Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

Lose Yo.r '''e.fit, . Ri"e a Mu" Sera_Illes By Tom DJlli.ng WILLOW CREEK, Cal.. Jan. 19 - The Trallsters advertised a grass scrambles but, alter 48 hours 01 rain and a tew practice laps, all concerned decided that Mud Scrambles would be more appropriate. The three-quarter mUe course was laid out twisting around the parking lot 01 the club-owned T.T. track. Holes that weren't there the lap before put rider alter rider down into the mud. Not one entry could say that he hadn't been down at least once. After taId.ng a look at the course, rain, mud-splattered riders and overall scene, some of the less hardy riders did not bother to unload their machines. Some 01 the less hardy macblnes gave UP alter a tew laps. Water-prooling Is the name 01 the game in this area but the rain coming out 01 the sky was enough to side-line a macblne. After a few laps, everyone looked alike. Something never seen before - at the end 01 each moto, the riders would circle back and tell the scorers who they were and how they linlshed. Once two riders went down near each other, got UP, grabbed the wrong machines and only alter a couple 01 kicks did they discover their error, trade scooters and take olt. Due to the huge amount 01 entries In the 0-125 class, two qualilying heats and a semi were used to determine transfer to the three-lap motos. As it turned out, the tatality rate was so high in this class that all the survivors numbered enough to make a good race. B1l1y Law 01 Eureka used Far West Motorcycle Club President Don Wright's new Penton and splashed off to three decisive I1rsts. E.B. entertained himsell by splattering all the cars, trucks, and spectators that were within his range. Far West Motorcycle ClUb Secretary, Joe Tomich, was the only rider easy to recognize all day, as the performance 01 his new Penton kept a huge smile on Joe's tace while carrying him to second place. Dave Luzzi stayed with his Hodaka long enough to take third and Chuck Gay slogged into tourth with his Hodaka. Elaine (Jawa Jane) Kerrigan took home a first place trophy trom the special class set UP tor juniors and girls. That's six trophies out 01 six races for hercome on you guys, something has got to be done. Randy Fields was second in this special class and kept the only trophy that stayed in the Wlliow Creek Area. But in all falrness, the majority of the Trailsters were working the event. Both Feet Down Rich Lampe and bls Greeves churned around in fine form into first in the 250 "B" bunch. Bill Hunter hung onto his Yamaha long enough for second. One other happy man was Bill Christensen, who took home the third place trophybls first competition brass (he won the FWM/C poker run a while back). in the 250 "A" class, Gary Howard splattered the rest of the boys most of the alternoon for first place. Brian Lee was promoted to "A" rider by the Trailsters this event and was truly proud of his new rating. The mud covering his mouth and face must have garbled his speech as all that came out were short, unprintable words. Ben Cringle and Lee put on a real good day 01 racing with Lee taking second and Benny third. All 250 "A" winners were Yamaha-mounted. Eureka motorcycle dealer, Richard Miller, used a Maico to take first in the 25l-0pen. Attorney John Morrison put his snow skiing abllity to use, while at the same time developing a new mud style. Jobn just plopped both teet down and schussed his Matco aiong into second. Not to insinuate that John has large feet, but someone said that atleast three cows must go to their eternal reward everytime be orders a new pair of boots. Husqvarna-mounted Jay Stradley pulled third. Vern Morrison also demonstrated a new style - this one a high-speed belly flop, sliding for about 100 feet, and then crossing the finish line - didn't count though; his Huskie was riding him. Mr. and Mrs. Rose Kuhnle 01 Eureka have a summer home in Willow Creek; alter the events in that area all are welcome to drop in to change clothes, shower and run the race over and over and over and aver. On the way to Kuhnle's home tor stray motorcyclists, we saw one other thing that gives a good idea of the type of event- a group of racers at the car wash, washing each other ott. (Results 011 page 16) Got Your Papers Straight? Even On Your Race Machine Stoo and Photos by Maureen Lee "11 you keep a motorcycle long enough, you're going to have it stolen." These shocking words came trom Detective Charles Hollingsworth, Auto Theft Detail, Huntington Beach Police Department; and he backed UP that statement by providing the statistics to prove it. As of July 1968, 46,483 veblcles were stolen and a whopping 16,512 of these were motorcycles. That's enough to make you want to rush home, put two more locks on the door and keep a brace of bulldogs in your garage. Not only that, the rate 01 recovery on motorcycles Is very small ·due to the fact that many of them are broken up and sold as parts or changed into diri bikes. . Don't think either that stealing bikes is only done by kids or one-shot artists. Hollingsworth said they have evidence \ Altered frame numbers maklnc the f,ame-Il· lecal. Some thlews skllffu"y add body putty Oft, flled-olt numbers and ,...tamp new number. with factory correct dies. Howeve" the law has lab technicians who can brine out almost completely obllter,aled numbers. that there Is a highly eUicientsyndicatetype group in business. Case in point; a man who stopped for a quick beer on the way home. His 74 was out in tront cba1ned to a lamppost with the frontfork also locked. When he came out, it was gone. As Hollingsworth said, you can't steal a full-dress Harley in that short a time without planning, and with the proper equipment, like a truck equipped with a holst. Pollce have long been aware 01 the stolen motorcycle problem but are only now starting to really do something about it. With the continuing growth in sales it will become an intolerable theft problem very shortly. Stolen bikes are handled through Auto Theft and they always have their hands more than full in just handling four- wheeled vehicles without needing this added burden. They are also hampered by D.M.V. people who are unfamiliar with motorcycle registrations; a shortage of untrained officers who don't know exactly what to look for in checking a bike; and the riding public, many of whom don't give a hoot until they themselves are caught Up in a theft situation. Then they tend to yell long and loudl Things are changing though. Detective Hollingsworth