Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125632
" Larry Louis, Motorcycling'.s Volunteer P.R. Man Larry Louis, right, early day motorcycle racer and mode,n day exponent of the sport, poses with the winners of the 1949 Riversido Rally, On the left is winner Aub Le Bard on a BSA and Inthe center is Nick Nicholson who rode a Veloeette Instead of a Greeves In those days, was a field meet with stake races, passenger pick UP and other events. There were hundreds of entries and the racing went far into the night. At 2 a.m., after running off a tie for secondplace several times, the winners lined up with their trophies. Winner was Aub Le Bard of BSA fame. Larry was second and well known Nick Nicholson finished third. Louis was taken ill in 1959 and turned over Operation Motorcycle to the Road Rider's Committee in 1961. Larry ls fully recovered now and operates a thriving Richfield station at Long Beach Blvd. and Artesia in Long Beach, CalIf. Looking back over the years, Larry says, "I! ever there was a motorcycle nut I was it•• J stlll am for that matter." Larry Louis, looks over his bUlging scrapbooks filled with history of early dirt competition and testimonials to his good work in Operation Motorcycle, a public service project that provided thousands of pints of blood for the Rod Cross. By Terry Pratt I! the' motorcycle industry ever got The Long Beach Press Telegram quotitseI! together and decided that it needed ed Larry Louis in 1958 when he was 45. a public relations man the first person "I just got sick of hearing how motorottered the job should be Larry Louis. cyclists were a bunch of hooligans. So I "I've heard them talk about public started this thing and I'm going to build relations" Larry says, "but there is it through the whole U ,S, to prove the nothing to it. All you have to do ls get motor riders are good people- real good out there and work. I've had had 150 people." riders on their motorcycles lined up to Hundreds of people benefitted from give blood in tront of the Red Cross with the blood donated by OM, Morethanonce the L.A, Times there taklng pictures." children or adults facing open heart The blood donation gathering was part surgery or emergency situations owed a of "Operation Motorcycle", a project debit of gratitude to the motorcycling that Louis spearheaded for several years fraternity • during the 1950's and early '60s. Many Along with promoting the sport to the people remember the big "OM" posters, public, Larry was active in early sportsbenefit races and all the other promotion man competition in the area. Louis came that Larry got UP for the cause. to CalIfornia in 1920 and owned his first It started in 1958 when Larry learned motorcycle, a 61" H-D J model, in 1925. that Marvin W. armour was dying of "I never set the world on fire in motorleukemia and needed 100 pints of blood cycling racing but I was one of the best to live. Armour was a charter member dirt riders." Larry says. of the Jackrabbits M,C., a club that Louis For the first of his six Big Bear Runs founded. Larry rode a 45" Indian Scout 101. That Larry organized a blood donation party waS in 1947. In 1949 he rode an Ariel with guest speakers, racing movies and Square Four in the grueling Greenhorn refreshments provided bY bike riders and Enduro. Louis says that he Is the man their wives. Most of the 120 present that first put side hacks on "Limey" came by car and many bronght the whole machines for the dirt. With a chair family. By the next morning O.M, had Its mounted on a Triumph Trophy Bird he first 100 pints of blood but the local press won the hack class In the Cactus Derby saw a chance to sell some yellow pages. one year. "That was in 1950 or 51" he The paper raved: "500 motorcyclists says, "That year we blew off 18 hogs. roared into the city and 250lawefnorceAfter most people were riding light ment otticers turned out to keep them English bikes In the desert Larry took under control." Incensed, Larry got on a H-D 74 back out. "Just to show them the phone and explained to L.A, Times that it could be done." Answering about big Harleys with slick front tires in the columnist, Paul Coates just how different the facts were from what had been desert, Larry said: "All you needed was printed. Coates straightened things out muscles ••.and I had them." 1n his column the next day and since that Louis has overflowing scrapbooks pictime Louis has arranged for 38 major turing the great men and machines of the metropolitan newspaper stories about early days of CalIfornia dirt competition. Operation Motorcycle or motorcycles in One story of his Is about the 1949 general. He saw to it that all these were Riverside Rally. The competition here favora.ble, you can be sure. i-iJ.~ ~ BI-7LL KRAUSE'S 1I0TORCH:U: f)"p" ,'i/or" HONDA/'b@gJ)!YAMAHA 1157 S. LA IlIA ot Chi" • ......... ; • '11.041» • 'Jl.S0J5 LARGEST PARTS & ACCESSORIES DEPT. IN THE SOUTHLAND MOTOBCYCLB' I SATWI'OAY 9().MIlE 25Oc:t OPEN ROAD RACE. ~OOlO ~'T1~CnoM SUNDAY 5O.M/LE AMATEUR ROAD RACE PLUS 5.LAP S/DE·CAR RACE. SEARS POINT International Raceway HIGHWAYS 37 & 121, SONOMA, CA. 95476