Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

.... ~ w Z W ...J U >- U "American's No. 1 weekly motorcycle newspaper. You'll always see it FI RST in Cycle News!" OUT OF CONTROL Last Sunday, October 25, 1970, my son, a 250 Novice, entered the IT race at Adelanto sponsored b.y the Desert Phantoms. In most oT the races, the starter had little or no control over the riders. He had the white starting flag on the ground, and he would bend down to pick it up and before he even straightened up most of the riders were off, and needless to say not together. None of these races were black-flagged. ,Anyone honest was last to, leave the line. The most important race seemed to be from the pre-start area to the starting line. They had no pre-set lineup for the riders at all. When the rope was dropped it was a mad dash for position on the starting line. Heat winners had no preference over semi-main qualifiers. You started from wherever you could ~t in line. In my son's particular race (250 Novice Main) there were 13 riders, nine from the three heats and two each from two semis. When the rope was dropped, the riders from experience of the day, dashed to th line, the heat winners having no preference over the semi-main qualifiers who should have been placed in the second row or the end of the line. My son, who was a heat qualifier, battled his way into a fair place in the line, but when his bike failed to kick-start, he had to get out of line to push-start it, and when he returned his place was gone and he had to start on the far outside. We travel 107 miles each way to get to Adelanto just to get in 10 laps of racing and we feel all riders should get an equal opportunity. I thought heat races were run to determine starting positions in the main event, but as this race was run, heats were not even necessary. In this same race the ftrst-place rider fell, putting the second place rider who had a cOJlUIlanding lead over the riders behind him, in first place. This rider, observing the red flags which were out for the remainder of four laps, slowed down and was passed and beaten by another rider who did not observe the red flags. The fallen rider requested the ambulance but it could not get to him until the race was finished because they did not stop it. Another point I would like to make is about a full display of trophies which looked to me like the trophies for the day's races. I found out they were from the Desert Phantoms previous race held in March, seven months before. I cannot understand why, when trophies are not engraved with the winner's names, they are not given the day of the races'. There must be rules or standards to govern these races and it would be reassuring to know when you drive a long distance to a race that these rules will be followed. RICHARD J. SHERMAN Woodland Hills, Calif. INFLATION FELT Publisher . . . . Business Manager General Manager Advertising Manager Editor . Assistant Editor Circulation Manager Art Director Lab Technician. Advertising, Asst. Bookkeeper Bookkeeper Receptionist Circulation Asst. Delivery Charles Clayton Sharon Clayton · . Tom Culp · . Tom Walsh · Bob Sanford · John Bethea · Rheba Smith · . Lili Lakich · Diane Sosnoski · .. Ed Randell · Dorothea Lang' · Eleanor Duke · . . Chris Pratt · Dorothy Apple · Larry Groves have money to buy refreshme,nts. Obviously, he didn't have enough, but fortunately his wife had a few dollars and they managed to get in. We noticed that many others turned their cars around and went home. WQuldn't it seem more profitable to charge $3~00 and admit many more people? We went to the lriter-Am last year but this year the five bucks is just too much to sbell out, even though Sylvain Geboers will be there on his super Suzuki. RICHARD SEE, Oroville, Calif. WHICH IS IT? I've just fmished re-reading Maureen Lee's past three articles in "Scramblin' Around" and I've come to the following conclusion...either I'm very naive or she's very misinformed! (To put it mildly.) Now, which is it? I've been on the scrambles scene as long as ~e (maybe longer - Action, Rusty Nalls, Crater Bowl, Console Springs, Spencer Park - Pre·Prado days) for the life of me I can only imagine possibly two riders who may have had "a nice little check" coming for a win Mulder & Goldie - and I'm probably wrong about them. The current big guys can't possibly be getting the financial payoffs you mention. You have to be a superman to make even a reasonable amount of money in class C riding. Now mind you - I'm only talking about the big bores.. J have no· idea