Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

YOU'II~·W. Always 'V . 9411 t S•• It FIRST • • • • in Po blisher. • • • • . • . Chuck Clayton Editor• ••••• ••••• • Ene Raits Assista nt Editor• ••.. Terry PraU nUS1nl" ~S '1Jllo1(.::(, f•• : ./~----_... Americ a's Weekly Motorcycle Newspaper" " z z 7 Shaltm Chl~ ton Orlice ~Ia""g.....(;a. ,I('n(' 111Omason Product ion Managl'r •• Dennis Gr""n" Product ion "\sst••D ean Cunlllne:ham Circula tion Manag(·r•• llru{·". Easl"y Bookkee per••• , , . 'usan II'hlll'law Lab Technic ian••• ••• Lili Lakich lI'ant .-\ds••• ••••• • Sandra Purd>' Publish ed weekly except the first and last week of the calenda r year 7 7 7 z z ®IF l100m '///////////////./././///////////.//// helptul bunch of guys than side-ba ckers EAST IS EAST & WEST IS WEST - North - South - or wherev er you go. Hay Claytoo s, I subscri be to Cycle News West and Cycle News East. Only howcom e the East edition is better written and laid out than CN West? Dont you own both of them?? 1be east edition only comes every 2 _ks but I read every word of it. The western paper costs more (I realize because it's weekly) yet I usually go thru It in a few minutes or an hour at most. Why don't you just pubilsh 1 newspaper (weekly ) as good as CN East and give your subscri bers a break? RANDY ESCOLAR Benton ville, Ark. COMME NT: The answer to your first QIIesUoo is that our Eastern newspa per 15 YeIY capallly edited by Ed YOUDCbklod, wilb Ibe able assistlm ee or ronner editor Paul Collller. wIIo bas moved UP to AdverU8iD c MaDacer. Cycle News West is edited ill a barry so tbat aU Ibe Stmday _ews possibl e can be printed on Mooday, ...1r11mec1 Tuesda y and in tbe ilaDds of aU sabscr1 bers by WeGiesday or Thursday. In answer to )'OUf last questio n, we tbink we can do a belter job of COIlllIlm IjcatinC tbe U.S. motorcy cle movement willl two or Uwee reeiODai edltioos tban wilb one nationa l new_ er. We'D soon olrer a COIDbiDed 8lIbacri pti... to aU our editions fOt' one low price. Watch for It. )t Next question ? LETTER FROM 14,RIZONA It ts the forest fire sea§On, and bere I sit up on top of Hide MOUntain, in Ibe Presco tt Nationa l Forest, as a lookout twenty four hours a day. ~ .bike is five miles down the trail in shamP Wood, which is forty miles from ~rescott. I bave only been "down" off the mounta in twice since April 15th but I have a little bird that brings me the results of the races at Slaught er House Gulch. Isn't that some name? This bird doesn't keep lap charts but it does give me the poop~ scoop that Pat Hayes (Bul) of Phoenix fracture d a foot there and ls now in a wal1dng cast. 1be hopsita l said it isn't too serious , accordi ng to me pee1dngpeeper. So as to' keep on wileels maybe Pat could fit a roller skate lIIlder the cut. and !ben use it as a hot shoe 011 the track.. This new Presco tt track. on route 69 in DIamond Valley, is in !be middle ground of Arlzooa and is drawing riders' from Yuma, PhoeniX, Gleodal e, Tempe, FJilpta tf and K!IJcmaD. Let's face W It 18 cool UP here man. Next event is scIIednl ed for Sunday, July 20th. Well, 1 gutta pi: back to work 011 my iJmlntlo o. Y'all come to see mel 1be coffee pot is a111l1P 011. Bring a bed roll and spend tbe Dight, 011 top 01 the world with motber Dature. MATI' GLOVE R . Presco tt. Ariz. TAKE A FRIEND ALONG in .Dlstric t 36, there is a small but dedicate d grollP 01 side-ba ck enthusi asts who have been struggli ng to popular ize back racing in our area, and frankly , need help. Because of the limited _ number ~ backs in this area, it's quite a bassle to get more than three or four outfits togethe r at a race, but that's only because tbose 01 you who've never tried it don't know what real fun Is. Surely there are lots of guys arouod wilo bave a bike they're not getting much use out of, or, like myself, for reasons of infirmit ies and/or old age, bad given lIP solo bike racing altogeth er. Even those of you who don't feel you're getting enough rIding, running one class at scramb les, you can add a whole new dimens ion to your sport by adding a sideback outfit to your stable. It's not that hard to build an outfit, and you'll never find a friendli er or more As far as safety is concern ed, I can only say that my trusty passeng er, Mac Hollima n and myself have ridden over a dozen events, includin g hard scramb les, rough scramb les, motocro ss, plus the Elsinor e Grand Prix, and we haven't crashed yet - a better record than I ever bad riding solo bikes. I underst and there have been some backs running at Marysv ille -If you guys will get in touch with me, _'11 surely get togethe r at some races, and toanyoo e else who may be kicking theldea arouod, get your outfit built so you'D' be ready for the big Norther n Californ ia back event at the Salinas Rodeo Grouod s 011 August 24th especia lly. It'll