Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

THE CRANSTON POSITION After reading Bob Daniels letter in Voices of the West. June 26 paper. I feel compelled to speak on behalf of Mr. Cranston. As a family we are members of the Ridge Riders Trail Club. Inc. of Ventura, even though we live in Goleta. Our club sent a letter and questioneer to all the legislators from Thousand Oaks to Goleta. We wanted to know their stand on the ORV issue. We have had personal letters from Senators Lagomarsino and Cranston and Representatives Teague and Ketchum. All replies were favorable for motorcyclists. We learned that Mr. Te ague has a son-in-law who is Executive Director of the Motorcycle Industry Council. Since Mr. Cranston was the subject of .the article in Cycle News and Mr. Daniels letter, I would like to share with you his reply to us. Thank you for an excellent paper which we enjoy very much. Mrs. LARRY FULCHER Goleta, Calif. / Dear Mr. Fulcher: I've received the questionaire prepared by the Ridge Riders Trail Club. Inc., ctmcerning off-road vehicles. Rather than answering each question individually, I feel I can better express my views in the form of this explanatory letter. I recognize the increasing popularity of the off-road vehicle as a form of recreation. but at the same time I recognize a need for some form of restriction on the use of OR V's in certain fragile land areas. I am definitely not opposed to the use and enjoyment of motorcycles. Californians have written to me (including many OR V owners). indicating concern about the need to protect the ecological diversity of the desert. Because I share their con ern, I introduced S. 63, a bill to establish the California Desert National Conservation' Area. This bill does not prohibit the use of off-road vehciles. It simply required the Secretary of the Interior with the advice and assistance of a representative citizens advisory commission. S. 63 would benefit all groups and interests that now use the California desert. Protected areas could be set aside for the use and enjoyment of the various interests, such as cyclirIs, rockhounds, hikers and other groups - wherever the land can support the proposed use. I hope this clarifies my po.sition. Please don't hesitate to write again if there is anything further I can do. ALAN CRANSTON Washington, D.C. HORNY TOADS HEARD· FROM Here, Here! What's this? A list of District 37 clubs and a big void in the middle where the Horny Toads M.C. should sparkle. Oh, I just got it. You got the list from the District, and they omitted the name? Whatever the case, we·re one of the smaller desert clubs with a high density of points per rider. And we'd like a few more members who are mature, self-reliant people. not particularly concerned with meetings or similar status trips. Any of your readers. regardless of age, who prizes a sense of responsibility with their independence, and are sage enough to know the benefits of riding with a grouP. can call Tom Widick (805) 495-4228 or Martin Edwards (714) 637-6105 or your corresponden t. CHUCK TALBOTT (213) 349-1001 Ballbearing Secretary Horny Toads M.C. Chatsworth, Calif. WHERE ARE THE PARKS? I enjoyed seeing the 1973 Club Guide in your June 26 issue. We are living in Northern Californja and are planning a trip to Southern California this fall. The question is - Is there a listing available of the motorcycle parks and riding areas. If so. where can it be obtained? Some of the ads don't indicate where they are, they assume that you know. We would hate to miss riding at some of the place for lack of knowledge as how to get there. Thank you for any help. DlCK SHERMAN Santa Rosa. Caljf. Rilther th.Jn list all the park locations, we suggest you stop by the office when you come down. We'll tell you the best spots for the type of riding you p~n to do... Ed. Voices of the West The punch line was "Wouldn't you rather eat inside?" We beHeve that once again the poor motorcyclist's image is being used in an unfair and highly uncomplimentary manner. We will no longer patrornze any Sambos restaurant and have sent a letter to Sambos protesting the showing of this comm<:rdal. We urge all motorcycle enthusiasts to do the same. The address is: "THEM VS. US" We could not agree with you more that· thol<: who enjoy and participate in any form of outdoor recreation. and most especially motorcyc);sts, should get to know therr enemies. and we can assure