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
Meet Dick Burleso'n By John H. Waaser ~ w Z W ..J U > U The new American Motocross Champion, Dick Burleson, is 22, single, and a mechanical engineering student, who took a semester off to contest the Trans·AMA series. He will return to school late this month, and is working as a rna torcycle mechanic in Toledo, Ohio, just marking time until then. The most cogent fact that came out in this interview was that for all the prestige, and all the talk of big prize money that was ballyhooed by the AMA, it cost Dick money out of his own pocket to become the champion. A rider who campaigned the series in the supporting events and did well would have won a lot more money than Dick did, In fact, at Delta, Ohio, Paul Reed indicated that he had been making out like a bandit, with a first and a second in the supporting even ts. This is largely due to the contingency money situation. The top Americans, who finished behind several Europeans, collected only the prize money, which was paid to three places, only. in both the feature and supporting events. Dick average $70-$80 a week in prize money, and had no support from Husqvama or other trade sources. He left Toledo for the western swing with $550 in his pocket. In Texas he bought a Yamaha Mini Enduro at dealers cost, When he got home, he had $40 in his pocket, having spent the rest and all of his winnings to campaign the senes. To top it off, his van needed a new set of tires, A set of new skins just put on the Cycle News van cost over $200, Dick carried a 400cc Husqvarna with him, and a 250cc mota unit faT the lightweight fea,tures, and changed the rna tor between races, He also carried Carl Berggren's machine and spare motor while Carl flew home between events. CN: Did you run the whole series, or skip a couple of events? Dick: I ran the whole series. You'd have to, because the point standings are geared to the consistent rider. CN: Did you have any problems or DNF's? Dick: Well, my handlebars loosened up and I had. clutch trouble at Larue (Ohio), and I had a flat tire in New York, but I f'mished both of those events without losing too many places, I bent my shift lever and lost my expansion chamber at Toledo (Delta), and thal hurt. After that I had absolu tely no problems. CN: How early in the series did you think that you migh t win the championship? Dick: Well, I was surprised to see that I was something like third or fourth American in the first couple of events. I knew that the point standings were geared to consistency, so I knew righ t away that I would be right in there if I didn't have any troubles. By the time we got to Texas, I was still pretty close to Brian (Kenny) so I figured f'd just ride to be consisten t and wait for his mistakes. He ran into trouble in Texas and at Saddleback. He spilled in Texas, and I gained on him there, then his handlebars came off at Saddleback and I took the lead away from him. I just coasted home taking a 14th at Washington. CN: what do you think of Sonny DeFeo? Dick: He's improved quite a bit, and he improved even during this series, too. He was always fast, but now he's getting more consistent, and he's young, too. CN: What do you think of the f'mal Inter-Am in which the best Trans-AMA rider could only finish sixth? Dick: (Mild Surprise) I haven't seen the results yet, so I don't know. I met Ake, though, and he's really geared to win. He's a go-getter, and he's got a lot of support, We went out to Cooper Motors and they had two guys working on that bike. Had it all apart. Husqvama had a whole team at mechanics, too, but they weren't as well organized. It's almost like it was too big and too loose an effort. CN: We got a kick out of the fact Dick Burleson will wear the coveted Nat, NO.1 m-x that Maico won the Inter-Am and numberplate next year. Photo by John Wasser, BriaR KeRRe" SecoRd AmericaR TraRs-AMA Series 1970 Brian was sponsored by T·C LUBRICANTS and finished 5th overall in the toughest American race series ever. Brian raced his Husky against several European Champions and the best the U.S. had to offer. Brian held the number one position until late in the series, when his handlebar broke, slowing him badly and losing him many points. This is the only mechanical problem that he experienced throughout the whole series. Brian ran one quart of T LUBRICANT to three gallons of gasoline and he reported "His engine never missed a beat and never even thought about fouling a plug". He ran the same rings throughout the series and the wear was minimal. The head and piston were stained a coffee brown but there was no carbon build·up at all. GET THE FULL POTENTIAL AND DEPENDABILITY that was built into your race bike. USE T-e - The chemical lubricant that was designed for this type of severe competition. -e Lubricant 4300 Skylark Dr. Englewood, Ohio 45322 (Decals available upon request) WESTERN DISTRIBUTORS Sport Lube Specialties, P.O. Box 629, So. Gate, Calif., 90280 - (213) 863-7786 Lanes' Cycle Shop, West Hubbard St., Mineral Wells, Texas, 76067 Poly-oil & Lube Dist., 3610 W. Indian School Rd., Phoenix, Ariz., 85019-278-6368 Cycle Speed, 3201·0 Orange Grove Ave., North Highlands, Calif., 95660 Competition Products Co., 1757 Foothill Dr., Salt Lake City, Utah, 84108