Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

~ w Z W ..J U >- U "America's No. 1 weekly motorcycle newspaper. You'll always see it FIRST in Cycle News!" SEARCHING AND SEARCHING I have been searching and searching for some info for minibike races around my area. I live in the Santa Clara valley. I have a Honda Mini Trail 70. It has 5 bhp and 8,000 rpm. I am 131', years old. The kind of racing I am looking for is dirt racing. BOB BONDURANT Saratoga, Calif. All we know is what we print in the Calendar. If anyone knows of minibike races, please notify Cycle News Calendar Dept. and we will pass them on... Ed. ONE ATTORNEY'S OPINION As a motorcycle enthusiast and an attorney, I have followed your articles on the increasing restriction of off-road riding with great interest and concern. Last year Assemblyman Eugnee A. Chappie introduced Assembly Bill 996 and Senator Geo-rge Deukmejian introduced Senate Bill 551. As a result, Penal Code Section 602, trespass, was amended as to paragraphs (m) and (n) to make a misdemeanor of the following: (m) Driving on private land (m) Driving any vehicle as defined in Section 670 of the Vehicle Code, upon real property belonging to or lawfully occupied by another and known not to be open to the general public, without Charles Clayton Publisher Editor Business Manager Sharon Clayton General Manager · . Tom Culp Assistant Editor · John Bethea Circulation Manager · Rheba Smith Circulation Ass't . . · Marla Tarbet Lab Tech nician . . . .Diane Sosnoski Production Manager · . . Ed Randall Bookkeeper · Dorothea Lang Bookkeeper Ass't · Eleanor Duke Delivery · . Larry Groves . Marion Hatashita Typographer Receptionist . Barbara Richard TAHITI'GETS A M/C PARK. An up and coming motocross club, Moto Cillb De Tahiti, recently started development of a new motorcycle race park that should be called paradise because its proposed location on the island of Tahiti certainly is exactly that. Th'i.s group of very enthusiastic 1llAll'fcm:ydc riden UId racers hav.e 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 2 years 2nd class mail 3 years 2nd class mail Single copy price . . . · .$9.00 · $15.00 · $18.00 · . $.30 a chosen very beautiful, lush valley for this new race·fun facility. Tahiti also needs an area where the novice mo'torcycle rider will have the opportunity to learn to ride in comparative safety and where the expert riders can "let off steam". The park will be open to the public, except; of course, on race day. Ground breaking began the latter part of December when heavy equipment started the monumental task of clearing the up and down hill sections of foliage and coconut trees. Two or three spectator areas will be cut out of the hillside and provide a panoramic view of the proposed course. There will be a spectacular "Ascot Park" type of jump and a mud hole in the infield with a beautiful, contrasting man·made lake complete with trees, flowers, and swans. The proposed motocross course is to be crooked and rough in keeping with European standards, but there will also be a fast eigh tn mile oval for the speedway machines and perhaps an Ascot Park steeplechase-T.T. course thrown in for good measure. The location is a natural, being far enough "out in the country" so that the noise factor should not pose a problem, yet just off the main road that runs completely around Tahiti. There will be adequate parking and there should be little problem in packing the stands, VOICES OF THE WEST the consent of the owner, his agent, or the person in lawful possession thereof. (n) Refusal to leave private property (n) Refusing or failing to leave land, real property, or structures belonging to or lawfully occupied by another and not open to the genc;ral public, upon being requested to leave by a peace officer and the owner, his agent, or the person in lawful possession thereof. Penal Code Section 602, considered in its entirety, indicates that the state has adopted a general scheme, to the exclusion of local regulation, for the regulation of the criminal aspects .of trespass. A local municipal ordinance is invalid if it attempts to improse additional - requirements in a field which is pre·empted by the general law. The cOllnty and city' ordinances which impose additional requirements of written permission, in my opinion, are invalid. As a desert rider, I think I can live with Peanl Code Section 602 for two reasons: (I) F or successful prosecution, knowledge that the prop.erty was not open to the general public must be prove; and (2) Written permission in possession is