Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

.... ------~--~~-~~----- --------~~=-~-----------------------------, . go Olarles Clayton Sharon Clayton Tom Culp . John Huener . Art Frieclman . . Dave Schoonmaker Ed Drechsler 'Kate Thorpe . Rheba Smith . MarlaTarbet. Q. ... N . en N u o ~ w Z W ..J U > U aJI~1 IIW. America's Number 1 weekly motorcycle newspaper. You'll always see it first in Cycle News. INDUSTRY COUNC ~iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii;;i;ii;~~liiaL This is a letter for a plea for help. As a motorcycle enthusiast here in town, I want to get across to all the sportsman in the state of Nevada what :s happening tq their righ ts to use off road vehicles for hunting, fishing and just down right pleasure. 00 you people who own campers, dune buggies, jeeps, ect. realize that the laws being passed are aimed at you also? Someone in the legislature in Carson City is going to make it impossible for us to do anything of this nature at the rate they are going. Does the State of 'evada realize that there are 25,085 registered motorcycles in the state of Nevada, plus 12,000 owners of off road vehicles? That 25,000 registered motorcycles retail for an average of $760.00 totaling $1g,OOO,OOO.OO. The state receives 3.5% in taxes Of the total. The 12,000 off road vehicles average 650.00 dollars each, total $7.8 million dollars. The state receives 3.5% of this total. Clark county alone averages $60,000 per month for parts only. The state receives 3.5% taxes for this amount. Registration fees for the 25,000 motorcycles average. $20.00 giving this state a total ot $501,700.00. The people who own these v~hicles are not hippies and the like. Most are business men, professional men, and law biding citizens, who enjoy being able to get out in the fresh air and away from the tensions of every day life. For people who sit behind a desk in Carson City and never get out among the people to find out what is going on. and make laws that are so ridiculo\ls, is an insult to each of these people. The state of Nevada gets more benefit from these people than any damage they could possibly do to the sage bunch that is growing in the desert. They have also passed laws that it costs $48.00 to go to school for 6 weeks to be able to get a motorcycle license if they do it to cycles why not cars? You would sure hear some screaming if every one had to pay $48.00 to d,{ve an automobile. Most accidents involving motorcycles, if checked out, you would rmd a car with a very rude driver caused the accident because he turned in front of the cycle or ran up the tail end of it, or ran the cycle off the road, but its always the cycle rider that gets the bad publicity. Seventy·five per·cent of all motorcycles accidents are caused by automobiles. Please, all riders of off·road vehicles, you had better unite before you have lost all your rights in the state of Nevada to enjoy the state you chose to live in. It's already happened in Calif. don't let it happen here. TOM JOHNSTON Las Vegas, Nev. SPACES . Circulation Assistant Paul Boudreau ... ,. . .. Production Manager Steve Schiff ........•...... Production Assistant Howi.Fowler . . . Production Assistant Larry Groves . . . Lab Technician Marion Hatashita Typographer Melvin Phelps . Assistant Typographer Randy Dietzel . . . . . . . Bookkeeper Barbara Bebeck . . . Bookkeeping AssistanJ Marilyn Kirk . Bookkeeping Assistant Squeeky Haynes HeClor Aguilera Wend T' dl General Secretary R t" t Computer Technician National Advertising Director (Cycle News West. Cycle News East. Cycle News Dixie): Tom Culp. Cycle News West. P.O. Box 498, LongBeach. California 90801 . (213) 427·7433; L.A. 636·8844. TELEX NO. 673-474 Subscription: One year second class ma,'1 • . 2 years, second class mail 3 years. second class mail S· I ' mg e copy price $10 $17 $21 " $ .35 . Published weekly except the first and last week of the calendar year by Cycle ' News, Inc .• Post Office Box 498. Long Beach., California. Also publishers of Cycle News East. and Dixie Cycle News . Second .Class Postage paid at Long Beach, Calif. Editorial stories, cartoons, photos, etc. are welcome. Addressed, stamped envelope assures return of ed itorial matter. Reprinting in whole or in part only. by permission of the publishers. Advertising rates and circulation information will be sent upon request. See S.R.D.S. Copyright€! Cycle News, Inc. 1972 all rights reserv~ 1_~iii;;y~r~,niii;;ei;;i;i;i;;i;i;i;ii·ii';·i"ii·ii·;·i"ii·ii·;·;eciiiepiiii,o~n~lS;'iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii;;;;;iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii;;iiiiiiiiiiii~iiiiiiii~ BAD NEWS IN NEVADA WIDE OPEN WYOMING· Bruce Diamond (MfiC) MOTOR~~'(te~ ..... Publisher .Business Manager . General Manager . Managing Editor . . Editor ... Assistant Editor . Advertising Manager .Advertising Assistant . Circula,;on Manager . Circulation Assistant OF Coming up on October 22 is a cross·country race at