be a gasl Side-ba cks forever JAKE SINGLE TON '100M c/o B &. D Motors 1301 water St. S8.nta Cruz, Cal. 95060 Unorpalzed Flrecrack• If all Ibe motocro ss races are as unorganiz ed in spectat or and rIder cootrol as the Firecra cker Grand Prix I saw at Baddleb ack Park July 4tb, then Ibe thought s I bad for compet ing in these races are out. Six differen t times, at ooe pointalo oe, I saw riders forced to clamp 00 the binders to keeP from hitting spectat ors running across the course. Isn't it standar d that while a race ts in progres s, other rIders are not allowed to practice on any part of the .course? Maybe Saddleback Park attendants think so too, but it wasn't enforce d, lDd a serious injury resulted that could have been prevent ed - U the rule bad been enforce d. When the acciden t happened, just a few feet from Ibe "control tower", no effort could I see being made to keep spectat ors away from the tragedy . One ambulan ce was on duty, and while it was taking injured out, the "organ iZers" ~ tbe race started the secood race of the 250 Jr. with out any ambulance in sight! I would bave lost that race, because 1 wouldn' t !lave started witbout an ambulan ce in attenda nce. I'm sure I'm one of many who went to see 'Iborste o Hallman ride, but his scooter broke, and he became a spectator. Since many people paid to see him rlde, wily didn't the "works " team work a switch so Mr. Apllmpn could ride? For the price that was charged for admiss ion. they could have bad ema beJp for the much needed enforce ment ~ spectat or and rider cootrol . As a bike rider, and a new comer to motocross, I was bigtIJy dIs1l1us1ooed by the "Blg Race." TbanIts for allowing me to blow off some steam. I'm an avid reader of your newspa per, keep lIP the fine work. Don Edward s Buena Park, Calif. Question for Ibe Dirt Diggm Being a relative Novice at motorcycle racing, I find certain decision s of the "Dirt Digger s" quite contusin g and would like some clarifica tion. The confusio n arises out of the followin g facts: 1. On SaturdaY, a very fine performance was put on by a well known Souther n Californ ia rider on a 125cc bike in the 250cc expert race. I believe he finished 3rd. 2. On Sunday, another very well known rider was allowed to ride his 250cc machine - and win - in the 350cc event. This would seem to demons trate the fact which most of us already know - a by C&S Publish ing Co •• Post Office Box 498. Long Beach, Californ la, also puhlish ers of State Cycle News for the Eastern states. second Class Postage paid at Long Beach. Calif. Editoria l stories. cartoon s. photos. etc. are welcome and will be paid for on the 15th of every month for materia l publishe d the previou s month (except press release s and ·Voice" letters.) Address ed, stamped envelope assures return. Reprint ing in whole or in part expressly forbidde n except by permission of the Pu blishers . Adverti sing mtes and circulat ion informatio n will be sent upon request. 7 7 7 Sln~(' ('UIl.\ PrI(·(O SUbs('ri ption: nllt" .\ 2;;(" par 2nd ('lass ~;.:-tO n lll NATIONAL ADVERTISING DIRECTOR, ••.• Thomas R. Culp Cycle News (West), P.O. Box 498, Long Beach, Calif. 9D8DD Tel. EASTER N (213) 423-0431. ADVERT ISING Paul Cosner Sial. Cycle News 1Easll P.O. Box 13. Amherst, Ohio 44001 Tel. 1216) 984·2433 7 good rider on a reliable and well handling machine does not have to have the most horsepo wer to win. A fact very importa nt to the beginnin g rider and one that should be nutured , U we want the sport to grow. The confusin part of the weekend occured in the 500cc race, wherein , a not-so- well written about rider, was black flagged from the race and disqualifie d for riding a 250cc macine - the same machine on which he won the 250cc Expert Main Saturda y. The differen ces between allowing a 125cc in the 250cc class and a 250cc in the 350cc class are very hard to discern from running a 250cc bike in the 500cc class. Could it be that the very well advertised fued between the "Dirt Diggers " and the distribu tors 01 the dlsqualU led machine have been a factor? It was also certain ly abvious that a woman wearing compet itors "1''' shirt was most active in organiz ing the activitie s leading to disqual ify the subject rider • It Is a very sad fact when a true sportsman and compet itor sucb as Bill Silverthor n Is treated with prejudic e and malice. It should be noted that Bill was in no way suPPorted by the factory and/ or distribu tor. He is a true private entry. Since we are all trying to raise the stature of motorcy cling, it would certalnly behoove us all to give credit where credit is due - Ibe riders certain ly aren't getting rich on trophies , so a little recognitio n of talent and a little Ink goes a loog way. Roland Reed San Diego, Calif. Firecracker Gripe How can two seperat e races, 66 riders total, each