what goes on in the 250 class. My opinion on the equipment you see is this - The vast majority of the top machinery is owned by the rider. In many cases the riders in question are employed by one bike dealer or another. (Morairty, Posey, Dorsch. The Wheat's, The Hockies', etc. etc.) It is only natural that they are on fine equipment. They have the run of the shop, parts at near cost, and are technically capable to build and do build the equipment themselves. I think if you look back, all of the top riders in big bike competition were shop employees. (RIc~, Hunter, Moxley, Spargur, Coppage, Mulder, Riley, Wilburn and so on.) Terry Dorsch, our cUrrent No. 1 plate holder, campaigned his own Triumph and also one owned by his good friend, Ron Bonner. They paid for their parts, too! (During this past year I'm sure they've received help from Triumph to assist Terry in his very successful class C year as an Amateur which is understandable.) The object of this letter is not to scare off any up and comjng big bore riders or anyone who might consider building a big 40 incher. The really hot tip is not gobs of horsepower, cbrome, aluminum, and the latest of this and that. (The hO,rsepower counts on traction surfaces like Ascot - but on our typical slippery, dusty sportsman tracks, it doesn't mean much.) A guy can do very well if he simply has the right tires, the right gearing and a sound running, easy sbifting, good handling motorcycle. I'd sure like to know who the guy(s are that get the big buks and the pink slips to their bikes - I'd like to shake their hands and also admit I really am naive. IKE MIZEN Open Expert, Dist. 3,7 I am wrltmg concerning the Inter-Am. I feel it is a real shame that inflation has shown its ugly face in the admission price for these races. We know an individual (one of many) who came to Westlake last year with a twenty dollar bill in his pocket to admit I his family of six into the race and siill ""----,_....:...------._-,..----------:-_-.-::'----, Cycle News East, Dixie Cycle News, and National Advertising information: Tom Culp. National Advertising Dir. Cycle News (West). P.O. Box 498, Long Beach, California 90801. (213) 427-7433 - L.A. 636-8844. TELEX NO. 673-474 Subscription: One year 2nd class mail Single copy price ' $7.50 $.25 Published weekly except the first and last week of the calendar year by Cycle News, Inc., Post Office Box 49B; Long Beach, California, also publishers of Cycle News East, and DixieCyele News. Second Class, Postage paid at Long Beach, Calif. Editorial stories, cartoons, photos, etc. are welcome. Write for information. Addressed. stamped envelope assures return 'of editorial matter. Reprinting in whole or in part only be permission of the publishers. Advertising rates and circulation information will be sent uPon request. Geboers' Bikes Found SANTA FE SPRINGS, CAUF., Nov. 6, 1970 - Two youths were apprehended for the theft of the two works Suzuki machines of Sylvain Geboers, officials in the U.S. Suzuki ftrm report. The youths were picked up after one of them inquired at a motorcycle shop on . how to remove serial numbers from both frames and engines. The shop owner immediately called police which led, subsequently, to the discovery and retUrn of the 250 and 370cc machines. The two bikes were stolen last Sunday night from a locked van parked at the Suzuki factory here. The van was driven half-a-mile away and the machines, along with Geboers' racing uniform. were removed. Names of the accused pair are being withheld. Kimball Sets Baja Mark TIJUANA, MEXICO, Nov. 6, 1970 - While the many teams of two riders were racing from Ensenada to La Paz on Wednesday, a solo rider was in the process of breaking the solo world speed record from Tijuana to La Paz. Kim Kimball, Montesa distnbutor and longtime rider rode a Montesa King Scorpion from border to ocean in 38 hours and 54 minutes, trimming an hour and two minutes off the time of former record holder, Dave Ekins. Averaging close to 23 mph for the entire 890 miles was not too terribly difficult, according to the jubilant Kimball. He first realized that the record could be broken when he raced 'a portion of the Baja 1000 last year. Once he knew the record was vulnerable, he started making preparations for the assault. To train himself in the type of riding he would be doing he rode a stretch of desert from Desert Center to Parker, Arizona, a distance of about 100 miles, a total of 9 on the bike that he was going to use for the record attempt, a 250cc King Scorpion, which was essentially in stock