not necessary. Never has it been more apparent than. now, that motorcycle en thusiasts had better be the first with the most in Sacramento. If we are IJrst in obtaining favorable state legislation, then we need not fear the counties and cities. By focusing our support, votes and money with M.O.R.E., [ am positive motoJ'Cycle enthusiasts will exercise real power on behalf of the sport. MARTIN A. HlLDRETH Attorney At Law Ontario, Calif. Readers should note that the foregoing is merely Mr. Hildreth's opinion. Interpretation of the law is up to the courts. But if you should ever need an attorney, Mr. Hildreth's office addres. is 602 N. Euclid A.e., Ontario 91764. Tel. ~714) !l86-1134. Cycle News East, Dixie Cycle News, and National Advertising infonnation: Tom Culp, National Advertising Director. especially if the barmstorming Europeans could be sidetracked to Tahiti for an exhibition motocross race or two on their way "down under". Perhaps the red hot "Kiwi" speedway racers could be talked into making an appearance here, also. An opportunity to race in paradise is food for though, gentlemen. Development continues and as soon as the park is completed races will be scheduled for every fortnight. Principals of the Moto Club de Tahiti can be contacted c/o Box 532, Papeete, Tahiti. JACK FULLWOOD Yacht "Prodigal" Papeete, Tahiti AUSSIE SPEEDWAY iNFO I would like to state that I think your paper is one of the best things cycling has going for it. The coverage yOIl give on the touchy subject of desert riding is outstanding. I would also like to comment n a man who also is doing a great amount for our cause, Mr. Russ Sanford of M.O.R.E. We need more people like him. I am currently in the U.S. Navy serving in the Western Pacific. We are planning a cruise to Australia and New Zealand in early April. I would like very much to know if you· can supply me . with any addresses of people I could write to fina out where [ might be able to take in some IJrst class speedway events. We will be visiting Sydney, Australia and Auckland, New Zealand and any information you can give me would be greatly appreciated. [ t is a once in a Iiftetime chance and I don't want to miss out. • DENNIS L. McCOMAS FPO San Francisco Contact Australian Motorcycle New., Tootal Park, Tootal Rd., Di~ley, Vic. Call VIC 25-1011 weekends, SA 95·5097 after .hours and NSW 399-9218 during business hours. For New Zealand, write New Zealand Motor Cycle News, 73 lincoln St., Ashhurst, Palmerston North... Ed. TO THE PROSPECTORS M.C. I would like to congratulate you on a well·executed run on February 7th. The course was laid out very well and the people working the check points did a superb job. I am sorry to hear about the death of the son of one of yoW' members. V[C RUDDER nirt Digers M.'c. • Writin'Around By Charles Clayton You may recall I mentioned here last week that my home town of Long Beach was on the edge of passing ao anti.motorcycle ordinance and that I was doing what any. good citizen should: opposing it. I was not alone in my opposition. Charles Schott, the mastermind behind the Long Beach Hooda operations, showed up at the hearing on Tuesday armed with facts on how many dollars of sales tax motorcycle buyers paid into the city· treasury. Dale Brown, local Suzuki dealer, showed up to testify, as did columnist Maureen Lee, representatives from American Honda and Yamaha International and others. As it turned out, the Long Beach City Council postponed action on the proposed ordinance ("Backed down," the local paper called it) for one momh, giving us time to put together a stronger opposition and, hopefully, a positive plan to put before the Council. Our first step will be a defensive one. We are circulating petitions stating opposition to the ban of motorcycle and minibike riding off the ~oad in Long Beach. At the same time, we are having petitions signed requesting that the City provide places where bikes can be ridden legitimately, under some sort of supervision. [ always favor the positive approach ("let's do this") over the defensive ("don't do ,that") tactic. No one denies anymore that motorbikers need places to ride, but ti:lere are always objections to any specific place that is named as a possible site for a cycle park. We hope to solve this prdblem in the best possible way here in Long Beach, and hopefully, our solution will serve as a model for other local governments to look toward when the problem reaches them, as it inevitably will. Readers who reside in Long Beach are urged to v~t a local dealer or drop by the Cycle News office and sign the petition. *************.