Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

before people realize the claDcer? Yours truly, DOUG TEMPLETON sunnyvale ("We coalda't acree with you more, KeaderIl, please sead Cycle Ne..s clippingS of Local Maatrap Victims fot" a campaillD ..e are preparill&.") THANKS CABLE STRETCHED ACROSS ROAD INJURES CYCLIST SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO- A motorcyclist was badly burt Sunday wben be ran into a cable stretcbed across a private road on San Bruno Mountain. Tbe motorcycle rider. Fred E. Baron. 25. of 205 CbaPman Ave.. South san Francisco. was riding on Guadalupe Road north of the Guadalupe Canyon Parkway at 4:20 p.m. wben he struck the cable, stretched as a barrier and supported on short poles across the private road, Highway Patrolman J.R. stetcens reported. A witness said Baron apparently didn't see tbe cable and was traveling about 30 miles per hour. Baron was admitted to Mary"s Help Hospital for o~ servation of- bead injuries. MARTHAP CLAIMS ANOTHER VICTIM Dear Sirs: Last September your paper wrote a very poignant article titled, "MantraPS Must Be Outlawed!", concerning deadly chain and cable barriers that threaten any off-the-road cyclist. Tbe tragic death of Ron Burris would surely bring this danger to tbe PU blic eye, I thought. Maybe it would even lead to desperately needed legislation. But obviously people don't listen, or care! This boy was lucky enough to survive his encounter with a steel cable. But he won't be riding his cycle for awhile, if ever again. I myself have seen these nearly invisible barriers on several occasions. I've just been fortunate enough to be going slow at th e time. Let me say that I believe in tbe right of private property, and cycles, like anything else, should not violate this right. But the land owners should not be allowed to put UP any kind of barrier they choose. such as tbese chains and cables that are stretched across the pathway. They are all but impossi ble to see until it is too late. Any barricade sbould be clearly visible at all times, witb signs posted safely in front of the barricade. This applies to local parks and government forests also. Action must be taken to get rid of tbe death-traPs. How many Fred Baron's and Ron Burris' will end up as statistics I would like to e.xtend my thanks to sucb a well-deserving paPer for doing an excellent job in keeping displaced desert riders sucb as myself informed on all events, both Professional and sportsman, via your publication. Also please pass on a wee hit of information to all AMA members who may be in this area in the future. I am presen~ ly in the U.S. coast Guard and stationed in Hawaii. I recently tried to obtain a membership form to renew my AMA membership. some of the people over here are really a source of information, especially one of the fine bike shops I called on the pbone. A woman answered the pbone and when I stated my request, she asked ·What club is that? Let me gi ve you the parts department." Give me a good old SOuthern California bike shop any day where the necessary forms are readily avallable. Sure be glad to get back to the good old dusty desert. Keep UP the good work. Respectfully, CHUCK WILLIFORD P .S. sent home for the aPplication. they and the Europeans bave no monopoly on tbe Grand Prix Bike taloot. TIle prize for cracking the Ton on a single is special incooti ve for a YanI< to follow in the great tradition of Derek Minter. Mike Hallwood, and other great International Stars. SO mucb for tbe prose. TON UP BATTLE IRON 1460 Elm Circle Provo, Utah for prolonged beat and another for cold operation. If you ask the manufacturer or distributor he will give you a large list of his brand's suPerior features. Listen to them and then make a decision as to which one will best perform the task you have in mind. OLD BUT STILL HOT QUESTION: How do I select a pilot jet, needle and main jet for a ·389- Amal carburetor and how should I adjust the air screw and jet needle? S.R. - Van Nuys. I noticed your cover on tbe May 4 issue of Orie Call, 44~ year old desert rider 1403, witb some interest. I feel that the sPOrt sbould appeal to all ages. and in fact we have riders from 10 to 60. But! was a little jealous of tbe cover picture since I started riding scrambles last year at age of 55. I am now 56. I was then lightweight #558x in May and this year I am 240x. In September I bought a beavyweight and was #695. This year I am #189. In your point results of the first tbree months of '67. I am #94 - I bope to finish tbe year with a number below 100 for 1968. ANSWER: WHY CAPITOL CANCELLED Just a short note to let you know that our first TT race of the season at CaPitol SPeedway, sacremento, California, whicb was to have been this coming Sunday evening May 7tb has been cancelled. We were at the track today meetin. with Mr. McGowan our co-promoter and bave discovered the infield of tbe track is under about 8 incbes of water and it is impossible to build a track at this time. Most of tbe track bas been built including the jwnp, but on the east and West infield wbere the track bad been planned is where the water is. TIlere