Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

~ 1973: The year on two wheels 7 25 1974: How it's going to be Personality World Champ Agostini after Yamaha 39 AI Eames after the ISDT 36 W.C. Pliers after everything t •.•••••••••••••••••••••• Ui The Crooked Promoter 30 Can't AMA News Be Saved? Chuck Clayton, your November 27 "No AMA News is Good News" has been bugging me ever since I read it. Being a publisher it's easy to see how this deficit would bother your conscience, but stiIJ you don't appear to be a man who would rather fold that correct the fester. Surely the readers of AMA would rather pay 56 or even more to keep their copies coming in. For a truly dependable international calendar,- and aD sanctioned state events, AMA News is head and shoulders above most. For local happenings I swear by Cycle News. Road Rider is the only true tourer's magazine and I fall into this category. I believe in prestige to a great extenL . An organization the size of AMA with international recognition surely needs a puclicity organ of high quality. Now you wish to eliminate this worthy piece. I'm sure it isn't from a competitive...v iew you make this suggestion. The idea of an AMA Annual is marvelous, I agree wholeheartedly. I've always felt deeply that too many talented people hide their thinking, then complain loudly that no one listens to· them. Thank god you are not one of those, you make a good case and present good reasons for discountinuing AMA News, yet I wonder if you thought of alternatives, how to save it from extinction, even how to make it pay its way. More good avertising would belp offset the deficit, but an increase in subscription rates is the other answer. ALHENNING Chatsworth, Calif. C. Clayton says he knows no way to offset the 184,000 annual· loss of AMA News... Ed. A Neighborhood Problem I need help from fellow paren ts and mo tocross riders. Some of our neighbors bave filed an injunction stopping us from using our own property. Wbere is this going to stop, if they are successful? If we bave to stop riding our motorcycles on our own property, doesn't that mean that individuals can me an injunction to stop a tractor, hay baler, chain saw, a car from using an adjoining driveway, raising horses, cattle or even kids because it annoys them? To the best of my knowledge, motorcycles have not been declared a legal nuisance. If tbose people are successful in their attempt to void our constitutional right to the enjoyment of our own land, what comes next and where will it come from? The complaint states tbat we cannot rac,," motorcycles. We have never held a ract here, nor do we in tend to. The track we built is approximately 100' x 200', and has a jump in tbe center. It is used as a place to practice for our two sons, ages 13 and 15. Their pleasure is restricted as to the time they may ride, whicb is between 11 :00 a.m. and 7 :00 p.m. Also, they must water the track down after each te.n minutes of riding, or whenever the dust rises too high. A t no time are they permitted to ride for more than ten minutes, then they must rest for ten min utes. These rules were designed for our surrounding neighbors. May I also say that our closest neighbor is approximately 150 fe~t from the edge of the motorcycle track, which is a vacant house. We can use some support from our fellow riders and friends! E. RIES & KATHY EFFORD Albuquerque, N.M. We're not sure you can have a neighbor living in a vacant house, but we can sympathize with your problem. Enjoying the use of your own property is one thing, but annoying someone else by doing so is another. From your letter we have no way of knowing if your sons' practice creates a nuisance to neighbors, but if it does then the kids should ride in some less populated area. We'd be interested to know how the case turns out...Ed. Nervous Novice Bladder I recently entered the Barstow to Vegas motorcycle race and observed an act which disgraced the fine sport of desert racing. A rider, apparen t1y nervous