Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

USMRC MX _ by Pat Gr9ss EL TORO, CAL., Sept. 29, 1972 - The Menne-Messersmith-Stenersen'tie continues, deadlocked at 150 Series points. Ken Morgan follows with 141, then Dave Carlson, first Expert in the lineup at 120 points. This Friday did nothing in the way of settling the tie, since Don Stenersen's second moto slip-up in the 250 Intermediate now has the three tied on motes missed as well as races won. Bryan Menne (Suz) again swept 100 Junior Division II; ditto for Dave Messersmith in the 250 I. Lee Fussold took over the 100 I and Steve Cottrell conquered the 250 II. Dave Carlson calls EI Toro his bank and it pays darn good interest. Davy deposits $5 and five hours later withdraws a bundle that must be compounded by the minute. This week it was $105 for credit earned in the 100 and 125 Expert. The 100 was a combined Intermediate/Expert and 125 Intermediate. Carlson took first over fellow-depositor Jack Hazard. Hazard managed a good start in moto two, the only time he was abead of Davy the whole ni~ht. Kevin Crawford is the man to watch in the 100 Intermediate, as is Charles Currie in the 125. Currie beat What.Shoul out the entire herd of Bultacos in his class willi a sweep. Carlson had the 125 easily enough, but Mike Paulsell (Pen) and John Adams (Bul) had to figh t their ways in to second and third. lt was in the 250 that Carlson finally met his match in Ajay-mounted Morris Malone. Morris got good starts and strong finishes •til the final race. Then he trailed last in the fmt lap, working "is way up to third. This gave Davy his chance, and he took full advantage of it. That win put him second overall. Husky-rider Bryan Breker took the 500 Expert class over David Boydstun (Mai) and Bob Dunsire (Hus). Dave Bradley swept the Intermediate over Mike Waite, never lower than third behind the Experts. Bob Hoover and his DKW have been showing the 125 Juniors their sweeping sryle. This time it was in Division I as Allan Tilford snapped up Division II. Dick Stokes (Hus) had it for the 500, while 'athan Anderson (BSA) sank into second spot. Ron Utaski was the new name in Schoolboy I top slot, making Johanna Stenersen settle for second. Ken Morgan and Dave Shifflett cornered Division II, and Ricky Parker and Gene Woods took the limited Intermediate and Expert Schoolboy spots. Have Done A Case Study in Consl;Imerism by J ohn D~ Ulrich Most people have heard the saying "caveat emptor", or "let the buyer beware", many times. This saying is mos Qften thought of "" apply' g to the purchase of goods or products, motorcycle parts, for instance. However, an even more applicable situation is often overlooked, that of I uying Jabor for your bike, Uke machine work on your engine or parts. always tried to be very careful when buying motorcycle parts, but I never really thought about maybe not completely trusting the local machine shop when time carne to have new valve guides installed in my Honda cylinder head. I started ou t by buying a fistfull of v'a1ve guides at a Honda shop, chosen to avoid the friendly neighborhood parts crook routine which has troubled me in the past. I delivered the stripped down cylinder head and the guides to a nearby machine shop which claimed to be specializing in motorcycle work. I had no reason to suspect I would get anything but perfect results, so I handed over my cyUnder head and went on my way, assured that I could pick up the fmished head the next day. • When I went to pick up the head, I was informed that these master machinists had broken off a new guide while installing it. (With what, a jackhammer?) I was asked to return the next day after they had a chance to fix it. At this point a sensible man would have demanded his head and four new guides and left immediately. However, I trusted this machinist. As proof of his skill he had numerous speedway bikes scattered around his shop. I was awed, not ahout to question as to how the guide was broken, or why his speedway bikes were scattered all over the shop instead of racing. ·The next day I picked up the head and returned home. I cleaned the metal chips out of the casting and discovered that the head was not the only one that had been cleaned. The tops of the new valve guides had been pounded into mangled shapes resembling malformed mushrooms. Cracks and chips were evident, and NO WAY would guide seals fit. The head was worse than when I started. This discovery came late on Saturday afternoon, and an unanswered phone call confirmed my suspicions that the shop had closed up soon after I left. I returned Monday, explained the situation, and was apologetically assured that the damaged guides would be replaced aJ:ld I could pick up the head Tuesday. However, every time I wen t to pick up the head I was told one more day was needed. Finally I was promised the head on Friday at 11:00 AM. I arrived at 11 :30 Friday to find work on the head not even started. It was not until 5:00 PM Friday that I was able to pay my $24 and take the head home. Late Saturday aftemoon, got around to checking the valve seatmg with machinist's dye. I found that the exhaust valves did not seat correctly. A _ closer exam inatian revealed that non-Honda valve guides had been installed to replace the ones the shop had damaged, and the only available Honda valve guide seals would not fit these guides. It was obvious that I had two choices of action since the head was useless as it was. First, 1 could return to the