Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

KEEP THIS UNDER YOUR HAT By Bill Harmer Have you ever wondered about the traditional motorcycle caps that members of the touring fraternity wear so proudly? It has been a source of curiosity with us for several years. After considerable research on the subject, we hereby present our findings: some fact, some fiction and some just plain baloney. Since time immemorial, men have been identified by the type of headgear that they wear. Carvings on the walls of ancient Egyptian tombs show varying types of headpieces denoting the different ranks of princes, captains and workmen. The pre-Columbian archeoglcal excavations In Mexico have revealed feathered and jewelled headdress for different occUjlations such as priests, dancers and bealers. Then as we progress Into more modern history we see the distinctive helmets of the ViJdng explorers. In our own American indian culture, the tribal chief as well as the medicine man were easily identified by their fancy feathered headdress. The frontiersman by his 'cooosldn cap, the cowboy by the broad brimmed Stetson. Ra1lroad engineers, chefs, marIners, soldiers, nurses, miners. There is little, if any, written regardIng our own distinctive motorcycle cap, so we have had to pick the brains of oldtime two wIleelers. We have Interviewed veteran motorcyclists who were rldinr; In the late '205 and through the' thirties. 1010 IIEW IREED lIOII((0 powered byGARflLl The "Harley-Davidson" cap as they knew It was In use by nearly all motorcyclists at that time. It is fair to assume that it may have evolVed from the short peaked dress caps that men and boys sported In the early 1920s or perhaps from the caps of the merchant marine sailors. Personally we prefer the theory of the seagoing 'cap, as the resemblance is still remarkable. Notice the gold or black cable cord, wbIch had been In disuse as a chin strap on the seaman's cap, was put back Into service by the cyclist when riding at high speed, and pulled uP over the crown wbIle not engaged In actual riding. The short visor generally caught the wind on its toP and had the effect of holding the cap down on the head (but look out if you looked uP and took a gust under the visor). AMA used to send a new membership pin each time that you paid your dues and because it was the handiest place, you pinned It on your cap. By the time a rider collected 10 years of pins, his cap was a pretty crusty thing to behold and, although begrimed with a mixture of pomade and road dust, it was an emblem of freedom and the badge of a motorcycllst, to be worn with pride by members of the fraternity. Things went aiong without much change until the post war years when Mr .Honda and his constituents began getting more and more people on two wheels. Concerned citizens, manufacturers and dealers became safety conscious and the hard-shell safety helmet came Into common use by smart riders. The principal distributor, Harley-Davidson Co. removed the sdt caps from their accessory catalog and stopped handling them In their dealers', In the Interest d safety and rider education. With the caps unavailable, tile demand Soon became acute. Harley caps had become the traditional symbol of Road Riders. Instead of tile yearly AMA pins, the caps were covered with the Identification badges from various runs, tours and railles, rellgious medals and the marque of their motorcycle. The chin 92 PAIB- leAlU The a!I new 1969 WtbCO tlt~lol CYCLES" MINI-BIKES PARTS the III05t eompr!IIel1llvt III lht motorcyclt IttnSOllts u~lKlty. 92 paces. hunctr!tb ot illustratIOns, ollhe most wanted molOlcycte KCtssorln IIld high IIerfOfm~rlU eompGM:nlS Also Includes InformallOll 01 'nlertsl 10 ilIl mOIOlcyclt !nthusrasls 1$ ACCESSORIES NEW WEST COAST WAREHOUSE 'I» ENGINE SPECIAL TIES. INC. P.O. Box ~oo BELMOfIT. CAL. 94002 415-593-7691 ATTENTION DEPT. L5 DEALERS & DISTRIBUTORS WANTED .................-s..-. ~S1.•... ••••••••• 2.' _ STIl£T • V£IIC(, CoIU_ IIlII t. strap baS once more gone Into disuse but is now stretched across the toP of the- crown Instead of above the visor. The empty space there is now decorated by a piece of chain or a stretch band from a wr~t watch. . . These caps are never seen on the roads or hIgliways anymore as the road riders have learned to rely on the security of a Snell or Z-90 approved "hard halo" ·Once the riders arrive at the tour destination and start soclalizing, the helmets are stowed away and the soft leather (or cloth) motorcycle hats break out like Dowers on a spring morning. They are worn llke the Legioneers at convention wear their campaign caps. Riding pants, boots and leather jackets are not distinctive enough, it takes the cap to complete the