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/125739
FIELD TEST: r:: Cl> ,.: ! c( ! z W ...J U > U Overall 8Ppeel of the Stormer is eccentuat8d by this high angle shot. Looking tall and lean with the Pinnochio nose front fender. The factory silencer with brackets etc. saUs for 51 0.00 and appears so strong only a wrench twister will ever remove it. No side stand is supplied stock. GROUP FIELD TEST For a long time, whenever we have read tests of machines - either in this newspaper or the monthlies - we have always felt that there were always a large group of people who could not identify with the author's views since they represented different backgrounds. With this issue, Cycle News anempts to change that with our fint "GROUP FIELD TEST" in which three of our staff members test a machine and give their views. We would like to recme your comments as to how this style of testing appeals to you - for bener or wone. Direct your comments to FIELD TEST SURVEY, c/o Cycle News West, P.O. Box 498, Long Beach, CaliL 90801. for If'ic' ,,'S ••tle ··'0.,lte ',ff S',ff C"p H•• tI'es By Tom Culp About this tester: Tom has been racing since 1963 when he rode TTs. He later switched to desert and finally to motocross, where he currently holds an Intermediate classification with the CMC and Junior with the AMA. Recently tested a 250 Rickman and loved it so much he wound up buying it. Will he buy the AJSr His wife says she won't let him. . .but that ham 't stopped him yet. AJS, a brand remembered in past motorcycle history for its fll"e-breathing single~ylinder 500cc four-strokes, introduced the new AJS's to the U.S. motocrossen in early 196"9. Then, it was only a special, one-off, production copy previewed on the West Coast at the Cycle World Show. Hopes were high for its success in the U.S. market. The prototypes met success in championship motocross in England and on the continent in the two seasons of open development and testing. The new breed of Ajays echoed the now-familiar notes of a screaming twCHtroke. Coming. in two er-splitting sizes, 250 and 570, the AJS took to the motocross tracks of the West. Success followed in late '70 placing top American in both the Ascot and Bay Mare Inter-Am's. Distnbuted by the newly-establisbed U.S. factory branch of Norton-ViDien here in Southern California, we watched the growth of the A]S. Even though the sounds and piston travel bad changed with the times, A]S still had a fire-breathing single. This brings US to the new 1971 AJS-Y40 Stormer. The apdy named 250 brings to mind the Wild West tales of Pecos Bill, who, so the yearn goes, saddled a twister and tamed it. Well, the Ajay may not be as powerful, but your first ride will have you thinking you're riding one. You'll fed out-of~ontrol, but hold tight and ride it out; you have just to get used to it. The Y40 is not a machine you just throw a leg over and everything feels just like every other motocross model Even the ruts take on a different feel. The difference begins with the frame, a frail-looking job accentuated by the heavy-looking Vallien engine. To this, old desert rats conjure up images of Dot, Conon and Greeves (Square barrel, Starmaker and Hawkstone). That frame's frail look disappears upon closer examination as the backbone is a massive 5~-inch oval tube connecting the small diameter tubing used in the double-loop frame. The whole thing Spashl It felt good on a hot day. The bike never missed a bl5lt. either. then fmishes off with a plate welded aft, covering top to bonom. Not frail at all, just part of keeping the weight to 222 pOUDds. The '71 Stormer is distinguished from the '70 by some very important changes. These changes are, &0 the eye of 1be novice, not much, but when over backwards. With the extra top speed gained with the wider ratio configuration, you will really need to read the ground up front. The brakes are good and worked even after traveling through repeated water crossings. The bike sits higher than most motocrossen but leaDS into comers well. You feel as though you don't need to lean it too far as it begins to handle under you. The overaJl handling is great, though a bit awkward at fint. One thing, it's marvelously void of protruding objects that rub your legs and shins. The high pipe tucks through the frame, making its exit at your thing, but you never know it's there. Riding through the many water crossings, even those 18 inches deep, at full throtde in third gear dido't cause it to miss a beat. The under-the"eat closed air box is fitted with a Filtron and is next to impossible to get it wet. Priced right in line with its competition, the Sotmer is minus on nothing and plus on plenty. Even in checking the retail price parts catalogue, I found plenty of parts less expensive than other manufacturen'. Also, AJS supplies some of the most-needed parts the fint time around. They refer to it as an Emergency Parts Kit. Remember, the Stormer is no novice's cow-trailer, but a wdl-designed and wdl-built motocrouer, scrambler and desert brush-bender. Take the time to get the feel of it and you will know, too, of the fed of ridiIIr a twister like "Pecos Bill" Grant - or ia it Doug? "" -' TT~ng the Ajay seemed natural enough, 'though a 19" front wheel would prove better on a smooth surface. experience is in his fold, he will learn to appreciate what AJS has done: -The 10-f"m head (whoopee, you say); one push from a mile out all seized up, and you'll understand. -Thicker seat; that gets you right where you can remember. -Softer fork action; this is a plus in most motocross events, but riden have different tastes. During the test we used every inch of the 6%" of travel and 1 penonally liked the action stiffer, but not as stiff as the '70. As I said, it's your own style of riding that determines this. We never got the forks to actually bottom. The heavier spokes, stronger gear selecton, stronger chain guide, improved sprocket attachment, flip-up gas cap, and a host of other beefed-up parts are all very much to the plus side 0 f the '71 Stormer. The machine we tested was the close-ratio (molo-x) model I rode the wide ratio (desert) model during the press showing at Saddleback Park. While this is nothing near desert terrain, the wider ratio should top out in the neighborhood of 7-75 mph. Both are four-speeds. This wide ratio also may find a home at some fast open motocross counes. I chose Indian Dunes as the place to pass fmal judgment on the Ajay, having ridden at Saddleback and Osteen's on the two previous weekends. The Dunes offered more than just motocross evaluation. A few wide open runs down the wide sand wash gave me a feel of desert terrain. The machine tracks well, the fron t end is very ligh t and requires full concentration to avoid briogint it Our novice rider gets the trO'nt end up with ease. He spent all day _ting. "Did you _ that?'''.