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/125525
"11IE VOICE OF CALiFORlIA ' SeniIC alllIIe lest PaWsbet' and AdvenisillC Maaqer ••••••••••• Chartes C. C1aytoD Editorial stories, cartoon, photos, etc. are welcomed and will be paid for upon publication (except press releases and -Voice- letters. Addressed, stamped envelope assures return• ••11 N. LMg Buell Bl'lL SiDgle copy price ••• , , •••• 25¢ L•• Bu. Calif. ,.5 SUbscription: ODe year 2IId class Published weekly except the first Or: Btl _, LlIIC Beaell, Calif. Mail •••••••••••••••• 57.50 and last we'Jk of the calendar year ODe Year First Class Mail•• 514..00 by C&S Publishing Co., Post Office P_e:42H4U (SUbscribers please allow lbree Box 498, Long Beach, California. weeks for address cbance.) (Area CItIe Ull Second Class postage paid at Long Advertising rates and circulation Beach, Calif. F... L.A. P_es: . . .44 information will be sent upon request. BuslDess Manager•• SIIaroD ClaytoD Circ.ulatioD Mer••• Gaye Tboma_ Editor••••••••••• ,. Carol Sims Photo Editor••••• DeBnis GreeDe Editorial Assistant-Robert Bradford Advertisina: Asst. • Lynn Lancaster BY CHUCK CLAYTON Llist week we pointed out that. under the philosophy of Individual Responsibility and Self-Control, the rider himself is responsible for what happens to him and bis passenger and it is his duty to maintain control of tbe machine in all circumstances. It legislatures of the various states and the Federal Dept. of Transport truly want to protect motorcycle riders' lives, they should get busy trying to make up for neglectinlt the growth of motorcycling for the past 10 years. Here are some measures they could propose tf they really want to save lives: 1. DANGEIIIARK NECICBREAKERS .Every year a considerable number of lives are snuffed out and many riders are injured by the nearly invisible chains, w.ires and cable's hung acros's inviting traiis and byways. SOme of these • neckbreakers- are deliberatelY installed to injure or kill motorcycle riders and horsemen. One man, on being informed that bis neckbreaker took the life of a 16-year-old moincycllst said. -Good. That's what I Put it there for. - Others may be installed by property owners who are unaware that they are erecting a diabollcal device that can take lives. In every case, neck breakers ought to he clearly visible from several hundred feet in every possible direction of travel. Attaching simple reflectors or permanent ribbons could do the job. Legislators need to bring this hazard to the atteItion of public and private landlords immediately! 2. HOLD CAR • TRUCK DRIVERS RESPONSIBLE FOR II DIDN'T SEE HI'" ACCIDENTS WHERE MOTORCYCLE RIDER HAD THE RIGHT OF lAY. All road users have the responsibility of looking out for other traffic. Car drivers especially w.ill have tQ make an effort to look extra care fully now that more motorcycles are on the streets. Especially if they know they can no longer get away with the old alihi, - I didn't see him.- 3. ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT MOTORCYCLE RIDER TRAINING BY PUBLIC AND PRIVATE AGENaES. .Even the smallest training effort improves the safety record of new riders significantly. Why not place an extra $1.00 surcharge on all traffic fines to create a fund for motorcycle rider instruction and safety re'search? 4. REqUl1E MOTORCYCLE DEALERS AND RENTAL AGENCES TO OFFER AHELMET TO EVERY BUYER AND RENTER BEFORE ALLOWING THEM TO RIDE. 5. INSTRUCT DMV LICENSE EXAMINERS TO DEDUCT POINTS FROM MOTORCYCLE LICENSE APPLICANTS WHO' FAIL TO WEAR HELMETS WHEN TAKING THEIR BIDING TEST. Ii. Legislators may even go so far as to REqUIRE MOTORCYCLE RIDERS TO HAVE HELMETS "ACCESSlBLE" AT ALL TIMES THAT THEIR MOTORCYCLE IS BEING RIDDEN. This would be in the same 'spirit as the automobile seatbelt laws. Suitable carriers are being developed to accommodate the hats and I suspect that nearly every rider would choose to wear his helmet if it was there. But I prefer to re'serve the right to make that choice. Readers, what do you say? THICK BARRIER I have tried to better relations between the general Public and the motorcyclists for several years all to no avail. There is a thick barrier between the motorcycl1st and most or the people. This barrier has become quite stable and being but one individual !have found it a difficult battle. I do, however, believe that after following Cycle News for some time you are easing this barrier by expressing motorcycles in a pleasant way that outsiders have neglected. You manage to show the joys of cycl1Dg in every field and sport and introduce tile participants to the public. I wish there were more means or communicating with people and making them understand what and wby the enthusiasts are trying to prove. That he isn't trying to damage anyooe's property or corrupt anyooe's way or thi.nId.ng. He's not trying to onvert anyone or chaDge them or tbe1r life but he only wants to enjoy life on a motorcycle and not be ridiculed for doing that. I can only urge you to keep going down the same trail you're on and hopefully in the end it w1ll be rewarding for not onlY you but everyone that now is considered wrong because theyassociate themselves wtth those dirty, evil two-wheeled pieces of machinery. Stanley G. SCales National City, Calif. -Ob, is 'lBAT what's -&:0 We were afraid it ngbt be baUtosts'- BERNHEISE l BOO-BOO CYCLE NEWS OPINION POLL #1 350" LIMIT fOR CLASS 'c' RACING The American Motorcycle Association Competition Rules Committee has