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/125794
IRADAKA
was in Mo-Peds. This normally would be
a very convenient time to end this story
by saying "The rest is history." A
classical talc of this sort would end here,
but it ain't so. The history is still being
made. Some of it, in the recent past is
not as well-known as it deserves to be.
In 1968, Ted, a member of the
Checkers M.C., got five other club
members off their four-strokes and out
of the desert and entered a U.S. team in
the ISDT in Italy. They got to the San
Pellegrino Trials, one of the roughest
terrain areas in Europe, got on DKW
enduros they had never seen before and
brough t home three medals. The next
year, Ted had nine riders on DK""s
representing the U.S. in the Six Days'
and they brough t home seven medals,
still the most a U.S. team had garnered
to that time. The break through had
been made, but it was flat impossible
for a team that was privately sponsored
on bike$ they didn't normally compete
on and, for the most part, hadn't ridden
together prior to the Trials to compete
with - the government-backed, year
'round European teams.
As for the current ISDT, Ted doesn't
want to get involved witll the politics of
U.S. team management and selection.
He also has a very strong aversion to
competing
anyway
but
straigh tforwardly,
a
practice
the
European near~professional teams don't
follow.
Which doesn't mean that he isn't a
WEST
ASCOT PARK, GARDENA. CALIFORNIARay Robmson scores tWice and Tom
Baugh once m weekly night mOlDs
on Rickman 125 MX's (PrecIsion Cycle,
Lawndale, Californ,a).
(Continued from page 6)
very sharp businessman. He is now into
a third career at an age when most men
are finally realizing some success in their
nrst. He has a good knowledge of
international trade and seems acutely
sensitive to the recurring monetary
crises that affect all international
businessmen. The fluctuation of the
devalued dollar against the very strong
deutschmark makes it necessary for the
California-bred desert rider to become a
monetary
and in temational
trade
expert.
He currently sees the direction of
competition machines going much as he
had anticipated it ten years ago. The
bikes
of
the
immediate
fu ture,
according to Ted will be ligh tweigh t;
have agile, sophisticated handling; and
lots of horsepower. He is dedicated, as
evidenced by the DKW Baja entries and
DKWtPuch desert wins, to improving
the breed through competition.
This interest comes at an opportune
time
as
both
DKW
and
Steyr-Daimler-Puch arc turning to the
export market for increased sales; this
means the U.S. market for the most
pa.rl. They are also starting to be more
responsive to the needs of American
riders and Ted is having greater success
communicating these wan ts to the
Cerman and Austrian engineers. The
results will be interesting. Puch 250 and
400 prototypes will be in the country
next year with production models
probably in ~974. DKW has decided to
RAWHIDE PARK, CALIFORNIA
Joe Holt, in his first season racing
motocross, WinS motocross event on a
Rickman 250 MX.
INDIAN DUNES CALIFORNIA'
Steve Boyum wins junior motocross
L10N·S, LONG BEACH. CALIFORNIA
Tom Baugh wins motocross event on a
Rickman 125 MX Joyce Soyka wins
powder puff class on a Rickman 125 MX.
Cycle Sales, Woodland Hills, CalifornIa)
OSTEEN PARK. POMONA, CALIFORNIA
INDIAN DUNES, CALIFORNIA
Jim MacDonald WinS motocross event
Dave Kolbe and JIm O'Neal finish IIrst
and second In 125 class motocross
on a Rickman 125 MX.
CORONA RACEWAY. CALIFORNIA:
Ray Robinson takes motocross event
on a Rickman 125 MX.
ST. GEORGE. UTAH:
Steve McFarland, racing the only
Rickman 125 MX In the "4-Stale" Mota·
cross Championships, defeats all
entrants 10 take the trophy (PreciSion
Cycle, Lawndale, California).
RAWHIDE PARK. CALlFqRNIA:
Seventeen·year·old Nancy Payne, racing
only six months, wins all three malO'S
,n the powder puff diVISion on a Rickman
125 MX (Harry Fos'er Moloreycles,
Los Angeles).
event on Rickman 250 MX (Kolbe
event on Rickman 125 MX's (Kolbe Cycle
Sales, Woodland Hills, Californ,a)
EAST
LEE, NEW HAMPSHIRE:
Jim Officer wins 125 class at short track
oval races on a Rickman 125 MX (AI's
Cycle Shop, Palmer, Massachuselts).
MONSON, MASSACHUSETTS:
Albert LaViolette WinS 125 class
Sportsman Hili Climb on a Rickman
125 MX (AI's Cycle Shop, Palmer,
Massachusetts),
RACEWAY PARK, CHANDLER, INDIANA:
AI. Parker wins scrambles event on
Rickman 1,25 MX (Woodsporl
Motorcycles, Newburgh, Indiana).
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