Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

to be worth noting? Most of HB's editoriaJ content consisrs of product reviews. Never, never, never are these articles the slightest bit critical of the products or services, most of which are offered by AEl: and its related cycle enterprises. Instead, they read something like the script for a TV commercial. Certainly the regular, independent motorcycle magazines have to consider their advertisers, and they nod occasionally in this direction by running a leuer from a reader who doubts their ability to exercise true independence. HB, on the other hand, never prin ts a letter poin ting ou t how odd it is that the magazine should constantly feature AEE products, always find them to be super-swell, never mention directly competing products, depend primarily on AEE for the great bulk of its advertising...and that the magazines should be owned by AEE ..ln 1968, "Women's Wear Daily" quoted public relations specialist for the clothing manUfacturing industry - or, as they like to call themselves, the fashion industry - Miss Eleanor Lambert as saying, "I own every fashion editor in America. I can deliver them". You know how phony ~'fashion news" is, but Miss Lambert was, even at that, speaking only figuratively when she said, "1 ·own". In the case of TRM Publications, the ownership is literal, legal, and total. University of Clticago Professor Daniel J. Boorstin in his 1962 book, The Image: A guide to Pseudo-Events in America, relates how news gathering hy the media degenerates in to news-making which, he says, comes abou t when somebody plans, plants or incites a pseudo-event in order to gain something from it illusive value. Boorstin admits the difficulty of defming ideal media performance, but concludes, "I do not know what 'reality' really is_ But somehow I do know an illusion when I see one." The same is true of motorcycle magazines. I don't know what the perfect magazine would be like, hut "Chopper" is a catalog in disguise and "Hot Bike'- is a catalog in draj1;. Minicycle (Twentieth Century Publications, Inc_, 11044 McCormick St., North Hollywood, CA, 91601) "~merica's fir~t mini-~ycle ",agazine" is publishe.d by Twentieth Century PublicatIOns, which IS a fittmg name. WhIle the magazme IS comparable in size, layout and general appearance to the average motorcycle monthly, there is a century of difference between the mini·cycle and the motorcycle. Wallowing-'in 19th Century technOlogy, motorcycle magazines regularly wring their editorial hands because nohody but AMF make real 'Merican motorcycles. Meanwhile (Sept.) "Minicycle" calmly tests the latest version of the Holder (the what?) made by the Die Cast Finishing Co. (the who?) of Cleveland (the where?). This $395, 115-pound trailbike has leading-link forks, conventional trailing arm rear suspension, a pumper carb, an automatic transmission providing a 3.5/1. ratio variation, and an American-made 133cc Tecumseh two-stroke motor speCIfically designed for motorcycle applications. Compared to the 16% more expensive, 71% heavier, 100% more claimed-powerful Suzuki Honcho, the Holder did "everything the SU"Luki did ...and sometimes did it a little better." Together with other publications on karting, model planes, and outboards, "Minicycle" illustrates the surprising amount of inward-looking in-breeding among motorcycle magazines. There comes a time when you've read too many bike hooks. You should back off a couple steps and tum to a related sport to broaden your perspective and refresh your imagination. After all, the very latest and most advanced motorcycles on the market today are nothing more than somewhat more complicated and, one hopes, somewhat less flaw-ridden versions of what was being sold a generation ago. Pumper carhs, reed valves, rotary valves and expansion chambers were all adapted to motorcycles years after they'd become commonplace in other applications. While Sachs, BSA and Suzuki tantalize motorcyclists with promises of future Wankels, Arctic Cat has been selling Wankeled snowmobiles since 1969, over 20,000 of them...and Wankel model plane motors have been available over the counter from two different sources for some five years (their low vihration is helpful in radio control planes)_ Oscs buried deep in their own sectarian literature, most motorcyclists never suspect just how backward their equipment really is. Take a look every so often at what's going on with snowmobiles, or even power lawnmowers. You may discover that adding another transmission speed, another camshaft, and another brake disc doesn't represent as much technological progress as the motorcycle magazines would lead you to believe. Modern Cycle-(Modem Cycle Publishing [nc:, 7950 Deering Ave., Canoga Park, CA, 91304) When MC fITst appeared in 1965 it came off the line running hard and last with - for that time - lively graphics, brisk writing, several innovations, and a fresh viewpoint_ The only direction it could go, one assumed, was up. Somehow, that just didn't happen_ For nearly a decade, MC has been running in place while all its competitors - well, most of them - have been moving forward. The first issue of Me had eigh t full-color pages at a time when its competitors had none. Today, color photos are commonplace and a recent issue of MC (Aug.) is down to a mere three full-color pages_ In 1965 the Miss Modem Cycle Contest was pretty hot stuff_ Today, with naked, nubile bodies sprawled over the pages of "Easyriders", Miss MC still poses primly in her assigned .