Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

Bookkeeper•••••• Susan 1l1Iitelaw Want Ads. •••••••SUzUee Evans "A_lea'. Nt _kJr IIlOtorercle ne.'JllJllr. You'll AI"r' _ It FIRST In Crclo . . . .!.. PubUllber••••••• (hades ClaylDn Geaeral MlUIllCer. • • • • • •Tom Culp Feature Editor•••••••Tell'Y Pratt Assistant EdIlDr•••Gael BucblUllUl Business MlUIllCer•• SbalOn <:taylon Advertising MlUIllCer. .Paul Cosner Circulation MlUIllCer•• Bruce Easley Productlnn Asst. DeaD Cunntnlb8m Lab Tecbnician••••••Ltli LalLich Single coPY price. • • • • • • . • . ~:l~ SUbscription: one year 2nd ('lass mall . . • . • • . . . • • • . • • • . $7":lO Published weekly except the firsl and last week of the calendar year by C~'cle News, Inc., Post Office Box 498. Long Beach. California, aiso publishers of Cycle News East. Second Class Postage paid at Long Beach, Calif. Echtorial stories, cartoons. photos, etc. are welcome. Write for information. Addressed, stamped envelope ll.,sures return of editorial matter. Reprinting in whole or in part only by permission of the publishers. Advertising rates and circulation information will be sent upon request. Nortbem Office 1470 BrOlld. .r, Walnut Crook, Calif. (415) 934-1995 Dlit. MIIr. Bill Smith Cycle News (Wesn, P.O. Box 498, LonE Beaell, talif. HlDl (213) 421-1433 L.A, 63&-8844 Cycle No•• East and NaUonal Advert1.lnclnf_tlan: Thomas CUIp.Jbtlanal Advertt.lnc Dlr. 2499 Cerritos Ave. Lone Beach, Calif. 90806 (213) 427·7433 or 636-1144 Tola 67·3474 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ lYfrn \VAVI~~1f INTERNAL PROBLEMS AT MICUS! In your December 9, 1969 edition of Cycle News, you prlnted. an article concerning MICUS. I want to Worm you that the Wormatlon In this article is completely false. Number one, it was not an annual meeting of the Board of Directors. Numbe~ two, according ~ the Bylaws, it was not an otlicial meeting, since the proper notices were not sent out In sufficient time. Number three, the person who called the meeting was not duly authorized to do so according to the corporation Bylaws. Number four, the article stated I was replaced as President of MICUS whicb is not ture. Number five, inasmuch as the meeting was Invalid and Void, any and all action taken at said meeting was 1nva11d and void. We request that you run a retraction of this article In Cycle News, and that it be given the same promlnence as the article of December 9, 1969 titled "NEW OFFICERS FOR MICUS". If said retraction is not made, irreparable damage to MICUS and its otlicers, members, and the undersigned w1ll result. W.S. COOLEY, President M,I,C.U.S. COMMENT: OK. Oniy let us know when you finally get it worked out. THEN CAME DAWSON You had better quit running around with that Husky European team because they either have you brainwashed or maybe you wear blinders and can't see anyone else. Look around you. Jim Dawson, an Amateur, on a 250 Yamaha was turning laps just 1/3 of a second over the European riders on their b1c bikes. He also got 1st place over all In the 250 race at Westlake, although their was no mention of it In your paper. D. MARTIN Mission Hills, Cal. WhBe we baveD't beard eVeD a IUDIOr aboDt lID offer of a berth 00 tbe Hasky telmI for DaWSOD his performaDce at westl....e was trn1y notewonby. Jim dld ladeed wiD lIIe combiDeeI Expert! Amateur 250cc race overaU aDd althoulh we baven't been able to confinn his fastest lap times, a check with the ACA timekeepers sIIoweel that be and Dave Aldana (who led most of the race) were IappiDg at aboat 1 millUte 7 or 8 seconds. The leadlDg Europeans were nuuttiDI off 1:6 or so. DaWSOD cooly followed tbe wild riding AIdlula uDtil lIIe Ileal pass throulh lIIe mud bole a few bUDdred yards before lbe cbeckered Ilag. Jim closed lIIe lap 011 Dave lUId took tbe w1n on lIIe otber side of tbe Westlake barn••• Ed. IS EVERYBODY HAPPY? I am writing In regards to Mr. Skov's letter (Nov. 11 Issue). 1 have been a Kawasaki dealer In the Phoenix area since February of this year, which does not allow very much time for one to stock a great deal d. parts, so I am re1ylng on building my parts inventory on the efficiency of Kawasaki Corp. I am approximately 450 miles from Kawasaki Corp. In Santa Ana, Calif. and I would like you to know, Mr. Skov, that I do not have any problem whatsoever getting parts. I receive 90% of the parts I ask for witbln 24 hours. As tar as I am concerned, if a Kawasaki dealer says he cannot get parts, it is due to laziness or his own lnefficlency. I w1ll personally guarantee that Kawasaki did come out with an all new "All Service Manual", which is, by the way, very well done. I thlnk