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/125716
INSURANCE IMPROVER AS IMAGE On January 15 the new full-membership insurance program of the AMA reached the financial section of the Wall Street Journal. In its article the Journal pointed out that the group insurance went far to dispel the undesirable image of motorcycling since it indicates that a major national insurance c~er, Continental Casualty C"mpany; .is willing to insure over 1'30,000 motorcycle enthusiasts' at one time. The Journal,further quoted Hugh Creelman, a branch manager of Continental Casualty, who said, "Statistics indicated that the most motorcycle deaths were attributed to riders who had been riding for fewer than 90 days while TIlore than 75% of the motorcycle association's members ha,.ve been riding for more than five years." In agreement, AMA Executive Director Russell March argues that the average AMA member, through his membership alone, makes a valuable contribution to the sport. "Any group of people who can gain the confidence of a national insurance. =mpal1Y certainly has no reason to be asbamed of its sport. These companies don't make a decision until the facts support it, and when they sayd motorcyclists are a good risk, you can believe they are." AMA CONSIDERS PROMOTER'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE At its February 11 meeting in Cincinnati, the Executive Committee of the American Motorcycle Association considered more applications for Class B membership than have been ever before submitted at one time. Currently, there are 53 Class B members in the AMA. Leading promoters, who work with the AMA on National Championship events, have begun to apply for Class B membership. Their applications must be denied because the by-laws of the aSsociation allow Class B membership only to distributors, manufacturers, or publications who derive the major portion of their income from the motorcycle industry. With the awareness that their experience would be valuable to the AMA, the Executive Committee is discussing the possibility of a promoter's advisory board to the AMA Competition Congress being established. Motorbike Park Sign-up Begins The Huntington Beach Recreation and Parks staff is happy to announce that it is now reglstenng motorbikes at the Recreation Center, 17th and Orange Streets. HuntIngton Beach, on Monday thru Friday, from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., for use at the proposed new Motorl;>lke Park at Got~ard and Talbert Streets in Huntington Beach. :rhe free regJs.tratIon will allow cIty I'ersonnel to determine if enough people resldmg m the CIty of Huntmgton Beach mtend to use the new park to justify the constructIOn of the new Motorblke Park. So, motorbike enthusiasts, this is your chance; register your motorbikes today! Only those persons who complete the Official Huntington Beach Motorbike Park RegJstratlOn Forms at the Recreation Center will be allowed to ride their bikes at the new Park. The regi~tration must include both the Operators and Owners signatures. The Motorb.kes will be mspected later at the Motorbike Park prior to participants being allowed to ride on the courses. ' According t~ Recreation and Parks Director Norm Worthy, the park will be restncted to reSIdents of the City of Huntington Beach and bikes of 100cc's or less. Also, a small fee will be charged to cover the expense of maintenance constru'ction and a possible increase in the City's Liability Insurance Rates. ' The need for this motorcycle park is made even more apparent when it was learned recently that Hunnngton Beach Cycle Park will be closed down in July. Don England, operator of the park, has sald that the Adelanto Track, up for sell the past few 11)0nths, has been purchased by him with race dates there beginning this month. The pr0I;'0sed park by the Parks and Recreation Department will soon be put under the dlrecnon of Patnc.a Joanne Truesdell, a business student at Golden West College who has o~ly recen~ly been appointed by the City C.ounCiI to a full voting member of the CIty s RecreatIOn and Parks Commission. Regi~tration forms may also be picked up adecal motorcycle dealers, but must be turned m to the Recreation Center; 17th & Orange Streets, Box 190, Huntington Beach, Cal. CHANGES AFFECT UTAH RACES SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - Major policy changes, that will affect virtually every motorcycle competitor in Utah, were announced recently by Edward C. Henry, president of the Sportsman Riders Assn. (SRA). The SRA is the sanctioning body for events put on by the individual clubs that make up its membership. "Virtually every club that sponsors competition in Utah is now affilitated with the SRA," Henry said. The season schedule is being worked out to avoid conflicts, and the results is a single event almost every Sunday, beginning in March. Here are the policy changes: -Every racer will have to join the SRA to compete; the first 100 number plates will be issued on last year's points, the rest as riders sign up·. -Motocross has been separted from track racing - added to hillclimb and desert racing, this makes