Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

Q t '" Q, MOTORCYCLING AT AN EASTERN UNIVERSITY by Carol Sims While visiting my mother at Syracuse University in Syracuse. New York (she is Resident Advisor of a dormitory that houses 76 freshman coeds) I be:g came immediately aware of a large on-campus motorcycle population. Bikes. ~ big and small. were everywtJere. Curious to find out more about their passengers as welL Consider- ~. ~ the advantages and/or prohlems faced hy motorcycle-minded college :c: students in the Eastern U.s•• Xspoke b:I at some length with a personable -.J young member of the Syracuse two~ wbeeled fraternity named Roger U Pierson. accomplishes this without falling off, he's got his license. Helpful Dealer In the case of Roger Pierson, his dealer first taught him to ride. The dealer, John Flummerfelt. a 2f)-yearold former automobile drag racer from Roger"s home town of Auburn, New York, is very conscientious about instructing everyone to wbom he sells a bike. MARins iTCHES LOUISVILLE LOUISVILLE, June 11- Grand National Champ, Bart Markel, came up as the winner this afternoon at the first cycle race ever held at the plush Louisville Downs half-mile at Louisville, Ky. It was Markel's 19th National win since 1960 and now places him only six a way from the all-time record of 25 National wins held by Joe Leonard. Bart finally got things going the way he like s it and posted the fastest time trial by a considerable margin over Mert Lawwill and Dick Mann. Back came Bart in th e l'eat race to win with ease. Mann and Fred Nix also won their heat races and the stage was set for the Main Event. able cont.roversy arose over the law (passed only four days before it went into effect on January I), primarily because no standards for helmet testing had yet been decided. Tbeoretically, all motorcycle riders, including policemen" were b:I Nix In Lead Nix jumped to an early lead with Markel closing fast. Markel was right on top of the Oldaboma~ and ready to take the lead when Freddie lost his skid shoe. The shoe came loose, hit the rear wheel and shot high into the air. Chris Draayer then ook up the challenge and closed to within five lengths towards the end of the 30lap Final. Markel looked over his sboulder, tucked in and stretched it out to win his first National of the season and climb into the top ten in the current National Standings for the first time. Point leader Gary Nixon failed to make the Main Event. George Roeder was plagued with engine troubles in the Final and dropped out. Mert Lawwill picked up four points and moved into second in the current standings, behind Nixon. Roeder dropped to third. Emphasizing the thoroughness of Flummerfelt's teaching skill is the fact that pupil Pierson has never been invol ved in an accident of any kind. IIDlDrqcle. use lafflc on VlISt S,racue .... York. Tb. . are 7411III1"'." all. Rapid Progress A major in Forestry who begins his senior year next september, Roger started riding two years ago. His first mount, A Vespa scooter, was soon exchanged for a 150cc Moto Morini, which in turn was replaced by a 250cc H-D Sprint. He is now the proud possessor of an immaculate black and white Hil.rley-Davidson Sportster that he describes with a grin as "great." Two of Pie r son's fraternity brothers also own motorcycles - one a 650cc BSA and one a 650cc Triumph. The inevitable Harley-TriumphBSA harangues are toned down somewhat by the fact that all three ride big hikes, as compared to the smaller machines they rather di sdaiDfuliY refer to as ·popcorn poppers." The picturesque Syracuse campus, wbich sprawls over hundreds of hilly acres, has a student population of abolt 16,OOO••• and the usual parking problems. Although it is impossible to ascertain the total number of motorcycles in use (registration is required by school authorities, but overlooked by many students), Pierson estimates th.e amount has doubled in the past year. One reason for reluctance to register bikes may be the ruling that only one vehicle may be operated by each student, and, during the winter months, motorcycling comes to a snowbound standstill. ,Helmet Hassle Speaking of rules, helmets are now mandatory for all motorcycle riders in New York State, and for ••• UnlversilJ CaIIlpUl In ap.lI18 breaking the la w until basic requiTements could be hastily defined. So far, only Bell helmets have been approved. Roger Pierson thinks the helmet law is a good one, from a safety standpoint, but says it's difficult to talk a girl into buying a helmet" just for one date." And then there's the hairdo problem. But, all things considered, Pierson feels that owning a motorcycle has helped his social life on campus. Other suggested legal measures tbat (fortunately) have not been passed include installation of governors on machines, mandatory crashbars and seat belts. (!) Requirements for motorcycle travel on high-speed New Y()rk thruways are determined not by horsepower rating, as in California, but by wheel size - minimum lS"x3". Handlebars are usually somewhat higher thaI) those now popular on the West coast, but they ,too are subject to limitation. They may measure no more than 15 inches above the