Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

m~~r~e~ trom thea_gitol By Russ Sanford It has been a busy couple of weeks. Most of the ftrst week of February was spent with the Dept. of Parks and Recreation finalizing a proposed Bill which will provide [or registration and identification of off-road vehicles with registration fees going to a fund for a c q u isi tion, development, and maintenance of off-road vehicle areas, such as our proposed use of Camp Irwin. This Bill is shaping-up quite well and should be introduced before the legislature this week. Full details will be given soon. I met with a large group of mo torcyclists from the San Jose and Sunnyvale areas on Thursday, the 4th, thanks to Al Hayes and the Lockheed Employees' Recreation Assn., which sponsors a motorcycle club. On Friday, the wife and I packed-up and set off for Elsinore, where we witnessed what has to be one of the finest races anywhere. While there we met fellow-contributor Maureen Lee and her husband Gene, and a host of other people connected with motorcycling. Naturally, the Cycle News staff was there, including poor Ellen (Mrs. Ron) Schneiders who was unfortunately injured by a bike which drilled through the hay-bales. It would be a well-deserved gestuTe to send her a get-well card in care of Cycle News. On Monday, we spent the early part of the day checking on "progress" in Riverside County, and then met with the Jackrabbits M.C. on Monday night. Tuesday morning found a group of seven motorcyclists at the Long Beach City Hall to oppose the proposed ordinance which will prohibit motorcycles, mini-bikes, Jeeps, dune-buggies, and other off-road vehicles from operating anywhere within the Long Beach City Limits unless the area is so designated. There are 27,759 motorcyclists in Long Beach, however, there were only two other persons present besides Chuck and Sharon Clayton, Tom Culp, and Doris and myself. Is it any wonder that we are losing our riding privileges when people would rather sit home and complain than appear and defend their interests? This ordinance is scheduled for a final hearing at 9 :00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 16th. We hope to be allowed an opportunity to propose a moratorium on the ordinance [or purposes of conducting an experiment. It is in tended to obtain an approved riding area for a 30-day period and prove that with readily available facilities for mini-bikes and small motorcycles, that there will be a significant decrease in local complaints, primarily about noise. Things are going fairly well at the Capitol: -Senator Grunsky's SB26 which required motorcycle headlights to be on during operation has gone to 'interim study' which is a nice way of saying that it will not be heard again this year. -Senator Petris' SB30 which requires all motor vehicles to be equipped with at least four flares has now been amended to exclude motorcycles. -Three separate Bills (AB89, AB236, SB223) have been introduced requiring the DMV to be notifed of the actual mileage appearing on the odometer of all motor vehicles at the time of sale. The wording is such that enactment will require all motor vehicles to be equipped with odometers. We have been successful in obtaining amendments to these Bills which will exclude motorcycles. -Senator Beilenson has introduced SB272 which proposes to reidentify units of the State Park System. Among other things, it would remove recrea tional vehicles from State Recreational Areas (such as Point Mugu was intended to be) and establishes a new category of State Recreational Vehicle Areas. On the surface, this sounds acceptable. BUT, there are funds presen tly available for Recreational .. ~,,,,,.--, . r~:'< ';;~'~' ~i / New Western Headquarters Penton West, Inc. 2150 So. Santa Fe St. Santa Ana. Calif. (714) 546-5602 . Areas. There are no fu nds available for Recreational Vehicle Areas, and to obtain funds it would be necessary to 'float a bond issue' at the time of a statewide election. Even if the public could be convinced to vote for such a proposal, it would be at least two years before work could even begin. My suggestion is that you write or contact your own Assemblyman or Senator and express your views, hopefully that you disapprove of SB2 72. With enough letters, we can lick this one. If possible, send me a copy of your letter so that I can determine how much pressure is building on this issue. Please address comments or inquiries to M.O.R.E., P.O. Box 26062, Sacramento, CA 95826. DEVONSHIRE CANCELLED DOWNS Invoking the unegative reaction" clause in their contract with Great Bear Enterprises, San Fernando University cancelled its contract for motorcycle racing at Devonshire Downs. Racing was scheduled for every Saturday night in l\lay. Whether or not Great Bear will contest the action in court has not been decided. A spokesman for the Enterprises commented 1 don't know what it is, but every time someone mentions motorcycle racing in the Valley, people just fall out of trees." 14 Utah Gets Recreation law By Terry Newframer SALT LAKE CITY - Utah's Recreation registration numbers, and ultimately Vehicle Bill has been passed by the answers to the key question of what State Legislature - here is what off-road state lands will be closed to vehicle use. motorcyclists can expect from it: How total the land use picture will The Board of Parks and Recreation be, will depend on the extent of will appoint the advisory council cooperation with the board by federal provided for in the law, probably at its bureaus, because Utah is largely federal land. April meeting, according to Harold Tippetts, board director. The council is Then, in early 1972, the registration supposed to provide representation for of off-road vehicles will begin. Vou have organized groups of enthusiasts of all your choice of registering your machine the types of off-road machines covered as a motor vehicle, or as a recreation by the law, including bikes, vehicle, if it is street legal. The cost of snowmobiles, ATVs, jeeps, buggies and either registration will be about the someday hovercraft. "Nominations are same, because you must pay property now being sought for membership on tax in either case. Mr. Tippetts explained that he this committee," Mr. Tippens said. The Board of Parks and Recreation envisions establishing "classes" of areas will then draft regulations, based on the for bike use, to allow no-muffler recommendations of the advisory operation on the desert, while requiring committee, he said. These will include mufflers in the mountains. safety requirements, noise standards, Cyclists mostly agree that the law is such decisions as how to display reasonable, but the ultimate effect on the rider is yet to be decided, in the form of the all-importaru regulations DESERT MAPS yet to be formulated. A general map of the Southern NOISE, HELMET LAWS DIE California desert areas which are open A bill which would have set the to the public is currently being sold for maximum noise level for motor vehicles 50 cents at many local motorcycle at 88 db did not become law, because it dealerships. The map is being produced never came to a vote in either house of by WM Associates and is sold without the legislature. A bill to extend the advertising support, which reflects in helmet law to all highway situations, the cost. However, for a basic hean start rather then just 35-mile-per-hour and toward finding out where you may ride, above zones, met a similar end. it will be of assistance. .... 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