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/125715
Writin'Around By C. Clayton Glancing through the past two issues of Cycle News, and thinking about motorcycles, as I occasionally do, I see that there is a real problem for cJ,irt-oriented riders now. Two great popular movements, Ecology and dirt riding, have collided head-on like a pair of dumb elks, prepared to lock antlers to the death in a pointless struggle. Ecology is the magic word today. At the same time, off-road motor recreation is zooming by the numbers. Actually, there is no reason why these two interests should combat each other and waste their strength, when if they cooperate, the world can accommodate them both. Most motorcyclists are ecology-minded, bu t I doubt whether many ecologists are motorcycle-minded. We can enjoy the roar of a straight pipe and a roostertail of dirt in the proper place, while we deplore with conservationists the same things in the public domain. It is easy to see why motorcyclists are literally losing ground. We won't defend our recreation against attack, because we half-agree with the ecologists. Motorcycles can shatter the countryside, we admit. The conservationist adds, "therefore they must. " What we at Cycle News are trying to say is that motorcycles and minibikes can be operated in such a way as to blend harmoniously into the ecology of the country. The noisy, earth-ehurning racing motorcycle belongs on a racecourse, not on a wilderness trail. . But' there are many varieties of quiet trailbike that can use the most fragile terrain ~thout damaging it any worse than horses hoofprints or hikers with th eir cleated boots. A 200 lb. motorcycle with a 180 lb. rider ahoard places only 190 lbs. on each tire-print. With even a 10-square·inch tire print, the ground is only supporting 19 lbs. per square inch - about the same force as large animals exert on the earth's surface. A fat hiker with small feet does more damage. I'm not saying that motorcycles are equally as bad for the environment as Sierra Clubbers, but I'm trying to point out that the planet is designed to accommodate us all, if we don't abuse it. Wasting our time locking horns with motorcyclists and ecologists "is not the way to prevent the rape of the land. We are not going to give up our motor recreation any more than the hikers are going to stop walking. I t is time that the conservationists got together with us motorcyclists to work out oui differences in private, so we can present a united front to the forces that would deprive us both of our righ ts. *******************************. I've received several letters this week taking us to task for what has variously been called "hypocrisy," "contradiction," "inconsistency" and "irresponsibility." The accusers have referred to the way we publish news and features of the most widely differing views. We'll print an article, say, about the closure of counties to motorcycles because of noise side by side with a horsepower test of the leading expansion chambers. It shouldn't be necessary to have to explain to native Americans the philosophy of the free press and access to information. But several of the writers are otherwise knowledgeable persons whom I know very well are ed ucated, experienced and good citizens. The basic idea is this: Cycle News attempts to be a great newspaper and great newspapers do not shelter their readers from conflicting points of view. We try instead to present all sides of a subject - all the facts - and let the reader draw his own conclusions. Sometimes we may reach a defmite conclusion based on our own study of the matter, and we will report that conclusion to the readers in an editorial opinion labeled as such. But no great newspaper would tell its. readers what to think, or pretend that something is true when it is not. I have heard of Cycle News being uscd against mo torcyclists by those anti-mfc forces who point to our anti-noise campaign, for e..xample, as proof that the problem exists. I can only hope that such tactics backfire on our enemies, but in any case, the problem doesn't go away if we ignore it. I think we can all take pride in the fact that over 30,000 motorcyclists each week buy and read a responsible newspaper that names the problems as well as the pleasures of motorcycling and works to erase the one and enhance the latter. BAKERSFIELD DRAGS QUALI FY FOR $7500 KAWASAKI CASH! Kawasaki Motors has