Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

,. ~~ ~ .... 0> ~ <\> '" :; .., CI) ~ :<= C.:J ....l U t; ,] Ii DIi and Photos b)" Ernie Flores, Jr. StolY Motorcycling Is getting more popular In Arizona. Figur es from the State Highway Department reveal that registration for the two-wheeled vehicle had jumped from 17,349 In 1966 to 20,464 In 1967 or an Increase of 2,930 In one year . This means that one out of 130 Ar izonans (population - 1,575,000) now rides a motorcycle. or course , this number Is still peanuts compared to Call!ornla with a 314,000 registered motorcycles In 1966 and a ratio of one motorcycle rider for every 55 persons. Nevertheles s, the Arizona tlgures reveal a trend that wtl1 keep on througb the years . T ri pl e Usage Ar izonans use motorcycles for atleast three purposes: ror transportation, ror fun, and tor making a living . or these, the largest are those who use It to go around. About 40 percent of the students at Arizona State University In Tempe, ror Ins tance , ride motorcycles . This Includes an Incr easing number or gir ls who have learned to ride the two-wheeled vehi cle and who can be seen scooting around the campus, mini -skirts and all. Because or the large number or motorcycles in the school, the auth orities have been for ced to pr ovide special parking areas for them. For reasons of economy more and more employees and workers too are using motorcycles to com mute between their homes and their jobs . The average worker in Phoeni x lives some ten miles away In the suburbs. WIth a ear, his blll would be no less than $5.00 a week ror gasoline to and from his work alone . On the other hand, !! he rides a 90Cc motorcycle with a range or 100 mUes per gallon, he would be spending about 63 cents a week only• On maintenance he spends practically nothing . Motorcycle engines and parts are so simple that they rarely have malfunctions that could not be straightened out by the owner himself. And even!! It Is necessary to visit the repair shop, a complete tuneup costs about $6.00 at the most. The practical!ty of the two- wheeled vehi cle for commuting between home and o!!lce has been demonstrated by Arizonans ror years . One Phoenix employee, for Ins tance, has been r iding one ror the last 20 years . His views may be debatable, but he insists a motorcycle Is not only more economical but actually safer than a car it handled properly. For proof? He never had a s erious accident thr oughout his motorcyclin g life. Mor e and more gover nment o!!lce s and corpo rations, too, are using twowheeled vehicles ror various purposes. Inspection and maintenance men of the Arizona Public Highway Department have been going around for years on orangepainted scooters. They are so many In number' that a motorist Is likely to meet two or thr ee of them on a slreetln a day• It's Fun, Too! Those who ride for fun also constitute a major portion of the motorcycling public In Arizona. This group Is largely compos ed of hunters, campers, and trallriders who love to explore the deserts and wilderness with their machines. They also love to organize themselves tnto associations and put up races, r oad runs and other events. '. Officia l gives countdown to pretty contestant in Phoenix trail ri ding race. SALINAS RAMBLERS TOP AMACLUB Photo by Allred Intrep id tra il ri der wends his way down a steep hill during recent race for trail machI nes held In Ar izona. The sport has made gi ant strides and now one out of every 130 Arizonans rides a mo torcyc les. Antel op e Ramblers Moto-C ros s Saddl eback - June 30, 196 100cc Novice 1st DON GREVE - Hodaka 2nd BRUCE NOSBUSCH - Hodaka 3rd DAN HOCKIE - Hodaka 100cc Ama teur - Exp er t Class 1st H MENDENHALL - Hodaka 2nd H HENDERSON - Hodaka Here Comes The Law L ightwe ight Swee pstake s 1st DANNY HOCKIE - Hodaka For a first..hand demonstration of HODAKABILIrY,visit your dealer for a free test ride. 