Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125518
'THE VOICE OF CALIFORNIA' I4ll N. LHg Buell BI,'LIII Beacll, Calif. to8I5 Or. Btl _, LIIg Beacl1, Calif. P....e: 42J-I4U (Area CHe 21J) F. . L.A. P....es: &3&-8844 BY CHUCK CLAYTON One characteristic of the motorcycle phenomenon is the tremendous number of organizations, associations and clubs within it. Enthusiast for enthusiast, probably no other sport has so many organizations and so little Organization. We do not deplore the present situation which we hope to define in this series of essays. Quite contrary, as usual, Cycle News wishes to encourage as much of it as we understand. trusting that the foolish factions will recognize their folly the sooner thereby and that the wiser heads will be encouraged in their wisdom. ESSAY: The Danger of and to Motorcycles Americans can be roughly divided into two classe&-- those who ride motorcycles and those who don't. A surprising number of people who sell motorcycles don't ride them. Which places them uncomfortably in tbe - other" camp. As they see it, they have to justify their livelihood from a business which seems to deal in danger when they are not actually exposed to the "danger" themselves. With commendable honesty the non-riders confess the opinion, hased on hearsay, that -motorcycles are dangerous." Those of us who love to ride motorcycles delight in telling the nonriders atrocity stories to prove how brave we are. But privately we admit that bikes are not dangerous as long as they are under the control of an experieoced rider. Even in a crash, injury is not" inevitable.· Non-riders persist in the mistaken opinion that exposed rider equals injured body, even to the extent of mouthing it on national TV. This kind of publicity, especially from those who claim to be spokesmen for the mdustry, hurts motorcycling the worst. Witb friends like that, who needs enemies? A motorcycle is inherently a safe device. However, it is a very responsive mechanism. Bad riders should not blame tbe machine for their own failure to control it. If a rider makes a mistake, the bike is likely to pitch him off gently or hard. If the rider lands properly and avoids obstacles, he can survive falls without damage. Only a non-rider wouldn't know that. Nevada ·County. Tries to Pass Helmet Law Does anyone have the right to put a motorcycle rider in jail for failing to protect himself? Commissioners of Clark County, Nevada this week passed an ",emergency ordinance" that all motorcycle riders must wear helmets in that county. Which ihcluded Las Vegas and most of SOuthern Nevada. Commissioner Darwin Lamb made the announcement. The new ordinance, which was passed without benefit of public hearing, is slated to take effect August 17, 1967. Riders in Clark County who wish to voice opposition to the compulsory helmet ordinance should write or wire their county commissioners immediately to demand a public hearing with due notice before the law goes into effect. It is expected that the Las Vegas City Commissioners will enact a similar ordinance when they meet at City Hall on Wednesday, .August 16th at 8 p.m. Cycle riders are invited to voice their views. "DREAM GIRL"WINS HONDA (-100 On.ABC's daily TV show," Dream Girl," a four-man panel judges several come ly misse s on looks, personality and various feminine attributes. Daily winners progress on to the semi-finals, where the prizes become more exciting - a trip to Hawaii, other expansive goodies, and a chance for a trip around the world in the final contest to be held later this year. Recent semi-final winner Nancy SlnlIIC allllle lest PuWaber, Editor lIIId AdYerUlIinc Editorial stories, cartoon. photos, Manacer••••••Charles C. Clayton etc. are welcomed and will be paid Business Manacer•• Sbaron Clayton for upon publication (except press QraJlaUoo Mer••• Gaye lbotason releases and "Voice- letters. AdPhoto E.tor•••••• Deanis Greene dressed, stamped envelope assures Editorial Assistant.Robert Bradford return. AdverUsinc Asst. • Lynn Lancaster S1ncle copy price ••••••••• Z!Ie Published weekly except the first Subscription: One year ZUd class and last week of the calendar year Mail • • • , • • • • • • • • • • • • $7.:10 by C&S Publishing Co., Post Office One Year First Class Mail•• $14M Box 498, Long Beach, California. (Subscribers please aUow Ibree Second Class Postage paid at Long weeks for address chaDge.) Beach, Calif. Advertising rates and circulation information will be sent upon request. Allsup was lucky enough to win a Honda C-lOO (worth $199) in addition to her Hawaii journey, and she took deli very of the machine at Long Beach Honda 4, 11747 E. Carson in Lakewood. Needless to say, Miss Allsup's ~esence brightened the day for sales reps Bill Larson, Marty Williams and the rest of the crew. "This is where the action is.