Wheatland, Wyo. Three of us from here attended this organization's last race on August 13. It was really a lot of fun and a lot differe)'lt from what we're used to here. Pits were at a neat Kamp Dakota Campground in the middle of alfalfa fields, meadows, and pine trees. Course layout was good, especially since this was their first race. The people are really neat and it's a good experience, so if you want to ride something differen t and fun and meet friendly people, try and make this one. RON JONES MITCH MAYES ALAN PEPPEL Saugus, Calif. Although Mr. Cranston does - not define his plan for "off road vehicles", the implication is there will be Major Inside Reports tremendous restrictions. The only way to stop this bill is to write letters. We must prove to Mr. Cranstron and Mr. Tuney nOl all regis· tered voters in California belong to the Sierra Club. The number of letters they receive could prove there are more voters interested in "off road vehicles". I've wsitten my letters to the Senators - Why don't you? Write in care of the Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510. KEN SHAW Safari Trail Riders, Inc. TRANS·AMA: Jonsson follows in the footsteps of DuHamel 8 SECTION: North 12 SECTION: Central 15 SMOOTH TRACK: The dreaded Adelanto scrambles, also Ascot 16 SO-CAL MXSCENE 19 STREET RIDING: How to deal with traffic signals .........•.......20 PERSONALITY: Serge Bacou, French MX Champ 21 DESE RT: Turtles, Hares, Hounds .......................•.......28 OTHER DESERT, Endures. Trials, and Tribulations 30 OPINION 32 ROAD RACING: ACA Carlsbad .........•..........•...•.......34 CALENDAR. RESULTS ...............•..........•........36,42 MOTOCROSS CAT: Sssssssss - BOOM! ......•.......•...........43 There are more than 16 million acres of desert in Southern California. But theh scenic beauty and fragile ecology are being steadily eroded by off "road vehicle, runaway development, cheap housing tracks, improper grazing and unwise recreational use. The desert and enthusiasm was unbelievable and deeply appreciated. The money will be used to rebuild the concession and recreation hall that was gutted by arsonists in June. A special thanks to our friends, Mr. and Mrs. Loyal Penn, who did not make it here from Arizona for the event, but who sent a check in the mail for our rebuilding fund. Maureen Lee and Jim Hunter, what else can we say but "THANK YOU." THE BURTO S Gerry, Grace and Family Perris Raceway GOODBYE, CORONA TT As most of the regular riders know, we will no longer be running the IT, Short Track and Half·mile racing at Corona. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who supported us the short time we were there. Each and every one of you are responsible for any success we had and a friendlier, more cooperative group would be hard to find. We feel we have made a lot of friends through this venture and hope you continue in the sport and all become top riders. Good luck and'good racing. ELAINE AND TOMMIE JONES WHAT ABOUT SPEEDWAY? Could you please give me' some infonnation about speedway racing; such as - about SRA, does AMA have speedway racing, who do you write to, is there sportsman and professional speedway or is it all just professional, how much do the winners usually get? etc. I would like to 'get the address of whoever I have to, to get a rulebook. JOHN The SRA address is 135 Union St., Pasadena, California.. That is the m~or Western speedway sanctioning body and best source of infoOo.Ed. IF IT LOOKS SO FUNNY, YOU GET OUT THERE AND TRY IT You people are the only ones that will give the fast growing sport of speedway in Southern California any recognition. These men work hard at what they do out on the track. Some people say that it would be easy to get ou t there and ride one of those bikes. Not so! It isn't an easy task to slide around those comers the way they do. And the third division riders deserve credit for trying, instead of having people laugh at them! They try very hard out there to do there best so I wish people wouldn't laugh at them. Thank you again. . SPEEDWA Y DIVISION III RIDER'S GIRLFRIEND Bet you won't see any racers laughing ...Ed. WELCOME BACK, PERRIS TT· THE PROOF PUTTING IS IN THE A special and sincere Hthank you" to each and everyone that helped make the "Old Timers" nigh t at Perris such a happy and warm success. The support We Itave a reader who replaced Itis Husky's bolts with one C\f those R&T bolt kits, as seen in N.S.