Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

~_(Continuedfrom Page 5 ) _ l Crosslne the coldlll the cold.st wat.r you IV. lasl.d. petition leaPers, "Why didn't you tell us that there was a road over the top?" And one of the two jeepers replied, "There's a four or five foot drop so you couldn't do it on a motorcycle." So we went uP to see how hard was hard to the four-wheelers and it turned out to be about as steep as the jumps at the local race tracks, That still didn't do anything for us because half a dozen Jeeps were in our way parked in the mIddle of the road and the drivers and passengers were out taking movIng pictures of the scenery, Since we couldn't get bywegavellPand turned around and headed back for camp, On the way hack we were going pretty good when I happened to notice the coli bracket screw was busted on the mini and SO for the next cOllPle of hours we worked on repairs, We found a bolt on the Lobito's fender brace that worked just fine. After a while I was beginning to wonder how did 1 get through these rough spots, I could imagine the Old Manon the Loblto but not me on the little-wheeled minil We got back all sate and sound after a bard day's ride. About four in the afternoon a COllPle of Yamaha riders rode into camp for a drinJc of water and both of them were complaining how rough it was, SO I asked one of them what would you tb1nJc of a person doing that trip on a minibllce and he said, "You'd haveta be crazy totryt" The next morning there was half a dozen dune buggies headed for Rubicon SprIngs, I wanted to see how far they would get so the first thing they did was get stuck in a mud hole so a few of the passengers got out to take pictures of the mired dune buggies and to try to get the dune buggies out of the ooze. I got tired of watching these clowns after a while so [ went back to camp for something to eat. Half an hour later [ went to see if the dune buggies were out of the mud and (Continued from Page 9) into the Lower Sluce Box, but when I got to the Sluce 8oJ[ all I could see was nothing but I could hear engines behind me. Aod I didn't pass anybody on the way to the rock pile. I haven't figured that one out yet. The dune buggies get around really poor where the going gets rough, even worse than Jeeps (which is really bad). The reason the dune buggies don't get around so good is because their wheels are too wide and they're geared too high, Dune buggies are great for doing what they are made for and that is running the sandy dunes but they sure get around terrible where the going gets rough and rocky. But since I was at the Sluce Box again I thought I might as well give it another try, so I did it again all by myself, When I got back to camp the truck was almost loaded and it was time to start for home. the Korean war came on strong and the Powell Entrneering plant converted to weapons production. "The scooter market was dying anyway," Channing .Powell reminisced recently, "There weren't enough motorb1Ices on the streets for people to watch out for them," From 1954 to 1957 the brothers turned out "Powell Power Wagons", pick\lP trucks for sportsmen based on 1947-48 Plymouth chassis. They sold for an incredibly low price and you still see them in use by surveyors and fishermen, In 1963 the two- wheeler fascination revived in the brothers' minds and Channing sketched an advanced type of ott-road scooter, Prototypes were made and tested and the design evolved into the modern Powell minibike, Until recently, sales were handled entirely out of their South Gate, Calif, factory, Then the machine scored five firsts and a second place in the hotly-contested Saddieback Park mlnibllce races, ridden bY 19-year-old Alan Powell, heir of the family genius for things mecban1cal, and demand for the new Powell minibllce skyrocketed. Now the firm Is looking for good dealers to retall their product. The Powell Is simple, almost crude in appearance, but close lnspec tion reveals a number of br1ll1ant mechanical expedients that owners will appreciate. Eightinch wheels mount 4.5 Inch knobby tires, giving an overall wheel diameter of 17 inches - just about the biggest in the minibllce category. Rough riders appreciate larger diameter wheels, which don't find their way as easllyintorabbitholes, A spring damped rear swing arm gives remarkably good traction and a pleasant ride on the roughest terrain. The countershaft sprocket Is concentric with the swing arm pivot, SO the chain never changes tension (an idea we wish more motorcycle designers would copy), The front forks are spring-loaded telescoplcs with plenty of travel and progressive dampIng so they're hard to bottom. Only the rear brake, while ingeninus, seems to bear the mark of Walt Disney's favorite rodent. But for a machine that tops out at 22 mph, it is adequate. The comparatively heavy machine breaks down into four pieces by the simple act of removing two giant wing nuts. One allows the seat"to be taken off, and the other holds the handlebars and forks together on the steering head. The main frame section weighs only 80 Ibs, so it can be easily lifted Into a car trunk or airplane luggage compartment. Reassembly is a simple task for anyone with two hands, Probably the most ingenious device invented by the Powells is the quick release rack-and-pinion 1/4-turn throttle. It not only gives a straight pull on the throttle cable, but yank a springloaded pin on the throttle housing and the cable slips out, allowing the handiebars to be easily separated from the engine section, Reconnecting Is just as easy, Riding the Powell proved to us Alan Powell's contention that he beat the other minis at Saddlehack "because my bllce Just handled better," Balance Is perfect enough to ride hands-off for any distance. The four-stroke, string-starter engine performs satisfactorily and the Powellbullt variable pulley drIve ts quite positive throughout its range, A jockey shift lever locks the drive in lowest gear for heavy trailing or easy free-wheeling with the engine off. Wheelles, skids and tricky trials maneuvering are all easy with the Powell, and it makes a fair-to-midd11ng street scooter with the lights and legal equlpment installed. It is large enough for an adult to ride comfortably. At a retail price of $199,50, ($215 with lights), the Powell minibike is going to make a lot of kids in the current newsboy generation envious or happy, depending on whether their parents let them get one. But even if Santa is kind to the good little boys and girls, they'll st11l have a hard time getting it away from mom and dad. Powell's address is 5903 E. Firestol)e Blvd., South Gate, CalIf. Outdigs the big ones' This hot mini with a 5-speed 100cc Hodaka engine accelerates from 0 to 50 taster than most heavyweights that cost $1000 more! , You get this blistoring performance in a halt-size. haltweight. halt-cost motorcycle that takes you almost anywhere and fits into most car trunks. , 8 models. starting at $89.95. , Send 25' for brochure or 51 tor packet on entire line. Dept...iL...-- 1nS S. First Street, San Jose. Calif. 95112. The HOT BIKE BONINZI LOWEST PRICED MINI It seems almost Incredible, but now you can buy a ready-to-run motorized minibllce, with some features of b1Ices costing more than twice as much, for less than $120. Scout IIfnlbl. It comes complete with a 2-1/2 horsepower 4-cycle engine and has such features as baked enamel finish, foot brake, one-inch double-loop frame of high yield steel, foam filled saddle, knobby 4.10x14 tires and a full motor plate, List price is $119,95, yet the Scout Is backed by a full year frame warranty and an engine warranty. The Scout Minibike Company explains that they are able to produce the new Scout at this low price because of speclal high-production design and manufacturing. For further information write Scout Minibike Company, p.O. Box 2204,South San Francisco, California. Bart Anthony Dov., alias "Dahooner," dOli his specialty, laklne on Ih. Elsinore (Calif.) Rac.way competition In a wh.. lI. conlnt. Photo by lIan.. 1A. Burton.

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