· quipped Larson. NATIONAL DEFENSE FUND 1 suggest that your publication begin a national self-defense treasury for fighting against all future oppressi ve motorcycle legislation; said money to be doled out to whereeve r the fungus appears and to create a defense agency in each and every State to combat tbis and future conditions. You can bet your bottom dollar that from he re on in the sport of motorcycling is going to have the boom lowered upon its head and the only method of protection is continuous awareness to unfavorable trends in legislation in each and every state. This takes money, so let's begin such a collection from not only the riders but flOm the entire industry itself. With this development you should appoint a responsible committee to be watchdog over said money and for the expenditures where and when they are needed. .Also, the promoters of racing should set aside a certain portion of money to be contributed to said fund. With such a National Fund controlled by a National Committee we at least will go down fighting instead of being swamped witbout any defense at all. BOB SCHWARTZ West Los .Angeles ("What do other readers think about Mr. Schwartz's sUClestlon?") REACHING OUT 1 thought you might .be interested to learn I've an article in the .August U.S. Camera magazine on scrambling. It is too bad that more of the writers in the cycle field don't make an effort to place material in the non-eycle publications; it would let the public at large in on the bestkept secret of our time: That all cyclists, and particularly the competitive riders, don't have hooves and horris. DOUG RICHMOND Oakland, Calif. IN REGARD TO STEVE LYON'S BENEFIT RACE TO SPORTS RIDERS AND SPECTATORS Well. we had our chance to help others and help create a little better name last Sunday at Perris, July 3D, 1967. If a benefit race could be scored in terms ofa baseball game, we could ha ve knocked a home run, we didn't even get a hit, BUT. we sure did strike out!! There was just abo ut enough competition riders at Perris last Sunday to have a good practice session. We had two kinds of riders participating: Novices and the hard core rider. They did put one Hell of a show. It's really too bad nobody had the interest to see it. Tell me -devoted" motorcycle enthusiast, WHERE WERE YOU? We suppose we should start handing out crutches for all the lame excuses we'll get as answers to that question. Don't tell me it was too short of nctice. The benefit race was announced twice at Ascot Raceway, there were posters, news of the race was in the paper, and of co urse just plain word of mouth. Like every other rider, we know how long it takes to get ready for a race.•about 10 minutes: from the sack to the garage. We'd like to know how those TRUE motorcycle people in Arizona could collect over $1500.00 for a rider who was injured - while we, in our District, can't even raise $200.00 for the family of one of our own riders who was accidentally killed. We give special thanks to Jerry Burton, owner of Perris Track. To all who gave••• a sincere thank you. PS..We can still help by buYing tickets on Steve Lyon's Honda 337cc to be given away at the Benefit drawing at .Ascot Raceway, October 7, 1967. DARWIN BALLARD JIM KINCAID California Gophers M.C. PROTESTING THE PROTEST In your issue of Aug. 3rd on page 18. tbe article pertaining to the' Pretests Enliven Ascot Novice T.T. Happening": In the interest of good reporting and to clarify the record I would like it understoOd, I (Chuck Baker) did not file a protest. FurthermCM'e the inference that I walked away from the track red-faced is completely untrue as I did not even know a pretest bad been filed • Please then set the record straight. Thank you. CHUCK BAKER san Diego ("Consider it stral&btened.") JACK"ASS NO RELATION TO JACKASS Would you please run a small blurb to the effect that tbe Jack-Ass Enduro Relay at Riverside on the 13th of .August is in no way connected with the Jackass Enduro that is run annually by the Foothill Hawks M.C. Thank yuu in advance for your cooperation, PAUL G. LeBEAU secretary, FHMC Whittier THOUGHTFUL PROMOTION With further reference to our n0tice to cancel our ad in yOur newspaper for the Tulare ~mile race (Aug. 12) we would like to explain our position in this cancellation. As you know we are having much trouble with the condition of the track at Tulare. We have been in discussion with the Fair people who have done their best to prepare a good track for us. We thought we bad our problems solved for the 5-mile National on July 1st, but it appeared that we again lost the surface of the track. It was worse fer that race than it bas ever bee n. Since. on most fair tracks, horses are in constant training for racing, the Fair people have to cater to them for a suitable track surface of soft soil. Due to the cond Uion of the soil at Tulare we cannot obtain compaction on the surface to hold a complete night of racing. The Fair will not permit other soil or chemicals on the track. We feel at this time that we do not wi sh to sacrifice the safety of OUI riders to continue racing here. We have already had one boy, Gene Romero, hurt very seriously here and we do not wish to see another one hurt. You know tbat during our 5-mile National several of the riders in the Main Event pulled into the pits due to the condition of the track. We will keep you advised or our future plans. BILL CUMBIE & TOM CLARK C & C Enter~ises san Jose