Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

/ ... 8. .. .... '" 11. N Q. en " ~ w Z W ..J U >- u aJI~1 I ••• "America's No. 1 weekly motorcycle newspaper. You'll always see it FIRST in Cycle News!" ~ A LOT OF HELP Publisher .. .Charles Clayton Business Manager. . . . . Sharon Clayton General Manager Tom Culp John Bethea Managing Edjtor Assistant Editor David Swift Circulation Manager Rheba Smith Circulation Ass't Marla Tarbet ProdiJction Manager Steve LeH uray Ed Drechsler Production Assistant Advertising Assistant .. Barbara Richard Bookkeeper Dorothea Lang Bookkeeper Ass't. . Eleanor Duke Lab Technician Larry Groves Cycle News East, Dixie Cycle News, and National Advertising information: Tom Culp, National Advertising Director. Cycle News (West), P.O. Box 498, Long Beach, Cal ifornia 90801. (213) 427·7433 - L.A. 636-8844. TELEX NO. 673-474 Subscription: One year 2nd class mail 2 years 2nd class mail 3 years 2nd class mail Single copy price ~ .~, · .$9.00 · $15.00 · $18.00 · . $.30 Published weekly except the first and last week of the calendar year by Cycle News, Inc., Post Office Box 498, Long Beach, California, also pUblishers of Cycle News East, and Dixie Cycle News. Second Class Postage paid at Long Beach, Calif. Editorial stories, cartoons, photos, etc. are welcome. Addressed, stamped envelope assures return of editorial matter. Reprinting in whole or in part only by permission of the publishers. Advertising rates and circulation information will be sent upon request. See S.R.D.S. ~::I================== Growth, is working to unseat Martinet SEARCH IN'. The recent all-Junior day at Rough Rider Cycle Park was without a doubt one of the more poorly staged races of the year. I am referring to the flagmen on the course. I'm sorry, but they acted like a bunch of old men out on .a Sunday picnic waving yellow flags at anyone who sneezed the wrong way. Personally I think that the majority of them had probably never seen a race before and just got carried away with the power of the yellow flag. On my fourth lap I went down around a hairpin tum only to have a CZ run over me. This would have been bad enough but we were also stuck together for at least two minutes. The only assistance the flagman could offer was a cheerful, "you'll have to move; you're in the way here." I know they are needed to warn oncoming riders, but when there are no riders coming for quite a white, it looks like he could be of help. Many friends racing agree with me. They also had similar incidents happen to them. Maybe they were just learning but I really don't feel like having my $1200 bike crushed in the process. Sorry! MARK WILLIAMS Tujunga, Calif. and place a more sympathetica man, Don Harman. His platform includes plans for motorcycle recreation areas in San Diego. The concerned motorcyclists of San Diego can help themselves by unseating Martinet and working for Don Harman, who will then have an obligation to our "Motorcycle Lobby." BENNY CHIEN M.D. Political Coordinator San Diego ZPG CMC No. 768 Dear Don Hirtle: Who was the dirty guy that led you to believe that being a 100cc Novice was going to be easy. You should have written your letter to him. Someday, if you live that long, you will enter the Could someone please send me Scott Hoffee's home address. DIANE BALDWlN Laguna Niguel, Calif. We refuse to give out home addresses of riders in an effort to avoid invadinc a penon's privacy. However, business addresses, like the sh up he rides for, etc., are availmle. In the case of Scon Hoff.., letters should be sent c/o Custom Trophies, 1825 Artesia Blvd., Gardena, Calif., 90247. They will be happy to relay the letter to Scon... Ed. IMPOUND 'EM Last Saturday night at a desert event, a quiet, peaceful camp was shattered with noise abou t two or three in the morning. Some idiot was riding up and down through the camp on an un-silenced Husky with no lights. A SOUR NOTE Congratulations Lost Angels M.C. I would like to thank you clowns for sending me my trophy presentation card for your European Scrambles. My wife and I rode 45 miles one way. After sitting there over two hours I was told there were no trophies for the Open Amateur or Expert classes. So I had to accept a year old 7th place Novice trophy. Glad all desert clubs are not mixed up like you guys. GUS PAULL, 342AM Newport Beach, Calif. WHAT THIS TIME? I was leaving the Olympia Cal·Expo Moto-X with a group of southerners, we had been standing around for hours waiting for trophies. They drove a long way in vain, once again, and I wonder just how many more times they'll drive up north for a race. It seems whenever we throw a big northern race, something goes wrong. CaI-Expo's scoring aced out a lot of guys who did well but weren't even mentioned, maybe the lap checkers had too much Olympia. But whatever the case, I'll be surprised if any of the south 'crossers show up in mass for a long time. Who wants to drive 400 miles and wonder "what's going to go wrong this time?" A GIRL From Up North 88'S ADDRESS Please send me the address of Bruce Brown Films Inc. I know that you have mentioned his film once or twice in your newspaper, so that's why I am asking you. GARY DALTON No problem: P.O. Box 714, Dana Point, Calif., 92629 ... Ed. POLITICAL SUPPORT A brief note on an important election for city councilman in San Diego, District 6, wlrich includes Clairmont, Pacific Beach, and Mission Beach: the incumbent, Robert Martinet, has ,consistently voted against the retention of open land for motorcycle recreation in the nearby Miramar and Mira Mesa areas. He has openly stated that he dislikes "dirt motorcycles because they are noisy and make dust." His voting record indicates a strong interest in the uncontrolled growth and development of San Diego a philosophy. antithetical to motorcycle recreation. My own group, Zero Population VOICES OF THE WEST hallowed status of Amateur and your troubles will almost be over. If, however, this seems to be too long a wait I suggest you re-examine your reasons for racing in the first place. Perhaps you could save both yourself and other racers a lot of tears. Both from hardships encountered by you and in reading you by us. A FORMER 100cc NOVICE (WHO MADE IT) HE, NOT ME In regard to your August 24 issue and. the report by John Blanton on the S.M.R.A. races at Green Valley Raceway on August 8th, your reporter was thoroughly