Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

.... ~ 2,200 MILES ON 2_WHEELS -. ~ ~ 08 e ~ ~ = IN TWO WEEKS PART VI CONCLUSION by Robert O. Fee 11111 Da, Satlrlla, 35 miles '" Hot tea and a breakfast roll started us on our way again. Just south of town ~ we looked to our left and caught a glimpse of the gray walls of san Quentin Io;J Prison. Before we knew it we were into Mill Valley and turning off 101 to tbe ;:..., MuirWoods National Monument. We spent U an enjoyahle 45 minutes walking through the grove of giant trees. in spite of the crowds of tourists that literally jammed the place. Tbe Gray Line runs tours from San Francisco and there are quite often more tour busses tban autos in the parking area, Our next stop was Sausalito, a onetime artist's colony. Most of the artists moved out shortly after the tourists moved in. We paused to ride along the main street and then look through the Trade Fair wbicb used to be an old ferryboat before it was permanently anchored. We ran into a Mr. and Mrs. Blake of Long Beach, who had ridden UP on tbeir Electra-Glide for a few days of vacation. They were leaving as we arrived so it was a brief-hello· and "good riding.· Fay, afraid of high places. wanted to walk across the Golden Gate Bridge. Alas, the sidewalk was on the wrong side so she picked out a spot on the rear of my belmet to look at wbile sbe rebruised my ribs as we rode across the famous bridge. It was quite a ride - that bridge can sway over a foot in a strong wind and the breezes were blowing. I was canted into the wind with Fay frozen to the seat, stiff as a sissy bar, and tbe cottonpickin, road moving six incbes from side to side. DriYing in san Francisco can be downright dangerous with any vehicle and especially for a motorcycle loaded down as we were. The big problem is, i! you catch some traffic lights wrollg, you are on a 30 degree angle waiting for it to change. There are also street and cable car tracks to aVOid. Considering all this, I avoided the more direct route over tbe bills and took the Embarcadero around the peninsula and into the Civic d Center on Market Street. After checking into the Olympic Hotel where we received some odd looks as we dismounted at the door, I took the Harley across the street to an indoor garage wbere they stuck it in a dark corner on tbe third floor. safe from curious eyes, screwdrivers and wrencbes. It was so safe, in fact, that we bad trouble finding it lOb en we were ready to leave. Saturday afternoon. Sunday and Monday morning, we toured san Francisco like any other rubbernecks, making good use of the Auto Club's guide book. We found one attraction not mentioned and it's a tremendous bargain. Don't fail to take advantage of it wben you tour San Francisco. The municipal railway whicb operates the cahle cars, busses and trOlleys, offers unlimited rides on Sundays and holidays for only 50¢. This system is so laid out, we were told, tbat you are always witbin 3 blocks of public transportation anywbere in tbe city. If Fay and I rode a block, we put over 200 miles on the trolleys and cable cars. 13 til Da, 14& mil es We left San Francisco Monday afternoon at 1 p.m•• taking the scenic Skyline Drive south toward santa Cruz. This route follows the ridge of the peninsula paralleling Highway 101 and the Baysbore Freeway. three miles east of us. Quite often this road, winding around the pines. is sbrouded with fog. For us. bowever, the sun smiled brightly and the temperature was quite comfortable. The week-enders had returned to tbeir normal city routine and traffic was almost non-existent. Located on anotber peninsula, Monterey ~ surrounded on three .sides by Monterey Bay. the Pacific Ocean and Carmel Bay. the city dates back to 1542 and bas been under the flags of Spain, Mexico and now Old Glory. Tbe Mission, The oldest building in town, was dedicated in the late 1700' s. Fay and I paused for a fisb dinner on Fisberman's Wharf. StIff ocean breezes apin forced the elimination of part of our planned ~ip. Tb18 time it was the famous 17-ltile Dri ve CIOm Monterey to carmel, one of the most scenic drives of this region. Instead, we took the more protected Route 1. The sun was getting low wben we idled down the main street of Cannel to the beacb. Carmel was establisbed about '1904 as a retreat for artists and writers and is now an attr acti ve resort and residential community. Tbe name com es from the Mission San Carlos Borromeo Del Rio Carmelo. establisbed in 1771 and located just