level of the seat. Special Tests Another recently passed New York state law requires that motorcyclists must take a special observed test before receiving their riding licenses, or must show proof of two year':; experience (receipts for two license plates). In any case, a regular driver's license is not enough. The test is a simple one, however. The cyclist is instructed to start and stop, then to make right and lefthand figure-eight turns. If he R IT FROM ~ DEALERS: Send for your free copy of Namsco's ,19&1 Cataleg - today, Join tbe tbousands of deal.s wIlD are now enjeying huge profits IaandllngNIIl1SCI Qualify Parts allll accesSlries, New Modern Facilities over 12,000 sq. fL stocked with Goodyear tires, N.G.K. plugs, Toyo mirrors, Yuasa Batteries, Paulson Products, Helmets, control cables, gaskets, mufflers, handlebars, chain, chrome and stainless fenders, levers, sidestands, Windshields, piston kits, sprockets plus many other items both domestic and imported. NATIONAL MOTOR SUPPL Y CO. 15710 Garfield Avenue ParalllOlDlt, California 90723 Phone 213-633-5178 Earlier this year, Roger and his BSA-riding buddy were participants in a movie, ·The Rise and Popularity of Motorcycles," prepared as a course project by a University photography student. Representing the "serious" cyclists, they were filmed riding along in helmets, boots, leather jackets and other appropriate attire. By contrast, the ·careless" rider, mounted on a 50cc machine, was pictured without a helmet, clad in shorts, and endangering not only himself but an equally unprotected female coml?anion. The film was successfully received, and taped for later presentation on an educational television network. There are currently half-a-dozen coeds (properly helmeted) riding solo on the Syracuse campus, including a beauty recently voted -Miss Rochester." Though one girl is the skillful mistress of a 650cc BSA. most of them are content with small Hondas and Yamahas. Less Noise, Please Pet peeve of the more experienced riders such as Roger and his fraternity brothers is the street-racer type of fellow who incurs the wrath of all the neighbors by running straight pipes. "X guess if they make more noise they think they're going faster," says Pierson. Although Roger must devote a great deal of time to his studies (th;: Forestry curriculum includes studies of biological sciences, wood products engineering, pul.p and paper technology, resources management and landscape architecture) he is remarkably well informed on the overall motorcycle scene and looks forward to traveling the mid-Atlantic states this summer on his sportster. Hi s ultimate goal, professionally, is to go into the manufacture of veneer and plywood. Roger enjoys races, attends local scrambles and hillclimb s, and last year traveled to the road races at Laconia. Campus sports in which he participates include basketball (he's 6'3") and fencing. He also admitted being il'lvol ved in the spectacular student water fights that received widespread publicity recently•• Just a way of letting off steam before final exams," says Pierson. ·But," he emphasizes, "I didn't approve of dumping water on motorcycles." ~:i ;:~0. - _ , ~ Keen, Roeder Sideliaed Neil Keen joined Roeder on the sidelines and finished in last place and for the second straight week, witbout national points. Northern californian Earl Lout, was a runaway winner in the ten lap .Amateur final. It was Lout's first big win. The Louisville grandstands were packed with 10,000 paying fans and it was a Harley-Davidson sweep. It was also Milwaukee's first win on the National circuit with the record now standing at one win each fOT Triumph, BSA and H-D. The first heat of Experts looked like a National in itseU. due to the time worn tradition of placing riders in various heat races from the clock results rather than on known ability and past performance. Big Guns Fail to Qualify Cancelled out of the final for not placing inside the first four were: Nixon, Swede savage, Babe DeMay and Darrel Dovel. Phil Hawk, from Glendale, came from way back late in the consolation event to win the also-ran race. Next on the national trail is the 100 mile road race at Loudon, N.H. on June 19th. CYCLE NEWS will have a complete rundown on that one in the next issue. Buddy Elmore was the winner last year in the big bike event. It was not a National in '66 but is one this year. Gary Nixon won the 250cc event in the mountains of New Hampshire a year ago and was the double winner at Daytona, the only National road race run to date in '67. (Results on p&ce 16) AMA GRAIID NATIONAL POrllT STANDINGS AFTER THREE NAnONAl RACES: 1. 2. 3. 4. :>. fi. 7. 8. Mert Lawwill Genrce Roeder Buddy Elmore Tri 114 B-D104 H-D 101 Tri 91 Dick MalIa cal RaY born Wayne Cook B-D 67 Gary Nixon ,!r,:l • B-D H-D II-D Tri Tri Tri Fred Nix 9. Bart Markel 10. LatTY Palmgren ll. Did< Banner 12. Gene Romero BILL KRA USE '.'-.'_. BSA 72 ';.._~ TH E :notorcy cl e parts and accessories . . . ._~.h~! Dept. Store. HONDA/TRIUMPHGJ~,)~f; """-- ~ ~r~ 1257 S, LA BREA at Ccnlu"y e Ingic ... ood e 67' ":-1.: 6 e 67,-5035 68 :>7 :>7 :>7 :>6 :>2 ''''\ r." 0· ':-

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