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/125657
" ~ OREGON HILLCLIMBERS IN A RUT c.. , Maybe this looks like a Hare and Hound course or a secti on of a National enduro but act ually It Is the rutted, tree lined path la ken by the J acksonvil le, Ore. hili climbers . -B ADealers To Offer Retail Financing S ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA, Jan.25,1970BSA Motorcycle Dealers will soon otter customers a retaU financing program with payments up to 36 months. RetaU financing and a dealer floor plan were two of a number of major announcements made here this evening at the Annual BSA . Dealer Awards Banquet! W ter n Region. es More than 350 dealers and wives heard the Birmingham Small Arms Company President, Peter Thorton, announce an expanded warranty policy and a greatly Improved warranty protection plan for dealers. Mr. Thorton also revealed that a quality audit program has been Introduced at the factories In England and that units are now being shipped " buUtUP", with only handlebars end easily damaged minor parts r emoved. " Deal er assembly work on these units," said Mr . Thornton, " has been reduced to an average of 30 minutes from crate to customer." " Our goal," Mr. Thornton continued, "Is to deliver to our dealers a product for as close to off-the-shelf selling as possible, and then back him up with a dealer support program that will generate profits for every dealer willing to work at selling BSA." The dealer floor plan and the retail financing plan will be administered by a major finance company with a nationwide network of offices and local authority to handle all aspects of the financing. Details of the plans wUl be announce. Jointly with the finance company within the next month. It was revealed, however, that a percentage of the retail new finance charge will be credited to the dealer, thus creating another profit source for him, and that rates on the floor planning wUl be bel ow those avail, able to individual dealers through local banks or finance companies. Customer warranty has been increased 50% to six months or 6,000 mUes and dealer protection work has been extended to make it possible for the dealer to generate profits on such work . The average national rate paid for labor has been Increased to ' $6.00 hourly fr om $5.00. In addition cost of factory parts plus 25% will also be paid. Dealers were Introduced to David Bird, newly elected vice president, BSA Sales, who wUl leave on Friday, January 30 for Birmingham, England with all BSA sales representatives, sales managers and service managers. "We are going to carry our dealers' production problems to the factory ," Mr. Bird said, " and attempt to find the solutions there, at the source." While In England, the BSA fieldmen will also inspect and be briefed on the 1971 product line. In the conclusion of his remarks, Mr . Thor nton Said, "We are making any investment, we're taking any action, making any change , facing up to any problem that Is needed to make the BSA fr anchise the most valuable and profitable in the industry." "Dectslons on product and styling, and dealer support are being made here••• our co-workers in England are backing us to the limit." "Only by building your sales and profits can we build our sales and profits at BSA•••thatis why we are here." Motorcycle Trails Commiffee Seeks Land HAYWARD, CAL, Jan .22, 1970-Another well attended meeting of the Motorcycle TraUs Committee was held in Hayward, January 22, to pursue the acqutsition of land for the enjoyment cit the dirt riding motorcyclist and mini-bike rider . Reg Kittrelle and Jerry Bohan, the or1g1nators of the gr oup, were unanim ously approved as co-chairmen of the com-. mlttee . Everyone was asked to look for areas, Gree ve s Hodaka Mon/ esa Motorcycles K awasaki W estminster Sport Cycle Guy R. Loui s (714) 893-7057 . 7574 Westm inster Ave. Westm inster, Cal. TRIUMPH • SUZUKI Walt Axlhelm 's Triumph -Suzuki Motors 1049 West 5t h St. , Pomona, Calif. - nI4) 629-8642 public or private, that would be s uitable for riding. When land has been found we wUl have an organized group of people ready to approach the landowners. Motorcycle dealers and parents of min-bike riders are Invited to attend these meetings as this would benefit them as well. ' , _.. .. The next, Motorcycle Tralls Committee meeting, will be held February 10, 8 p.m , at the Castro Valley Community Center, 3683 Qua1l Ave., Castro Valley. One thousand flyers are being printed, and made available, at East Bay area Motorcycle dealers, concerning the next meeting. If anyone would like further Information or be placed on ' the mailing Ust contact: Reg Kittrelle - (415) 582- 0339' or Jerry Bohan - 846-4620. OlyBULTACO n Steve ' 5 Bultaco Open 6 days a week Mo n. & FrI. 9-9 other s 9-6 - 7627 Van Nuys Blvd. - Van Nuys, Ca l. ( 213 ) 780-6300 By Steve Wakeman JACKSONVILLE, OREGON Jan. 25,1970 - The Motorcycle Riders Association held a hillclimb at the granite pits near Jacksonville, Oregon. It rained for a solid week before the climb and a few of the members found themselves filling in the ruts on the hill before competition started. A r ider would find It almost Impossible to control his bike If it slid Into one of the five foot deep ruts. There were sixty -eight bikes entered in the day's competition. A down pour of rain allowed only twelve riders to top the hill. The hill used for the hillcllmb also , has a couple of small curves and a few trees and bushes which make the riding even more difficult. The diffi culties of rain, ruts, curves and trees were unable to slow down Dick Chambers riding his 650Cc Triumph to a top out speed of 12.1 sec. There was a minibike hillclimb held during ' halftime Intermission. The winners were Chris Tippets, age eight, riding a Honda, Don Coghill Jr., age eight, on a homemade Suzuki and Darwin Ault, age seven, riding a Honda. The leading organization of motorcycles in the United States, the MRA, received an active award plaque from the American Motorc ycle Association. The MRA also received a letter stating that the club was in the semi finals for motorcycle club of the year • The MRA and the hillclimbers had a fine day and hope to see more riders at the cross country race held at the granite pit on Febr . 