Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

CO) MINI SCRAMBLES AT SADDLEBACK t 01 a.. Story &< Photos by Leonard E. S1pe ORANGE, Calif., March 23- The mlnibike races at Sadd1ebac.k Park was an event you couldn't take seriously, but it was nonetheless great tim. EYerything was there you would find 10 a regular motorcycle eveot, only scaled down. The Idds were grOUPed according to age, from six years old on llP, and engine size from one horsepower to UDlim1ted. The Lilliputian riders bad to walt around for disorganized officials to run them of! just Uke the real thing. The promoters bad bad the not-so-small problem of cutting out a new l/8-mlle course at 5 a.m. that morning because of last week's raiD washing out the regular track. The bUdd1Dg hotshoes all raced three times in motocross fashion. Points were awarded .to each rider accord1Dg to how he placed in each moto, then the total tallied uP at the end of the day for final stand1Dgs. There were a few spills, but then they were the small scale version. The klds didn't come anywhere near gett1Dg hurt. In fact, the only group of racers that looked like they could get loto trouble were the moms and sisters in the Powder Puff. But they took their rides on the tricky handling little bikes slow and careful, much to the exasperation of their sons and kld brothers, now experienced mini-pros, who had to sit through this "goshdarn girl stuff" before zoom1Dg out onto the track again. Ed Newcomb rode two machines sponsored by Lou Colombo, owner of a lawnmower and mini-bike shop in Cosia Mesa. Lou made avaiIahie a 3 hP Taco and a 5 hP Rupp that Ed put to good use by wlnn1ng his two classes in the 9 to 11 age grouP. The larger machine, an XL500 Rupp, sPOrted sophisticated front and rear suspension and disc brakes on both wheels. Blanton's engine Is an extremely healthy 6.1 cubic Inch (circa 10Occ) McCulloch two-stroke with a meanlookIng paIr of carburetors on a Y-manlfold, and it runs on fuel. Jack is an ex-go kart man and, because he gets too involved in the costly, never-ending pOSSIbilities of how to get an extra ounce of push from a small competition engine, has switched to mlni-bikes. "They're just as much fun as go karts, but not nearly as expensive." As an Indication of Jack's talents, his mini-hike engine, when in a kart, reached 133 mphonet1meatRIverslde.Mercyl BeIng over fourteeo and riding Jack's hairy piece of machinery, young Mike was entered in the open class. To an objective observer (e~., one who did not have his boy rac1Dg in cae of the other classifications), the openage, unlimited horsepower class was the most interesting bunch thrashing about on the mlnlature TT scrambles course. In the big boy'S class (besides Payse and another young jockey hauling a gas tank full of alcobol) were a couple of (what else?) HoDda scooters. One was an overbored and appropriately tuned entry from Maywood Honda, ridden by that dealership'S s e r v Ice manager, Greg Kearney. Greg bad his top mechanic fit the Mini-Trail with an S65englnepunched out to Step 8, which should bring it to somewhere around 9Occ. A 175cc carburetor was duly mounted. In order to test the results of the service department's efforts, the mini-bomb was bootlegged out onto the streets one evening and found to be capable of70 mph top speed. It was noted that the look on not a few automobile drivers' faces was one qf mind-bending disbeliefatterbelng definitively trounced while drag rac1Dg a sillY looldng toy. The little machine was thereupon geared down and now stood on the line waiting for the starter'sflutterIng flag. Allen Powell (center) .board one of the tr.1I scooters that bears bls lather's name, WIS ntw to racing 01 any kind, won all thrH 01 his motos In the 'open" class. '69 model Powell lutures 6' lork travtl, swing am rur suspension. Ready on the starting line, little people learn the value of salety equipment, thrill 01 competition and participation. It's ev.. lun to watch! Everybody ...kes a mistake once In .whlle, but In this pme, nobody gets hurt. Lillie scool8rs give big-size kicks, especially to the parents rooting from the sidelines. Fat..rs $Ometlm,s cat carried aay with excitement, though, Just like L1ltle League. Fifteen-year-old Mike Payse, a four year veteran of desert riding, traded rides with Newcomb on Lou'S machines in two of Mike's classes. But Mike made his best showing mounted on yet a third bike. It was owned and, well, let's just say "super" tuned by Jack Blanton, a very enthusiastic privateer. When the throttle on Blanton's little mount was applied with a vigorous twistIng motion, that engine crackled and snarled Uke a wildcat straining at Its leash. If that thing bad teeth, it would have devoured everyone standing around, watching and laIdng pictures as Jack worked his tuner's magic with last minute esoteric adjustments. Flutter It microscopically did and off they flew. And 10 and behold, it was a stock 5 hp Briggs &< Stratton nestled within a garage bullt-looking frame that beat the hot machinery to the first turn, that took the race, that took all three races, that came out first O!erall, tbat won the day in true Tom Swiftian style. Ladies and gentlemen, that redoubtable little- big race winner was a Powell Trail Scooter. Yes, dad, a machine from the same scooter people that built the two and three-wheeled paper route conveyances you or your youngest uncle utilized many years ago to earn marble and gas airplane money. The Powell brothers are still in business and have recently turned their talents to turning out small, off-the-road two wheelers. Good ones. Their machine that raced Sunday was an honest-to-God factory entry ridden by Allen Powell, age 18, heir to the firm that developed and manufactured what he rode that day. Powell the younger Is qulck to admit he is not experienced in organized racIng of any kind, but the young man did an excellent job of getting the most performance out of a piece of machinery that appears to be extremely prosaic on the surface. However the Powell trail scooter Is surprisingly well executed once you take a close-up look at It. The main thing we noticed was the unfancy power plant. It appeared box stock and sounded same. The ouly visible change was to remove the forestryapproved, centrifugal spark arrester and replace it with a rlnky-dink exhaust chamber. This couldn't have helpedperformance too much. And that seemed to be it for the engine department. For the rest it has big, fat tires of a suitable tread design that can take a grip and hold it. The front end seems to be raked out adeqpately (more so than any other stock machine), and comes with a wopplng four inches of front fork traveL It also has a wheelbase longer than any other micro-racer, which certaInlY helped Allen get around the shifty corners without going on his head. It has a comparatively long set of swinging arms and two heavy-duty springs, one inside the other, that are located near the swinging arm pivot. This provides a crude but effective rear suspension set- uP. 'That seemed to be the secret. Allen was able to keep at least a minimal amount of power to the rear wheel at all times while the more fiercely tuned machines hopped, sklpped and jumped with their rigid rear ends. (Results on page 20) TACO TUll '00 - _ ............. .h•• 1 p.,f - $219.50. Other ...... _ __._ _._ $119.95 , S49 ~ s-IU. ... -S.

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