Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

By Bill Blakeslee The accompanying photo could almost be one of the international riders at the International Six Days Trials. Notice the taped lights, speedometer and the house in the background. It could bebutltlsn't, In fact it was taken at the recent Elsinore Grand Prix. We have no ISDT in this country. Some events come close though, like the Berkshire event on the East coast and our local Elsinore G.p. Sure, I know, the Elsinore is a wide open speed contest but it does cover a vast variety of terrain. All it needs is a fast speed" schedule" and a few special skill test thrown in, to resemble the ISDT. Americans have lOng cialmed that the AMA produces champions with a variety ot riding skills, unl1ke Europe's system where there is a champion in each category. But does our Number One ever ride Hareln Hound or Trials? The ISDT heroes are renuine all around racers plus mecbanics. They can ride over all terrain, for lonr h6urs and in adverse _ther and repair their bikes themselves when somethinr goes wrong. Far be it from me to suneet that our Number One couldn't do the same. Our racing just doesn't cover th1s. The real point is that NONE ot our rac1ng includes thisl And yet variety Is the real essence ot motorcycle rid1Dg. Motorcycles were orig1nally desiened for transportatiOll only, and they rot their start by being a good form ot transportation. They are mostly used for sport nowadays but street rid1Dg still occupies a large portion ot the interest. What could be more log1cal than having racers that resemble an actual motor; cycle with llrhts, fenders, muffier and license (excluding protessional racing ot course)? Then perhaps there would be more truth to the saying that "racing improves the breed". CompOllents that really worked would find their way from b1Ites 011 the street and components that could take the pound1Dg ot a race would be fitted on street bikes developed from racing bikes. One other benefit seems to offer itself. Think ot the improved image DOll-enthusiasts would get from seeing motorcyclists performing on machines more related to the ones they see everyday in traftic. Without the noise and the exotic looking stripped-down machine, the nonenthusiasts (the same one who pushes compulsory "safety" on us) would be less able to divorce himsel( from us. With a little more juggling ot speed and schedules, our street legal machines could include small towns in the course. inspectors hap p 11 y passed el\P&llSiOll chambers on two Span1sh bikes entered in the production race at the Isle ot Man TT races last year. The bikes were first and second finishers. Many protests flew back and forth. The AC U, not to be outdone by its own tech inspectors, delayed decision over eight months I Now they have decided that expansion chambers on production machines are illegal after all. The mind boggling begins when you realize there are no wl1lIlers to the 1968 TT 250 Production Race. The third place finisher was not moved up to first and so forth. Maybe they were worried about how to Trailsfer. By Tom Dilling For the first time the public could see us as normal human types, like themselves. -Mind Boggier" Some wit OIIce coined the saying ,•••• the mind boggles at the thought". Its otten an apt saying but possibly never more accurate than when appl1ed to the present situation with the ACU. TbeACU Is the English equivalent ot the AMA only they have a higher authority over their riders. The sImilarity doesn't end there, they also have "tech inspectors" (though theirs don't wear red hats) and anyone wIIo has been to Daytona has seen the epitome ot that fine art. The ACU's tech The T r 1nit y Trailsters ot Wlllow Creek, California held their second Rough Scrambles In a series of four on Sunday, March 9. Competitors are going for regular trophies plus overall high point trophies that will be awarded at the final event. These will be the four overall hIgh point men. (There seems to be some confusion concerning this. Classes have nothing to do with the total outcome. Winners will be the top four men period. They can be any combination ot classes.) The last race was held on a 3/4 mile track that was interest1nC to ride. Let's take a quick tour ot the course: Take off at the Une - hit secODd - go between a pile ot picnic furniture on the right and the hardware protrud1ng off the water truck on the left - up a narrow, steep trall - turn right at the small pepperwood iree - 9-1/2 feet straight - lett at the live oak tree - alonr a narrow, rocky trail (at this point, If you feell1lte it, you can spit about 400 feet straight down to the Trinity River) - dive off the ridge to the left - start a gradual turn to the right at the 6-inch fir tree - hit third at the toilet (men's) - begin a gradual sweeper to the left - hit fourth at the dead carrest for a wh1le across the field - sharp left at the tire (ttre?)_ sharp right around a power pole - sharp left between two huge gate posts - grab fourth and go down the straight, alming at the furniture or the water truck (optional). The wildest racing ot the day seemed to take place duting praclfce. Everyone collect the prize money given to first ~ place atter ei(ht months. Maybe tile AMA isn't so bad, eh wet? ~ Up From Down Under Dewayne Keeter is back in L.A. town, after a series of speedway races in Austral1a. He brought back a souvenir too - not a kangaroo, but a fellow speedway racer from Australla named Greg Kentwell. He promptly took him to Clarice's ABC Leathers in South Gate, Calif. to get titted with American type (color) leathers. Then they're both off to England to try their luck there. If Dewayne does as well as he did down under he'll have no sweat. seemed full or energy and spirit. Maybe because It was the first time they bad seen the sun on a Sunday for such a long time. The 250 class was won by Brian Lee (Yam). This Eureka businessman and Bultaco-mounted Ray Crivello bad a great race during the first heat. Crivello led from the start but missed a shift in the last lap and against Lee, that's fatal. Crivello is currently In the last P&Y1Dr spot and Lee Is si tt1ng on top in first. Jay Stradley ot Arcata took third and is nipping at fourth by less than 100 points In the fifth and "no pay" position. Dave Jackson (Yam) was fourth and he,in turn, Is nipping at Stradley by just 12 points. The 251-()pen class bad some wild and woolley racing. At the start ot the first heat Dave Reynolds spotted everyooe a big lead as he killed his engine 011 the line. Finally it started and he went tearing off after everyone. Reynolds' Triumph caught and passed every macJl1De in the race except the Husqvarna that.... holding up Ed Nielsen (and that Is a bIc job in itself). Reynolds went 011 to wID this class with Nielsen secODd. During this race we saw Laymen Gattis run a good sol1d race. Laymen Is new to our area and told us that, although it Is not what ~e is used to, he enjoyed the race and is looking forward to future events. He is a former desert racer from Tarona, California, wIIere he was a nov1ce and a member ot the Sidewinders Club. The Trailsters are plotting a scrambles for their next event of the series. It will be same type ot a scrambles in the Bigfoot Enduro Area. (Results on page 20) DAYTONA Sportsman Class 4 176ee to .u LOOee Daytona Beach, Fla. March 12, 1969 Bridgestone Winner Robin Chase Lions Drag March 16, 1969 F Modified Class 1st Donna Malcomson Bridgestone fOI THE NAME Of 'fOUl NEAIEST DEALEI SO. CAL. McCULLOCH DISr. INC. (213) 112.2108 NO. CAL. COAST McCULLOCH (415) UN 3·5520 Q,. ~ [;oJ ~ [;oJ d )., U

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