Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

There's a Myth about the Mojave Being Hot . by Winston Beaumont ROSAMOND, CAL., Dec. 9, 1972 - It was seven o'clock and seven degrees when we left Wrightwood December·9 and beaded for the motocross track at Edwards -Air force Base. We slid down the icy mountainside, then drove west on Highway 138. We'd started late, so when we drove in we expected everyone lo be oul on the track practicing. But the place was almost deserted. A few Desert Wheels club members were setting up the start area and doing other urgent lasks, but mostly people sat in trucks with engines (and heaters) running. or b uddled in groups to keep warm. A few kids buzzed around on mini bikes (if en Lhusiasm won races, they'd be unbeatable), and the world was starting to thaw slightly. It was 18 degrees on the track. Practice was brief and uncrowded. Only the most diehard of hardcore enthusiasls could tum out on such 3frigid day, yet even they could not ge t up much energy for practice. After one easy lap, fingers felt ready LO crack and drop off. The mud hole was frozen solid. No one's bike ran righ t because of the extreme cold. (The hollest it gOt all day was 36.)., At ten o'clock the first round of Continued from p. 50' three motos went off on schedule. first event was the combined mini and 100 classes, followed smoothly and efficiently by the 125's, 250's and Open. Between each round of classes, a water LTuck sprayed down the traock while racers rested brielly. Brian Herr[ck (Yam) won the 100 class with two firsts and a second. He had considerable pressure from Mike Godwin on a Suzuki. Godwin took one first and two seconds. Paul Beaumont (Yam) woo all three mini class motos and LOok home a large trophy for his efforts. He was pushed a little by Burreos Eastman (Hon) in the first moto; and during the second moto a giant kid on another Yamaha mini wound it out to 10,000 RPM aod held the lead briefly, but Bcaumont got by him On the uphill straight leadjng to the finish line to win it. The big kid really isn't a kid (but who knows for sure?); he's Chuck Strohmenger, the official starter. flag waver and club spokesman. Strohmenger races a mini "just to fill out the class", he says, although he has professionally painted number (88) on his mount and matching 88 sewn on his jersey. And thcre are plenty of little kids in the class. I think he's serious. especially the way he lets that "poor little Yamaha haul his big body around the track. Chuck's positions are not scored, however, in case some fledgling mini bike racer is worried about lhjs guy hogging the LTophies. Bill Twinting (Bul) has been invincible in the 125 class for six months, and he knows the twisting, turning (21 major turns), up-and-down, 1.2 mile course by heart. He didn't win the first moto today, however. On the second lap (of six) his seat fell off and he slowed considerably. Butch Wade swoopcd into the lead, riding a Yamaha that looked like it had fallen out of his LTuck on the way to the races. Twinting got his Bul back together with supertape for the next two motos. The class had high hopes, but the flimsy tape held better than nuts and bolts. and TwinLiop; eeked out an overall win. The 250 motos looked like Yamaha ads, with six of the buzzing Yammies drowning out a lonely CZ and one Bultaco. Jack Myers (Yam) won the first two six-lap motos, followed each time by Scott Harmon (CZ). The third moto was combined with tbe third Open moto. Myers' Yamaha expired, and Harmon took the win on his CZ, beating all the 250s and Opcn class machines in the process. The Open class featured four 360 Yamahas and a Husqvarna. Keitb Mertz (Yam) won all three motos, but it wasn't easy. His day began in practice with a llat tire. He raced home (Rosamond), brought back a spare c .., '" ~ w Z w -' U > U Keith Mertz winning the Open class at 18 degrees Fahrenheit. wheel/tire assembLY, and made 1t to the line just in time for his first moto. On the third lap, the back-up tire went flat. so Mertz let it aU hang out and flew around the course sideways in the turns and straightaways alike. Somehow the r.tgged tire clung to the rim like death and stayed thcre through all three six-lap motos, and Mertz went home with_the Open class trophy. _ of the California desert by off road vehicle enthusiasts, especially motorcyclists. Some factions advocate total non-use oj the desert, others advocate total use. How do yolt view this situation? Hoi if ie Id: I realize that certain environmental groups and officials in the Federal and State governments have expressed concern abou t the ecological damage done by the unresLTicted use of desert lands by "off the road" vehiclists of all types. 1 understand that the State of California has (or will) set aside certain State managed lands for ORV use. The President's Executive Order appears to aim at a compromise between total use of desert lands and non-use by persons using OR V's. CN: YOltr legislation set up the Department of transportation. Do you foresee that agency setting up safety requirements for motorcycles? Holifield: J certainly can' foresee the establishment of mandatory safety standards for mo torrycles under the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of J966. I do not foresee any federal legislation which will outlaw motorcycles. CN: For example, what processes would have to take piau if the Department of Transportation wanted to require motorcycles to be equipped with air bags? Holifield: Under the federal Administrative Procedure Act, Federal agencies must give notice of any rules which they intend to make and permit all parties to be heard. This would be the case if the Department of Trans-portation proposed a requirement that motorcycles be equipped with air bags. CN: Do you foresee any polllttion control regulations affecting motorcycles in the near future. Holifield: It is entirely possible that the Federal Environmental Protection Agency and California Air Pollution Control Districts may establish emission standards for mo torcycles as b as been the case with other moLOr vehicles. Any such action would. of course, be based on research and take into consideration the feasibility of emission controls. AU parties - manufacturers, etc., - would be given an opportunity to be heard. CN: Motorcycles are extremely easy to steal. Do you foresee any action by the federal government to require built-in anti-theft measures by the manufacturers of such vehicles? Holifield: I know of no federal safety actions pending in the various agencies of government whicb would affect motorcyclists. I migh t suggest that you review the federal Register for the past _ few months, since proposed regulations and rule~ are published in that document. The Federal Register may be found in most public libraries. CN: That takes care of our questions, Congressman Holifield. Thanks a lot for your time and interest, and good luck with your Consumer Protection Act. Holifield: I appreciate your informing me of your views concerning these imporlan t matters. IF YOU'RE NOT SELLING CYCLE NEWS * First with Profit You make 20¢ on every copy sold. Plus you have full return privileges. The profit maker that cost you nothing. Minimum order is ten copies and we pay shipping (via 2nd Class mail). 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