Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125807
.." .:r.. 0 Ii!' no N .... '" -' ,,; 0 Z '" ~ W Z W ..J tJ > tJ • Randy Smith on the 55 inch H-D fueler with slider clutch. Editorial L(Jying It Down By and large, I'm kind of apathetic about the new "quiet" rule for AMA pro events, but several of my road racer friends are somewhat upset about it. Mostly, of course, they are upset because it means more hassles for them. They will have to spend more money and time to sort au t their silenced machines, and they will lose some power. Even though everyone will be under a similar handicap, many of my friends don't like giving up performance. They like to go fast. They don't like anything that slows them down. That's one of the reasons that they are racers. Some of them fjgure that the machine they ride will suffer more than the competition, and others see it as another place where the fast bikes with clever tuners are going to get faster than their own stock racers. My feeling is that they won't be put out all that much by these problems and that they certainly aren't worth losing your hearing for. Bur they have other objections that I can't pass off so easily. A big problem is that a lot of competitors won't know • what to expect. They know that they have to keep their noise output down to 92 decibels, but how is this going to be measured? The following questions come to mind? Will the machine be tested while under load or in neu tral? Where will the testing equipment be located? \\;ilI it be in front, beside, or behind the machine? Will it be along side of the course? If so, will it be on the straight or at the exit of a corner? How close to the machine will it be? Will machines be tested after the race? Jf a competi tor is too loud at the end of the race - even though he tried to be legal and started the race quiet enough - will he be disqualified? Another problem is that a 10,000 RPM motorcycle with no air filters produces a great deal of intake noise. It also produces a lot of noise from the cylinder fins, the clutch, the transmission, the primary drive, and other parts of the engine. On some machines these noises may exceed the 92 decibel limit by themselves. What then? Air cleaners and helical cut gears? The problem is that the Novices take the brunt of the new rule; they all run 250's and they are the frrst machines that will be required to be muffled. And Novices are the least solvent, most shoe-strung riders on the National circuit. They are the ones that have the leas t access to things like decibel meters and equipment for modifying their exhaust systems. They are also the ones with the least access to A.I\1A officials, and so they may arrive at Daytona with a DBA or so too many on tap. Conceivably, they could be told to fix it or not run. Hopefully they will be told that it is a bit too loud and to fix it. Those who can't make it then might be told: "Yon are still putting out 206 decibels and the rule books says no more than 92. Fix it by next time." Eventually, he should figure out what is too loud, even if he can't test it himself. The other objection that I've heard aired about the new rule is that racing will lose some of its spectator appeal. Certainly, the true bike freak won't be. upset in the least. He will probably greet the new rule with a prayer of thanks. But the non-bikie who comes to the races may be put off some. It might be that he comes to the races for the spectacle. Could be that he really gets off with all the noise and the ground shaking and his thermos liner shattering and all. SlmlchrOme • .. Imported from Germany, Simichrome is finest for alloys, chrome, aluminum, magnesium, all metals, even plastic. Knocks rust. At most dealers, $1.25 per tube. Also try Blueaway 'pipe cleaner, $1.80 per bottle. Help support the American Motocross Team .h ~ long Beach, Ca. 90801 . Dept. CNP * 'CARA"BELA -: * HODAKA : * STEEN : """ Nick Nicholson Motors 11573 Vanowen, No. Hollywood, Ca. 26 years experience ~. (213) 764·8674 " "" ~RODU~tington YClE Moto-X - Desert Enduro 16612 Beach Blvd. Beach, Calif (714) 847-2202 All IT TAKES /1 (213) 427-7433 and our courteous staff will help you put it together DO IT TODAVI! .... ~ to the advertising department at cycle news Klocker's SALES & SERVICE _-, OOPS!! SHOULD HAVE READ "ESCAPE BY TRAIL BIKE" IS APHONE CALL Rusqvarna 6624 Atlantic, Bell, Ca. _• • (213) 581-3983 • • : """ to begin YOUR advertising campaign «< Fall5,~5IItz1 • Box 498 Write: Box 141_ • low. 9S9A W. 17th St./ Cost.> Mes., CA. 92627 ~ CYCLE NEWS Products Dealers! Make $$ with these. COMPETITION CHEMICALS Wheels and more. Send 25« for info. WIIIII~iIiIlilliiilli",~ $3.95 OMPETITION Deater Inquiries Invited (213) 363-6230 parts. complete Send check or money or to: ... it Polishes ... it Protects ,.. it lasts & lasts & lasts! Soft conversions... Disc Brakes. Mag 1972AMXT CALENDARS PoliSh .. Ridillg .. Racing .. Street GLOVES Stay 18227 ludlow 51. Nonh,;dge. Ca. 91324 Crisp Performanee . Precise Handling wit Cycle & Chopper Owners ... Hand Washable Othman Distributing Co. KAWASAKI 3's and HONDA 4's !! NOW AVAILABLE by Keith G. Arnold There are many stories about competitors that can't seem to get their pieces working during a National meet. This story is sligh t1y differen t, the featured team of this story Randy Smith and Bill Gerth had their bike dialed in and set the current BIFuei motorcycle National record at 10.94-134.12. This is a respectable run in anybody's book, but Randy's and Bill's. At recent trial runs at Lions Dragstrip and Irwindale, Randy piloted the 55 inch Harley-Davidson rig to a 10.30 at 148.S0 blast. The next run Randy gunned up for the 9's but just off the line the motor went sour. A little farther and the engine gave out completely with a loud, sickening crunch. This would be a great discomfort to most bikers. However, take this set of circumstances and change them a little. You are at your favorite race track and your bike is a Yamaha. After blowing the w hole thing to hell and gone, Don Vesco walks up and asks if he can build you another motor. This is just what happened. After lunching the motor, Sonny Raslowski, one of the top HID builders in the world walked up' to Randy and said that he would start work on a new motor right away! That was the way things went that day. Things haven't always been this way, though. The two partners, R"'!.dy and Bill, have been racing more years than most people would like to thin k about, let alone race. Randy Smith has been at it since 1953 and Bill has been going for ten years. Randy used to run a street roadster named at various times, The Virgin, Moch Schue!, and other new names just about every time he painted it. The current _bike has all the good things done to it by that little old motor maker, Sonny Raslowski. The parts used in its production are the best money can buy. When money can't buy the best possible the parts are hand-made. Some of the people that make this kind of ven ture possible are Venolia in the piston department with D&D push rods supplying the umph, E.T. Balancing had their part along with the eye-Cal Products who supplied the cylinders and cases. Spark comes from Champion. The man who made it all possible by putting it all together is the' much-praised Sonny Raslowski. The most noticeable thing about the machine is that it isn't half as powerful as it could be. It runs on 92% nitro methane, and most of the horsepower comes from th is fuel. This sled even has a stock cam! This one may be for the fun of it, but watch out: the boys have another project on the way and it's big. Would you believe lOS". ~ - -'~ WordS, pictures and diagrams worth their weight in gold. Bill Brokaw and Wiltz Wagner combine their talents to provide an Introductory into the off-road world. Should be mandatory reading for all beginner cyclists and recommend reading for even expert riders. ILlmlted edition $3.00. Cycle News PrOducts. P.O. Box 498 Dept. CNP, Long Beach, Ca. 90801.