picture. The caps are not worn by men alone but the wives as well and we might add that they look very chic on the women. An old touring hand can read the cap d another tour rider llte a book and know all about a man In just a few secoods. Even an inexperienced road rider can spot obvious badges and with a llttle practice tell if a rider has been to "Death Valley" and how many times, whether he made tile "Ensenada Tour" and wbetber he has been on any AMA "Tour Award" runs. To really get a complete reading you need to see his jacket too, as he will have the beavler and larger badges pinned to It. But the distinctive pins will be 00 the cap. With the demand for the caps In~LES SERVICE HOCIIES MOTORCYCLES ItODAKA YANKEE OSSA GREEVES Compl.te lllaclll ... SIIop FlclllUos 22025 So. Figueroa Torrance. California creasing daily, accessory makers again ~ started shipping to the dealers until nearly all of the shops that cater to tour riders can supply them In either leather ~ or cloth at a reasonable price. So if you haven't already bought one you better en pick one up, and at the next Road Riders ~ rally put It on and be one d the grouP. ~ Road RUI' To A· Scramblesl Planned for May 4th, the Oxnard M.e. will host a poker run terminating at llie Perris scrambles track where a scrambles will be In progress. The road riders, will sign-In at Long Beach Harley-Davidson from 8:00 10:00 a.m. and then follow a leisurely scenic tour down the coast, breakfasting in Lag una if they wish. '!be run is planned for real enjoyment, not too fast and not too long; approximately 90 mUes. It will terminate at the Perris track about one 0' clock. In the meantime the scrambles will be in full swing, with the lightweights starting at 8: 30 a.m., big bikes scheduled for noon. Trophies for both the road riders and the racers will be given away the sarne day In the club house. President 01. the Oxnard M.C., Roo Schall has planned this event "to promote a better feeling between road riders and scrambles riders." He feels there are many road riders who have never attended a scrambles and by the same token, there are many scramblers wbo .have never seen the uniformed reed riders complete an event and line QIl 1M machine and grouP judging. Hopefully, this run will bring both grOuPS toptber and will pave for future joint events. These combination road and competlt1al runs are popular on the east coast aDd In the mid-west but so far no{ out bere. The club hopes that their May 4th event will be the start of many such combined events, and they have the members aDd the know-how to make this first one a success. C5 E.Mk. /I BATTERY ElIMIN.4TOIl Replace your motorcycle b.llory with a vibnrtion resist.ant electronic unit. Fr•• brochure. CO"DUCTOR SYSTEMS. INC. 12U) 328-1242 P.O. Box 1154 Pomona, Calif. 91769 Husqvarna &Penton Complete line of Tor ten Hallman Racing Equipment Largest Stock DI Motorcycles & Parts in the Los Angeles Area ALSO Suzuki. lundapp, M.l. & Monlesa NEW 11,10' fas' Ac';o. D.al nro"'e~J .... hom BT. E! Fast action \4 brn throttl. for 7/.' 1m. ~n be used a sln,l. cabl. as . .II as dual. When used for sln,l. ubi. dummy calli. can b. los!all.d ..d canled as a sp... R• • pr........ roll pin furnished for po.ltI". lockln, on h.dleba. Unique casln, lock. "0 IIIl1t SlIck.t. to be lo.t. "0 sp.clal cabl.s .... ded. Standard mono bloc or conc.ntrlc bowl ubl.s used. Uctrt w.lch" made ot flber,l.u Impr.,,,ated nyl.... , SEE YOUR BARNETT DEALER ...u ~0 tJ- ~. ' ~,..::.~ ),rA;\lt"',,::,·. r,. (~ 11)'- ... f h''f;~ Co ~"*-~ . r B ~ I ~;\ IV _J.I,;;r I !~~ ~i~ Bullaco W. sp.clallze In only Bullaco Mitco Bultaco 7229 W. Oran..lilorp•• Buena Park (714) 522-6626 Moto-x Accessories .& E.ipment (213) 415-4541 ~_ 10673 W. Pico Blvd., West Los Anaeles. Cal. Bob lllayUTcr • Hodaka Montesa ORAIIGE CO. CYClE Guy R. Louis Bultaco • Pel_ • Yamaha • Maico a 205 ... Harbor 531·99.4 _ _ _ _ _ t7l41 Blvd., Santa Ana - GreeVf:S Kawasaki Westminster Sport Cycle 1II0to-Cross hoad... rt.rs for Or.... Co. Husky Motorcycles (714) 893-7057 .... , 7574 Westminster Ave. Westminster. Cal. ~'"'' •••'.... 0• • 4915 Pacific Blvd., Vernon; California, Phone: 589-5488 ,- ~atelf,t4le'4 2 CYCLE CITY ~ BRIDGES'TONE Sales-Senke Barney Ti llman'sSPORT CENT ER 6027 Wbi Uier fll vd., E. Los Angeles (213) 7~3523 iNTENsiFiED ;; ;ea =~ ~ =: =5!~ HODAKAS BY CROWELL .~ COMPETITION READY Ride what the wi nners ri de Equipped with these competition extras Glrllnc shocks - 19 w Front Whe.1 Ti-Cro Froni fork - Skid Plate B.\E Air Cleaner - Fork Brac. Crowe" Tuned Pipe - Number PI.t. Sol1d Alloy Rear Sprocket Cholc. of tires IE A lEADER' GO CROWEll 10421 Prairie, IRglewol. (213) 673-5562 ~

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