Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

~ f ... If Jack Knebel ever canght J.N. ~in the desert, - would he give him a ticket for speeding? No. He's not ..., ,., of a cop. N .... en N N ... By Alice Rhea Jack Knebel doesn't look like a cop. J. With his long hair, sideburns, mustache and mod clothes, Jack looks like a ~ member of the Now generation. Put him ~ on a 400 CZ, add a crash helmet, gloves, w and boots, and Jack looks like Number -l Six ...a very fast desert racer. ~ "I've never raced anything but (J desert," Jack said, almost apologetically. "I guess riding some motocross would help my racing, but it just doesn't sound like fun." Jack has been riding since he was 13-years old, but just started racing two years ago. Older brother Allen pitted for a while until Jack joined So. Cal MC and Allen began racing, too. "I didn't finish the first three races I rode," Jack commented with an embarrassed grin. However, his fourth race, Antelope Ramblers Hare and Hound (1970) at Hi Vista, riding a 1968 vintage 250 cubic centimeter Greeves, Jack finished 28th overall and first Novice. When Jack's bikes stayed together he did well, and all of his transfer rides in the Novice class were firsts, including a 16th overall. But as Jack put it, ··It took me a long time to transfer to Amateur; I rode some pretty scabby bikes in those days." Help arrived when Nick Nicholson Motors saw Jack's potential and sponsored him on a 250cc Greeves while he was still a Novice. HERE'S DIRT IN YOUR EAR By Alice Rhea Usually, what Ron Schneiders has to say is either well removed from my field of in terest Or so far off the mark as to make reply unnecessary; however, I cannot allow Ron to bad-mouth my people. Quote his statement in the Aug. 8 issue of Cycle News stating J.N. Roberts "Only won a Silver Medal in last year's ISDT." Now, dammit, Ron, J.N. had a perfect score in the ISDT with the exception of running out of gas one time. The reason he ran out of gas was that he did not have advance knowledge that the Husqvama factory had set up his machine with the large carburetor. Had he known he would have done what Malcolm Smith did and boarded the plane for England with a smaller carbo tucked under his arm. Check the list of what happened to last year's entries and see how many of the more expereinced ISDT riders didn't even eam a bronze, perhaps you will realize the great talen t of J.N. Roberts. Why don't you stick to Enduros where you are at least a little less unqualified to pass judgment? Or perhaps you feel qualified to take over organizing our efforts in next year's ISDT? Making such a glaring error casts disbelief on anything you migh t say in the future. * * * Check Points M.C. announced at the District 37 Spoirts Commmittee a week ago that they were cancelling their Enduro of August 19 due to a hassle with BLM. BLM required notarized written permission from all land owners whose property would be crossed, insurance in the amount of S10,000 Bodily Injury and $100,000 Property Damage plus a bond of $1 000 per 100 riders. In addition, they. must have a letter from the County Sheriff and local Highway Patrol office. Part of the problem began when Check Point M.C. waited until July 25 to notify BLM when they should have advised them at the latest by the end of May. The course crossed land belonging to 80 differen t individuals and corporations and Check Poin ts simply did not have the time to con tact all the land owners, and in the case of some corporations, did not know who to contact. The insurance requiremen ts are stated as "may be required" rather than "shall be required" and Russ Penny of BLM has agreed that District 37 is a responSIble organization with rules governing all events and the insurance probably will not be required. Negotiations are still being held and to date no conclusion has been reached. At the moment there is' no need to hit the panic button, although you should be sure your representatives make it to the District meetings. Meanwhile, if you are going to hold a race, be sure to notify BLM at least After he made Amateur, Jack found a 400 Husky at a good price and Imperial Motor Sports offered to help him with parts. A little fast talking convinced the heavyweigh t steward that Jack could handle the bigger bike and. he was allowed to remain an Amateur. Once Jack and the bike got to know each other things started shaping up, and Jack's last three transfers were as fir~t Amateur at third overall. This year Mid-Valley put Jack on the 400 CZ he currently rides and will also furnish the 250 CZ on which Jack and temmate Jim Fishback will contest the Baja -I 000 this fall. As Jack developed his own style, it became a matter of finish well or not at all. During the current season Jack was first overall twice and has never finisheel worse ::han fifth overall, and that Was shortly after he had dislocated his shoulder and was still having problems hanging on to the handlebars. Jack seems to have a preference for landing on _his right shoulder and has dislocated it three times and fmallychipped a bone four weeks ago. Jack is already out of the sling and planning to do some trail riding to get back in shape. Impatien t, Jack trots up and down three f1igh ts of stairs at the Pasadena Police Station rather than wait for tho ancient elevator, quipping, "Walking better for you anyway." three mon ths in advance and try to keep it on public land. So far, BLM has been pretty reasonable with District 37 races and l have a great deal of faith in the abilities of our representatives to negotiate a peaceful settlement for us. - AlsObear in mind that the insurance money is just that. It is not a giant fund raising campaign for BLM, although the premiums. on those insurance policies might make sOflle insurance agent