class not compet ing against the otber, be combine d at the end of the day for 4 trophies ? How sportsm an-like ls it to combine Jr., Sr., Profess ion and interna tional rIders for the same prize? Since when does a Novice have to win over an Expert? This was the case in the 125cc class at the Firecra cker Grand Prix held on July 4th. at Saddleback Park. Joan Worth Montere y, Calif. Mejave Ala Trasllpile Could you tell me U there bas been any organiz ed attempt to clean lIP the popular riding area? And U there hasn't, would you print an appeal to riders interest ed in maintai ning open riding areas topbooe 7 7 z I Gene Collard at 213(are acode) 285-&761 in the evening s so we could arrange a clean up crew. My idea was that by using a burlap bag as a measur e, we could have some compet ition and offer a prize to the group that brought in the greates t amount . I've ridden out there for 3 years using miles and miles of terrific trails and open range, and never paldad imefort he use of it. I hope that a few years from now we won't be saying, "Yeahth emwas the days, when you could unload your bikes any ole place and take off in any directio o. No fences, no restrict ions, just open throttle country ." Gene Collard Greeve s rider THRILL TO BE IN PRINT We _re delighte d to be intervie wed and to see the story in printwa sa thrill. Just one thing, misspe lled words are tolerate d - but you did goof In omitting one zerol I refer to a 13 days trip being done on 250Cc NOT 25.00 as you printed . Would be nice if we could do It 011 25.00 tbough. JEAN &. BILL LOHRK E Eugene , Ore. DEARQOHtOMOTORCYCLlST: With deElP regret _ wish to InDOUllCe that the Annual Death Valley motorcy cle tour bas been disconti nued pgaIn this year. The Fred Harvey Co., who operate the Furnace Creek Ranch, where _ center our tour, will use their facilitie s for package golf tours. Since this is the only place in Death Valley capable 01 blIndU ng such a large group it leaves us witbout a tour headquarter s. Rest Assured we will continue to work for better and bigger motorcy cle tours for the future. THE DEATH VALLE Y COMMI TTEE Motorc ycle-To urs, Inc. DIMINISHING COVERAGE! All this talk about the diminis hing offroad areas for desert riders - what about the diminis hing desert coverag e in Cycle News? A hard-rid ing desert compet itor deserves a little more recogni tion of his achieve ment than a one-col umn, nopicture section on the results page. in an otherwi se observa nt and descriptive paper, we know you can do better. SANDY RIDER El Monte, Cal. 91732 Engine Design Potential Two-Strole Or four for Morel? By Chuck Claytoo ded not with a t.,ng, nor The four-cy cle engine's domina tion of the racing worlden swarm of two-cyc le power yet a wbi.mper, but' in the high pltched scream of a new ge in cylinde r displace ment pumps that give their poppet valved oppooe nta big advanta seems, almost every time. and then beat him, it on every otber stroke Is the two-cyc le design basical ly superio r because it fires exhaust ing old smote and while Ibe ooe-two -three-b ang four-cy cle "waste s" revs that the antique 4-cyc1e suc1dng in a new charge? Many experts say yes, meaning against the latest two-stro ke designs are getting piston engines we see running whipped . say that the full intake But four-cy cle lovers aren't ready to bang it lIP yet. '!bey ke design. They the four-cy cle is the key to its advanta ge over the two-stro stroke of Three's current domina tion in the 350 and 500cc grand prix point out the modern MY only last year, and isn't classes . And did not the Honda fours and sixes quit winners racer of all? These are Ibe Mota-G uzzi V-8 stl.l1 conside red the most powerfu l50Occ engines . four-str oke build'&.Dd easier to uPA two-stro ke engine bas fewer moving parts, is easier to Most of the four-str oke engines being raced date than the complic ated four-str oke. and track purpose . Prolific today were designe d in the 'thirties ,to serve a dual road were out many new four-str oke designs , but the only ones for sale Honda bas turned They shudder that we try to turn them into racing designe d for utility transpo rtation. machine s. displace ment classes , Two-cy cle engines will probabl y continue to rule the small 750cc the Kawasa ki Mach Ill, the Yamaha 350 and the rumore d Suzuki and efforts like winning s into the large caliber classes . But !be two-stro kes will try to extend their designs that may herald four-str oke makers are not idle. We hear rumblin gs of new multiple cylindnew era of four-str oke SoPhist ication. Four-va lve heads and a whole We just on the scene. Perhaps superch arging will come into play. ers are already the fight is by no means over. Don't count out the fourwant to alert readers that stroke yet.

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