condition but fitted with Dunlop Trials Universal tires. In riding the bike he learned many of the little things that you must know about any machine that enabled him to make the bike dependable. The record run was actually started a few seconds after 12 midnight Tuesday from Tijuana. Kim requested assistance from NORRA but they wanted him to forget the whole thing. They did however sell him gas at two of the racing pit stops ,along the way. Rain and fog dampened Kimball's enthusiasm in the early stages of the run but this was countered somewhat by the conftdence of oile of the people Kimball really respects, J.N. Roberts. While others were telling him to quit while he was ahead, J.N. saw him off at the start, wished him well and told him to "Get it on!" Eating was not much of a problem for Kimball; he just took 9 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, 2 canteens of water and some high energy cookies and candies from Kelty Pack, a high quality supplier of food and equipment for outdoorsmen. He did not plan to sleep on the trip, but circumstances forced him to take two naps. The first came, when he had a flat tire. He had a spare inner tube which he changed without a problem, but the air pump which worked fine a,t home, failed to work an the Mexican trail, so he slept until a car came along with a pump, which turned out to be some three hours. His second nap came about when the light switdi failed, leaving him on a dark, rocky trail in total darkness. Unable to fIX it, he did the only sensible thing: he slept until dawn. The only other trouble occurred when he crashed on a rocky hill. ) Somehow he got off the main trail and onto the beach. He rode along the beach for 20 miles or so before attempting to get back to the road lind crashed in going cross-country back to the road. Neither bike nor rider was seriously injured. Getting lost is part of travelling in Baja and Kimball "did the number" three times during the run. But, as he put it, "You have to be pumped up about something like this, You have to really want to do it, or the little things get you discouraged." The . little things were pushing him pretty close as the end neared, and he had to go the last 100 miles just as fast as he was able. He stretched out road-racer style to streamline himself as much as possible and managed to get '12 mnh from his bike. That was enough for the record, with an hour to spare. times Bean Canyon Victory BAKERSFIELD, CALIF., Nov. 6, 1970 - The first "test" case and trial in the controversial Bean CanYion trespassing charges of 50 individuals took on a new light recently when Doug Johns, who was scheduled to go to court on Oct. 28, was dismissed because the prosecution lacked enough evidence, reports the group's lawyer Ray Yinger. The court has now set Dec. 9 as the date for the trial of J obo Davis, an employee of Pacer Industries, cited on similar charges. However, reports Attorney Yinger, "I have med a motion to dismiss this case because of the delay in'the time of filing the charges and the time the defendant was first notified of pending arrest...a period of abaut four months. "This, I believe, denies the defendant's right to a speedy trial which is incorporated in both the state and national Constitution," Yinger adds. Although the motion, which will go before a judge on Nov. 17, is in regan! to only Davis, Yinger believes it will also act as "a blankel; motion" in. which all other defendants will be able to have their case dismissed. If Yinger is s~ccessful, it will not settle the question of riding legally in Bean Canyon. Yinger knows this, but he explains, "I have my clients to look out for, fmt. " Ariz. Inter-Am Site Set PHOENIX, ARIZ. - "We've found the only trees in Phoenix to hold the Inter-Am on," reports Dave Grove, co-promoter for next Sunday's event. . Grove, the owner of the Bay Mare motocross track, has been in 'Phoenio< for the last week searching for a site and making final preparations for the race. "We hope to throw the best race that's ever been seen around here," he said. He noted that local officials have been extremely helpful and he expects the event to go off without a hitch. Grove said the 160 acre parcel rented for the race has plenty of shade and water. "I think the racers and spectators will really, like the track," the promoter said. This weekend the Inter-Am is split between Phoenix and Houston, Texas, while the Trans-AMA makes its West Coast d'ebut-at Saddleback·Park':·' ".".~ ' , .. ," ~

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