you and them that the first among thcir enemies is the Sierra Club. If. however. John U1rich's first article in the June 26 issue is a representative example of how we are going to find out about our enemies, then none of us is ever going to know. If this is a descrip tion of an enemy, we wonder where he would find adequate superla tives to descnbe a friend. His personal attack on the 4WD Club represen tative is as uncalled for as \lis suggestion of accommodation and dialog with the Sierra Club is both foolish and stupid. The particular 4WD represen tative that Ulrich is referring to happens to be the kind of man who puts rus money where his mou th is: he was the very first to pledge financial suppon from outside the motorcycle groups for the EI C'\ion case. and he. from a long volunteer dfort on behalf of outdoor recreation. has learned that the preservationists have absolutely 'DO sincere desire for a dialog with any of us. Why should they? They are winning everylhIDg they want. This suggestion for land trade-offs is not only exactly what the preservationists want, but is pathetically naive. If we are so foolish as to offer trade-offs, what will we have left to trade with next year. and the years after? Less and less land. of course, with the less and less bearing an increasing burden of use, more and more opportuniues for the preservationists to point to as examples of land abuse. Poli tical compromise here is the sure road to losing all of the pub);c lands. Political compromise today cannot hind the politidan of the future. CORL joins with 4WD in advocating that we keep what we have now. or ultimately lose it all. HILDAMAE VOGT Execu tive Secre tary Caljf. Outdoor Recreation League I am opposed to the attitude of Mr. Ulrich. disgusted is more like it! Who does he think he is? I resent his implkations and his poor taste jn sarcasm! If this is the best you can do for input from your writers. I'm sorry for the Cycle News publications. I feel I know what he was talking about and I am sure his SAD attempts to win friends and influence people has grossly failed. PATTY PETERSEN Los Alamitos. Calj£. Ulrich's reply: ". ij;preciate Mrs. Vogt', more riition~1 letter relative to the others received concerning the. article in question. However, even this letter provides graphic evidence ttu,t my article was correct. Some people do not know the meaning of j diplomacy. If the 4WD people do not want to deal with Sierra Clubbers, why do they send men like Ray Moon to their meeting,? To convince SicmI Clubbers that they ue wrong? How naive indeed! To argue and look stupid? Imagine thi'...30 Sierra Clubber, have ju,t been presented absolute proof that ORV use damage, the desert. Now, on my tape lhat I have, and then realize the inevitable inc~,,!,ectn~s o~ her view, speaking in It or not, you will realities. like political haft to compromise. The Sierra Club does not make ~nd use policy, the ,overnment does. With the Club on one side and ORV people on the other, what do you think a public official will do? Compromise, of course. It seems that ignorance of political rulities is a tradel1Yrk of 4WD enthusiasts. It is time lhey wake up and bee the facts. 01 A SATISFIED CUSTOMER I recently bought a CZ from Simi Valley Sport Cycle. After I broke it in I was still smoking pretty badly "';d missing at high RPM. I called up the shop and told Dave, the owner. my prohlem. He told me to bring it in the next day which I did. They went through the ignition and carburetor completely, then they took apart the. clutch and replaced the seal. All this work and they didn't charge me a penny. I suggest that anyone who is thjnldng of buying a CZ and wants the dealer to stand behind the Mke, to call up Dave at Simj Valley Sport Cycle. BILL O'HARA Sepulveda, Caljf. ROLF WILL.RACE I am writing to let you know, that I am definitely riding the Super Bowl Motocross at the CoHseum. I am coming out of retirement for only this one race. I will be riding a factory works bike. and am presently in training for this race. I was very unsure of racing at the Coliseum. as this will be a very dangerous race. After much consideration. I was f"mally convinced to race this particular event. . Thank you for the advertising you've given me. and I hope this' letter answers lIDY qu,;stion. of whether I was going to race. Thank you. ROLF TlBBUN San Diego. Calif. THANKS, BUT NO WELCOME I wen t to a local dealer to