proposed to limit the displacement of Class C (professional) racing engines to 350cc. The present limit is 500cc for overhead valve engines ltnd 750cc for sidevalve engines. The 350cc limit rule is scheduled to become effective with the beginning of the 1969 racing season. We would like to know your opinion on this Question which is of vital concern to racers, fans, promoters and industry. Our readers' opinions will help determine Cycle News' policy in this controversy. Please enter your opinion on the convenient ballot printed here or a reasonalile facsimile and send it to Cycle News Opinion Poll Itl, Box 498, Long Beach, California within the next two weeks. Results of the opinion poll will he published here in time to help guide the Competition Committee in their next meeting, late this month. CYCLE NElS READERS OPINION POLL #1 C RACING ENGINES 358ee LIMIT FDR CLASS Please fill out this hallot or a reasonable facsimile and mail it to Cycle News Opinion Poll Itl, Box 498, Long Beach, California before Oct. 15, 1967. In my opinion, the 350Cc rule ••• (please check one) 1) Is a good idea 2) Is not a good idea 0 3) I have no opinion 0 0 Additional comments are welcome: (Signed) extremelY hard. Througbout the remainor the race their lead over the others increased and they SWllllPlldfirstplaceat least 4 or 5 times. Floally on the last lap Andy took the lead in the esses 00 the approach to turn 6 he got on the tront brake a little too hard tor the sl1ppery track, (due to the rubber and oil from the cars), and crasbed. putting him out and breaJdng his coUarbooe. Buddy went 00 to win. Their race-long dice at very high speed had the attention or every spectator plus most or us who were l1n1ng up 00 the pre-grid for the next race, 80 I don't understand Mr. Pett!grew'spreoccupatioo. Also, 1 would I1ke to give credit to Wes Cooley, Pres1dent of the ACA, who put 00 the race under Dot the greatest 01. circumstaDces and OD a track that wu in very dlUlgerous cooditioo for bikes. Wes did not sit hack and let "his boys" do the dhow I1ke so many organizers. He coordinated the race with the car people and had time to don his leathers and take a 3rd place in the 500GP on his own Norton der In your sept. 28 copy of Cycle News you stated that Carl Patrick ran secood in sacramento Amateur time tr1a1s. '1b1s is not true. His time was 43.80, Art Bernbeisel ran second at 43.65. JACK W. NICHOL Redwood City, calif. (- Ria;ht you are, sir. Patrick just ran second in his heat race and the Ama teur final, Our apoiogies to BemheiseL-) MORE OF THE STORY Am writ1Dg in reference to the repcrt at Riverside on the 17th or this month. As reported, it was held in conjunction with a car race and there was a considerable, crowd 00 hand. From tile spectators that I talked to, the bike race was a very pleasant surprise, kind of llke going toa good movie and seeing a short subject that's as good or better than thefeature. I can understand the lack of reporting for all the races but the 250cc combined G.P. and production. In the under 200cc combined G.P. & Prod. race there were close to 50 entries on the grid, so the reason for confusion Is obvious. However the 250cc class was relatively smaller. At the start or the 250cc race Andy Lascoutx trom Boston Yamaha Jumped to the lead with Buddy Parriott in close pursuit. Colin Jones clocked Andy at 1:51 for the 1st lap from the drop of the flag. 'Ibis is 4 sec. off ot the fastest time set by Art Baumann last Jlme on a s1m11ar machine. By the secood lap both Andy and Buddy had stretched tbe1r collective lead to almost one half a lap. Both were 00 a 5-port Ymaha and both were riding by Mr. Pettigrew 00 the ACA race Manx. Andy's mending and should be racing in a month. Tom Howard ACA itI20 Los Angeles, Calif. CORRESPONDENT FROM SPAIN I have one complalnt. Two weeks ago my brother, Jobn Riggen, took rtrst at Bay Mare at the Dist. 37 Grand Prix and he won the Ligbtwe1ght s-epstakes and you people said NOTHING!! He beat a buDch of top names ~ he's only in his second year of nclng. Everything else Is great - I still dig Cycle News. Be cool. "SUPER STEVE" RIGGEN APO New York, USAFE (-Sorry about that, steve. Just hope it's not too 10Da: before you'U be home to watch your brother perform in person.-) MARTINO BOOSTER There is a guy, a Checker, who rtnishes every desert race, is in the first ten (No. 8 00 his 500 BSA Victor), name Whitey Martino - a fair sportsman. He isn't No. 1 yet, but his heart is in riding, so watch out, boys. Whitey is a mechanic in a well-known cycle shop, and keeps other riders' cycles in shape besides his wife's and his. AlI I want to say is, "Whitey, keep up the good riding." SOMEONE WHO NOTICES Los ADples, calif. FULTON NEI JOMO SALES MANAGER Walt Fulton has been named as SBles Manager for Jolmsoo Motors, Inc., _stern distributor of Triumph motorcycles, according to E. W. Colman, Vice President and General Manager. Fulton is a veteran in the motorcycle field having gone the gamut from rtder to sales and marketing director. starting in motorcycle competitioo hack in 1945, Walt became associated on the dealer side with Valley Cycle in San Bernardino in 1949. He brings a wealth or Triumph experience, having served as Midwest IXstrict Manager for Triumph corporation, Towson, Maryland from 1954 to 1961. The Fulton familY resides in orange. CaliforD1a, and three boys, ages 12, 18 and 19, all are motorcycle entlmstasts. Johnson Motors is beadquartered ill Duarte, California.