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/125810
DIW Enduro ~ w Z The Only Beautiful Thing About It is the Performance W ...J (J >(J - . The ISDT Gold Medal Macldnes . ~;:. ~ ~ ..... ,,~ The OKW Enduro !s. a staSevrkassemblage of quality components around a massive t\Jbular~ackbone frame. There is little condescension to stvli~ save for chrome E~thing's there f purpose - competition. eral dozen ISOT gold medals attest to it. . -... I or a by John Huctter The first day we were going out to test the DKW Enduro, we got a call from' a friend who wanted to go out riding. He had just gotten a new enduro-type mo'sickle. One of those beautifully styled Japanese 250's which was very good, unaffected by that are, with many good reasons, the water and had very little fade. staple of the occasional off-road market. Maintenance during this time consisted He had taken, the lights off" put a of lubing the chain every morning and knobby on the rear and lo..k out, adjusting it once on the last· day of world! He had a dirt·scooter. riding. Chain adjustment, by the way, The first thing he said when he ~as quick and troublefree. The super crawled iato the van and noticed the little chain tensioner built onto the black, red and silver of the little German guard keeps the chain from flopping strapped in back was, "What the hell is around even when it gets very loose. that?" We told him. "Well", he Pre-mix was poured in the tank at reflected, "It sure is ugly." In a way, he infrequent intervals and the reserve was righ t. To tastes shaped by Detroit provided a safety margin, givinJ/; about cars, Italian coachwork and the 10 miles through the dirt when it gets flipped on. We even found out about progressive Japanese motorcycle styling, the DKW does look ugly. that. The only thing is that he spen t the The' Iigh ts still worked after that rest of the day, after the van w.as time. The hom had finally stopped its unloaded, trying to keep up with the feeble bleating. There were no oil leaks from the trans, the DKW hadn't used DKW. What isn't ugly about the DKW Enduro is what happens when it's time any plugs and still started on the first to go riding. All those heavy-looking kick. The bike started to instill a feeling (but not actually that weighty) that it would keep on running so long as straightforward components like the it got fuel. There was none of the leading link front forks, massive frame, mental strain that is sometimes big gas tank and full-size seat are there associated with riding a bike out into for a purpose. Everything that makes strange territory where it isn't an easy the bike go...and go and go, keeps push back to the. van. working and, usually, working very well. There were two defmite, simple The DKW Enduro was subjected to a engineering changes that should be testing sequence that was very much incorporated in to the bike that became like a condensed Six Days Trial. All of obvious during testing. The engine case the Six Days events, except for special covering the countershaft sprocket noise tests and the like, were should be cut away so that the sprocket compressed into three days of intensive is semi-exposed and in-the·fiIe chain wringing out. changing would be a lot simpler and BRAD LACKEY KAWASAKI PROTOTYPE We probably didn't ride as hard or as quicker. This was noticed as we never fast as Six Days riders and, obviously, needed to mess with it. The on·off chose terrain that a' buncha editors S\Vitch for the lights is located on the could negotiate but the DKW was run 'headlamp shell almost under the 100 miles cross-country; thirty minutes excellent VDO instrument. It is around a cabby motocross course; up awkward to reach and, in night riding, a 1972 CALIFORNIA STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS FOR JUNIOR, NOVICE, BEGINNERS "ONLY" and down some horrendous hills that severe bUmP would cause the switch to BRAD LACKEY AND JOHN DE SOTO WILL BE THERE TO CROWN THE WINNERS! had the rider footing more than is fall back into the off position. It is graceful; through some Observed Trials really a moment of truth when you're SAOOLEBACK PARK area; in, through, and across lots of doing about 50 down a desert road and SUNDAY. NOVEMBER 26. ht ROUND .. SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10. 2nd ROUND water (It's been raining a lot lately in the light flips off after landing from a $7.00 MAIL sa.OO POST California.); and flat out on pavement at bump. Sure gets dark out there at night. MAIL ENTRIES TO "INTERNATIONAL PRODUCTIONS" P. O. BOX 663, EL TORO, CALIFORNIA, 92630 over 60 MPH. That's generally the same High speed running revealed some FOR INFORMATION 714·830·3248 ,kind of stuff that happens in a Six Days other features that were short of NO AFFILIATION REQUIRED SPECTATORS 52.00 Trial so a bike tjIat takes ISDT gold perfect. The engine noise (whines, JEFF JAMES - OFFICIAL ANNOUNCER should be able to do it. rattles, buzzing, intake whoosh and ALL ENTRANTS WILL RECEIVE A TICKET FOR THE DRAWING FOR A NEW How did the DKW hol~ up? At the what have you) is a lot louder than the 1973 KAWASAKI 250cc DIRT BIKE end of three days, the brake pedal exhaust note. The DKW is street legal return spring and the rear brake this year with current decibel Any junior. novice or beginner adjusting nut had disappeared. We requirements, probably one of the few is eligible to enter. Limited entries. Use any standard entry didn't notice the lack of a rear brake for machines of its type to qualify. (The form. Mall in your entry and a a long time since the leading link front Spanish bikes seem best in this r:egard.) information sheet w III be mailed back to you. You may mall entries for both end invites use of the front brake (The Next year, that engine noise may keep it rounds together. front of the bike comes up, instead of from making it. diving, when you get on the binders.) Both front and re'ar shocks were too