machine shop and demand the head be fixed right. Second, I could take the head somewhere else and try to make the machine shop pay for the repairs. I decided not to give the machine shop a third chance to completely destroy th~ cylinder head. Early Monday morning, I brough t the cylinder head to a reputable Honda shop for repairs. I received a written estimate of $37.50 and also got the phone number the state of California has st;t up for taking complain ts concerning motor vehicle repair shops from a poster in the service d.epartmen t. When I got home, I called the toll free number. and filed a formal complain t against the machine shop. I was advised by the/person on the other end of the line to sue the machine shop for damages. I decided to do this and headed to the local municipal court and filed a small claims action against the _ shop. The court date was set a month later, and the only other thing 1 had to do was have a summons served on the defendant, in this case, the owner of the machine shop. During the month before the trial, I gathered evidence. 1 got a letter from the Honda shop that repaired the damage stating just what was damaged and how. I collected all the relevant receipts for damaged parts, also. Finally, the trial date carne. When the case came up, I did not get to say much. 1fte judge asked for a brief explanation of the claim and supportive evidence. I gave him the lew:r from the shop and the receipts, including the first estimate and the final repair bill. The judge asked the defendant if he had done the work on the head and he replied affirmatively. The judge then ordered the defendant to pay me and called the next case. The machine shop owner forked over $37.50 and that was it. I made the. mistake of not being wary enough of the firm I was doing business with. At the first hint of trouble (the broken guide) I should have collected my cylinder head, demanded four new guides, and gone elsewhere. Obviously, hindsight is better than foresight. This is a common type of situation, bu t it can be avoided or rectified. Try to do business oniy with shops displaying the Bureau of Automotive Repairs poster which details consumer righ ts, and what to do if you are taken advantage of. If that advice is too late, do not be afraid to contact the Bureau of Automotive Repairs or· to use the small claims courts to obtain compensation. If you do not take steps to protect yourself from exploitation or to obtain compensation, no one wiJ.I do it for you. -' u o V). ;: w Z W ..J .<: U c: U u ~ u. > " r" ii > .0 o " .<: C1. USMRC MX _ by Pat Gross EL TORO, CAL., Oct. 6, 1972 - Two Juniors and an Intermediate (what, no Experts?) are the only ones remaining in the nmning for first in the Mabee's Tire Series. Don Stenersen, Bryan Menne, and Dave Messersmith are busily sizing up their vans for the set of mag wheels, and next week's ride solves the issue. At least, we hope so. The three are still tied, so what it comes down to is overall inoto wins. That was a draw as well until this Friday. Don slipped up, letting Mark Balzer (Yam) take the lead in the 250 Intermediate. Though he won the race, Stenersen lost the moto, which may well have lost him the series. The same goes for Bryan Menne. Menne's comeuppance was Jim Dean (Yam) in moto two of the 100Junior l. Dean squeaked a first by the skin of his teeth, ies true, but a first is a first and Bryan is down one moto. The leaves Dave Messersmith sitting pretty with another 250 Junior sweep. If Dave can keep up the good work for one more week, this week's ride may have decided the winner. Still, anything can happen, and usually does. The Experts are proof of that. Take the 250's for example. Dave Carlson grabbed a fast lead off the line and charged around the bullring with Morris Malone, Jon Derhammer, and Bill Henderson in hot pursuit. Davy made too much of a good thing and pushed the pace too fast for those tigh t corners. One lap and.bingo! Carlson was out of the 250 for the nigh t. Morris 1a1one finished where Davy left off, going on to take the second moto in stride. Meanwhile Maico·marauder Gaylon Mosier was putting the pressure on. Mosier finally found first spot by the final race, good enough to garner second behind Malone. Derhammer (CZ) and lIenderson (Yam) followed overall. Carlson showed better staying power in the 125. He made it a no-problem sweep over John Volkman (Bt,l), and Pen mounts Jeff Vidic and Scott Miller, who finished in that order. Each of those three had a turn 'pressuring Davy, a differen t second finisher for each moto. But Carlson had sure control ove, his 125 Yamaha, a far different story ftom the 250. David Boydstun has decided the 500 Expert is his cup of tea. He swept it on a borrowed CZ over Mark Parker. Dave Bradley swept the Intermediate division, as is his habit. Fifteen minibkes buzzed off the line in Schoolboy Division 1. Brian Ellis climbed to first through the swarm, Ken Morgan very close in seconding him. Gene Woods and Rick Parker laid down the law in the Expert and In termediate divisions respectively. 'INTERESTED IN WINNING ? PAUL SMART IS... WINNER CHAMPION SPARK PLUG MOTORCYCLE CLASSIC 250 MILE ROAD RACE AT ONTARIO MOTOR SPEEDWAY. THAT'S WHY HE AND TUNER HURLEY WILVER1 ARE SELECTIVE IN THEIR CHOICE OF EQUIPMENT FOR THE KAWASAKI H2RPAUL RIDES. RIDE WITH THE WINNER. Rassanl Manufacturing MOTORCYCLE mXHAUST _SYSTEMS 1117 Fountain Way . Anaheim, Ca. 92806 >-

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