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/125796
... Cal Rayborn will almost certainly be racing one, of the l'asotini·type 250cc Aermacchi road racers next year. Harley didn't go for Cal riding the Vesco Yamahas so he has been on the 750s exclusively this year. It'll be good to see Cal showing his stuff in the ligh tweight class if the Aermacchi comes through like it should. . 8. 11. ... '" en '" '" g. « ~ w • • • BULS GET BIGGER: A 400cc Bultaco five·speed is scheduled for production next year if, and it seems a fairly weighty "if", they can get the shifting problems sorted out in time to meet production schedules. Bultaco also has a 326cc Trials machine in Europe and England. The 400 MX might be a good idea but do you really need a big bore Trials mach ine? Maybe in England, where Trials are part enduro, but in the U.s.? * * * STICKlE, WHAT STICKlE? It seems that the US Forest Service and the CHP are not recognizing the off-road registration of bikes in the Barton Flats area of the San Bernardino mountains. They claim that no off-road riding is and you have to be allowed street·licensed to ride on the dirt roads. The DMV has disagreed with this stand but at least one CHP officer cited nine riders on Saturday morning not long ago. Brian Akers, who has a cabin in the area, passed this word to us. Be warned. • • • Senator Alan Cranston of California has stated that he will introduce legislation to . designate 16 million acres of Southern California desert as a national conservation area. He said the Bill is designed "to save the desert's scenic beauty and fragile ecology which are being eroded by off·road vehicles ...and rapidly growing, but unwise recreational use." Cranston is alleged to have said that Senator John Tunney is co·sponsoring the measure. It doesn't really matter, of course, if another 16 million acres is made off limits to off·road vehicles because if the BLM gets all their "Give us money!" requirements into law, nobody will be able to afford to race in the desert. Unless somebody besides ai' Papa gets as mad about it as we are. Besides, there's no ecology in the desert. Ecology is a subject, like History or Mathematics. * * ~ * The FIM is considering Taising the minimum displacement for road Tacer!f in 500cc class to 4'OOcc. This would keep 351 cc Yamahas 'from entering In that class. Meanwhile, Yamaha seems to be developing a 500. * * * * * WERE YOU AT LAGUNA SECA? If so, you probably had the chance to fill out a card that asked you some questions. You turned it in at the gate as you left and had a chance at winning a Kawasaki 750, 500 or 250. Well, Kawasaki has made th.e drawings and DOUG BINGHAM of Van Nuys, a -well-known sidecar addict, won the 750. HOWARD OSTERLIND of Los Gatos won the 500, and the 350 went to THOMAS DEWITT of Petaluma. Some of those folks may find out about it for the first time here if they haven't received a letter from Kawasaki yet. We expect to see a sidecar on that 750. • • • GREEN THUMPERS AND BIRD SEED: Kawasaki, perhaps, is thinking about a 500cc four.stroke single. A little bird told us about it, you see. The problem with little birds is that they are usually full of bird seed. For that reason we kind of discounted the idea until it came to mind while we were talking to some people. at Kawasaki. The question brought no reply other than bulging eyes and white faces which leads us to believe that there may be some validity to our little bird's song. It would have to be a trail or enduro bike. * * * The modified Suzuk(cycles are used in reconnaissance, antitank operations and forward observation. (Photo courtesy Aust, Texas American-5tatesman). - * *- ---.--- DISTRICT 37 RULE CHANGE. As of the August 10th 0·37 Competition Committee meeting, the rule book, on page IS, Article II, Section 8 will read "The motocross system SHALL be used ..... The Competition Committee has the power to change rules on the spot when called for; and the Committee felt this action was called for. Individual and mass protests, signed by the top twenty riders over the running of a scrambles at Adelanto by the TT M.C., precipitated this. Not one member of the committee wants to see the District lose point runs, but with unhappy riders they did the only thing they could, change the rules and hope for the best. The TT M.C. is a small clUb, and Don England, who owns the Adelanto track is practically the whole club, and that is what has caused the problems. The Competition Committee will ask that Mr. England meet with some of them. He was invited to the Thursday meeting but didn't show, so now the District is faced with walking the tightrope, but whatever comes of this on the local District scrambles level, you can bet it will be for the benefit of the rider. * * * * We noticed, while scanning the AMA entry form for the Talladega rational road race, that Bob Bailey puts up more _ National contingency money than anybody except actual motorcycle manufacturers. Bailey puts up $1500 for the win which is out·greened only by Kawasaki and Norton who put up $10,000 and $2000 respectively. Other than these two firms, Bailey shows mOTe moolah than anybody else's total. That includes some of the major bike manufactureTs. In fact, some of the biggest manufactuTers don't have a red cent in contingency. Some, like Yamaha, do theiT bit by fielding teams and blowing their wad that way. Some just don't appear to care, about the ational circuit howeveT. * Z is to buy new shoes which comes off as a trifle ridicuJous after only 3000 miles. Are you paying attention, Yamaha? EXT...SURPLUS SUZUKIS? The sevetl teen·man "Garry Owen Motorcycle Escadrille" performed faT 20,,000 taxpayers attending the celebration marking the 51st a1l.niversary of the famed 1st Cavalry Division at f OTt Hood, Texas recen tJy .. The Escadrille, Jed by' Lt. John C. Lewis, wen t through precision Tiding maneuvers guided b'y visual signals from theiT leader. The addition of motorcycles to the U.S. Cavalry marks their first use as a tactical vehicle since World War Two. We noticed that tlte rumor that made the rounds in Europe several months ago about the big four Japanese manufacturers agTeeing not to produce anything larger than 750cc has reached the newsstands in the monthlies. We can assure you that you may disregard the rumOT entirely. It is off by at least 153cc. • • • In addition to the Japanese manufacturing firms who are making some over·750 machines, there is Laverda. They have a pre·production 1000cc three cylinder machine that is traveling around Europe. The engine is mounted in the conventional transverse ma nner. It features dual overhead cams that are chain driven. The weight is said to be about 500 pounds. It has chain drive and rum brakes. It claims 80 horsepower (DIN) and a top speed of 135 mph. Price will be over $3000 we are informed. * * * One staff member recently had the following heart-stopping experience. One morning while he was shaving, the throttle on his electric razor jammed open. Naturally he went for the kill button. It was then that he remembered that he had failed to repair the wiring (too much time preparing his ex-Buddy Elmore Triumph), and he received a horrendous shock. To this day the poor fellow has frizzy hair. * * * The. AFM is plaiming their 250 mile production road race for September 24 at Vacaville unless the track is being paved at that time. Keep an eye on the calendar. • • • The dog that is the mascot of Arroyo Cycle Park, George C. Coyote, was racing a motorcycle recently and they collided. His foot was dislocated, and he spent the weekend in the hospital. He is expected to be back in action soon, though. * * * Charles V. Simon can't wear a helmet because his head is exceptionally large and oddly·shaped. Does this mean that he can't ride a motorcycle? In Massachusetts, where Mr. Simon lives, they have a mandatory helmet law as do 43 other states. So Charles is having to take his case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. That costs about $50,000. So far Simon has put up $15,000 and another $ 7,000 has been raised by donations. Cycle News contributed $200 and the AMA came across with $2,000. To raise the rest, S im on is appealing to Cycle News readers. It is a valid cause, and one that will affect motorcycling very much in every state: win or lose. Send a donation to National M/C Helmet Committee, Inc., c/o Motorcyclist's Post, Stiles Lake Ave., Leicester, Mass. 01524. This is the test case that motorcycling can't afford to lose. ~ * * * One of the major motorcycle importers has quietly decided to come out in support of mandatory helmet laws" ...if somebody high in government asks us to." reports Motorcycle Dealer News. Boys, would that be dumb. 50 far, only the anti·motorcycle faces are in favor of helmet laws. Those of who who ride them know better. Besides, current statistics are starting to bearout the fact that forced helmet wearing is dangerous to your health. * Speeding is a no-no. It is illegal, not too intelligent, and not even nice. A place where it can become especially uripleasan t is on Chapman Avenue on the way to Saddleback Park. Every Sunday morning there is a speed trap out there. • • • THE OLD TRY·TO·ADJUST· YOUR ·DT·2·FRONT·BRAKE TRICK: Two of our staffers have recently returned from a harrowing two·hour session of trying to adjust the front brake on a Yamaha DT·2 belonging to one of them. It all started when'the owner noticed that his machine was out of adjustment at the handlebar lever. Consulting his owner's manual he spied a section assuring him that there was an adjusting arrangement on the lower end of the cable. Upon examining the bike he found no such mechanism. Nor, he discovered, were there any on other DT·l or DT·2 Yammies. So he decided, after conferring with the other staff member, that the solution was to rotate the actuating arm around the splined shaft on the brake cam one or two notches. Nope, no way. No way at all. The final solution was to back the arm up one notch and to drop the small fitting at the lower end of the cable out of the system. Whew. The other answer "First Race?" r W ...J U ~ U