quite happy. • * * A t the level of state governmen t we have our little green stickies. The latest word on the stickies is that you do not have to have them if you are just going 10 race. I hear that a lot of motorcycle dealers are trying to sell them with every new dirt bike, but the people I talked to said they just told the dealer that they would be riding only on private land or only in sanctioned races and the dealer said they didn't have to have a stickie. District 37 is comtemplating issuing an associate competition card to wives and kiddies so they can whip them out if some overzealous law enforcement officer should decide to write a tickie for no stickie. It would be nice if the district would furnish each club with a copy of the excerpt excluding competition events and we could carry that, our AMA and D-37 cards the way people used to carry wolf-bane, silver crosses and garlic to ward off evil spirits. Although it is not expressly stated in the law, the exclusion regarding organized, sanctioned even ts is supposed to include Saturday's practice. Maybe we should all start practicing a little speech in the event we get busted and hope that we get one of the more reasonable law enforcemen t officers... We now have an attorney, Mr. Brown, who is reported to be aware of the problems facing motorcycles and is reputed to be very sharp. Hopefully he will see some way to get the law ammended so we at least derlte some benefit from our money. I respectfully suggest that MIC and CMIC get off their dead rean and start lobbying for off-road vehicles. If not, they can kiss 80% of their business good-by when we are forced off the land and plan t flowers in our crash helmets, sell our bikes for scrap metal and take up ping-pong. * * * I feel lowe an apology or at least an explanation to those who get missed at European Scrambles. Loves, with four races going on at one time, I just can't watch all of them. I watch what time will allow and write a report on what I saw. For results I have to rely on the sponsoring clubs and they really have their work cut out for them trying to get it all together for me. There really isn't room to men tion all the winners and if I don't know anything about that particular race it is pretty dull reading. You end up with_ a list that more properly belongs in.die. resuIu column. probably missed his chance to be Jack spends eight hours a day at the junior high school working as a public Number One this year, bu t he can try relations man. The aim of the program again next year. Meanwhile, in the eyes of the is to promote a better understanding students he has helped, Jack Knebel is between the members of the community and the police and to try to number one. guide young people to a productive role Although he is not a health food nut, in society. Jack tries to eat right and to "stay away Twenty-five and single, Jack doesn't from greasy junk." have children of his own, but he has F or fun and relaxation Jack chooses become a psuedo-father to many of the physically demanding activities. He troubled youths at his school. plays a fast and furious game of "I don't think there are any bad four-wall handball, hunts, fishes, jogs, kids," Jack said, "Just kids with and rides his motorcycle. "Art (Knapp), problems. " "It is a rewarding job," he continued, Tom (Smith) and I sometimes ride 150 miles on a Saturday before a race," Jack "And if I only helped one teenager get said. "Starting at Four Comers we ride squared away, it would make all the work wonhwh.ile." out to Red Rock Canyon, down to Jack spoke in glowing terms of Cinco's for gas and back to Four Comers." . several teenagers who were sent to him with grave problems and who now seem It is not so surprising, then, with his to have solved these problems. attitude that long distance riding is lots "Sometimes all a teenager needs is of fun and that-jack is looking forward someone who will listen and not to the Baja, Check Chase, and Barstow- to-Vegas. criticize," Jack said. And Jack spends a ~at deal of time just rapping with the Nobody has ever explained why the students. At other -times the problems fast guys are shy, bu t most of them are, are more serious and Jack escorts a and Jack is no exception. frightened youth to a drug abuse center "I'm afraid people will think I'm for help or advises teenagers where to showing off if 1 make the first move," tum for help with VD or an unplanned Jack admits. Vet how many of the other racers are equally shy about pregnancy. J ad really cares, and the kids sense it approaching him, however eager they and have opened up to him. may be to talk to him. To get around Jack's shyness, ask him Undoubtedly his age is a factor in his sensitivity: perhaps he remembers the what he does for a living. Enthusiastic inner conflicts of his own youth and is aJld articulate, Jack launches into an explanation of the Pasadena SRO in a better position to understand the kids than their parents, ,teachers and program. other policemen. Jack has been on the Pasadena Police force for four years, but he is not the "As strange as this may sound" Jack run-of-the-mill law enforcement officer. commented, "Racing and winning in the desert has really helped me with the Jack can and does make arrests and his studen ts. Seeing my name or picture in uniform is complete with a gun, but Cycle News really jazzes the kids...I'm Jack is wearing a new uniform this year not a cop anymore, I'm a motorcycle at the junior high school in Pasadena racer and we have something to rap where he has his office during the about." school term. You migh t have trouble With a touchy shoulder hindering picking Jack ou t of the crowd of hiD'l, the Jala.ted.young desert racerhas •• t..e~ .around him. '- '

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