-pot near the back of the book... and a few crows·feet are visihle around her eyes. The road test data panel has improved somewhat, but the tests themselves are stiJJ dull, uninformative, and highly derivative. The Table of Contents is still unreadable. I'm really sorry that MC hasn't gone anywhere for, you see, I missed out on "Playboy", "Road & Track", "National Geographic", and "The Scientific American" and the only chances I have to own a valuable, collector's item first-issue are "Hot Bike" and "Modem Cycle"_ C'mon, MC. Go! Go! Go! Motorcycle Dealer News (WilliamlLawrence Corporation, P_O. Box 288, South Laguna, CA, 92677) You are not allowed to read this magazine, which calls itself the "Voice of America's Motorcycle an Accessory Industry" _ Circulation is "controlled", which means you either get it free or you can't get it at all. Perhaps this is just as weJJ for your peace of mind, for scanning the pages of MDN quickly reveals that not only are your worst suspicions about the rapacity of your friendly local dealer fully founded in fact, but also that he is busily plotting ways to rip you off that you never even imagined. Many dealers are deeply concerned abou t the price-cu tting tactics of their competitors, MDN reports Uune), and there are n-emendous behind-the-scenes forces at work. to find ways to maintain motorcycle prices at artificially high levels. The high-cost, low-efficiency competitor, whether he's a manufacturer, a retailer, or anybody in between, is the only one who suffers from tough competition but, oh my, is he ingenious in devising rationalizations to convince people that he must be supported in order to protect the ecology, strengthen the national defense, preserve traditional Christian virtues, or whatever. If his competitors had had their way. Henry Ford would have been run out of the car business and all of us today - with the exception of a few milI;onaires - would still be wading through streets ankle-deep in horse-pucky. Dealers in Pennsylvania who were hit by Hurricane Agnes are calling for special subsidies from their suppliers to pay for the damage to their inventory, MDN reports (Sept.), since these dealers were uninsured. Inventory insurance was "too expensive to huy", say the dealers, who now want someone else to help defray their losses. Meanwhile the Pennsylvania Bureau of Consumer Protection is bracing itself for a rash of sales of cleaned-up but flood-damaged motorcycles as new, undamaged machines .._with no warning to the buyer about possible internal corrosion, etc. This happens to be a crime. It's impossible to convey the spirit of MDN in a few lines. You'd have to read it regularly for a year or two to gain a fair impression of motorcycle dealers' attitudes. My impression is that at least one-third, and perhaps as many as one-half, of all the inciden ts described in MD N display an atti tude by the bike re tai ler which is sh ortsigh ted, greedy, exploitative, or contemptuous of the customer. No more than one-third of the reported incidents, practices, quotations. policies, and so on seem to me to represent sincere and effective attempts to build lasting customer good will. There's· more like a bushel than a few bad apples in the husiness, and this means a peck of trouhle for unwary consumers_ (Please turn to page 12) WHEN IT COMES TO GIVING.••OR GETTING••. .MAKE THIS CHRISTMAS A I j J FOR THE BIKE: (l) Hi-Point u'nbreakable number plates - set of 3 in all popular hues, complete with lightweight plastic mounting straps. (2) Hi-Point alloy Enduro gas tank, 3.6·gallon capacity wi flip-top lid, several colors. (3) Same tank in Mota-Cross style, 1.8-gallon size. (4) Preston Petty Products rear fender in unbreakable plastic has sturdy edge bead,stiffening rib; most colors. (5) PPP's front mudgaurd pairs with rear for matched set. (6) Motoplat ignitions for :-...~ Penton, Husky, most Sachs engines, Puch, etc.- the .,,' ~ hot tip! (7) Mud flaps in unbreakable plastic mix or match colors with fenders, number plates - wide ~ variety - includes hardware. (B) Hi-Point aluminum \. skidplate for Penton CMF. (9) Sturdy, quick-release tie-downs in safety stripes. Long length, large hooks_ ~~ FOR THE RIDER: (A) Hi-Point waterproof Barber jacket in traditionallSDTstyle waxed canvas - red or blue. (BI Matching pants have vinyl reinforcing inside legs, pull over boots. (e) Ventilated racing jersey in blue or green body wi gold sleeves, Penton name two sides. (D) Hi-Point chest protector, matching green & gold, top-grain leather stitched over light weight foam. (E) Hi-Point leather mota-cross pants wi stars, stripes in three color combos: greenlgold, blacklgold, black/red-blue_ Padded,lined, zippered legs, fly, pocket. Light and tough. (F) Hi-Point half-jacket_ Black wi red or gold trim stripes. Padded shoulders, elbows, chest - open back. Wear over jersey. (6) Hi-Point M-X gloves wi rubber finger guards, elastic wrist keeper. Black or tan leather, colored trim keys with other Hi-Point garb. (H) Hi-Point Trials boots wi cleat sale, elastic top, padded front, exclusive fast-action 'buckle.' Black wi red, white, blue trim. Available in M-X style wi smooth sale also. Comfortable, durable. (I) Hi-Point Swedish c1ogsworn by ,"ternational riders between, after motos. Orthopedically approved; for all. ~~:~~~~~"~==:=~~:,~re-d;S::=~~":.w€B1 ,ArIiM__M"''''.'._ 'J.ii~4"'~~'ltlrli" Al.'."''''.'''.''''''''.. 1., Iii AIIi: S •• $ $ §i l1. M e "n en c: .., . ~ w Z W ...J U >U

• Cover