south of town. The wind was cold and we donned our leathers wbile watching the sunset. The famous beacb of white sand glowed a brilliant gold as Old Sol dipped into tbe Pacific. Dusk was deep wben I found tbe tum-oCf to our campground and started following the signs to Riverside Park. I was convinced we were lost when the road led into a farm house driveway. -Keep going,· said Fay, and we finally arrived. after nearly riding over a 30foot embankment. The campground was crowded with other vacationers and we took the last available table. Tbe children were naturally curious about the big motorcycle and soon several parents had drifted over. They were all friendly, as vacationers ire wont to be,and several were amazed at the amount of equipment we had crammed into the box. One couple invited us to share their meal, but we had just eaten, so joined them for coffee. 14111 Da, Tuesda, 40! _iles It was 9:30 a.m. lOben we left the Carmel Valley. I was afraid Fay would object to more of Scenic Route 1 again and tbere are no connecting roads to tum off once you're started. Truth of the matter is. there are dam few places to even tum around. So we jogged nortb to Route 68 and west to 101 through Spreckles and then south to Greenfield for breakfast. Spreckles is named for the sugar company and boasts of one of the largest beet processing plants in the world. The beets are grown extensively in the surrounding valley. Towards King City. eDOT1llOllS fields of lettuce are interspersed with cattle rancbes. Highway 101 follows the Salinas River through the valley. This river flows underground except during the rainy season and is the only major river in the U.s. that flows its entire route from south to north. Hwy. 101 closely How can I check thiS? • • QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS • It ~ QUEm ON: Will you please tell me it a Honda Scrambler CL-77 front and rear fenders lit a Honda Super Hawk or a Honda 450? It not, where can you buy scrambler fenders for a Super Hawk and 45O? Where could I buy a tibreglass tank, (at least 3 gallons) for a 450. that is metalllake or solid color. wi th teardrop form. Will megapbones increase the performance of my engine much? What approximate jet change should I make for a 305 and 450? Wbat is the largest size rear tire that I can put on my 450 and 305 without hindering low-end or top performance? I· am referring to a semi-knobby or universal. I have heard hundreds of rumors about Honda. Can you tell me it any of them are true? First olf they say that the 160 will be discontinued and a 175 put in its place; the 305 would be discontinued and either a 320 or 350 would take over; a 450 scrambler would be put out and either a new 620cc or 650cc will be manufactured. Some say it would bave four cylinders and four carbs. C.W. - Whitefield, Oklahoma. ANSWER: None of the models you mention have interchangeable fenders, although almost any fender can be mounted with a change By The * Answer Man in the mounting brackets. The Super Hawk and 450 brackets could be easily adapted to a set of CL-77 fenders. There are no scrambler fenders in production for the 305 Super Hawk and 450 Super Sports. There are two or more manufacturers of fibre glass tanks that will mount to a 450. A leading distributor of Honda SCrambler equipment, especially for the 450 is Hot Shoe, Monte Darling of Circle City Cycle Center, listed in the Cycle News Dealer Directory. He has what you need for the 450. Yes, megaphones (without baffels) will increase your engine's perforllll.nce. On each model an increase of two steps richer will be required in jetting. The largest tire we recommend is 4,OOxl8 in a Goodyear all-traction or grasshopper. However, it is recommended that the swinging arm be extend ed one inch I on both the 305 and 450/ so that a good range of chain adjustment will be available. Rememb er, the bigger the tire you run the higher your gear ratio; so compensate accordingly. Yes. the 160 is discontinued by Honda and it has been replaced with the 175. No, the 305 will not be discontinued. Yes, there will be a 450cc scrambler. Honda will release it approximately in August. No, there is no sign as yet that Honda will phase out the 450 in the near future, but maybe someday we will see a 650 as you describe.Notmany expected a 450 until a short time prior to release. ANSWER: Remove tbe coil from the machine and beat it in an oven for about 15 minutes at 200 degrees and then check tbe continuity of the windings. If there