and others are willing to assist any Police Department who needs helP in checking out bikes. He hopes tor the day when all our tracks and road runs will be tree trom those riding the $200 variety of bike alongside the honest citizen who paid maybe $1300 for the same model. He feels we should all have enough pride in our sport to want to clean up this mess - and a mess it is. WIthout so many people eager to save a buck (and all of us are tempted now and again) the thieves wouldn't be able to stay in business. The bad part is that so many parts are readily available to racers who have blown up and don't want to pay the going price on a part from their dealer ••• and in some cases dealers too have stock that Isn't kosherl "What machines are stolen the most?" we asked Hollingsworth. "First, Honda, the kids really go alter those and we -aimost never get them back, then Harley, Triumph, Yamaha, BSA and SUZuki." Remember the uproar that took place late last year when the Huntington Beach track opened and the pollce department checked and impounded bikes? Eventually this will happen at all tracks and even the desert will not be immune as the pollce move into a more concentrated program. The two cases in point we'll use will be John Kavanaugh and Terry Dorsch whose Triumphs were impounded the second race there. Kavanaugh's frame definitely showed a "funny number", an expression used to classify either one that has odd-siZed numbers, ones defaced or re-stamped or anything that deviates from the factory norm and every factory has its own style 01 stamping. Anything that is not factory fresh is suspect, and the lawhas the right to Impound it on the spot regardless 01 what papers you hold proving the bike Is yours. In thls case the trame looked in one spot llke a rasp of some kind bad been used although the number didn't appear to be re-stamped. Dorsch's machine had a chrome frame on it, makingitextremely d1lficult to check any numbers, plus one engine number turned sideways. Kavanaugh had purchsed his macblne out 01 the crate trom a very reputable dealer and Hazen Ba1r from Johnson Motors was present with us in Hollingsworth's ofiice to assist by presenting documentation on this particular machine. The change or. attempted change was not recorded from the fac tory as they sometimes are when a mistake occurs in the initial stamping, butallother papers were in order and shown. Dorsch's machine was purchased as a used dirt bike with the too-often hazy history of same but all bis purchase papers were in order. He bad bought it tairly cheaply and had spent a lot 01 money fixing it into the beautiful macblne it is (or was). Destroy Machine After the Department impounds a machine and checks out numbers it Is up to the officer in charge as to what happens next. If the machine or parts 01 it ar,e definitely stolen, and the numbers are unchanged, and the lucky ex-owner can be traced, be gets It back. If this is impossible because of number changes the olficer can go to court and ask for a judgment to destroy the parts or complete machine. In the case of parts only, the owner Is returned the parts not stolen. So if you have an engine that doesn't fit what the law says, you might get back SIDlen, and retrieved, IIOID,cyc les stand oublde the Impound shed. Alte'ed enclne numbers make Impound ball oui of this Ha,tey. everything else back but that, or everything but the frame. In Kavanaugh'S case he was returned his complete machine because this was obviously a case 01 sometb1ng going wrong somewhere and he was caught in the middle. His trame, though, is still "illegal" in that It hasthatfwmynumber 011 It. His recourse now Is to have the distributor or the dealer provide him with a new trame with the new numbers run through the D.M.V. Otherwise the next oflicer who looks at it can impound it and put hiln through the whole tb1ng all over again. Dorsch, however, lostaconsiderable portion of bls bike including that beautifui frame. Ask blm bow be feels about that. Protecting YourseU To try to protect yoursell, tirst, take a good look at any machine you buy, even if it's brand spanking new. Lately the best manulacturers, well aware 01 these problems, are coming up with numbers almost impossible to change. BIlY trom a reputable dealer. There are such things as law suits, and he knows it. This gives you an added protection, but still, just peek at those numbers. It's your money at stake. 11 you think numbers look tunny then take time to have them checked by the law and don't complete the financial transaction until you do, and the D.M.V. bas cleared the paper work. And if just the paper work looks a little weird, don't come up with the final payment until that is cleared too. Don't buy when the paper work looks hazy. Make sure the papers are completely in order especially when buying a used dirt bike and trom a private party. Even this won't protect you trom losing your machine if you do end up with something stOlen, but it helps. Howevermuch as you want to pretty up your bike don't polish numbers olf cases, obliterate them or make them hard to see. We know there are cases without numbers especially on the prolessional circuit, plus specialtrames etc., a tact that gives the pollce a headache tb1nk1ng about it; but they're cracking down there too. Leave those numbers on. By taking them off you've earned the right to have your bike impounded. Anyone can make a mistake and pick up a bike with all paperwork in order (titles can be lals1fied) so it pays to give a little thought to all transactions. Remember that it you're picked up you'Ulose your bike, plus what you paid tor it it found guilty. Chances are, the thief will still be walking around, with you still making payments. If you do come onto a situation where you know darn well stolen stulf is being peddled, have a word with an officer you know. One trailbike rider did, alter a chopper rider bragged a bit on bls equipment. End result was a bust of a ring bringing stolen bikes into Calilornia trom the mid-west. If you don't have an otl1cer you know, ask around, or call Dectective Hollingsworth. We visited the impound barn where all the machines were, and rejoinCed to see bow they were handled. Each bike was carefully swathed in heavy quilting. After a recent impounding where Hollingsworth bad seven macblnes there be slept with them for a few nights .. just in case." Thieves have been known to swipe impounded mac h i n e strom right UDder police noses.

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