four divisions, each of which will have a champion. -Season points for placing in a particular even t will vary as to the size of one's class at that event. A first place will earn the rider 16 points with ten in TRIALS RIDERS FLY TO SPAIN By DeeDee Earl Southern California's top trials riders, Bob Nichelsen and Kevin Walker, boarded the New York-bound jet for the first step in their journey to Spain to compete in the Spanish round of the European Championship Tirals. Iberia Air Lines will take them from New York directly to their Ossa factory welcome in Barcelona where they will be staYing -for their 15 day oversea's jaunt. The Spanish Trial given last January under the comb inated efforts of the Sou them Calif. trials clubs and directed by the Plonkers Trials Club raised sufficient funds to enable these two riders to represent the United State in European competition. The support of the Spanish manufacturers of Ossa, Montesa, and Bultaco made this venture a great success and Bob and Kevin will be visiting each of these factories du;ing their stay. . The very first item on their agenda is to pick up their bikes from the. factories; an Ossa for Bob, and a BullaCO for Kevin. The hotel in which they will be staying is within easy riding to the practice areas where they plan to get acquainted with the lay of the land before entering the actual competition on March 7. Bob and Kevin hope to enter a local trials event the weekend before the actual champio·nship. When asked what they felt their 'chances were against the European professionals, Nickelsen stated they knew the competition will be stiff but they feel they can learn much from participating with the top trials riders and if they finish in the middle half of the competitive field they will be doing well. Much against hie will Bob has promised to keep us posted on their progress while in Spain. We all of course wish them tremendous good luck and we promise to keep all the riders here up to date on what is happening. Knievel Sets New Record- 19 Cars "l'v~, tri~d to make. this jump on a Norton, a Triumph, and American" Eagle and a Honda, said Evel Knievcl to the enormous crowd assembled last Sunday to watch the Harley·Davldson :embassador of good thnlls try to break his own world record by leapmg a motorcycle over 19 cars. " ... And I've missed it on a Norton, a Triumph, an Amencan Eagle and a Honda," the stuntrnan concluded. "I'm glad you all could make it, now I hope 1 do." . With that Evel warmed up his red, white and blue Harley-Davidson XR and sailed perfectly over 19 Dodge Colts - 43 yards -.to a perfect touchdown on the nag bedecked landmg ramp. It was all recorded on fLlm for the George Hamilton movie of Evel's life, "Col~r Me Lucky" to be released this July. After that, the 500 mile Stock car race at Ontano, Calif. ~lotor Speedway seemed anti climac.tic. Evel's next public appearance, will be at Daytona, Florida, where he will meet his fans m the Harley-Davidson exhibit at the MDN Cycle Expo show March 9 through 14. He will not jump at Daytona. Evel said that he would try to make it over 20 cars in the Astrodome at a uture date. Chances are. that Evel will be ~ne of the celebrity guests at Cycle News' Swap-O-Rama m Or"-':lge County Farrgrounds, Costa Mesa, .Calif. 01) ~ nigh.t oj March 26. the class, or up to 46 points if there are over 50. A tenth place is worth one point if there are over 50 in the class. Arizona Ban Pu, Off By Randy Bailey PHOENIX, ARIZ., Feb. 19, 1971 Arizona motorcyclists have been spared the legislative "axe" by the death of a bill which would have banned vehicle travel on public lands. Rep. Stan Turley (R)-Mesa, chalTman of the House Natural Resources Committee (NRC) and originator of the bill, told Cycle News H.B. 63 "was not the answer." He said the NRC would hold H.B. 63 this session and introduce a more workable bill in the next legislative session. "We expected some reaction to H.B. 63" said Rep. Turley, "but we got four or five times the mail against the bill as we got for it." He said the bill was written "too tough" to be accepted by the people or the legislators. The new bill, Rep. Turley said, may allow travel on all roads crossing public lands - something H.B. 63 restricted. "We should also provide for campers and picnickers to park one-quarter mile off-the-road," he continued. Rep. Turley said there might also be provisions made to allow hunters retrieving downed game and those with mining or exploration interest to cross public lands. The use of river bottoms as roads by o ff-the-road vehicles will also be considered, he explained, as will the a1lonnent of areas where motorcyclists could "tear up the land. n maHerhom - -m Ie Park Saclclleback March 7th. $50 - 1st Tandem $50 - 1st Women over the top . $100 - So. Cal. challenges No. Cal. - Winner takes all for the highest point on the hill. 6 Classes Trail, 100cc, 125cc, 250cc, 500cc and.open. Complete Facilities Cans & P.A. Entry Fee $3.00 per class Sign Up: 8-9:30 a.m. Riders meeting 9 :30-1 0 a.m. 1st Club 10:15 a.m. For additional info. call: Saddleback Park (714) 639-5832 ~ :. .... ~ oj -'= ~ ::; 3l w Z ~ u t;