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/125825
Page 5 September 11,1973 • Brad Lackey and friend at the opening cere,!,onies at me Dutch GP. THE LATEST bikes. There's no doubt, though, that BMW road racer Reg Pridmore will be deligh ted to see it. OFF TO BOB WITH BRAVE: Our former Associate Editor, Dave Schoonmaker (alias "The Claw") has clawed his way off to work for the Bob Braverman empire at "Dirt Rider". Of course you won't hear from him for months, then you can expect him to' spew forth with the latest information of DH reed valves and handy tips on how to endo your Yamaha YZ. He'll be working under. Dave Swift, the new editor of "Dirt Rider", a position of heavy responsibility. Contary to what we have previously printed, Lane Campbell's zip code is not 54601. 53601. nor is it 52607. It is, in fact, 52601. WAIT UNTIL PRIDMORE GETS ONE. The new BMW is a 900cc twin. The R-90 'is very' much like the R-75 with which it shares the same stroke. In fact, all three BMW's (the 600cc R-60, the 750cc R-75, and the R-90) share the same stroke. The 500cc R·50 has been discontinued. Other changes. for 1974 include a five speed transmission and restyling. The instruments have been moved out of the headligh t and the headlight sheU has been restyled. The 900cc horizontally opposed twin is available in two \(ersions, the nonnal tourer and the R-90 Sport. Except for the R-60, all models have disc brakes. Single discs are standard on, the R-75 and R-90 with dual discs catalogued as an option. On the R-90 Sport dual discs are standard. The R-60.retains the drum brake as standard with the disc optional. The R-90 Sport is expected to retail for something in the neighborhood of $3400 which leaves us wondering how it is going to compete with the Kawasaki 900, the, Ducati Sport, or severa! other Our thanks to Rick Hyde of the Brush Barons MC in 0-38 for the personal invitation to their 4th Annual Team Scrambles, and our apologies for not attending. Yes, 0-38 deserves a little coverage; we regret we just didn't have enough people to get everywhere at the time, and hope we can make it next time. Honda is making their 500 four obsolete by pro,ducing a 550 four. Tbe first tests of it and the new 360 twin will appear in "Cycle". At least, that's where we ..aw the bikes. The 550 seems very similar to the 500, but the 360 has been ex tensively changed Clams reproduce sexually but ducks don't have teeth. We wonder how Bob Braverman on a 750 is going to explain being beaten by a bicycle. 'ROBERTS (J.N,) RETURNS: Desert great J.N. Roberts returns to action next month to compete in Mickey Thompson's big bucks off-road spectacular at Riverside. Safety considerations have prompted promoten to scratch the plan of running the can and bikes simultaneously. The two and four-wheeled pros will run separately against the dock. The $150,000 extravaganza is slated for Oct. 5·7. AROUND TALLADEGA: Hurley Wilvert crashed heavily on the fourth lap of the National, suffering a badly bruised side. Dave Aldana's Norton gave ou t on the lOth lap after he had diced with fellow Team Mexican rider Gene Romero. for several laps. Art Baumann dropped ou t on the 17th lap when the center cylinder on his Kawasaki went "boosh". The newly added chicane on the back straigh t was faster than Daytona's with the two strokes going through in second gear and the four strokes whizzing through in third The chicane cut the pole speed down by three miles per hour as compared to the eight MPH drop at Daytona. Yvon DuHamel won the pole position with an average speed ot 110.344 MPH with Gary Nixon, Art Baumann, Paul Smart, and Cliff Carr filling out the fast five. Gary Scott finished 15th to pick up a handful of poin ts on Roberts.