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/125667
LJe .AS ne~ " ~:::::~ , ~ ~ ~ ~\MH ~ "Amerlcats #1 weekly motorcycle newspaper. You'll always see it FIRST in Cycle Newsl" Publisher••••••• Charles Clayton Business Manager•••Sharon Clayton ' General Manager•••.••• Tom Culp Advertising Manager••Bob Sirkegian Feature Editor••••••• Terry Pratt ~~r~~I~t~~nE~~~~·g~r·.·. 'B~~~ ~~n:~:~ Circulation Assistant •• Rheba Smith Production Manager••.• uu Lak lch Lab Technician••••.••Jlm Brooks Production Assistant •• Jerry Owen Bookkeeper•••••••Susan Whitelaw Bookkeeper•••••••. Eleanor Duke Want Ads ••••••••Jan McCullough 'TRIALS THE ANSWER? HOORAW FOR THE GRIPSTERS Many fathers & under 16 year old riders have bemoaned the AMA's recent ban of under 16 yr. olds from sportsman racing. I sympathize, although I can understand the AMA's reasonlngandfeel it Is justified - at this time. It may be that many who have threatened to give up motorcycling because of this rule are overlooking a wonderful are of competition stl1I open to them. Start thinking positively. Think "Trlals" HERB SCHENK S. Lake Tahoe, Calif. Seems there Is a lot of "hooraw" about who did what at Elsinore. But it seems to me that there ain't enough "hooraw" for the Grlpsters, the good people of Elsinore, the press and film coverage and ALL the other people who put In to the Grand Prix without any thought of taking out, Being new to the sport, I could be" off base", but when the label 'sport' Is placed, and the entries are in, top Expert and lowest Novice allke, the consideration then becomes how the game Is • YOIC• • A REAL BRAKE played. It Is rea1lZed that the prestige connected with a win Is most beneficial for one who Is In the cycle business. But,and this Is a but that might be thought over by the "pros" - it Is the average run of the mill rider who supports the game. It would be slim pickins, Indeed, if only the top experts and pros bought and rode bikes. The point Is this, fel1as: We " ba ck In the pack" riders admire your skUl, and often wish we could be up there out of the dust with you. But, don't let the glitter on those trophies blind you to the fact that the 'little guy' Is supplying the oil to keep your lamp burning. If the little guy gets discouraged over all the big hassle at the top, he can trim that wick easily, by turning elsewhere for his sport, and cycling will be back In the post depression doldrums. This applies equally as well to the spectator. For where would anybody be without the sup- I would like to thank the Vice President of the Simi Valley Motorcycle Club that bravely and deliberately stepped Into my speeding Hodaka to save me and my borrowed machine from extensive Injury and damage. While winding out on the top fire road at the Viewfinders Grand Prix, I suddenly found that I was unable to apply my brakes, due to a jammed brake pedal. A turn appeared In the road when I found out that I bad no brakes. I was certain to plunge over the full length of that 300 ft, embankment If it wasn't for this man's quick thlnking and courage. Fortunately he sustained no Injuries for his actions. KEN A. BUCKSPAN Woodland Hills, Calif. HANGTOWN HAILED Cycle News East,DixleCycle News, and National Adverti sing information: Tom Culp. National Advertising Dlr. Cycle News (West), P.O. Box 498, Long Beach, California 90801 (213) 427-7433 - L.A. 636-8844 .y Northern Office 1470 Broadway, Walnut Creek, Calif. (415) 934-1995 Northern Representati ve: _ Lyn Jensen ' Subscript ion: One year 2nd class mail •••• $7.50 Single copy price•••••••.•• 251/: EVERYONE WANTS TO BE A PUBLISHER , By Charles Clayton According to The Motorcyclists Post (one of about two dozen periodicals serving the American motorcycle enthusiast) the AMA Executi ve Director plans to make all his loyal members (e xc ep t Life Timers) take a S3 subscription to the magazine "American Motorcyclin g" beginning June 1st. Since it would appear that the AM!\. is dead set on entering the swinging world of bigtime publishing, a few earnest words of advice would not be out of order. Everyone tells us how to ron our business, so why shouldn't we pass on to the AMA these unsolicited observations, painfully learned during almost fifteen years of labor in the publishing vineyard? First off. the Executive Director will have to start "looking the part" of a big publishing director. IJirsute sideburns (mous tache optional) and bandanna ties are the unHonn of the day. IJis somber suits "ill have to go to Goodwill and in their place wear a zippered leather creation by Tony Llad, lie should direct the magazine staff from his bed. surrounded by lissome motor maids. • American Motorcycling" will be too trite a title for the big mag. We suggest holding a contest to choose a new name. like "Cycle Orgasm". (One suggestion we heard was "Berry's Vanity Press." port of the fans ? Granted, novice and spectator allke need some education on the "dangers" of the sport. But there are few born experts, and the last perfect Cat, they hung Congratulations to Bill Onga and his Dirt DIggers North for a tremendous week-end of racing at the Plymouth Hangtown Motocross, April 4th & se, And, our heartiest thanks go to Gene Nunes, who made delivery of our son Mark'S new Penton, the night before. This kind of extra effort to keep a customer happy Is common place with Gene and very much appreciated. The races went off without a hitsh and were very well managed. The plug on T. V. was a real asset to the sport, and Bill Onga did justice to that one, The town of Plymouth, having once bad trouble with street motorcycle gangs, has certainly changed Its opinlon of motorcycle dirt riders since races have begun In Plymouth these last couple of months. A forward step for all. JIM AND SYLVIA LaRUE North Highlands. Ca. .