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/125685
.... C\J ~ <'II c.. Ala MR. MOTOCROSS, a new book by tour time 250Cc World Motocross Cbampion, Torste~ Hallman, is destined tor success. Not because It's spectacular.ly well written or lntormative, though. It's just that Hallman Is sort of a tolk hero to a burgeoning number of people, starved tor "inside" information about their primary ~e, motocross. Most of the 108 page paperback - 88 pages, to be exact- deal with the author's memories of his 14 years of racq. Three small sections in the back of the book, however, deal with physical tttness, ra.c1qr tips and motocross in the United States. The 14 year narrative that, Torsten takes the reader on is somewbat disjointed and hard to tollow, probably be. cause of the language and;or translation ot the book. in tact, Kenneth OIausson, the author's friend and editor of the book tells you in the torward that " •••the language barrier has been a d1tf1cult obstacle," and to "Please overlook the mistakes that may occur." And, it you tollow Olausson's a.cIv1se, you do indeed find a fairly interesting, it somewbat sketchy, account of Hallman's racing career. The accoWlt starts at the end, actually• "The year was 1968," Hallman begins. _ He and Joel Robert are tied tor world H BY :~ I I stardom... All In all it's an enjoyable tale, espec1aJly some of his remarks about tel low riders: JEFF SMITH - "I have always admired that man as one at the most outstanding riders tfiere are because of his fantastic tlght1ng spirit. Jeff never gives ql and always comes back it he taUs. That's bow it has been and that's how it still is despite his nearly 20 years in thepme..... JOEL ROBERT - " ..J tboug1It that Joel rode a btt careless and r1sII:y wbich later onlY would tum out to be his ridJDg style. He's a real flyer and it you ever saw him in form on his CZ YOU'll never torcet it as lone as you Uve..Jt's quite fantastic how we've fought Joel and I and it has given me (and no doubthim, too...) many bright memor1es...Joel and I are and haYe been bJg rivals on the track, but at the same time we've had a lot of tun together and we're very good friends." VICTOR ARBEKOV - "Victor, VIbo once had been riding Uke a mad-man to stay ahead ~ me in Russia, had grown to a powertul and very styUsh rider. His riding performances wilen he was at the top were d1st1ngu1slled by distinct and perfect control otthe b1ke... Untortunately, this was the only successful year tor Arbekov (1965). When he won the tlt1e the Russians wanted to make him a super- man to enable him er piOllSb1p easilf. So, they sent him to a training. camp wllere he had to ride and practice physically tor half a year before the 1966 sellSOII wo.uJd start. I remember very weI1 when I met VIctor in Spain. Be was an entire new hlIInan be1nc. In the tlrst place be had p.lned weight by about 40 pouDds wbich is quite a lot during six month's time, Then he was tired of riding and be had no spirit wbatsoever. The Russians had torgotten that there is something called Psychology, too. Victor didn't even want to win knowing that he then would have to go back to the training camp. His smoothness in riding was gone and Victor never became the same rider·after that." OLLE PETTERSSON-" We otten travelled together to the GP's and we've SPllnt a lot of gay hours in the Mercedes on the German Autobahn wIlere we spent some bours each time we got to a Continental raoe. one is somewbat quiet but he is also a very reUab1e and friendly person. He is a great friend of mine and we've learnt a lot from each other as to riding and things that concern our protession." . TORLIEF HANSEN - "The 20 year old boy is quite a character and we call b1in the 'Swedish Cassius C~' as they talk the same way. However, juSt like lbe boxer, Torle1t has IOQd reasons to beUeve lIIat he'll be a top scrambler, and be has proved it many times alreadY.Be is afraid of no one and rides with the spirit we remember from Joel in 1964." AlthOUllb It's somewbat doubttal lIIat the book's sections on phystcal tttness "and racing tips wW make an Expert out of a Novice, they do provide some interesting information that many motocross atlciouados may t1nd belpful. The t1nal section of the book deals with mollocross in the Unifed States, but comes across, tor the most part, as an apology tor and glorit1cation of Husqvarna importer and Inter-Am pro'IIIoter, Edison Dye. "With Edison'S optlInlstic stakes, his ideas and sacr1t1ces it has been possible to run the Inter-Am and I think all mollocross tans should be grateful to him, for the sport wouldn' t have been the same thing without Dye," the author tells us. Whicb, of course, is at least partly true. - Bob santord. TBY 011 YOUBSILF at SAN FRANCIS(O RIDERS bring your riding gear and this advertisement with you. FREIONT RACEWAY Saturday, August 22nd, 2:00 PM onwards I don't r.ally know whet we're looking at, Joel and I, but It sure looks Interesting, doesn't It? championship honors. The race Is in southern Al1l1tria, and it is the deciding event in the chase tor the tiUe. Of course it's history that Robert became World Champion, but the former champ tells how he was foiled In his attempt at his t1tth world tiUe. Hallman goes on from there to explain how he started riding in his home town of Uppsala, Sweden, his early riding experiences, and t1nal1y his support from the Husqvarna factory. Then starts the tale of his rise to Come and sample the 250cc and .370cc versions of these remarkable machines, suitable for raci,ng in TT, moto;cr()ss and the deserl.(parricipaa,. mil" b. J.'i .m". 01,1 or oM..) J baDdies better , Stop tile press: Malcolm Davis wins 2511 Brltlsll Natl••al Motocross Chll1lpl~Dshlp.