Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

The President Wants Our Help By John Wyckoff (the Man fro'm Dixie) We motorcyclists are not political animals, that is, historically we have not been political animals. We have been legislated against from almost every level of political power and have been helpless to do much about it except in some isolated cases. It is now within our power to flex some of our political muscle if we give a damn. According to recent statistics there are some 5,000,000 people engaged in motorcycle activities. Now friends, thats a lot of people. Particularly when you consider that the majority of them are in the 18 to 30 age group. Five million votes could pu t any candidate for poljtical office in or out. This includes the president of the United States. Just imagine what we could accomplish if we were all to work for the same end and cause. We now have that opportunity. For the fll'st time in my memory we have been asked to help elect a president. Richard Nixon wan ts our support and votes. I for one am going to do all I can to get him re·elected. Not only that but I am asking you to help me, and here are the reasons why. To start with, let me say I 'am not a Republican. I am an independent and have always voted for the man I felt was best qualified to do the job, instead of the party since I have never been able to see much djfference between the parties. I am interested in motorcycling and obviously so' are you. Otherwise you wouldn't be reading this newpaper. Thanks to the land use petitions circulated by the AMA, signed by in terested riders and sen t to the President. Mr. Nixon is now aware of our e,ustence. Enough of us cared to send our own letters to our Congressman, Senators and President to further re·enforce these petitions and let the political heirarchy know we cared. They were impressed by our numbers and our single and unified aim. It seems to have worked, They want our help. They seem to be aware of our problems. A t least to the poin t of wanting to find out more about us and our needs. They may even be aware that we have as many righ ts as the bird watchers to use our open land areas. We have been promised a fair and sympathetic hearing of our views, We have been acknowledged as a large and active p.olitical potential. This is a world of political realjty. We started this thing with the presidential petition and it is only fair that we give the President a chance to react and start the cumbersome wheels in motion to relieve our problems. A t the same time we can show the powers th at be we are not to be trifled with. If the political promises are not lived up to we also have the strength to remove from office the people who fail to keep their promises. Tne thing we need now is a program and how to go about getting the job done. I suggest using the pyramid method. Everyone of you who reads this column should talk to two friends who care and are willing to show they care by voting on election day. Have these friends each contact two of their friends. They don't have to be motorcyclists, however we do need their votes to make this work. One thing I would like to remind you all of: til. is js a democracy of the people by the people and for the people, We are the people. DOES THE PREZ WANT SOMETHING FOR NOTHING? By Charles Clayton Richard M, Nixon wants to'win the election so much that he has asked the motorcycle enthusiasts to help him. The state he wants to win most is California, where he lost rather badly in a bid for Governor some years back, and failed to win a significant majority in the last election. With at least one million motorcyclists eligible to vote in California, we could swing it for Nixon, if we wanted to. We have something the President wants. He has a few things that we want, too, but so far he hasn't even promhed us anything. In a letter to the AMA, dated August 17, President Nixon said that he was pleased with the "gratifying response" to his executive order regarding off-road vehicle recreation. He said that he was glad that motorcycle enthusiasts .. shared his concern for the preservation" of publk lands. "Motorcycling is one of the most popular outdoor recreational activities," the President's letter went on. "IL is only proper that the in terest of those who enjoy motorcycling be taken into account as we initiate steps to enhance the use of parklands for all Americans. " Nobody can argue with those statements, but I am concerned about the use of the key word upreservation," since conservation is more what we are talking about. (You have to analyze these Presidential remarks like communiques from Hanoi - word by $25,000 YAMAHA GOLD CUP NATIONAL SET FOR ATLANTA A 20 year veteran and a hard charging rookie head a field of the nation's top professional motorcycle racers competing in the Yamaha Gold Cup National Sunday, September 10, at Lakewood Speedway, Southeastern Fairgrounds, Atlanta, Georgia. AMA National No. I, Dick Mann, Richmond, Caljfornia and the young challenger, rookie Ken Roberts, Modesto, California, leader of Yamaha's Racing Team, are among the 63 top professional Experts en tered in the Gold Cup Race. word.) What I wonder is, simply, what's in it for us? So £ar, nothing. The President could tell the Dept. of Interior to open up any place that motorcycle recreation isn't proven harmful to the ecology or aesthetic value, as J .G. Krol suggest in these pages last week. He could instruct the Departmen t of Transportation to drop their obsessive insistence on compulsory helmet laws for motorcyclists. He could declare a National Motorcycle Day or any of a number of things that would help win our support. But we are being asked to support him for re-election without so much as even a politician's promise in return. If only one percent of the motorcyclists in California decided 'to vote for Nixon, we could swing the electoral votes of this state. That would be 10,000 votes that otherwise migh t not even be balloted. I think that be tween now and November, motorcyciing could deliver that many votes to any candidate who truly seemed to be on our side. But so far, I've seen nothing from either candidate to indicate that they would get government off its an ti·motorcycle kick. Besides, we are not only being asked to elect a President who is not promising to help our particular interest but who also will be appointing a Supreme Court Justice or two, who holds the power to start and stop wars and whole bunch of other stuff. I think that we should be very careful who we give that all.important vate to, and so far1 I car) 't recommend either candidate. Twenty year-old Roberts led in AMA National point stand'mgs for the first 21-weeks of the season and only dropped to fourth last month in the wake of two decisive wins by the 39 year.old veteran, Mann. In addition to these stars of racing is Yamaha Team·Member Keith Mashburn, Santa Susana, California and current point leader Mark Brelsford, Los Altos, California. Also included are national favorites such as Gene Romero, Men Lawwill, Gary Nixon and Dave Aldana. "-'These are the best dirt track racers in the world, there are·none better," Yamaha Gold Cup promoter Don Brymer stated. For more information call (404) 622·3511. c. '" ~ w (f) z W ...J U >- U a POWER ST fllfJE® has a nice sound ... IS THE WAY IT IS! Telling you about won't prove a thing. Chain Spray But you can prove to yourself that Power Slide® won't melt, fly off, squeeze out, drip or run. 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