Mr. Carlson's letter deserves considerable credit, because at least be is interested In trying to solve a problem, and be's concerned enough to defend Kawasaki, whicb is saying a lot, compared to some uninformative letters I have read In the past. I thlnk Kawasaki CorP. has its growing pains like any other considerably young business, but I also think they deserve a great deal of credit because I know they are trying very hard to make the dealers happy, and in return we can make the consumer happy. LEE MOORE KAWASAKI Phoenix, AriZona I haven't seen Kawasaki's ad In Cycle News slnce you prlnted the letters complaining about their lack of parts service and owners manuals. I bope this doesn't affect Cycle News' editorial courage In the future. It's the only place where a customer can get some action on his complaints. I've found that just the threat of writing to you gets wheels In motion. Keep up the good work. Don't chicken outl ELLIS HARVEY Riverside, Calif. COMMENT: Kawasaki 18II·t alone in experieocing customer complaints elIe mainly lD lIIe rapid growlll of buslness. Tbeir ad manager is somewbat unique in his approacb to a solution, bowever. Dave no "rear; Cycle News' first rellPO'" sibllity is lD you readers. We can get along witbout some advertisers, allIIoulb of course we'd ratber get alonl WITH them. Keep those cards and letters corninl, folks. FORMER SKIP VAN LEEUWEN FAN I have always thought the A.M.A. was a fair organization, but seeing the Dec. 7th State ChampionshiP T.T. at Ascot has changed my mind. How can a rider who falls down In his heat race, (they held that heat race up until after another heat race was run because Van Leeuwen's bike was not readY), breaks his chaln on the restart, and does not even finish the race, be qualifted to run In the Semi? How would you feel if you quaI1f1ed from your heat to the Semi and then to the Ma1n only to be passed by this cheat? MANFRED Pa>HENRIDER Santa Fe Springs, Cal. FEEUNG LEFT OUT I purcbased your December 9th edition not too bad, the real bummer was when Cooley announced at the rider's meeting that we would have 12 mlnute beats and transfer the top 15. I didn't transfer so that works out to $1.04 per minute for my Westlake race. The Europeans ran three 30 minute motos everyone else got screwed. But you say nothing about anyone else except in the results column. MIKE CULBUTSER Los Angeles, Calif. p.S. I won my classatanACA motocross sometime in July and despite phone calls and letters I haven't received my trOPhy nor have I been told where I could pick it UP. P .S.S. I am going to burn my ACA card In protest,. Everyone milht as well bum his ACA cards soon._ we'll need new ones for lIIe 1970 seasOn. The ACA informs us that all trophies, eveD one year old ones, are lugged out lD each event ID hopes that someone will come claim his. Check willi Ibe scorers at lIIe next ACA motacross... Ed. WHO WANTS THE '&000 OLD DAYS?My opinion is that such a rule w1ll set back motorcycle racing to the "Good Old Days", when the majorll;y of riders were boozers and some of the clubs were even worse. I've been to races in the "Good Old Days" and I have seen the starter, flag men, etc. so drunk they didn't even know there was a race going on. Now we have the new image, the family. These famlUes, from all walks of life, would rather spend lIIe week-end racing together than anything else. We have missed very few scrambles since my sons have been racing and I don't' ever remember seeing anyone push their child out on the track. The parent should have the right to say if his child should ride or not. The A.M.A. shouldn't be able to make a flat rule like they have, effecting all young racers no matter what Iype racing they do or how well the district governs It. ot course it would be a terrible tragedy if one of these young people were Id1led or hurt really bad. But, I feel turning them away from the sport they love and can share with their family is a .tragedy too. And what about the one's who have already been racing for 2 or 3 years without any lnjuries, but are only 14 and 15? Doesn't their experience mean anything? . MRS. HELEN PARKER Rosemead, Call!. HOW DO WE GET EXPERIENCE? fellow riders In the Barstow to Vegas Run on November 29. Wbile looIdngover the list I noticed my name was not on it. This surprised me due to the tact that I finished 21st overall and 1st In the Open Amateur. I understand that the results are unotlicial but I think that's a great error on your part because the results of the race were posted immediately following the finish. BARRY G. BUBAR Newport Beach, Calif. Our club feels that the AMA ruling to prohibit