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/125698
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BOOK REVIEW
"learn to Wheelie" by Jack B. Watson.
Published by Barnard Publications,
Saugus, California, 1970,
Before launching into comments and
evaluation of this book, olie thing should be
made clear: neither the book nor these words
about the book will "tell" you how to
wheelie. It takes a lot of practice; what the
book reveals is some very crafty ways to
practice so that with some dedication on your
part you can become, as advertised, a
'"wbeelie whiz. n
First, let's define (as Watson does) the true
wheelie: " .. .I mean the front wheel goes up
and stays up. When you are ready to bring it
down .the wheelie is over, and not before."If
you've been making it to scrambles and
half-mile even ts, and it do~sn't bother you
too much to see those boys slid.,. through the
turns so nicely but it really makes you tum a
bright shade of envy green when the winner
rides his rear wheel the length of the
straightaway ... the end to your discomfort is
·in sight.
uThe aver,age rider, n says Watson, u can
learn to wheelie in five weeks or less with 30
minutes of practice a day." (It would be a
good idea to repeat that sentence a few times
aloud.) "If you thought there was a quick and
easy gimmick that would allow you to
become a wheelie whiz on a few weekends of
practice, you're sadly mistaken. Learning to
wheelie is difficult. I would even say very
difficult ...however there is really only one
price to pay for success ...just plain ordinary
effort and one hell of a lot of it." By now the
basic premise of the book should be perfectly
clear.
ey cle News feels that a complete
paraphrasing of Mr. Watson's methods of
learning how to wheelie would be unfair to
his business interests (particularly in light of
the fact that he was kind enough to send us a
copy) so if you really want to get started it
would be best to get your checkbook and
.look at the end of this review for the mailing
address.
Mr. Watson's book has six photographs and
several diagrams among its 38 pages. The
fIVe-week training program is divided into fIVe
phases, from five to ten days each in length.
You are to practice every day-this means 35
consecu live days.
Obviously, a helmet is required for
practicing. Also recommended, in order of
importance, are gloves, boots, knee pads, and
elbow pads. As the man says, "You might as
.well hce it now-before this is over there will
be some damage to the bike and there may be
some minor injuries to the rider. t1
As far as your bike goes, little modification
is required. A 20% lower gearing for street
machines and a 10% lower gearing for trail
Gordy 'WIll iams
Authorized Dealer
SUZUKI
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496-9277.
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1424 A HARPER ST., S. A,
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thus the easier it will be to lift the front one.
Ukewise, the longer the wheelbase, the better
the handling in such instances as motocross
and high-speed dirt racing. You must select
your tools for job you have in mind.
OK, this is about all we have to say. The
actual method and a few key secrets lie
between the covers of. uLearn to Wheelie,"
which can be yOUf' for $2.98 sent to Barnard
Publications, Dept. M22, Box 158, Saugus,
California 91350. Have fun.
ORANGE COUNTY INT'L. RACEWAY, Nov. 2, 1970 - BSA racing head, Pete
Coleman, today unfurled his challenge to the two stroke domination of the previous
California International Grand Prix. For his challenge he has entered the two fa~est
qualifiers at this years race at Daytona Beach. They are a Triumph Trident, and a
BSA Rocket 3, both 750cc machines.
For riders, he has chosen two of the best, Gene Romero, and John McGillivray.
Romero, next year's AMA No. 1 will be riding the Triumph, and McGillivray, this
year's AFM Open Class points leader, will be riding the BSA.
Today was Romero's first exposure to the track, and the Team Mexican star spent
many laps getting set on the bike, and getting used to the tricky and very fast back
section of the Orange County track. By the end of the practice, though, Romero was
going very fast.
It was impossible to get any times on the bikes to compare with race times since
not all of the track was opened up for the practice. Even so, McGillivray felt that the
BSA was faster and better handling than his points leading Norton.
If this is true then the factory Suzukls of Art Baumann and Jody Nicholas, and
Kawasakis of Jim Deehan and Hurley Wilvert are going to be in for some very close
racing from both Romero and McGillivray since their bikes are nearly identical
In a special 10 lap practice race, McGillivray beat next year's number one plater to
the checkers by about 3 or 4 seconds.
Norton's George Kerker was a very interested spectator to the test session, and
was very impressed with what he saw. He, Jack Simmons and Bill Manley will be
three more in contention for the International race, all on Nortons.
The Third Annual AFM Castrol California International Grand Prix will feature
many foreign and out of state riders, representing all the major factories, plus the
largest collection of sidecars ever in the United States. The dates for this event are
November 21, 22 at Orange County International Raceway .
-
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cycle center
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L.A., CallI. 90036 (213) 931·2011
FOR SALE: 1970 Yamaha 360 RT1. Honest
380 miles, never raced, like new. $750 firm.
Call Dale after 4:30 weekdays, anytime Sat.
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end, clean, $450.00. (213) 347-3393 eves.
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machines is suggested. In addition it is wise to
"remove all protruding hardware attached to
the rear fender." As regards engine power and
displacement you'll probably be surprised.
The rider in the book's photographs makes it
look easy on a Hodaka 90. Above-average
power is desirable but not necessary.
(We spoke with Mr. Watson on the phone
recently. He informs us that he's doing a third
printipg. Also, in response to lots of caDs he's
received about "that little Hodaka" in the
first editions, the newer one will show him on
a 1aIger ~hine.)
Considering the amount of control a rider
can exert on a machine by shifting his body
weight, the weight of the machine itself is a
major factor; the closer the weights of bike
and rider, the greater the control the rider can
achieve with his own mass. Watson suggests a
machine limit of 300 Ibs. And, as he says on
page one, if you own a Harley 74, "you're
finished before you start." Along with these
two important factof' of machine power and
machine weight, a third one is wheelbase. The
shorter the wheelbase, the larger percentage
of the rider's weight is over the rear wheel and
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