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/125704
i Doug Douglas, AJS Set New Record ~" .!l A HARD DA y'S RIDE: T-J TO en ;;: w Z W ..J (,.) > (,.) Douglas tapes his hands, and enjoys a smoke at EI Rosario, while pilot larry Rose adjust pack. earnest. . We in the plane had gone down in daylight the day before to El Rosario, about 225 miles from the start. We expected Doug to arrive sometime about 6:30 a.m. and we were already quite concerned when he finally did arrive at 7 :30. Doug explained that he had just been too cold to ride as hard as he though t Ire could when he made his By Ron Schneiders BAJA CALrFORNlA, MEXICO, Dec. 7, 1970 - In an incredible display of determination and skill, veteran Baja racer Doug Douglas drove the solo motorcycle record for the run between Tijuana and La Paz so low that few men are likely to make further attempts. He trimmed a whopping II hours and 39 minutes off of Kim Kimball's barely month-old record. Kimball had in tum cut about an hour off Dave Ekin's record of sever.a1 years ago which Dave set on a Honda. The same factor which was such a great aid to Kimball - the Baja 1000 race - also helped Douglas, but in a different way. AJS sponsored Douglas and Whitey Gregory in the Baja 1000 where they rode a very well prepared Ajay 250cc Stormer. But early in the race, Whitey fell down knocking himself unconscious and his entry out of the race. Since there had been virtually no chance to shoY( what the new Stormer could do, and the bike was still in perfect condition, it was decided to attempt the record. On this run there would be no NORRA gas pits, check points or radio communication, so it was necessary to have a fairly elaborate and well planned pitting operation. The run is nearly 1000 miles long and the Stormer, even with the optional large tank (3.2 gal.) and all the gas Doug could carry in canteens on his waist (1 gal.), had a range of barely 100 miles. An airplane, flown by Doug's long time friend Larry Rose (with me as observer/photographer) provided part of the answer but the airplane was grounded during the hours of darkness at the beginning and end of the run. To accommodate these sections, Doug flew down the week before and stashed gas cans at appropriate spots along the way. The run began at a chilly 3 a.m. in Tijuana. where Doug sent a telegram to mark his time of departure. The beginning was not encouraginf?: th~ lights wouldn't work. Twenty mmutes work in the dark revealed a broken £onnection and the fun began in Where's aroad Rep? schedule, and the bulky clothing didn't help any. But now it was daylight and warming up fast. lie shed' the Belstaff riding pants. the gaunletted mitts, and his leather jacket which he had had been wearing under his Belstarr. N ext stop for us was Santa Ynes, an easy 45-minute ride in the plane but a tough 83-mile mountain run for Doug, over what has become known as the "Red Bluff Road". Doug finished this section in 2 hours and 37 minutes, about what he estimated, but he was still over an hour behind schedule. The nex t stop was Chapuala Dry Lake, a place not too unlike our own EI Mirage, with deep talcumy dust that billowed up behind the rider like smoke. From the plane we could see the tracks of many cars and bikes that diverged near the lake, probably marking the drivers urge to escape the dust and ruts of his predecessor. Doug arrived in good time. neither losing nor gaining on his schedule. He was looking more fit at each stop, as though the sun were infusing him with life. It was hard to believe that he had already ridden some 350 miles, the equivalent of four continuous Hare and Hounds. During the next section we clocked Doug as best we could in the airplane. He was doing about 75 mph over a rutted, pot-holed road that had the few trucks that we saw reduced to 20 mph or less. Our landing spot was a nasty little airfield called Punta Prietta. When Doug arrived, he had made up 15 minutes on the schedule, so we gave the bike a thorough check. There was absolutely nothing to do. We had come equipped to handle any kind of emergency from a broken wheel to a holed piston, but so far we hand't even adjusted the chain. . The next leg was a long 102 miles and YAMAHA SPORTCYClES Map was carried inside clear plastic top on tourin9 bag. Doug carried a full set of tools and lots of spares in the bag. NEW & USED SALES Parts-Accessories-Service Motorcycle Importer of Racing Machines. is looking for a road Rep. for the Pac. NW. area. Salary commensurate with experience and all expenses, paid. Send resume and salary desired to Med. Intr. Personnel Office, 4790 Palm Ave" la'Mesa, Calif. 92041. Financing·lnsurance MASTER-CHARGE-BANKAMERICARD Discount to Ascot Racers GENE H. MYERS 4151 Redondo Beach Blvd., lawndale, Ca. (213) 542-4047 The giant Saguaro made on the-deck flying interesting. Douglas was clocked along this stretch