Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

The California Dept of Motor Vehicles released figures for the first half of the year indicating that over 500,000 motorcycles have been street registered so far this year. AdditionallY, more than 100,000 bikes have been titled, which indicates that they are probably off·road competition machines. Three million plus trucks and trailers have been registered. Wonder how many of those are for carrying bikes and the like? * * * larry Bornhurst, who currently holds the Baja solo record, had some plans to try to set a new endurance record. Merle Shank just recently broke the old record on a Honda Four at Pocono Raceway as reported in the last issue of CN, but Larry is going ahead with his plans in an attempt to beat that record set by Shank. The run could be made on one of the new 900cc Kawasakis if negotiations with the Green Guys work out and wiil probably be at the Ontario track. * * * Cycle News regularly takes a three day holiday at this time of year, but this year we went first class. Of course, it is a'motorcycling weekend with the whole family invited. Ever hear of' Oak Hill Wheel World? Neither did we as it just opened in. time for Labor Day. They have 564 acres for open riding and it is all rideable. No straight up and down rocky cliffs. There are three arroyos of moderate depth and width to give the novice hill climber some challenge and lotsa trails. We rode for three days and never got bored. The camp area is equipped with water, electricity, and street lights which bum a pleasant subdued yellow. The surprise of your lives came when we we.nt into the "bathroom". It is a large round building housing one of the classiest toilet - shower - hand basin combinations short of a Holiday Inn. The luxurious feeling of a hot shower before dinne.r is indescribable. Most of all, do any of you know what it feels to return from the desert after riding for three days so clean that you do not feel embarrassed going into a classy restaurant. I t is located on Interstate 15 just a mile or so past the Summit Inn. If you miss the turn·off you can catch the next one down the road which is the Hwy 395 tum·off. YEAH, BUT MINE Will GO HUNNERT AND TEN DEPT. In case 'you didn't pick up on all the records set at Bonneville and listed in CN last week, here's a goodie that will shut up a lot of bench racers. A new national record was set by a stock-engined Malco SOlin a modified frame running on gas. The new top speed maximum "for the flying measured mile (No standing start, guys.) by a 501 Maico is 90.443 mph. Now how fast were you doing the straight at .Elsinore last year? * * * Which reminds us of the time we were talking to John DeSoto shorly after he had won both days of the Elsinore Grand Prix. Speeds of over a hundred, above ninety and other hyperspace velocities had been discussed for weeks. We 'asked John if he was doing those speeds. He looked up with his best Hawaiian are·you·serious? and merely said, "On knobbies?" * * * PHOTO CREDITS WE FORGOT TO GIVE: We finally remembered to give Mahoney and Creed photo credit and most everybody else that took pictures in the last issue. Except for two guys: the editor and asst. editor. They actually got out of their chairs and wielded a camera, then forgot to credit each other. They both apologized to each other when we were around, the little egotists. Anybody else left out? * * * NOT QUITE WHOLESALE. Dale Herbrandson, who is the leader of DH Enterprises, makers of the trick Bultaco reed valves pictured in the last issue, let us know that the prices on all reeds and reed valve kits (including the ones not pictured) have been reduced by about 20%. He says he's gotten enough orders to improve the tooling which reduces cost. and he's passing the cost reduction on to the buyer. How about that, General Motors, ford and Chrysler? * .. * OK, I'll TEll YOU WHAT HAPPENED TO Al GUNTER. More than one person has called CN since the AI Gunter story ran wanting to know how to get in touch with him. One way is to call him on the telephone. Dial 714/645-3098. He builds engines. * * I * 4-... J .. ~ rtl rtl ~ W Yar.:taha In temational Corporation will have a parts supply at Ontario Motor Speedway where parts may be purchased from racing parts coordinator Rich Wagoner. Look for Yamaha's BIG TRUCK. KEEP ON TRUCKINI..or Yamahamin'. * * * IF AT FIRST YOU DON'T SUCCEED. Despite the rotten luck of a broken chain when leading moto two at the Talladega MX (after winni'ng moto one), the Flyin' Hawaiian came back to win the 250/500 Combined motocross the following Sunday. Sometimes the magic works, sometimes it docsn't. * * * WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN? Vespa entered two stock 180cc scooters in this year's Baja 500 getting one to Check Five. They now inform us that they will be back with another Vespl Team in 1973 Ind, based on what they learned last year, figure to finish. Cycle News can only offer them "Buona Fortuna" or maybe "Buena Suerte". Would you ride a Vespa over 538 miles of Baja? * * Publisher Charles Clayton, whilst sojourning in Europe prior to the ISDT, reveals that he has purchased two . Brough Superiors, thel"l'by doubling the number of Br.S.F .P.'s suon to be in the United States. Question: Why did he buy two of the ageless classics? Is he going to use them for bookends? * * * Unfortunately, no Six Days information, photos or other coverage have yet been received from the same quarter, but try to be patient. We're more anxious than you to find out what's happening. As a matter of fact, the breathless editor keeps saving some pages for ISDT coverage every issue. Only thing is, he's been doing it for two months now. * * * Re ferencing the item above, our soon·to·be Asst. Editor, Dave Schoonmaker, (whose name will appear on the masthead presen t1y) proudly informs us that he once had a cat named Brough and it made a lousy bookend. * * * Z Theresa Martin is hoping to get a job in the movies doing stunt work. * * * Speaking of stunt work, the second thrilling adventure of "Mod Squad" in the new season has lots