is a short wbich develops upon heating, it should show up tbis way. QUEmON: While skimming through your weekly classified section I continually run acrl1SS a term of which I am not 100% sore. Wbat exactly is a -basket case-? I am considering purcbasing a Van Tech frame kit for my Honda 5-90 scrambles machine. Is this kit considered illegal by District 37 oUidais? S.E. - Whittier, Calif. USWER: Why, bless your heart, a - bas ket case- is slang for a disassembled mo torcycle. District 37 bas no objection to sportsmen using commercial frame kits such as Van Tech, Metisse, etc. ,M send ,"stillS to Tile Answer Man, Care" Cycle News, B.4., Long Beacll, Calif, SIn'y, vol_ " mail does ntl all.. IS to send individual repl ies, CHECKERED FLAG FOR BILL ERSHIG We are saddened to report that Bill Ersrng, .AMA Class C Expert #31x, died of injuries sustained in a crash at the Beaver Dam, Wisc. hali-mile on Sunday, sept. 3rd. He bad placed second in tbe Main Event at Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin the day before. Ershig is survived by his wife of only one year, Shirley, and his brother, Bert Ershig, who is also a professional racer. Bill Ershig wi II always be remembered as one of the nicest, most helpful friends in the sport. Shirley Ershig is staying with the Bob Beckert Family at 127 Keith, Waukegan, Illinois. TRAFFIC CRASH TAUS LIFE OF HODAKA DIPORTBR Henry Koepke, 37, lost bis We in a billllwllY crasb aear Miltoa Sea_'e", are-, Tbarl!day nicbt, Anpst 31. Tbe luaeral was beld Sept. 5 at tile AtbeDa Cbristiaa Cllurcb in AtbeDa, 0re1lDD. Koepke Is best kDo_ as tbe ..... cbiefly reSlle_illie for tbe desllll and saccess or tile IIodaka Ace 9lI. Be was rieline his BMW sidecar autllt betweC!lll Walla Walla, WasIdDetDa and bls IIome in Albeaa nea a tauell drtVC!lll by a 17-yearold boy tumed left in rtUDt or bIm. It Is ironic that at !be Ume of !be accident Henry Koepke was deeply involved ID a procram in advance _to,," cycle sarety, He is surrived by his wife and Ii ve children. New Fiber Glass Seat Unit Incorpontes Sat. flu ranll, Oil ranlland Fender in liPtweieht unit • • • • • QUESTION: My engine misses at high speed or after I have run it for ten minutes or so. Everything has been Checked out, such as timing, points and valves. Someone suggested that the coil may be shorting out wben it gets bot. follows the old mission tIall fJom Ban Diego to SOnoma. Tbe 6000mile lOute was known as the EI CIIIIliDo Real (literally translated - The R011l1 Road) and eventually Tbe High Way. It is now an interstate freeway and freeway traffic terrifies Fay. At Paso Robles. she was literally trembling and wasn't far from bysterics in anticipation of crossing the L.A. Basin dUring the evening crush of traffic. SO we put in at tbe bus station and I shipped her home on a Greyhound. Now that I could get the Harley out of third gear wi thout squawks of complaint from the rear, I unbridled the horses and swept down La Cuesta's 7% grade through san Luis Obispo and into Pismo Beach for a dinner of the Giant Clams which are famous in this area. At Buellton, 1 left 101 for a side trip at Solvang, also known as Little Denmark. It is one of the most unusual - in fact, unique - towns in the countlY. Settled in 1912 by Danes, the architecture of the entire town is Danish, even the service station where I refueled. Only exception is tbe Mission santa Inez established in 1804 as one of the chain along the EI Camino Real. Returning to the main higbway. I headed home, making only one gas stop in Oxnard and arriving in Pomona at 7 p.m. By the time Fay's bus arrived at 9, I bad unloaded, gunked and washed tbe bike and was sound asleep on the Harley in tbe station's parking lot when she debarked. Talk about economic traveling. we covered 2240 miles on our Harley 74 consuming 64.8 gallons of gasoline for a total fuel bill of $24.01. Our meals. drinks and groceries ran $83.54 and rooms and camp ground charges totaled another $68.43. With all the other incidentals. it cost us just 2 pennies less than $8.00 per day per person. whicb goes to sbow that it's cbeaper to travel on a Harley-Davidson than it is to live at borne. Less than 15 pounds Quick detachment (3 bolts) Metalflake colors Padded Seat - choice of colors Two sizes for large and small bikes such as BSA. Triumph. HD. plus many 100 cc machines 99 95 &125 00 (213) AMERICAN COMPETITION ENGINEERING 96~-Gl9 5046 CALMVIEW BALDWIN PARK, CALIFORNIA

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