Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

Writin'around By Charles Clayton ARE MOTORCVCLES A FOREIGN PLOT? Having been brought up in America as a compulsive consumer, I impatiently pressed my face upon my dealer's windowpane, wan ting to purchase one of the new 500cc fours in the greediest way. Vet even before the first one arrived, I should have sensed that there was a plot in the making - a plot so sinister and complex that even my friendly dealer, who was my first clue to its diabolical existence, probably does not to this day suspect he's a part of it. My dealer said that putting my name on his waiting list was futile, since he could only get one of the new 500's and he was bound to deliver such machines as he got on a first-eome, first-served basis. I should have known right then.... Finally a single 500-4 arrived. It was roped off from the squadron of would-be purchasers that coveted it. My dealer cackled like Silas Marner as he fended away slavering customers with a pointed sissybar. HIt's mine!" he cried, "Don't touch it!" Disentangling my T-shirt from the lethal accessory, I withdrew to the safety of my office, sulking and puzzled. Picking up th e phone I dailed myoid buddy Rick Case, who owns dozens of Honda stories and pleaded with him to sell me one of his precious 500-4's. ot for love, money or free publicity would Casie part with a bike. Cruelly he taunted me with lyrical descriptions of its handling, its power, its feel. But Rick is not totally merciless (mercenary, yes, but merciless? No). To dry my tears, he reluctlantly offered to let me ride one as long as I didn't cross the street.... Hell with it, I decided. I'll buy a Triumph Three ... HI can't sell that, it's the only one I've got." Well then, a Harley Sportster.... It was the same story everywhere I went. Dealers are hoarding their stock of superbikes like misers. Salesmen are becoming watchmen, stationed there to prevent motorcycles from leaving the showrooms, with force if necessary. It was like that with some models last year, too, I recall. Where are all the new motorcycles? The answer, I fear, is obvious. The new models are so darned desirable that the industry isn't letting go of them. So it was all a plot - the big sales of yesteryear - to finance development of a hreed of bike so terrific that jealousy sets in. Now that the ultimate has been achieved, the game is to keep them all for one's self. But they won't get away with it, for I have a plan of my own. It involves a chartered helicopter and giant electro-mag. .but here, why am I telling you my plan? Go get your own motorcycle! four O.lers AsSi. Ads DOT To Recall farl, Defecti" Ho."a Mo"els Court Rules Against M/C Confiscations A landmark decision regarding confiscation of motorcycles with altered numbers was made recently in Long Beach, Calif. The case involves the confiscation of a chopped '48 Harley by the Long Beach Police Department under vehicle code Section 10751. The statute says: "No person shall knowingly (emphasis ours) buy, receive, dispose of, sell, offer for sale, or have in his possession any motor vehicle, or motor removed from a motor vehicle, from which the manufacturer's serial or motor number of manufacturer's gross weight rating or olher vehicle distinguishing number or identification mark or number placed thereon under assignment from the department has been removed, defaced, covered, altered, or destroyed for the purpose of concealing or misrepresenting the identify or manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of the motor vehicle or motor. " On May 25, 1971, Long Beach Superior Court Judge Charles C. Stratton ruled in favor of petitioner Micheal Anderson, pointing out if lhe person whose motorcycle is confiscated is not charged with the theft of that motorcycle, it becomes almost impossible for the city to prove that the person had in his possession a vehicle with altered numbers. Anderson, a three-year veteran of the Green Berets, was pulled over for a traffic violation earlier in lhe year when the attending officers decided immediately that the numbers had probably been altered. The machine was confiscated and Anderson was sent home with no citation or arrest. P,IE!NT~O'N ._ ~ : I " 'I I Motocross Cascade M.C. Bend, Ore. LESS