of motorcycle in it. There was a good deal of filming done at Indian Dunes with helmet cameras and the like. The fellow who makes those helmet cameras wlnts to sell some, incidentally. . * * * WHITEY MARTINO has left the big city and gone in to the desert to live. Presently employed as Service Manager for DESERT CYCLE CENTER in Barstow, Whitey has apparen t1y parked his Huskys and is now intending to seriously compete with a TM400 Suzuki which he purchased with his own money. The desert ace will be riding sans sponsorship. Getting to work is no problem as all he does is kiss the wife good-by and ride across the desert to the shop. Neat. * * * South Bay SpeedwlY is switching its program to Friday evenings at 8 pm. The reason for the change is to see if they improve their turn out. If not, they will happily switch back plain old Sunday. * * * * KLAC, which adds up 'to 570 on your radio's resetable trip meter, will have the Champion Spark Plug Motorcycle Classics ripping through the ·berms and over the jumps of the airwaves again this year. They say that "Motorcycle racmg authority Larry Huffman will ...bnng fans complete and concise coverage of the four day classic." It starts at 3 pm on Thursday the 28th. * * 'Il< Speaking of Ontario, John Cooper will be back. He will again ride a BSA triple that took him to the $20,000 victory a bare four inches in front of Kel Carruthers. Also on a Beesumph will be another Englishman, Tony Jefferies. Jefferies has done alot of the best in the eye with his Triumph and could do it again on the often bent Ontario road course. * U.S. SUZUKI has indicated that reigning and recurrent 250 World Champ, Joel Robert, will ride the last eight events in this fall's Trans·AMA series. As an interesting switch, it seems that he will be riding in the International 500 class, presumably on a 370 Suzuki. He will obviously be the man to beat, even though he may lack the intimate familiarity with the 500 class machinery that he has so consistently displayed in the 250 division. After all, he has been World Champ six times now, so he must be doing something righ t. * * * * WHERE HAVE ALL THE RIDING AREAS GONE? Bikers motoring about the Icea within whic.h lies the County. Flood Control District in the Newhall·Valencia area have been getting cited with alarming and increasing frequency of late. Much of the land is not posted but Deputy Sheriffs of lA County have been citing under Sec. 5206, Trespass, and putting the burden of proof on the biker to show that we was not on county property or, just shut up and pay the fine. One of our sources indicates that LA County Supervisor Warren Dorn is the motivating' force behind the rash of ticketing in this area. He does have a horse ranch around there and is up for re·election this year, running against newscaster Baxter Ward. 'Dorn's office denied any special "attention" being focused on bikers by the Supervisor. * * Yorba Linda ("The Birthplace of President Nixon") doesn't seem to like motorcycles. The city council turned down a request to expand the facilities of a bike parle Said councilman Leo Richards: "The motorcycle crowd is the worst bunch to give campsites to. All you're going to do is legalize rock and pot parties." Remember that when election time comes, you Vorba Linda folks. Joe de Stefano and Joe Bevans also had bad things to say about bikies. Maybe there aren't any bikies in Yorba Linda. The whole council voted against it. * BAFFLERS: Hey. Silence airplanes. Less sound, more air. Also more sleep. ,And quiet. • * * * * DESERT RACERS: If your pit crew ~ends to get exci ted and confused. during fast pit stops, it might be wise to mix oil with your Gatorade and salt tablets with your gasoline. • * * It u sed to be that motorcycle ma n ufacturers didn't change their models from year to year except to make improvements. Now, however, every bike in the line gets new paint and decals as a minimum and probably a re·styled tank, and seat and probably other odds and ends. While it may seem, . neat, it doesn't benefit the consumer. The dealer is forced to stock a bunch of new parts which he has to have if he is to service the machine completely. If he chooses to do so, he will have to spend money that he could otherwise invest in improving his service department or other facilities. It will decrease the size of his inventory of other parts and that will hurt the customer. Some of the parts that he has to stock to be complete are never used and he loses more money. The dealers' losses are alway~ passed on to the consumer. * * .* * * Tim Rockwood is nursing his broken wrist and expec~ to ride at Ontario, by the way. * * * * * John DeSoto, we leamed at p;"'ss time, didn't break his leg at Escape Country Sunday. * * * * * * By the way. one of our staffers wandered into John's motor home and caught him drinking Hawaiian Punch. Sounds like' somebody should get an endorsement. It would make I great com'mercial. Always wear gloves when riding.unless you're all thumbs. In that case wear mittens. * * * * * * One of the weekly newspapers that deals with motorcycles is trying to get bought by one of the publishers of bike month iles, we hear. The Riverside road race coming up this weekenq may be a head·to-head battle between several top riders who have been away from racing for a bit. ·Pat """ans has been off in Canada and returned to win last weekend at Orange County, Bob Endicott will take up where he left off after breaking his back at Riverside, and Steve McL~ughlin will be leaving a long, profitable, and glorious career as an announcer to return to racing on his Hondas. * * * Cycle News stickies are not goot to eat but we'll give them you free if you write in. ....... ,. * Evel Knievel is opening a chain of service centers for motorcycles across the country. The' name of the chain will be Evel Knievel's Electro Cycle Center Service Center, and they will use diagnostic equipment like the "Auto·Scan" or the stuff that VW now employs. Drive in, plug in, take off. ........ ,..~ * .,~':t .. * ~ ..J (.) > (.)

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