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/125584
( Story and Photos by John Blanton MINERAL WELLS, Texas , OCt. 20-The Asphalt Aviators M.C. held Its final hlllclimb of the s eason Sunday. Under clear skies two hundred and fifty r iders turned out to assault the hill. Time allowed only one qualifying attempt for each rider so It was do-or-die as each man In order, starting with the smaller machinery, scrambled for the top, Over 100 attempts fai led before Joe C-ates on a 250Cc Bultaco became the first to sail over the top, 180 feet from the start. From then on, as the bike got bigger, It became more commonplace to mak e the summit. Around the Wor d -- BY BIKE! Story and Photo by Bill Harmer It all started when Bob Evans, fulf1lllng one of the requirements of Ex plorer Scouting in Adelaide, Australia had to plan and make a journey. He chose to ride his ' 55 650 Triumph to the .. Out Back, " a flat, arid, sparsely settled badlands that covers a great part of the cen te r of the continent. Bob an d two chums set out. One had cycle trouble and had to back home on a truck. Th e other, on a BSA had about five s erious spills , each ti me dr opping the ma chi ne on hi s right leg. He had to lay over at one of the homesteads about 10 days unti l treatment arrived . Upon returning s afely hom e , Bob said he wanted to travel to othe r countries. But his fa ther insis te d that he learn a trade. This he did until 23 . The n in '64, as a jour neyman plumber , Bob pac ked his bike onto a ship bound for England. Her e his motor cy cle explo r a tion r eally s tarted. After getting a job to s upport himself, he toured the Br itis h Isl es . When It came time to r elicense his motor he decided to le t it go an d bought a 250cc Cot ton two- s troke. On it he toured northern Europe, riding above the Arctic circle to the most nor the rn point of lan d In Europe. Past Arctic Circle Returning to England, he placed an order for a new R-60 BMW which he picked uP In Munich. Then he toured the European countries he'd missed previously• Last year he came to thi s continent. As his original plan was to cir cumnavi ga te the wor ld, he Is heading East from the Mid- East (which he hasn't considered safe until now), an d on a cross As ia Into India; From Ceylon he'll sail a cross the Indian Ocean to Australla. Bob' S BMW has speclally-bulItaiumlnum panl ers for stowing things and a r ugged luggage rack. Beside thes e he has Iron pipe racks which extend from the down bars of the fr ame an d back a cross the cylinders . He us es the se for carrying cans of water , etc . Having traveled as far as he has, Bob has defini te Ideas about what he needs. He says that he chose BMW beca us e he thought it would be reliable and r un on a minimum of maintenan ce . In 24, 000 mUe s he changed the spark plugs only once and he changes the oil every 2,000 miles. So far the machine has never fai led him . He 'd like to hav e a fai ring but hasn' t been able to afford Over the top. One of JUlt elpt to p t tha t far. .,. one. orld Cha pio 5 go wit Bell The spectato rs wlSh lIley could help, but It's all over. TORSTENIIIllto-cross champion HALLMAN ,4 times world IVAspeedway champion MAUGER world . W loe-ou L 1\ took over 100 !rl.. berore lomebod)' made IL See your Bell Helmet Dellier All told, eight finished the trials successfully, the best time going to Bill Simpson (Husqvarna) a t 6.4 seconds. The top ten from each class went to the final r ound, with trophies to the best three In each class. The results In the 175cc class are provisional due to a protest In that class. (Results on page 16)