while waiting for the start, stepped from his bike I and walked about 50 feet out in front of the s.tarting line and urinated. This was done in front of, and in full view of, the spectators. . After the race, this was explained to me as a common occurence at desert events and apparently only at the Novice starting line does this occur. It was explained that the iii ovice riders are more nervous than the Experts and therefore nothing has been done to stop this unlawful act. This I do not believe; it is obvious that this type of Person acts as he feels (much the same as an animal) and cares little about his fellow riders or the sponsoring clubs that work so hard to make desert racing such a fine sport. As a peace officer, I seriously considered arresting this person for violating Sec. 314 of the Penal Code and booking bim in to Barstow sub station. I then . decided that sponsoring clubs could hal t this problem by disqualifying anyone commiting this act in the future. KEN HAZLEWOOD Big Bear Lake, Calif. You're all wet, Hazlewood. Actually that fellow went out there to pee in order to create a water hazard for the guy starting ne"t to him. In fact, it might be a good idea to have all the desert riders take a leak out there to cut down the dust problem on starts. As for the "type of person" who acts as he feels, as opposed to the type who write stupid 14ws such as the one you mention, we much prefer the former. Shame is a particularly human condition, not shared by the more sensible fll ower " animals. Go play with your handcuffs... Ed. Continued on page 59 Tests Three Grand Prix ·Motocrossers: Vehkonen's Montesa DeCoster's Suzuki Lackey's Kawasaki Honda XL-350, Trick & Stock Mini Racers, Honda & Suzuki The Tyran 125 31 32 33 28 55 22 Plus Two wheeled head trips A broad's look Things you can buy Dashing through the snow You've come a long way CN picks a hero Meet METTCO Make your warranty work Ron Rumbles Racing Cycle News exposed Poop Results Calendar ~tocross Cat And MORE _ ' : \nll'nl .• \ :-":u. I \\'n'kly ~lulUrqll,"' Xl·" ...p.I,)t'l" West: P.O. Box 498. Lonl Beach. CA 90801. (213) 427·7433; I.A 636·8844. Telex No.6 73-4 74. Sharon Clayton; Publishtf Tilm Culp; Gcner..1 ~Ianagcr Edna Mewton; Scncldry to IJublisher Cathe.rine Lampton; Art Din'clor Tod Rafferty; ManaKinJ( Editor Art Friedman; Editor John D. Ulrich; Associate Editor Rheba Smith; Circulation Manager Pam Hobbs; Circulation Assistant Cheryl Steinberg; Circulation Assistant Hector Aguilera; Lab TCI,'hnid(tn Marion Hatashita; Typographer Melvin Phelps; Assistant Typographer Gaye Zaionz; I\c:countinR Manager Twila Wheeler; Accounting Assistant Chris Kolbet; AccounLin~ Assistant Rosemary Chandler; Accountin~ Assistant Jim Squires; Colleclion Manager Mike Colikas; Services & s.upport Chris Hom; Services & Support Dav Pauli; Services & Suppon Bill Runyan; Servic.:c & Support Jeannie Dunivan; Receptionist National Advertising Director; Tom Culp Wendy Blanton; Advertising Assi;n,HiI Trudi Culver; AdvertisinM Assistan I Nancy Gray; .r\.dv~rtisinK ,\n Dircc:lor 46 43 50 .49 56 60 .42 44 24 18,20 & 52 62 5 64 68 34 19 East·Dixie: P.O. Box 805. Tucker Georg,.. (404) 934-7850 Central: P.O. Box 13245. ~Lin, Texas 78711. (512) 444·7548 Subscription . One year, Kc:ond dass mail. S 12.50 2 years, scc.:ond class mail. S22~50 .3 years, Kcond class mail. $30.00 Single eopy price. 50 ~ .. I'uhlislu.-d weC'kly exCt.-p1 f... 11M: rnl aDd lasl \\IC'ek ur the c'akncbr year by eyrir Nc.·\\Is. Inc.. Pt.al Ofrtc'C' 801 498. LcMrc lIe....h. <':aliromia.. S«ond ,,-Ius po.aqt: pMd .J I I.cmg HeOk·h. CA. F.dilorUl slGrin. ,'arlouns. phol~. cole• .aft wdro.-c:. ,\ddn:sS4..·cJ. "1.Jmped C'nvdupr ~ R .... ur cdilUri.J1 m.. lter Reprin1.' ill VI pdrl unly by permissiOIl or the paW" n•• ,\l.hl,·rti~illl ralc:" alld rin'ub,ion iaf•.-..abml will 1M.' ",,'ul upon rY-qUdL Suo S.RJl.s.. Cup)'righl <':\' t.,: X"'w,,- Inc'"_ 197:'1••\.M .... IS. n·.....· rn·d. 3

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