&T. He says he twisted the head off one of the pinSh bol ts rather easily, Are these things any good? Ken It depends on HOW easily the pinch bolt head came off. Frankly, we'd rather eat less to save weight on an MXerOo.Ed. HORSE I was cruisin' up on the side of the Los Angeles River (Don't laugh; it's a good place to tune your bike.) when a guy riding by on a horse told me to get out of there or he'd call the cops. AU I wan t to know is, don't you thin k that I have just as much right down in there as that guy on the horse? HAROLD MAY Glendale, Calif. Yes, if you were running a silencer and not trying to scare the horse ... Ed. STICKY MONEY I recently bought a "green stickie" brother's scoot and was wondering what LA. county was planning to do with my money. The enclosed letter really surprised me. Not one word about helicopters, law enforcement, or land closures! DAN KNOUS Long Beach, Calif. The Department of Parks and Recreation will soon begin a study of the entire County to determine areas that are suitable for development of motorcycle trails and riding areas. The main emphasis of the study will be directed towards locating a large area that can be developed as a multiple use area, i.e. trails, camping, picnicking, etc. No attempt will be made to provide competition tracks at any facilities developed by the County. Discussions have been held with representatives of the California Department of Parks and Recreation who will be administering the Off.Highway Vehicle Fund. They are in the process of developing the criteria for grant applications and will forward them to the local jurisdictions when completed. This department anticipates that its stu.dy will be completed and that a site or sites will be chosen for which applications can" be prepared. The Off·Highway Vehicle Fund will provi.de 75% of the acquisition and development costs of an acceptable off·highway vehicle endless and Jerry Pettis (R .• Lorna Lindal. We save more than mountains, plateaus, dry lake beds, rocks and sand when we protect the desert. There are more than 700 species of flowering plants, of which 217 are found nowhere else in the world. And it contains many rare and endangered species of wildlife and fishes - including the bighorn Alan Cranston URA is throwing a benefit enduro for the International Radio Racing Crew on Oct. 29 near Red Mountain. Itwill be a fun family run, with two 30·mile loops, with the second loop optional for women and' kids. lRRC provides communications and first aid for desert events on a volunteer unpaid basis. We are asking the readers of CN to come ou t and show the appreciation for a job well done. All' proceeds go to IRRC so they can purchase safety and communications equipment. LARRY LANGLEY United Racing Assn. my looked sheep and the imperiled desert pupfish. FAMILY FUN for that impenetrable to the California pioneers has already been criss-crossed with roads and utility rights-of·way, pockmarked by past, present and speculative mining operations, littered with trash and debris and plunderecl of its natural and scientific values. I recently introduced a. bill that would develop a comprehensive land use plan in the desert areas of San Bernardino, Riverside, Imperial, Kern and Inyo counties, Senator John Tunney has co-sponsored my bill, It is similar to legislation introduced earlier in the House of Representatives by Congressmen Robert Mathias IR" Visalia) and area. The local jurisdiction must provide 2.5% of the cost and this 25% ean be made up with the $4 returned to the CountY of registration. CRANSTON'S PLAN A ttached is a copy of a portion of a letter from U. S. Senator, Alan Cr.anston. I hope you will prin t i.t. TO ALL GROUPS INTERESTED IN OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLE USE AND ENFORCEMENT This department has requested all CaUfornia law enforcement agencies to begin active enforcemen t of Division 16.5 of the Vehicle Code wherever such compliance activities are not a'lready in effect. Our information campaign to bring these requirements to public attention has been intense and it will continue. However. the time has come for strong enforcement efforts to support and supplement DMV information activities. It ·should be poin ted out that any vehicles trespassing on private land can be cited not only for that violation but also for failure to obtain and display the off.highway use sticker. All violations of Div. 16.5 VC are classified as "infractions" and as such are subject to fines ranging up to $250. A portion of the fees ($15 for each two·year period or portion thereof) collected from off·highway vehicle identification is returned to local government in lieu of property taxes on these vehicles, and another portion is available to local governmen t in grants administered by the Departmen t of Parks and Recreation for off.highway vehicle recreation facilities. Thus, better compliance directly produces more funds for these special purposes. Please feel free to contact any DMV office, or the Off.Highway Vehicle Section at the address and telephone lised below, for further information. We are counting on your help in making this new program work for the benefi t of all concerned. ROBERT C. COZENS Directior DMV Off·Highway Vehicle Section Box 1192 Sacramen to, Calif. (916) 4454874 The off-highway use sticker was originally to license use of public lands. Now you'lI be doubly cited for riding on private land. Something's wrongOo.Ed.

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