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/125692
:! ~ '" o ,... 0.. • • 0> u o ~ w Z W ..J U >- U uShawlZ, come on, it's time to load up... Shawn, come on... SHA WN!!" This is what some 45,000 fathers will be repeating over and over, when the latest in the Yamaha Enduro line is introduced next month. The Mini Enduro. The little 58cc, rotary valve engine continued to repeatedly pass by the van; at the controls, my six year old son. I not-tao-subtlety repeated my message, but to 110 avail. In a final effort to put a halt to the day's riding, I positioned myself directly in his path. Surely, this would stop him... Umph. It did! We had gotten the test machine nine days earlier, in time for our annual jaunt over the Labor Day Weekend to Big Sur. Before leaving, I brought my wife out to the garage and in my most Head Mechanic voice began to explain the finer points of the machine, as well as the differences betwen it and her 90cc model. I really had no interest in beginning the test, but I was out·voted 3 to I, with the majority ruling that our 25'x40' patio would be an excellent place to commence testing. Going along with the group, then, I tried my hand at burning black cirdes in the concrete. Somehow, though, wives havetrouble understanding the adult male, so not wishing a full confrontation in front of the children, I pushed the built-in kill button located on the throttle, easily reached by any child. Setting the bike on its side stand (no center stand with this mpdel), I stood back to survey the set·up, which Shawn was now dimbing aboard. At a glance, it occurred to me that the small tubing used in the double-loop frame might not be suitable for the 200 pounders scheduled to ride the little beast at .Big Sur (this later proved to be incorrect). Suddenly, the little engine came to life under the persistent kick of my 55 lb. son.. "Look, Dad, look! It's going." Yeah. Next on the discovery list was the easy·to·work shift lever, which my son had no problem engaging, as he wobbled away in the direction of the iron feQce surrounding the pool. A not too stylish save by the rider got the machine in line for the cirde.path needed to ride in this confined area. Later, we were to discover that all four of the gears are easily located. Surprisingly enough, the 3.62 ft.•pound of torque at 5500 allowed Shawn to just pu tt around with no real twist of the throttle. After a few minutes, the young novice-novice-novice had increased his confidence to the point of: "Look at this, Dad. I'm good." Then the inevitable tree got in the way. Thus, lesson one. Enough for one day. On to Big Sur. At the famous seaside retreat, along the rugged coast of Northern California, five full-grown men eagerly awaited a chance to plop their over-weight and under-conditioned hods on this child's toy (a $299 child's toy?). Now, it became Dad's plaything. Scoff'mgly, we put the Mini Enduro through tests that we knew were impossihle...only to find that the midget monster handled them with ease. Better, in fact, than some of the 90 and 250cc bikes also being tested. A 45 degrees hill, seemingly passable only by a D-6 Cat, was challenged by the 4.5 !,orsepower machine. No problem. Looking doyvn, I saw two of the bigger bikes tumbling ludicrously to the bottom. Get a horse, fella. Or a Mini Enduro. The next weekend, this father and son team again went riding. Now, breaking the law is something no father wishes to instruct his son in, so I was relieved when the very understanding officer merely asked us to leave, as I explained that I had not seen any signs when I entered the area. Of course, Shawn was too busy riding to care much about the long arm of the law. Oh well, we were f'mished with the test, anyway. After the two of us washed the bike! and put it away, I decided a tape.re.corded interview with my son Hey, it's my turn to ride. .' rheonl~ thin, ~ou need to .now allout Valerian's ishowto,et there: . _~+- ....-===.c..:....:=:..;.,._+OLYMPIC BLVD. _ -' w "' -' ~ Yamaha of Fontana ...... ~ 9008 Sierra Fontana, Calif. PIca BLVD. ,: ~ MAY co.. • CAL-FED RAVINGS ff: < 0 Z w o Z C1j YAMAHA SPOITCYCLfS NEW & USED SALES Parts-Accessories-Service Financing-Insurance MASTER CHARGE-BANKAMERICARD ~ , 0 " SANTA MONICA FRWY. I , OVERLAND OFF RAMP I\ DOWNTOWN LA" OVERLAND/NATIONAL OFF RAMP NATIONAL BLVD. 006 ~o~!~~,"~~~~ro~!~ ~~ DICK DIXON'S lIIied CJcIe Sales & Service 24601 Arch St., Newhall Phone 805-259-5350 HusaVARNA' JAWAlCZ· SUZUKI' PENTON' MZ, MONTESA' ZUNDAPP· MINI-TRAILS SUZUKI - BSA - SACHS PENTON - MAICO - CZ ~pecialjsts in Sachs Powered vehicl~ / GENE H. MYERS 4151 Redondo Beach Blvd., Lawndale, Ca. (213) 542-4047 In Street, Trail, & Competition Motorcycles Telephone: (213) 475-4541 Sales - Service - Accessories - Parts - Champion Leathers open monday through saturday Discount to Ascot Racers ~ USED PARTS ~ ALL ~ . ~~ - MAKES 40%to SCRAMBLER 60% MOTORCYCLES 1101 W. Burbank.lllvd. off Burbank, Calif. ..... ~ ~~ 849-5907 ar 145-a73a £1. "7