purchase a new motorcycle, and noticed your headline in the June ·26 issue of Cycle News: "Feds Bomb Bikes. Motorcycle Soon Illegal?" . I bought your paper. but did not buy a motorcycle. Thank you. You have prevented my purchasing a m.. torcycle I would soon be unable to use. You deserve a pat on the back for thjs coverage which indicates the doom of motorcycles, because the daily newspaper and TV newscaster had not men tioned motorcycles were on their way out of eristence. . Although the dealer assured me that the make and model I wanted. was the same as the one ridden by Ralph ader's mother, and I thought the gas savings and the fun of riding were justification for my purchase, I really appreciate your poin ting out the error of my judgment, and helping me make the decision not to buy. Since I did not buy the motorcycle. I won't be huying any more of your papers. Sorry, but thanks again. FRED SMUCKLENBURGER And no thanks to you, Smucklenburger, for recordings, listen to Moon try to tell them that the wind restores the area by blowing giving up the fight so easily... Ed. sand. Now listen to a Clubber ask what ..bout the plants and animals. Then hear Moon reply that he hates p~nt' because they give him flat tires. What does such a dialog prove? It made, IN as I stated, Moon look insensitive to what the Sierra Clubbers value, and narrow minded in his view that only what he wants is valid. If you want respect for your ORV position, you MUST respect the position of the Sierra Clubbers. I can justify my comments on Moon with not only my words, but his exact words as well. Just because he donated to the EI Cajon case does not change the facts as I reported them. If I whitewashed that report, I would be less than the honest journalist I am. "As for my 'pathetically naive' political viewpoint, I am more Qualified than Mrs. Voght to make judgments on politically realistic viewpoints. ORV interests cannot ignore the land damage issue, and must respect the wishes of those who love unscarred desert il.S they would want their love or ORVing respected. The time for reason is here. If Mrs. Voght does not agree, I suggest she a) dig out all myoid articles in CYCLE NEWS since ',,"uary 1. 1973, or b) go talk to everyone in the political field ~WORD I have just written a pile of letters to the local media complaining about the poor or lack of coverage of the Carlsbad GP Sunday. and to all our state and national legislators with copies of your uFeds Bomb Motorcycles" item, asking them all to do what they can to prevent any such action. Now I ask you to say a word or two in Cycle News about the dirty. drunk. stoned, loud, littering, etc. etc. !*? spectators at Carlsbad. Yech!! J. BOLLINGER San Diego, Caljr. You've said it for us... Ed. SAMBOS NO-NOS Thjs evening we sat and watched a commercial for ambos" Restaurants ~ ~hich a family of four, enjoying a pICnIC lunch. were interrupted by a motorcycle being revved in their faces. U Sambos 3760 State SI. Santa Barbara, CA 93105 TIM & BECKIE BURKE Daly City. Calif. SABOTAGE? WHO DONE IT? First I am not a memher of U.R.A. or any club for that matter. I am just one of many families with motor hikes that like to ride for pleasure. and a little competition. I feel there is a great need for the family Enduros. such as the U.R.A. Funduro. held June 24. and we don't need some clown or clowns to deliberately change the course to put the. family riders in serious danger from some rider who is hurrying in the opposite direction to find the course and continue the ride. It is my personal opinion th at the persons responsible for the sabatoge of the Funduro course know the inside workings of an Enduro to do what they did Sunday. The removal of ribhon and changing of key time signs only pu t the kids and women in serious danger from the faster and anJcious riders trying to get back on course. TIlls type of action will not stop the family Enduros. We on line 6 and 5, A, B. and C in tend to ride one again when ever possible. I believe the U.R.A. is not the only family club to have thejr problems with sabotage. Pomona Valley Desen Riders had a warning in their riding instructions for Granny n about people tampering with the course. When riden such as "Dave Evans" finds time to ride a family run with h.is daughter there must be a need for them_ I read an article in Cycle N ~ .., ~ Z W ...J U > U

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