is a real problem there in that the track is below the water level of the river basin and water keeps seeping up through the ground. SO we would aPpreciate it very much if you would sPread the word to your reading pu blic why our first race was cancelled. Cancellation notices are going out tonight by Ehrhardt Mail service of Lodi. THOMAS U. CLARK C. & C. Enterprises san Jose TON-UP TROPHY Would like to officially announce our sponsorship of the Ton UP Challenge CUP, whicb will be a $1.000 iron men and cup, to be presented to tbe first Yank to either crack the magical ton, on a single cylinder macbine, or finisb in the first three, during tbe Diamond Jubilee Races at tbe Isle of Man. This includes all classes. Tbe only stipulation is tbat the machine must be a single and that the laP of over the ton must be set during the races. We would very mucb like to see tbe cream of American road racers competing in tbis greatest of all road races. particularly during the Diamond Jubilee Celebration, and hope that this tropby will octer increased inducement to tbe American competitors to sbow tbe British that III ~ i t' 2! !- tI .s ,g Do I have been riding my heavyweight more since I don't think I can know two bikes really well and it packs my 200 pounds more easily. Getting out eacb Sunday is a problem since I have to earn a living and the business is open on Sunday. This will affect my points and my number. But if you will cbeck your results from the Las Vegas Scrambles on APril 23 you will fInd I was at least fourth in my division and that's not bad for a gray-baired old grandfatber! I think you owe tbe scramblers a cover picture too - I mean tbe older scramblers. JIM WOOLWINE Sunland THE. IINSWER AllIN QUESTION: In smooth-track racing, (TT or flat track) how should one distribute his weight when cornering; toward the front of the seat or toward the back? I like to • cross-up· and broadside, but am unsure of where I should sit for best traction. G.M. - Santa Barbara. ANSWER: By all means, move forward on tbe seat. The greatest consideration must be given to feel and control of your IlBchine wben • crossed-up, - rather than optimum traction. Moving forward places you near the pivot point (equal distance between front and rear wbeel) and close to the machine's center of gravity. This way, you will be more a ware of bow much correction is necessary to bring the rear wheel into line with the front and avoid tbe painful error of over-correcting and· wiping-out.· QUESTION: How do spark plugs differ from brand to brand? AIl of them look similar and seem to do the jo~. J. B. - Sepulveda. ANSWER: Each plug is different in materials from wbich it is constructed. One will have x brand chemicals in its porcelain, while another uses y and x. Some plugs have an iron core conductor and others are made from copper. You were right in assuming that they all work, but one may be better suited There are three pilot jet sizes available for the 389 Arnal,listed by numbers 20, 25 and 30. I suggest you start with number 25, but a final selection can not be IlBde until we attempt to tune your monobloc. There are also three needle jets, .106, .105 and .107. The .106 is most commonly used and will probably prove correct, I have no idea what engine you intend to use this carburetor on, so it is hard to recommend a main jet size. I suggest you begin by matching an Amal jet bore size with your old main jet and then select a jet two steps richer. The air screw is for adjusting the engine idle speed. Turning it in (clockwise) increases idle speed and turning it out reduces the speed. Set the air screw at 1~ or two turns o.ut from fully closed and start your engine, keeping it at an rpm above the idle range until it is warm. Release the throttle and go back to the pilot air screw. Slowly turn it out until the engine hesitates or begins to slow its idle and then twn it clockwise from one half to one full turn. The air screw leans and ricbens the idle mixture. If it is not possible to sufficently lean the idle mix by screwing out the needle, then obtain the smaller pilot jet. Since spring pressure becomes too weak to hold the pilot needl e in place beyond four turns counter-clockwise, you should obtain another pilot jet if sucb excess adjustment is required. In your request for tuning information you forgot to mention the throttle stop scre..# that is the slanting screw located on the side of the carburetor body. The sole purpose of this screw is to regulate the idle speed with a fully closed throttle. Before adjusting the pilot air screw, turn the throttle stop screw until the slide is only slightly open. After the pilot adjustment is made, adjust the stop screw for the idle speed you desire. You now have it running I hope, so climb aboard and head for an open road and we will try to select a proper main jet. Slowly open the throttle until you are at maximum speed and then in one move, or as close as possible, pull in tbe clutch and kill the engine. After you have come to a stop and pulled off the road, remove a spark plug. If it is all

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