confused about the drag races. I was not the rider who dumped his fueler three times on the staring line. This was Bill Smith fiom Oklahoma City. LEE WOOD Fort Worth, Tex. RESPONSE TO WOOD Cycle News forwarded your letter to me so I could comment on it. I am sorry about the mixup, but I claim extenuating circumstances. I was not present at the drag strip during qualifications (I was over covering the motocross at the time), and I did not witness the frrst two spills. I did watch Smith's last attempt to run, but I did not catch the name of th~ rider (either there was too much noise on the line or else the announcer did not give it). When I made inquiries as to the identity of the Harley rider, I was told that it was you. Maybe Cycle News will be good enough to prin t a correction. As for not knowing the identities of the drag racers, I have partly myself to blame. I go mainly to cover the road races, and I spend most of my time in the pits talking to the racers and getting their slant of things. My reasons for not concentrating mainly on the drag races I will gladly expound upon at great length. I hope to see you at Green Valley next. JOHN BLANTON Austin, Tex. Earlier in the evening, half a dozen un-silenced bikes had been buzzing through the camping area making asses of themselves. At every desert event there is a handful of immature individuals who deligh t in screaming through the camp. I would like to see all of the clubs sponsoring desert events to adopt a rule such as the fonowing: ALL machines attending an event, whether raced or not, will have silencers. ALL machines will be inspected for silencers before they are allowed in camp. ANY machine without a silencer will be impounded by the sponsoring club until the owner is ready to leave the event. ANY machine caught in camp without a silencer will immediately be impounded. Those who refuse to let their machines be impounded will be forced to leave the event. Of course, this would be more work for the club but many of us think it's worth it. The impounded bikes could easily be locked up with a cable-lock, and enclosed in th e sign up area to prevent theft. How about it fellas? Do you want the pit racers to ruin the whole sport? Do yourself a favor: Help Stomp Out Pit Raters! BRUCE MATTMUELLER San Bernardino, Calif. TEAM MONTESA RETURNS Montesa Motors, Inc., sole American distributor of Montesa motorcycles, this week announced their intention to field the team of Mike Runyard and Peter Lamppu for the up-<:oming motocross year. Their fast serious team effort will come in the '71 Trans--AMA series, which begins with the American Grand Prix at Carlsbad on September 19. The duo will be competing in the International class on prototype Cappra 380MXs. KAWASAKI EXPANDING Kawasaki is opening a regional parts and service distribution center in Dallas, Tex. This center will take over much of the tenitory fonnerly controlled by the West Coast center. By Russ Sanford .-The situation at the State Capitol is momentarily quiet as a result of the three-week legislative recess. This gives me an opportunity to print a few odds and ends of general information to ' motoryclists: STANISLAUS NATIONAL FOREST: The U.s. Forest Service has extended the following request: The Stanislaus National Forest is receiving heavier recreation use each year. In some cases demands by Forest visitors and users are in direct conflict. Perhaps no facet of recreation use is receiving more attention and criticism at the present time than 0 ff·road vehicle use by Forest visitors. In order to increase our Itnowledge 'of Forest users and off-road vehicle use, we are encouraging the general public and interested groups to contribute comments on off-road vehicle use. We would like to hear from both those who favor use by off-road vehicles and those who are opposed to such use. We need to obtain specific information on the impact off-road vehicles have on Forest resources, areas of special interest to groups using the Forest, and recommendations on offroad vehicle traveL Information you provide will complement information Forest personnel are gathering. While statements of opinion are useful, we encourage you to be as factual and documentary as possible in any response you may wish to malte. This could be the forerunner of vehicle restrictions in the Forest. Do your part for motorcycling and write your comments to: Off·Road Velricle Study Committee, Stanislaus National Forest, 175 South Fairview Lane, Sonora, CA 95370. TAHOE NATIONAL FOREST: The Tahoe National Forest is in the process of conducting engineering and environmental studies in a portion of the headwaters of the Middle and South Forks of the American River. This area lies between lee Lakes (south of Interstate 80 at Soda Springs), and French Meadows Reservoir, roughly 18 to 20 miles to the south. The purpose' of the study is to evaluate alternative routes and design standards for a road that would serve this area in order to meet National Forest management objectives without adversely affecting the environment of the area. After attending the public hearing on this subject, I am thoroughly convinced that a two-lane, paved highway will absolutely ruin this area. Such a road will only benefit the timber industry and the owners of the private lands through which the road will pass. As far as providing a 'recreational experience' for ti)e public, the construction of a highway will prove self-defeating in that it will give rise to commercialism and destruction of the natural splendor. The type of 'recreational experience' which will be available is the same as you can obtain, now, by driving to your neighborllOod shopping center. It is my opinion that the roads which presently exist in this area are satisfactory, and though somewhat difficult to travel, help to add to the true ·recreational experience' of communing with nature: a nature which is devoid of mass saturation by the total public; a nature which is almost totally devoid of commercial enterprise. At the present time, this area is used extensively by motorcy"lists. By opening the area to easy access by the total public, the USFS will be simultaneously the door to further criticism of motorcycling and demands for off-road vehicle restrictions. You can also help the cause of (Please turn to page 5)

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