22, 1970. SACRAME NTO INTERN ATIONAL RACEW OPENS SOON AY Plans for the new Sacramento International Raceways were unveiled yesterday in Sacramento by the development group who acquired the existing facillty earlier this year. The Raceway will be , loca ted on Excelsior Road (ott Jackson Highway) In Sacramento, Cal1fornta. It was announced that the planning and engineering phase has been completed on schedule and actual construction of this elaborate racing plant Is targeted to commence as soon after the first of the year as weather permits. Inside a paved oval is a 1/4 mUe dirt flat track for motorcycles and the developers plan to have a full program for this fast growing sport. There will also be a lighted dragstrip for night racing Incorporating all of the latest features that research and development could produce for this most popular form of automobile racing. Additioually, a youth program on the dragstrip will be emphasized In order that the young citizens of the area can do their thing under safe controlled circumstances. . The third elementof Sacramento International Raceways Is a 2-mlle plus road circuit that can accommodate road raeIng In all of its forms, from amateur club events through professloual racing on the championship trall. KNI EVEL TO TRY SKY-CYCLE AT SACTO T,T. SACRAMENTO, CAL. - Evel Knievel, known throughout the world as the" King of Stuntmen" , announced over the weekend .tha t he will try to tie his world record of Jumping 16-automoblles, when he appears at the Old State Fairgrounds here on Sunday afternoon, Feb. 15th along with the 50-lap AMA Paclf1c Coast Championship T ,T, Motorcycle races . Racing Director J.C , Agajanian has inked the world famed motorcycle stuntman to try for the record trying jump as an added attraction to the 21-event motorcycle racing card on the new mUe and a half steeplechase course. Fresh from his leap at the CowPalace earlier this month, Knievel wUl use the long straightaway of the Sacramento mile track for his longest out-door jump In more than a year. Knievel will use his specially built " s ky- cycle" for the leap over the long ltne of automobUes at the former state fairgrounds. The Super-man of the motorcycle world won't be the only rider up In the air, as more than 100-rlders will tackle the new mUe and a half steeplechase course on the same day. The new T. T, race features both left and right hand bends, plus a 12 foot high steeplechase jump , Expected to head the large field Is defending , AMA Grand National riding champion Mer t Lawwill of San Francisco . Winner of Natioual T.T . championship races at CasUe Rock, Wash., LawwUl is no stranger to the action packed T.T. circuits. Other top riders expected include" Dick Mann of Richmond; Mark Brelsford of San Bruno; Gene Romero of San Luis Obslpo; Skip Van Leeuwen of Hollywood; Dan Haaby of Orangevale; and Eddie Mulder of Burbank. Advance sale tickets for the race are now on sale at the Civic Theater Box Office , 1419 " H" Street in Sacramento. CALIF. W OULD SET HELMET STANDARDS Cal1fornta: motorcyclists wUl no longer be sold unsafe helmets under legis la tion HARLEY-DAVIDSON DEALERS introduced this session by Assemblyman HON OR LAW ILL - AM NATIONAL W A John Francis Foran (D-San Francisco). CHAMPION Foran, who Is Chairman of the Assembly Transportation Com m1ttee, exMert Lawwill who earned more Nationpressed concern over the fa ct that there . al Points, 672, than any other rider in are no minimum safety standards for the hoUy contested '69 AMA National motorcycle helmets . Championship Races was recently hon"I am appalled that when a cyclist ored by the West Coast Harley-Davidson buys a motorcycle helmet he has no dealers with a testimonial dinner in San assurance the helmet wUl give him Francisco. Joining Mert in the merriadequate pr otection in an accident. All ment wer e his teammates Cal Rayborn, too ofte n, these s o-called protective - ,- BarCMarkel; Roger ' " Reiman, Mark Brelsford, and Walt F ulton. The tes ti helmets are virtually usel ess," Foran said. monial hosted 130 race enthusiast guests. The San Francisco legislator's bill Dud Perkins, who has coached , addirects the Cal1fornia Highway Patrol to vised and sp onsored Lawwill through the establish m1n1mum safety standards that years, was happy to see Mert receive must be met'before a motorcycle helmet the awards and praise due a champion. may be sold in Cal1fornia. The Foran John A. Davidson, Harley-Davidson'S bill does NOT require motorcyclists to Vice President-Sales, was on hand to congr atulate the riders on thei r record wear helmets . Rather, it assures those cyclists who voluntarUy choose to wear for the season. Much to the dellght of the one that any helmet they purchase, rewrecking crew, he 'a lso pr es ented them gardless of price, wUlprovidetheneces with bonus checks for their part in putsary protection. ting Harley-Davidson on top. " A recent study of accidents in which Dick 0' Brien, Chief Racing Engineer, the motorcycllst was kU1ed showed that shared the head table honors. There'is 92% received head injuries" cla1ms a good chance much of the table talk Foran. "Medical auth orltes tell me that centered about the new H-D 750 OHV each year motorcyclists are killed in r acer, the XR . With Houston around the accidents because their helmets are corner, you can be sure the members of inferior. My legislation will elt minate the cycle press, most, of whom were these deaths," he said. present, caught every word on that topic.