*.*** •• **** •• ***** The Am.erican Motocross Team is off and runninl{ again for the third straight - Published weekly excep~ the first and last week of the calendar year by Cycle News, Inc., Post Office Box 498, Long Beach, California, also publishers of Cycle News East, and Dixie Cycle News. Second Class Postage paid at Long Beach, CaJif. Editorial stories, cartoons, photos, etc. are welcome. Addressed, stamped envelope assures return of editorial matter. Reprinting in whole or in part only by permission of the publ ishers. Advertising rates and circulation information will be sent upon request. See S.R.D.S. year. AMXT, as it is called, is the brain-child of Kim Kimball, a motorcycle enthusiast of the first water, who just happens also to be the U.S. Montesa distributor. Not that brand 'rivalry has anything to do wi th the purpose of AMXT - it doesn't. Last year the Team sponsored Russ Darnell's racing tour of Europe and Russ rode a Husqvarna. This year's Team Captain is Bryan Kenny, who placed number two in points in the Trans-AMA motocross series after running into some bad fortune while he was leading the list. Bryan has raced several seasons in the motocross mills of Europe on his own, bu t this year he will be sponsored by the AMXT. The team will provide Bryan with transportation and expenses while carrying the American flag into battle in Europe, and Cycle News will keep readers posted on how he's doing. Bryan may' be joined by another American, if the team's funds permit. As it is now, donations are pretty low. If everyone reading this sent $5 to the AMXT, Box 3276, Hollywood, Calif. 90028, two members could represent this. country, with no financial worries to slow them down. New contributors to the team get a neat identification patch sent to them, and their names printed in Cycle News. So fire off $5 now, huh? And watch the results pages of Cycle News for your name to appear. FlRSTIfi SEH l· Vt.!/t,l<.:df! KLG'NGK'B hK15:: ZlP ':.\EELS?JHT KOSI Sh~ llm t \ ~" ;1\,. • ~~ .. ~u .\iN • J.R. Kelly is the new President of A.M.A. AMA Elects New Slate, Exec Comm. CINCINNATI, OHIO, Feb. 10, 1971 - J.R. Kelly of KK Supply, a motorcycle parts and accessory distributing firm, was elected President of the American Motorcycle Association in a meeting of Class B (voting) members here today. Kelly, a former professional racer, is also known as the popular promoter of AMA races in the Ohio area. Robert (Bob) Hansen of Kawasaki, was elected Vice President, Dan Burns of Buco, Treasurer, Jess Thomas of Cycle Magazine, Assistant Treasurer and John Harley of Harley·Davidson was named Secretary. . A new slate of Executive Committee members waS also named, including Ron Rdbbins of American Honda, Roxy Rockwood of BSA, [nc., Terry Tiernan of Yamaha IntI., Ken Clark of Yankee Motors and Paul Garnant of U.S. Suzuki, in addition to the elected officers. The AMA Executive Committee has the power to devise rules for competition and to overrule the wishes of the Competit~on Congress, as they deem necessary. Mini-Marathon To Catalina Off LOMITA, CAL., ·Feb. 4, 1971 - The IJrst mini:bike race to Catalina has been postponed .at least a year, according to Tom Cosgrove, Race Chariman and owner of Pacwc Coilst Honda. . ''The real problem was one of cooperation and coordination", said Cosgrove. "Everyone though the idea was a joke, and when they found it was a serious although fun undertaking, they weren't sure if they should participate and take a chance of being part of a hoax". The race was proposed to start· on land in San Pedro, and finish in Avalon after crossing the Catalina Channel. The mini·bikes would have had to be specially designed to both float and to propel themselves through the water, then drive out of the water across land and the finish line. A purse of over $500 was guaranteed. by Cycle News and Pacific Coast Honda. . . "I talked -to Chuck Clayton, Race Co-Chairrnan and Publisher of Cycle News, and we decided to cancel this year. Maybe next year we can get the necessary organization to carry it through. One thing we found was that interest among the uncommon man group was high", said Cosgrove. Both Cosgrove and Clayton said that if San Pedro and Catalina Island civic groups can be interested to the point of active endorsement, the race mil!ht be Imally held in 1972. With reVived talk about'a renewal of the Catafina Istand 'Road Race, the mini race to the ilIIaDd wo'l:I1d!lle a aamraI·adjuDCt.

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