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/125601
... "" GrfJodl1lfJ lefJros To Ride II TrfJillJilte by .Julia Craw It Isn't ta1r to make a lady ten her lIP but I will admit that I have been called ''GraDdma'' a lot 01' years. And my husbaDd has me beat by a decade. So, wbeD he started IalJdng traiIbikes, I tbooght I was completely justified in using lIP as a cop-out. Or maybe I hIId nursed too many motorcycle casulaties - Dice, healthy, young men with good calclum-strong, plastic bones who hIId been overpowered by their machines. Or maybe I hIId heard too much about the Hell's Angels. Whatever itwas,Iputboth feet down bard. He countered by quietly pointing out tile number of these vehicles being carried inside, topside, on front and on back <1 tile cars and campers we passed. He marked good new exploring areas on our maps - places we hadn't been able to reach. He mentioned the weight of our !llIckpac ks • (I hIId to agree they were getting heavier every year.) FlnaI1y I said, "All right, you can get OIle- but you have to teach me to ride it. If you can't, we give uP the idea of trailblkes..' J That, I thought, would do it, especially since I hadn't yet even learned to ride a bicycle. But the gleam in his eye should have war ned me. Well, he bought one. Andrew started me out gently. He put me on the "buddy seat" and rode me along quiet, smooth, country roads to give me the "feel of balancing." Nexthe put me in the rider's seat, put his hands over mine, and steered me along the trails. Then came the moment I was on my own. Feet fiytng, front wheel twisting like the heIId of a sun-f1shingbronco, throttle lCl, down, lIP, down, bumping, bucking, bouncing, I made twenty feet before I landed in a heap at the side of the road, with the beast on its side beyond me. That ended the first week's lesson; I Photo by Andrew Craw guess he thought he should allow time for tile bruIses to heal. On the following Friday a surprising tiling hIId haPpened inside me. When he said, "We'll take the bike out tomorrow and try it again," lnsteIId of reluctaDce I felt a queer I1ttIe fiiclrer of 8lIP1"Dess. Deep down was a sudden and unellPeCted desire to show that cantaDJcerous manmade brute who was boss. Gray balr, yes - brittle bones, maybe - but 110 rude two-wheeled macb1ne was going to pt away with tossing me aronDd. By the end of the weekend, I was riding on my own, andlliklng Lt. Elsinore 1100 Riders By Marty Gomez Entries from 1,100 riders have been confirmed by the Gripsters M.C., sponsors of the second annual Elsinore 100mile Grand Prix, February 8 and 9. The race is unique in that it is the only race in the United States that includes the city streets as part of the course. This year riders will be coming from as far away as Connecticut. Small-bore motorcycles will run on Saturday. The bigger machines are slated for Sunday. Race time for both days ls 11 a.m. Steve Hurd and Steve Scott, last year's overall winners, 'have again entered in this year's event. Lose Helmet Test Case The Appellate Division of the COl!necticut Circuit Court uPheld the constitutionality of that state's controversial "helmet law" in a case backed by the Connecticut Motorcycle Association. "It does not tax the intellect," the court said, "to comprehend that loose stones on the highway kicked uP by passing vehicles••.could soatfectthe operator of a motorcycle as to cause him momentully to lose control and thus become a menace to other v e h i c Ie s on the higbway." The court further was of the opinion that the law "is notdlseriminatory since 'equal protection is accomplished when all of a same class are treated in a like manner." Hailwood Quits Mike Hai lwood, Ihe road racer wIlo has _ more TT's and world championships tIlan anyone 01 .., has announced his official relire_I from molorcycle racln, and Is now ombarkln, on a car..r of car racine. New Fl. rulos are attributed to Mille's qultllne. Independent Researches Aslced To Measure Us Up The Federal government is runn1ng advertisements in the Commerce Bustness DIlily, apaperpublishedbytheD8Pt. of Commerce, asklngforlndependentresearchers to conduct two separate studies in motorcycle safety. The first will cover turn signals, lighting, handlegrips, foot rests, pedals and seats. The second will measure motorcycle riders in an attempt to establish a base of data to be used in setting safety standards for motorcycle construction. **********************************************************************************~ The ultimate in on-theroad or off-Ihe-road performance. Thi s is the Beeza with the famous H.-net heritage. ull ia '69 the Firellird is IIIDre of a willler lllaa ever. 9:1 ~ pressiln ratil. Tlnell .,swept crlsSlver pipes for max. . . d .... anee .d p~ee. Bigger cans .. d . . accelerati•• Oa lie rulII • • IIIe track, this is lie lie lie " s willllawe tolleat. See Your Bold or d Dea er BSA 'eSlIl'l 2145 E. Hantinct-a Drift Duarte, California 91011 Ph (213) 359-9211