SOUND = MORE GROUND June 20, 1971 Beginner 1st - P. SUNDERLIN - PENTON 12Sec 1st - S. KATTER - PENTON Amalie 2000 Green Valley Raceway MOLLY BLUE San Angelo, Texas debuted at Ascot, July 2nd - made a terrific impression. June27,1971 100cc 1st - M. ROBERTSON - PENTON Motocross Lockhart, Texas U-T== MAIL ORDER BIG BORE 360cc to 410cc, 100cc to 133cc 125cc to 250cc to 327cc 314 gal Sherpa S·T/PurSang tanks & skid plates Blank cylinder sleeves, all sizes (do your own porting). CUSTOM ENGINE WORK STOCK BULTACO PARTS SPEED EQUIPMENT WRITE FOR FREE PRICE LIST "Home of the IDlesl dirt bike in lhe USA" Call or write for details - mail order O.K. PUMFREY BULTACO 21819 Sherman Way, Canoga Park (213) 887-7696 June 27,1971 12See Jr. 1st - JOE WinER - PENTON 2nd - R. ROBERTSON - PENTON 12Sec Ex. 1st - JACK HICKS - PENTON 2nd - RICKY JONES - PENTON Hillclimb CYcle Hills Morgan Hill, Calif. June 27,1971 12Sec Nov. 1st - EARL NORMAN - PENTON 2nd - BUD KEY - PENTON Pentan West, Inc. ..: I -j\) '"'. ".tnt I I '" llltJ. \'1.1. r t" CalIf St The police simply refused to return the bike despite Anderson's attempts to produce the bill of sale and pink slip. Only after hiring an attorney, Franklin Radoff, could the case be brought before the court and the fmal landmark decision reached. After the decision, Radoff said, "I have been told that this is the first time a motorcycle ever to be returned to the alleged owner as a result of confiscation under the code in the Long Beach area, and possibly even the Coun ty of Los Angeles." Radoff welcomes any inquiries about related cases and is available to address groups of enthusiasts on legal question. His offices are 1800 N. Highland Ave., Suite 615, Hollywood, Calif., 90028. WRITERS SOUGHT Cycle News is looking for contributors to cover events in District 38 as well as events outside the state of California. If you have complained in the past that coverage in your area has been poor, now is you chance. Send us a card or letter asking for contributor inforrnation ... we'll do the rest. SAN DIEGO, CAL.,July 1, 1971 -The International Four Owners Association (F our Owners Club) has requested the U.S. Department of Transportation to consider directing American Honda Motor Co., Inc. to recall all early models of the Honda 750 Four motorcycle because of a high incidence of breaking final·drive chains. The request was accompanied by copies of letters, bulletins, photos and other material intended to prove the need for recall because of safety. Four Owner Association president, Bill Robinson, pointed out to officials of the D.O.T. that the probkm has apparen tI y been corrected on the new Honda 750 Four, model Kl, because of a complete lack of member, owner or press reports of such incidents. On the other hand, the early Honda Fours con rinue to experience this trouble which often breaks engine cases not covered by warranty, costing the owner $200 to $400 in repairs. Robinson stated, however, that the main reason in asking for a recall was for safety. "The possibility of a rear wheel lock-up when the drive chain breaks was always there", he stated, "but this has now happened to a member - because of a broken chain so we must make an effort to get this corrected. It is what our members want and expect." As head of the motorcycle owner association, he claimed that "while the 'chain' problem may have been corrected in the new model, buying a new $2000 dollar vehicle was an expensive way for an owner to correct a defect. These big Fours need a cure because they're going 10 be around for a long while." A recen t "Open Letter to American Honda" from the Four Owners Association in their July JnFOURmer, the Four Association's newsletter, revealed that the Four Owners had requested help "quietly" from the factory last March but claimed this has gone unanswered. Yep. Yep. Yep. Yep. Yep. Yep. Yep. Yep. Nope. Yep. (When it eomes to filling parts and aeeessories orders on-tke-spot,an average of nine out of ten isn't IJadJ OO~:'~?'~~W~'"~!~~"~t". Los Angeles. California 90064 - Telephone: (213) 475-4541 Sales - Service - Accessories - Parts - Rivetts Champion Leathers HUSQVARNA' JAWAlCZ' SUZUKI' PENTON' MZ· MONTESA' ZUNDAPP· MINI-TRAILS open monday through saturday ,..: N > "3 .., ~ w Z W ...J U >- U

• Cover