Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

MOTORCYCL 1ST ON MOTORCYCLING GUEST EJITOIIAL: By Tom Ewing About this motorcycle thing. Well now, all the old e>qlertenced motorcycle riders know "bow it is." Those who are not concerned wUb bikes won't read tb1s.So, I must be writing this for those of US who bave bikes but are just beginn1ng to become motorcycle riders. Riding a motorcycle is really a wondrous thlng for most people woo do it. I say "most" because, believe it or not, there are a few people who cannot even ride a bus without getting into trouble. To begin with, forget about terms like sport b1.ke", "fun bike" and such at_ tempts to make a distinction between one motorcycle or another. Sure they are tun, but as soon as you are 011 a street or pubIic road, as tar as your environment is concerned, a motorcycle is a motorcycle is a motorcycle. same rules, same regulations, same trllll.tment from the general public. No matter bow "cute" the little maebine looked wbile it was on the sbowroom noor, once it is on the street it is definitely not a "toy." Tbis writer was introduced to motorcycles somewhat later in life than most cycle riders. 1 felt sorry about tbat because of all the fun I bad missed and because I can't go arotUld bragging about bow I rode my trusty old Indian Scout cross country in a bail storm. However, when I did find out about two wheelers, I bad reacbed an age when iUs generally assumed tbat you bave aequireda degree at reason and sanity. (Known in some circles as a dirty old man) Tbis, in turn, may have had some effect on the operatiOll or my throttle band, resulting in the preservation ·at my bealth. Despite this assumpt1on, I always bave the feeling tbat when r cl1.mb on my bike I immediately become twentyoone years old, and whenl can't ride like tbat any more, I'll quit. CI tbat bad, what can I do about it U I want to ride a motorcycle? I will concede tbat the automobile driver must bave some good qualities, due to the fact that in ten years none or them have run over me, even when I was obliged to give tbem the opportuni ty. Tbe following pbilosopby bas worked tor me: Talk to old (and successful) motorcycle riders who bave been riding for years. Tbey can give you a lot or tips on how to conduct yourself on the road - things they just automatically do In the way or de.fensive driving without even baving to tbink about it. Read all the articles on defe.nsive driving and safe.ty that you can get your bands on. Opinions from person to person may diffe.r, but there is usually food for tbought in all or these efforts. Learn evarytbing you can about your macbine, even little, relatively unimportant thlngs, and become as familiar as possible lljId practical witb e.xaetly what it will do and what it will not do. Wbe.n you are on the road, keep as mucb distance as is possible and practical between yourself and the nearest automObile, eve.n if your grandmother is driving it. Maintain a sorto! "Lonesome George" attitude an the freeways. BuUd good babits and break yourself or bad ones. Know wby you sbould not sit at an intersection bolding your clutch with tbe bike in gear. Tbere are "bard core" motorcycle riders (people who ride every day and really "use" the macbine) who ride the (ycle ooth 106 The Motorcycle Scene Motorcycling, for want or a better term, bas so many facets tbata complete and comprebensive description would take more. volumes than Floyd Clymer bas in b1s library. I leave tbe intr1eacies or "dirt", desert, and competition riding to people who are qualified to tell about it. I will try to give my impressions or the motorcycle on the roads and bigbways as seen from bebind thebandlebars.(One bas to bave learned sometbing in ten years or riding). In recent years there bas been a big increase in the number or registered motorcycles on our public roads. Tbis increase in numbers bas brougbt abouta number or conditions, and changes in the "cycle" picture. Some good, some had. Tbe good part, at least as I see It, is tbat the' ever-Increasing n u m bel' or riders Is an 1nd1eation that in spIte or automation and all the trappingS or our, so-called, modern soele.ty, lhe.re are still a lot or us who, in the good old Ame.r1can tradition, believe tbat we can think for ourselves. NEW 25l1cc Greeves Griffin elutell ALL NEW Steel" Bronze NEW Gear box .. ~ l1., smaller disPlace.me.nt type bikes. I !lapto prefer a BIG maebine. lf there Is ~ a reason for this, I tb1nk it is tbat I be- ~ lieve I should be more or less compatible ~ with auto t:ram.c, and a big machine wtll ~ do the job. I don't believe tbat !be really -J BIG macb1ne bas beeD

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