'T'Wl-- .:U "'.....""'c 0 "JIll. a FortM dea le r you ,write : . -i'~ n ~ are't - lIOU'''' UOl" '" Inciden tally, although the objec tive or this group Is only to have run, It Is actually split Into two racuons, the spokewheel r iders and the scooter r iders. For sometime the spoke-wheel r iders have dominated the sc ene . Lately, however, there has been an unprec edented Incr ease in the number of scooter r iders, particularly the trall-rldlng varie ty. The Bearca t Ma nura c tur in g Company of Phoeni x, for Ins tance, which makes the " Twis ter " trail scooter, has sold some 3,000 units to Arizona riders since Its establishment 6 years ago. And speaking about motorcycle sales, there are now 33 full-time dealers and about 18 repair shops In Phoenix and suburbs alone. There are scores more In the other cities or the state. The professional side of motorcycling tn the state Is provided by the racers. There are three principal motorcycle race tracks In Phoen ix and suburbs. They are ManzanIta Park Speedway which reatures motorcycle racing every week, Beeline Dragway, and Phoenix International Raceway. There are a number of race tracks In Tucson , Yuma, and other parts or the s tate. ' .0 . lOX 327 ATHENA, OIEGON 978 1: UOIl'''' HOIl'''' 1I01l'''' ItOIl'''' 11(1),,,, !lOI"" , With the incr easing number of motorcyclists In Arizona, s tate authorities are showing gr eater concern for two-wheeled legislation. This Is eviden ced by the recent passage of State Senate Blll No. 11 to take effect on January 9, 1969 which provides for the licensing or motorcycles, their renting or leasing, and the mandatory use of certaln equipment by motor cyclis ts . The law provides that no person shall rent or lease a motorcycle or motor driven cycle to any person unless the operator is equipped with protecti ve head and race gear . The person r enting the motorcycle mus t als o be duly l!censed, a tact that mus t be verified by the lessor by comparing the written signature or the person renting the vehicle with that on the license. The law also provides that the operator and passenger or a motorcycle or motordriven cycle shall at all times, while operating or riding on such a vehicle, wear a protective helmet on his head in an appropriate manner safely secured. They must also wear protective glass es , goggles , or a transparent tace shield of a type approved by the commission unless the motorcycle Is equipped with a windshield. In addition, the motorcycle must be equipped with a rear-view mirror and s hould not have handlebars r lslng more than 15 inches above the level of the rider' s sea t or saddle. Sali nas Rambl ers M.C. representati ve Larry Ketze l (left) receiv es ·Top Cl ub of l he Year" award from AMA Presl dent Bi ll Bagnall. Annuall y, the AMA ·s elects one outstanding group from Its 1500 chartered clubs to receive the " Top Club or the Year" award. This year, the SaUnas Ramblers M.C. or SalInas, Call!. were recipients of the coveted prlze••.and well deserved It was, too. The Ramblers, 20- year AMA mem bers, are particularly active In community service and benefit competition events. Thelr close cooperation with the SaUnas Elks Lodge has r esulted In much favorable civic recognition of their errorts, just one or which Is a yearly s crambles with all . proceeds going to benetit cerebral palsied children. In 1967, a check for $12,000 was turned over to the rund. Congratulations to the SaUnas Ramblers and thei r president. Bob Dly, for all the fine work. .- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - S 4ge- ';¥'tJltPtM,d, ~ut#t ?lt6t6- ~d,d, The Sage- Hopper s M.C. of Encini tas , Cal!!., whose members stress the motto, " U' s bette r to build boys than mend men, " have taken on a most ambitious project In their youth activltles work. The club , after a diligent search, found the Pop Warner Football League to be In dire financlal need . The SageHoppers will assist this worthy youth group by presenting anAMA-sanctioned, National and sportsman points-paying moto-cross race, Sunday, August 4 In Encinitas, caur. One-hundred percent of the proceeds are to be given to the chosen charity. A new course, limed from Fwy. #5 and Enclnltas Blvd., Is being prepared, and trophies will be presented by beauty queens. Practice begins at 9 a .m., fir st moto at 10 a.m, For more Info contact Bob Gooding at (714) 753-2907 .

• Cover