Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

-THE YOICE OF CALlFO.IAB P1IIItli_I!I"_•••••••••••• .cIIac.. Clay... Basilless cer••••ShanJu Clay'" Ciretdat ._cer Cef.Ga:re """'a_ Edilor•• •__ Rudi H t Advertisilac ...JadI. Dair PbcMo Edilor D~s GreeIIe Ad at EdiL AssL•••.Robert Bradfonl Associate Editor Carol Silas Publisbed weekly except the first and last week of the calendar year by C&S Publishing ComPanY, Post Office Box 498, Long Beach, Calif. be patd for upon publication. Addressed, stamped envelope assures return. 8IIIIle _ ANSWER: To answer your question wi th the greatest simplicity, I must state that motorcycles designed for the dirt are best for the dirt, although many distrihutors have produced comhination street/scramhler machines. If you intend to ride the dirt for fun only, then one such combo unit will suffice, but if competition is a goal, then obtain a machine produced for dirt competition. The figure of seventy plus is a bit high for any combo unit, except for one of at least 650cc displacement. When you obtain a machine of that size there is bound to be a great deal of weight to throw around and recover in an anxious moment of dirt riding. If you're big enough physically, then take a look at machines such as the Norton 750cc scrambler, Triumph TR6C, Enfield 750cc Tr Interceptor, Matchiess GISCS and a new 650ccKawasaki scrambler, soon to be released. .-_-_-_-_-_-J_-_V_-_-_-_-_-_~·_-_-.J_-_-_-_-rJ_-~ QUEmOI: I recenUy tore down my SOOcc Velo for overhaul aDd fonnd the piston aDd bead covered with aD immense amonnt of carbon. Wbat caused thiS? B.B.-Pomona. ANSWER: Many things lend them- selves to carbon formation in an engine, be it two or four stroke. The oil you used could in itself be a cause due to too heavy a weight or the carbon-bearing additives in the lubricant. Gasoline has carbon in its makeup and dust or dirt is a great contributor to carbon buildup if improper air cleaners are used. If you have excessively loose intake valve guides, the cylinders will receive direct oiling via the intake valve to piston crown, thus heavy carbon. ""'·.- ·•• -.v.·.·.v.·.· -,.·,. QUEmON: Some people think I'm nuts in Washing my bike too often, but it just drives me nuts to see a lot of oil aDd dirt.. What is the best gunk I can use to make itan easier job? D.P. - Boulder, Colo. ANSlER: I'm all for your side! I think your riding a clean machine does a great deal in improving peoples image of a dirty so and so machine. There are many·Gunks" on the market and each one works, but I have found something that makes the hike look like new and the idea of starting the engine for warming up is not necessary. Obtain ·Mr.Clean," the all purpose cleaner, from your local supermarket. Brush it on wherever desired (full strength) and then hose it off. Aluminum shines like new and there is no harmful film left on paint after washing. •.• -,_-.'I&-"'T:_T_-"._-_-.-h-.~VJf.,.-.%-.~-_%-_ QUESTION: What are the dates of this years record Uials at the Salt Flats? B.M. - La Verne. ANSWER: August 20th thru 26th. Readers can take much of the credit for winning the first signifi. cant battle in the war against uninformed mlc legislation. Letters and telegrams spelled out the will of the people in. no. uncertain terms. Credit should go also to the dealers ~d ~Istnbutors who m~e their objections known to their representative In Sacramento both In person and by Public Opinion Telegrams. Unruh pulled the bill off file and sent it to t~e Ways .and Means Committee, which indicated strongly the:t the bill was In trouble. Checking with Assemblyman Crown's office, CY~LE NE~S learned that it would take a letter from the Governor to set It for hearing before they act on the budget, as it has an appropriation in it. The budget won't be heard for at least a month and even if it is heard before Ways and Means. After that we can kill it if we want to. Insiders in Sacramento feel thatit won't be heard at all. We'll keep an eye on it for you. TraiDiDg ad Testillg Costly The cost of training and testing California's. nearly one. millio.n motorcycle riders ap~ears to be the hang-~p that stopp~d the bilL ThiS delay gives us ~e time w~ n.eed to convlnc~ the legislature that the bill needs amendlng before It IS passed. SpeCifically, the dreaded compulsory helmet portion, the du~ re~iew mi~r requirements ~d especially the Car-Befo~The-Blke license sectIOns should be pigeonholed forever. So keep the cards and telegrams coming, kiddies. Somebody ~p there in the capitol is paying attention. Hurrah for the democratic process! •••Motller Victory ia Califomia Local motorcycle distributors and the national trade association succeeded recently in amending another ill-considered motorcycle bill in Sacramento. Sponsored by the same Assemblyman Foran who wrote AB 978,this law would require motorcycles to have battery operated lights. The industry spokesmen succeeded in getting the bill changed to become effective in 1970 and will require only that a battery be suppned that will keep the tail light lit for 20 minutes. SIMULIITOR PROGRESS The motorcycle simulator that Cycle News is currently developing underwent its toughest test at the recent Cycle World Show. We nearly burned out the projector motor in the dozen or so demonstrations, owing to a hastily designed brake system. And the movie of road hazards clearly called for tighter editing. There were too many long stretches where no danger appeared, and people reacted to these either by tensing up in anticipation or else they relaxed too much and yielded to distractions. Like The Real Thing Our simulator banks and turns like a real motorcycle at low speed (O-20mph). In other words, you point the hars in the direction you want to turn, and the simulator leans and turns on pivots. Most people are aW&Je that, over a certain speed, depending on the motorcycle's geometry, you push the left bar to turn left and the right bar to turn right. It's hard to helieve until you try it, but this is the reaction that allows the phenomenon racers call ·crossing uP." Since the simulator is being developed to teach intermediate riding skills, it is not made to be crossed up. That, and the fact that you can't break traction, and you cannot crash, are the main differences between the feel of the simulator compared to a reai bike. It was suggested that more realism could be had by adding a Vibrator, and perhaps blowing wind on the rider. But we think that such tricks would only price • • • • • • • • • 25C ""1watpCi.s: OIIe :rear 2IId dass - 0 .••••••••••••••• $7.50 AdYelUa.c rates will be sst OD request. Yoa Did It! motorcycles are best for the dirt aDd is there a bike that will perform well in the dirt as well as running seventy plus on the freeway? J.D.-Long Beacb second CIUS Post&p pUd at Loq Bacb. Ca11f. An.r Part of this oewspapef except ClIPYIidIted matter mQ be lIl5ed wilbout pemdasioa as lone as credit is given. EdUor1a! stories, carloons, pbotos are welcOllled and will Fast response from Cali forni a motorcycle enthusiasts succeeded in stopping the controversial "Motorcy~le Danger Bill" (A.B. 978) from being railroaded through the state legislatures. Democratic party leader from Inglewood, Jesse Unruh acted a~ our 'ombudsman" in transferring the bill to the Ways and Means Committee where it can be trimmed down to size. QDEmO : Wbat Please allow tlm!e weeks for ad- dress~e. distract the rid er from the main purpose of the machine, which is to test and train his reactions to road and traffic situation s. Fatare Plus The simulator's throttle operates a potentiometer which speeds up and slows down the projector. The rider watches a film on a. rear projection screen which looks like traveling down the road from the rider's point of view. There is a foot brake to stop the picture when danger is close. Our new projector will have a device to stop the action on a frame so that each danger can be studied and discussed. Several universities engaged in safety studies and instructional technology have asked for demonstrations of the simulator and one large government agency has arranged to test riders to determine the accident-prevention value of our training machine. The next step for Cycle News will be to install the simulator in a self-contained trailer so that it can be demonstrated around the state. The simulator and a full set of training films will be available for lease this summer if any school or dealer wants to teach ·road wisdom" without risk. Contact me for information. We owe a special thanks and credo it to two more members of the safetyconscious motorcycle industry for supplying us witb vital parts to improve the simuJator: Barnett Tool & ogineering Co, for a pecial control cable, and Yamaha for tank knee pads. SCORNS ADYERSE PUBLICITY I thought I would send you this article published in the Monrovia Journal this week about the Arcadia Love-In, It is a shame that motorcycling gets such a black eye everytime something happens. This paper keeps mentioning that motorcycle gangs were the cause of everything and when people keep reading articles like these, they hate everyone who even sits on a motorcycle. It seems like everyone on the street looks at you when you are riding and they think you are a trouble maker right awa,y. I think these papers sure do make it unfair publishing so much against the motorcyclist and never anything for him. I enjoy your paper very much. Keep up the good work. A reader and a rider always. KENNETH PRIESKAM (We couldn't all'ee witb you more.) LOST COYOTES HOIL Compliments are due you and your staff for the excellent paper and coverage of all events. The purpose of thi~ letter is to inform you of a new motorcycle club called the Los Coyotes of Lancaster. We are presently engaged in being sanctioned by AMA and District 37. Our energies will be directed to furthering the sport and participating in all Desert Events. The club was formed with 14 Charter Members and memberships to be open following approval of our sanction. D. Stinson was elected President. Plans now are to present a Hare SCrlilDbles on 30th July 67 to familiarize ourse I ves as a desert cl 00. GLEN WILLIAMS Lancaster, Calif. FACELESS ROBERTS Does J.N. Roberts or does he not have a face under that helmet? •••Or are you desert guys putting ail us Nor them Cal. fellers on. In view of J.N.'s outstanding success of late •.• or is it really Torsten in disguise? BD. Santa Cruz, Calif. (You are Quite right, it is Torsten in disculse!) APPLAUDS GOOD (CYCLE) NElS After reading Cycle News I'm quite impressed with it. Must say its a far cryfrom the 2 page Cycle News of the old days. I have been away from racing for the past 6 years and have missed it a lot, the Checkers and all the old gang. Went to my first TT Scrambles Sunday since I stopped racing and had a ball seeing some of my old racing buddies. Enclosed find $7.50 for a years subscription and keep up the good news. LEE STRICKLAND Idyllwild, Calif. EQUALITY - JUSTICE Glad to see you folks devoting some space to the precarious subject of men vs. women and the flexibility of district rules. We frisky Libertines up here in the North would love to shut off some of the burly guys who claim to be such avid sportsmen. SANDY ROBERTSON Grass Valley

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