Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

- Q MEET - THE TUNER .. "" '" "" '" e, 00 <0 <:l> ...,. "" '" .Q S t> 0 CI) :t: c.J Z c.J ....:l U :... o ED C:lOWELL Story and Photo by Dick Wright Eddi e Crowell Is fir s t and foremost a moto r cycle enthusiast; he 11v e s and br eathes bikes, and runs one of the iast old-fashioned cycle sh ops In Souther n California. It all started back In inglewood High In 1948: Eddi e got a 1931 vintage Harley Davtdson V.L ., then changed to a rigid AJ S, on down the llne of ditfer ent equipment. Afte r serving In the Army, he went to wor k welding In his DIId's shop. He was also doing some bike riding, and taking on s ome mechanical wor k. V,ben the bike repairs got to be heavter than the welding, he opened up a s hop nex t door . That was In 1956, and he's still In the same old shop, which Is still In need of Impr oved llghting• Eddi e's first two- stroke was a 1958 Puch, In those days , the 200cc bikes didn' t go anywhere, but he s tarted experimen ting on his and found tha t there was jus t no end to the two-stroke ' s posslblllties . About this time, he started picking th e braIn of an old frlend -and-tuner , Bill Lan defel d, of Landefeld Moto rs, L.A. Bill knew a lot of secrets that he didn' t tell, but Eddi e found out tha t some tim es he would open up and le t some good stuff s h p out . He would only say it once, though, and If you didn' t understand it the fir s t time, too bad, as Bill would walk a way If you said, " What di d you say?" When the Hodakas came out In 1965, Eddi e took them on and started experimen ting right away, then began riding In the IOOcc class. Fr om that time to thi s, the r e has been a lot of testing on that experimental bike, and to a lot of new Innovations. In Eddie'S case , it's not what you do, It's how you do It; In other words, getting the bike to go fast, but finish . Eddie remains an en thus iast and tuner fi rst, and a motor cycle salesman second. You can get all the answers and bench racing you want from Crowell and hts mechanic, Gerald Rogers, because In their low-rent and poorly ' ll ghted shop, the y don't have any salesman - just tuners who know their two-stroke engines . What Is The BEST 100ee Racer? An Iowa fan writes In to ask, ..... with the Incr easing populari ty of the l 00cc class of motor cycles in co mpe ti tion , a few answers would be gr eatly apprecia ted . Road test and editorial .:>pinions on this s ize of bikes is Inte r es ting enough, but a better estimation of a bike' s potential might be obtalned by asking a leading comp etitor his ' per sonal' opin io n." " Gary Balley seems to be an up and coming, successful new r ider who uses three different bikes In various types of racing. Could you Intervie w hi m and ask questions such as the following regarding a bike's pe rfor mance abillties? (1) How doe s the modified-stock Hodaka compare wlth the Van - Tec h Hadaka? (In motocr oss WId deser t). (2) On paper, the VanTech Hodaka would s ee m to be the finest performer In any type of racing. Is this t ru e? (3) Woul e ideal bike be a VanTe ch-Penton-sachs, a Penton- Hodaka, or a Hodaka - Pe nton -sachs? " While ans wers to these type s of questions would be enti rely a personal opinion, com ments from Mr . Balley would be greatly appreciated." (Signed) Tom Joad, 10_ City, 10_. So we asked Gary Balley and he replied with the following candid comments: " The Van Tech fram e Is definitely be tt er than the s tock frames of Hodaka and Penton for use on a TT track. The Van-Tech frame has a longer wheelbase an d a lower r iding posi ti on which is a big help In TT racing. "Actually the Pe nton has the best s etup for various types of racing. Racing ts what It ts designed to do. The Hodaka Is designed as a trailblke, al though 'illi th modification It makes a very co mpetitive l 00cc r ig. " Ei ther the Hodaka or the Penton would be a good choice in a Van-Tech frame for TT. Their engines are ver y close in desi gn, tha t Is the y' re both piston controlled port engines. Whd really ma kes the difference Is who and how the engine Is set up. For de s er t and mote-cros s , the s tock Penton would be best In my opinion. For TT either the Hodaka or sachs engine In a Van-Tech frame would be the best beL But there Is no one bike that can do all these different type s of racing well." So says Gary Balley. 'J!I!:l 'OIUOH 'ttZ Xog O:lONJ!9 :31 IHM H3IHHY:l 03lNnOW HY:l iI -.M!!IN = D RATES: 575 per year (50 issues) for each single business listing, payable in advance. ARIZONA GAROE NA PHOEJIIX Srf~nl aU ol ArIZ. 01 tVt" 'I U nng 1 H.D. r t.lUI IXl o",,· 01 BuDDY STU BBS - ARIZONA H-O. ~I e(t' se o Ualllt!7 '!It'CfIJI'''C Optl1 l4i TUtS.·S. t. 3(1' Eo S. l OO.,ell Re.:, P'hotnu~!IOO8 . Ttl: 1 1 ?: ~76r. . 601' ~~ C CALIFORNIA ALHAMBnA STWC' S iee, 16lS I. V.lley BI.s. (ZlJ) ~lSl Ibolesate aid Retai l Ceri3li for1ts atd Rear Su sp~ Rid, 1la0'" L...,., Filb'" Ail CI-., TI

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