certified the March 5, 6 & 7 Bakersfield Fuel & Gas Drag Champjonships" for $7,500 cash in their contingency program. A ccording to Kawasaki advertising director, Paul Collins, "we are posting $ 7,500, distributed in three categories; $ 1,500 to the frrst stock street Kawasaki Mach III to cover the quarter ~le in less than 12 seconds elapsed time, $2,000 to the fmt Modified (as per NHRA Street Bike rules) Mach III to better the ll-second mark; and the first gas or fuel Kawasaki-powered drag bIke to eclipse the 10 second barrier will receive 4,000 cash." The Bak 7rsfield drag facility, (located 18 nules orth of Bakersfield at Famosa,) will feature two special competition lanes for the bikes. These lanes will be kept free of resin and other traction compounds used by the Dra"gsters, Funny Cars and other such drag machines. The March classic will include Class Trophy run-ofCs in all NHRA Bike classes, plus two money Eliminators - Top Bike and Street Bike. Top Bike Eliminator will be comprised of all Fuel and Gas Drag Bikes and el.iminations will be on a heads-up basis. Street Bike Eliminator features entrants in NHRA Street classes with efiminations in this division handicapped to each competito. 's respective class record. WEDDING BELLS RING PHOENIX. ARIZ., Feb. 14, 1971 Yamaha's Western States Sales Representative, Bob Soppeland, was marrIed to Goi Paahana, a Phoenix model today. The Soppeland's started their honeymoon by attending the race at Manzanita Speedway. AT.O-B244 120 IIIp' CYCLE IS QUIET AS fAMILY CAR ,.. " '" ,.. C> Q. ell CIl ;: w Z W ...J. U >- U By Terry Newfarmer SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - A bill which would set a maximum noise emission allowable from a mo tor vehicle is now before the Utah House of Representatives. The bill applies to street-legal machines that are registered to operate on the highways, according to its sponsor, Rep. Peter D. Grundfossen, D·Salt Lake City. "A sound level for off-road vehicles will probably be set under the Recreation Vehicle Act which is before the Senate," he said. ' The bill is based on the California and New York statutes, and it would set the level at 88 decibels on the A Scale at 50 feet. Prior to the introduction of the bill Cycle News took sound readings of representative types of motorcycles, with the help of Dr. Charles Alley, professor of electrical engineering at the Unjversity of Utah, and his decibel meter. The readings were taken at 20 feet wjth the machine stationary, on the Scale. Dr. Alley said the 20-foot readings should be about 3 db higher than they would have been at 50 feet. Two Ufamily car" type automobiles were. tested, for comparison, yieldjng readmgs of 70 and 74 db - close to conversational tone. The point th-at a motorcycle does not have to be loud was clearly demonstrated with the test of the Honda 750. Capable of 120 mph, the A bike put out 72 db! Two other four-strokes, the 650 Yamaha, and a 175 Honda Scrambler, both registered 78 db. The two-cycle engines were a little louder, with a 175 Yamaha Enduro putting out 80 db, and a 350cc road bike emitting 83 db the highest level from a factory-mu ffled bike of those tested. All were well below the proposed standard. But first prize, of course, went to the expansion chamber. A seven-ported 250 bent the needle up to 105 db. A J&R Silencer on the end brought the reading down to 92 db. Both readings are very close to those obtained by Cycle News in its tests of the silencers, suggesting that the 20-foot stationary figures might be close to 50-foot "under load" readings. One clause of the bill (HB 264) which migh t cause dealers trouble is section 2: "No person shall sell or offer for sale a new motor vehjcle which produces" the maximum of 88 db. The problem is that dealers currently register non-street-Iegal racers as motor vehicles for the fast year, because it is the only way to obtajn the title for the purchaser. The noise bill would make them guilty of a crime if they continue the practice. However, proponents of the Recreation Vehicle Bill suggest that the problem would be solved by the registration of off-road vehjcles the act would require - if it passes. PUCH WINS COMING ON STRONG CMC Motocross - 2/14 125 Expert Class 1 st H. Everts - Puch 2nd C. Gouverneur-Puch° Motocross Indian Dunes-2/14 Powder Puff Class 1 st Joan Wilson - Puch Puch Dist. Co. 9825 Mason Chatsworth, Ca. 91311 (213) 882·8860