anyone under the age of 16 years from competing In sporting events, where speed is a tactor, Is asinine. As we all know, experience is the deciding tactor for one's safety in racing rather than age. Therefore, if the AMA bans riders under the age of 16 from racing due to a lack of experience the racers w1ll soon all die away with age for there will be no new blood. We w1ll admit that this statement is inane but It parallels the new AMA age ruling. LLOYD COX Secretary, Foothill Hawks M.C. That's rilht BaIl'Y your name was omitted from lIIe provisional resulis but tbe S.G. V .M.C. just sent us tbe offictal list and your name and sorne 300 more are on pal" 17••• Ed. AMA LOYALTY SHAKEN of Cycle News to see the results of my GUILT BY ASSOCIATION? I see by your article on the Westlake Inter-Am that you class yourselves with Edison Dye, Wes Cooley and the rest of the group. I didn't have time to geUn a mail entry so my non-refundable $5 admission plus the $7,50 entry fee meant that It was go1Dg to cost me $12,50 to ride. 'Ib!Lt's I am a dad-sponsor of two teen-age competition riders, and I feel compelled to speak out about the newly adopted A.M.A. rullng against racers under 16 years of age. I do not believe that as a group the "family affair" type of participants were fairly represented at the competition congress when this ruling was voted In. It was passed (sneaked through) just before the adjournment when only a bare quorum was still present to vote on it. The ruling may be legal, but It cer- talnly is 111 advised. It doesn't make good sense to stifle young riders like District 36 100Cc high point rider Jerry Willis, District 35 125cc scrambles high point rider Nell Mae Dannald, and Dilltrict 35 l25cc scrambles high point rider Ron Toby, all of them young, talented, and to be lost to A.M.A. competition. The answer surely is not to remove these young riders from all competition, but to make some provision for them within the realm of A .M.A. A junior class or beginners class by any other name, and/or a size limit such as 125cc may be' a solution, but at least let us be of service to this group without further alienating anyone from the a.m.a. I believe that we should be loyal to the A.M.A, but In return the A.M.A. sbould be loyal to Its membership regardless of their age. DAROLD Mac DANNALD Keys, Cal. IS THE l6·YEAR-DLD RULE EVEN REASONABLE? It Is beyond my understanding the reason behind the new AMA 16-year-old rule. Why have such a flat statement - no one under 16 can race? Be more reasonable, and less dictatorial, and set up regulations such as beginning Novice racers must be 16. Don't punish the ones who have been racing for one or two years and are Amateur or Expert. Or you could make a rule stating that those under 16 cannot race a bike over 125cc. Don't be so one-way and unreasonable and hurt all those youngsters and their famlUes who love the sport and are avid enthusiasts and particiPants I I think all the clUbs sbould get together and demand the AMA to change this rule. These boys back your clubs so why not belp them out now? MRS. L. LAMBERT Palmdale, Calif. EDfTOR: The rule was introduced by compo conll'essman John Esler 0 f MichigaD beeallSe one l1-ye_ol d bIOk e two arms at a billclimb. If lIIe AMA Executi ve board overrules this rule, what willbes of the coneress may tbey velD next? Cycle News dislikes the 16 year limit rule, as you do, but it is a dem0cratic rule, not a dlctatortal one. IT IS NICE TO BE A GOOD GUY The Westlake promoters pocketed some money that could have been spent on dust control, sanitation faclUties and better refreshment distribution. By spending some of this money on these little extras the promoter could have pampered the all important spectator and in all probablUl;y Insured an increased number of spectators for next year. It's nice to be a good guy and let as many sportsman riders as possible compete, but I think It was carried a little too far at Westlake. Not only did the number of riders on a start make it just a little dangerous, but if you were unlucky enougb to make a bad start you stood no chance of getting through the traffic to one of the transfer positions before your time was UP. MICHAEL D. MILLS Los Angeles, Cal. CHIISTMAS CHEER FROM H.S.C,P. We would like to use CYCLE NEWSas the medium ~ough which we thank Don and Hope England for their Christmas card. It is nice to know that Hunt!ngtXln Beach Cycle Park thinks of their riders as more than a $2.00 entry fee. DICK, NORA RAY Gardena, Calif. sPeaking hm experience, I wonder bow maoy otber track owoers send &et well cards lD tbeir IIIOre a wk ward riders... Ed.

• Cover