• III I . " t:lIlH •• ' II { on a Cross and filled with holes. In conclusion, thanks Gripsters, and thanks good PEOPLE of Elsinore. !twas a " blast" and let's hope there are many more to come. GEORGE R . SPIDELL El Cajon, Calif. I would like to correct a mistake made by Mr. Light In his results of the Tri State, at Bakersfield, Sunday 29. In the lOOcc Expert class, second place went to Robert Sander, #'1, district 37. That was a long way to go to a race, then be , omitted from the results. Also, congratulations . to all the racers from district 37 who rode. They made a fine showing. VICKI VAN DORN Whittier, Calif. FINISHER PINS I am writing this letter In the hopes that you might publish It for the benefit of my friends and I . The last three desert runs I have attended have failed to give out finishers pins. To me and most people I know, flnlshing a desert race Is a lot of hard work, with the exception, perhaps, of J.N. and J. Morgan. I hope desert clubs everywhere take heed to this letter. It's a small token to the clubs, but It's a large plaque to the riders who earned them. MICAHEL C. HART South Laguna, Calif. Once again we would like to say 'thank you' • These words seem so small compared to what we really feel In our hearts. People have been so wonderful to us during our grief and loss of our son. No where will you find more wonderful compassionate people than among the bike riders. We would like to especially thank the San Bernardino Valley M. C. for putting on the David McCord Hare Scrambles In me mor y of David. The club presented us with a beautiful plaque with inscriptions on It that means so much to J1I We are sure readers can think of other more or less appropriate names.) Big circulation is not without its problems. however. Certain worries will inevitably vex the Director's ambitious brow. It's well known that circulation revenue alone can't pay the costs of publishing. Much advertising will have to be solicited , at considerably higher rates, to pay the printer. "Lead time" (the time needed to prepare and print a magazine) will have to be increased. hopefully not longer than 6 months, lest they be scooped by the annuals. Of course, having a guaranteed circulation . the staff need not worry much about news value. The editor could omit such transitory fluff as coming events and who won what, leaving lots of space for items of lasting interest such as memoranda from the Director. All this fine advice may be wasted, unless the AMA membership takes kindly to the increased dues and compulsory magazine . (Abo,ut 100 .000 of them rejected the plan when it was voluntarv.) The whole scheme may result in a considerably smaller AMA altogether. and then the Director would have a lot more time to devote to publishing. Meantime. several publishers of our acquaintance are laying plans to enter the Association business. Sanctions ' and memberships are a lot more profitable to print than magazines, after all. AN UNENLIGHTENED LIGHT? THANKS FROM THE McCORDS us. Also, the y gave us a check which we used to help pay the hospital and doctor bills. ' We will foreve r be Indebted to them and all the riders and people who helped and honored us by attending the race - ' Again we want to say ' tha nk you'. THE McCORD FAMIL Y and DAVID COLEMAN Fontana, Calif. Published weekly except the first and last week of the calendar year by Cycle News, lnc. , Post Office Box 498, Long Beach, California, - al so publishers of Cycle News East, and Dixie Cycle News. Second Class Postage paid at Long Beach, Calif. Editorial stories, cartoons, photos, etc. are welcome. Write for infonnatlon, Addressed, stamped envelope assures return of editorial matter. Reprinting in whole or in part only by permission of the publishers. Advertising rates and circulation information wi II be sent upon request. A TRACK ERROR ~k'l~kBA~k -mOUBLE AGA/)/?" • . Uti til h lit I would lik e to know why the Coalinga Trail Trotters race track was not on your map of race tracks of the Nor th . We're working real hard to do our part here for motorcycles. We need all the good advertising we can get. MRS. HADYN E . CROFTS Coa li nga, Calif. If yo u - or anyone else who was inadvertently omitted from the map - will s end us the location of your track , we will gladly include it in the next revised edition... Ed. Itl 1 .: II