turn in a sandwash. After the leaders had gone through. the arrow got covered up, causing many other riders to miss the course. and get onto the Enduro course. The Foothill Hawks seem to be very efficient at liming a poor course every time. The last Jackass Enduro was a disaster. I had never seen so many riders milling around trying to find the course. There are a good many Trail bike and big bike Enduro riders from my area that will no longer pay to ride their events. I realize how much work, time, and money goes into putting on a good desert bash. but by the same token. when a rider bas to drive an average one-way distance of 150 miles. pay an entry fee of $3.25 to ride an event. then is unable to finish, or finish poorly due to bad course marking, then the over-all rider costs are ,quite high for nothing. I can say this in their defense: to err is human; but every time? Another question: Why aren't mos, of the clubs sending out race results to the riders? I've ridden 10 desert runs this year and have recei ved only two results so far. What's happening? T. A.CLARK Beaumont ("Mr. Clark makes several points. Any clubs care to retaliate?") AWELCOME NOTE We would like to express our thanks to the AFM riders who stayed with us last weekend. We really enjoyed them Are the Dodgers charged admission to enter Dodger Stadium on the night of a game? Did Graham Hill have to pay at the gate in order to race at Indianapolis? Why must the riders pay $1.50 in order to be admitted to a race track? There is something which must be realized by the co-ordinators of the event. The spectators come to see men and their bikes in competition. The other riders and I were providing the entertainment and, hence, provided the motivation behind the appearance of the spectators. It borders on the ludicrous to make the contestants pay to be watched. Here, then, is one of my suggestions: why not mail a pit pass, receipt, Or other proof of payment of the $3.00 entrance fee. to those who have paid to race by mail? Those who neglect to mail their fee would then be charged $4.50 (the price of admission plus the entrance fee) as a post entry. Finally, though danger is an extremely important facet of racing and provides test of courage. it seems silly that races were restarted and men injured because of "Killer tum.- While I am definitely opposed to the removal of a challenging section, I feel that an escape runaway for those unable to successfully make the tum would be ,quite helpful. It might not only save a man, but also would help to alleviate multiple crashes. thus making restarts unnecessary, thus making the program quicker moving. As this was my first time in competition, I feel that these ideas are worthy, because my views have not yet entered the abyss of stagnancy which seems to typify many of the old hands at motorcycle events. I would also like to thank whomever was responsible tor the best time I've ever had in my entire life; let us hope. however', that next time will be even better. RONNIEPEET Los Angeles SPORTSMAN'S APPEAL Since I have not spoken to any of the members in our club, I have no authority to speak as a club. But as for myself, I too like to get an early start. But three cheers for Mr. Carter to do "NOTHING" when the Victors informed him of the delayed start. The Victors provided three sign-up booths but still the riders kept coming. A club. especially a new clUb, just can't shut the door on all those riders. District 37 desert races are Sportsmen events. Mr. Zaremba! Do you know what a Sportsman is? Have you thought about getting a flat tire or engine trouble wbich might delay you half an hour? A Sportsman R. STUMPF By Chuck Clayton SOCIAL NOTES: Northern and Central California motorcycle dealers gathered near the State capitol last weekend. The occasion was the traditional Spring meeting of their informal dinner, gabfest and imbibing society, hosted this time by Armand and Mrs. Magri of Sacramento. Highlight of the party at the Voyager Inn on Hwy 80 was the dress and decorum of the dealers and their ladies. Al Fergoda and Hap Jones led off the introductions and among those presented were most of the leading owners and managers in the motorcycle business, as well as CYCLE NEWS representatives. (COIItinued 011 pale 23)

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