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/125840
necessary to make new gear box and ratios. AGO: It's ready. In two weeks, it's ready. GOULD: Hmmm. AGO: He wanted to know from me, because I know, but it's always (with MY) un momento, domani, dopo domani. (...just a while, tomorrow, after tomorrow. Gould chu.ckles acknowledging Italian proaastination. A fellow walks by wearing the ugliest pair of plaid trower imaginable.) AGO: (To Gould) If you're good to me, I '0 buy for you the trousers like that. Then after I'll take in you in Bergamo and... (lndicates leading him around to show them off.) GOULD: 1 tried to buy a pair of trousers when I was here in Augu.st. 1 went into a big department store. I wanted a pair of respectable slacks that I could we with a sports coat. It was either things that were like this (indicates wide bottoms) with a three inch cuff or trousers like that. Well, the guy ~ys, "Look, we just got a new stock in. What do you think of these?" And they were bright yellow! And I said, "Positively ghastly". And he said "Ah! Hmmm!" and stormed off and left me standing there! Didn't speak to me again. AGO: Finito? Are you finished? AF: I think so. AGO: I am very tired. This moming I get up at five o'clock. JH: How long is your contract with Yamaha? AGO: Six months. (Grins) No, two years. JH: 10 credo tutto, eh? Esta contento? (I'll believe anything. Are you satisfied?) AGO: Now I am happy. Maybe after not. Maybe, yes. I think 80. JH: How many circuits will you ride in America? AGO: Daytona, Talladega, and Ontario. AF: Is there any chance you will race any other events in America? AGO: No. We don't ha~ time. Because we have the other circuit in Europe. GOULD: It would be possible to race at Charlotte, North Carolina, but that has been taken off the schedule. AGO: What is Charlotte? GOULD: It's another American road race, but it was a bad race. AGO: I am happy when I have two' or three. AF: I think your-presence is going to make Daytona a much better race this year. GOULD: I don't know. It's going to be difficult, I thin 1<, because I know for a fact when Cal Rayborn heard that Giacomo was coming for Daytona he said. "Fantastic! I've got to get me a good machine." So e~one's going to be... (Makes a gassing.it gesture.) AGO: (With mock ominousness) But I come from Japan! JH: Will you be testing in Japan for Yamaha also? AGO: Yeah, in February I guess, Japan. JH: That will be on your bikes, the 350 and 500? AGO: And 750. JH: Arthur, are you chock full of any more goodies? AF: What...aside from the Isle of Man, what course do you consider the most dangerous in Europe? . AGO: Clermont· Ferrand. French, French Grand Prix. C1ermont·Ferrand. In France, we have two or three circuits. At Clermont· Ferrand next year maybe we'll have World Championship. Maybe the organi~ers are going to change. JH: Which do you like best of the GP circuits? AGO: Holland, I think, is a very good circuit. It is very sure, not dangerous. What is a good word? JH: Como se dice en Italiano? (How do you say it in Italian?) AGO: E securo, non pericoloso. (It's "secure", not dangerous.) It give you the security. GOULD: There's not one word to say it. It's a circuit you feel happy with. AGO: Ah, there's not one word. Is not danger? What is the reverse? JH: Safe. AGO: Safe. It is a safe circuit. Safe·securo. Safe. GOULD: There's only one problem with Assen. Becau.se the circuit is 80 safe and the grip is so good,.a lot of people go too hard, and they run out of road, and they get off and break arms and legs. But there's no guard rails... AGO: Yeah! GOULD: ...So they don't get killed. A lot of people break arms and legs there, becau.se they go so fast, fast, fast and then suddenly they stop. AF: Do you think that there's some chance that they migh t be removing some of the Armco barriers on some of the courses? . AGO: Would you speak slowly becau.se 1... AF: Do you think that there's some chance that they might be removing some of the Armco barriers?? (Gould leaves to answer a telephone page.) AGO: Ah, y~ah! For next year. Next year, sure. Because this year many people are killed, you know. Saarinen, Pasolini... With the guard rail. The gu.ard rail is very dangerous. I think for next year we will move all the gu.ard rail on the circuits. AF: That would be nice. AGO: All right? I'm sorry I don't stay long because I am very tired. I want to see Hollywood today but I can't because all day ...Yamaha, I had a press conference. All day... 1 am at Bates leathers. AU day I am very tired. Because, you know, I came from Japan yesterday, 19 hou.r, no, 17 hou.r difference. This morning 1 get up at five o'clock. I walk around my room, I look outside...is dark. AF: When did' you decide to sign with Yamaha? AGO: It is one month we speak about this, and I think maybe I go to Yamaha or Honda. Last week 1 decided to sign. AF: It's certainly big news in the world of motorcycling. AGO: Many people don't believe it. AF: You'd been connected with Honda but we hadn't heard anything with Yamaha. I t was kind of a su.rprise. AGO: I had the contact with Honda, but it takes ;{ long time, and, OK, I decided with Yamaha. AF: It will he a pleasure to have you racing in this country. AGO: 1 hope to see you in Daytona. AF: I hope so too. Good luck. JH: Grazie per it tempo, Campione. (Thanks for the time, Champion.) AGO: Grazie, grazie malta. (Thank you, thank you very much.) Ago's face lights up at the title "Champion." Weighted doum undt:r Ie IJ tht:rS, riding ge/l1", IJ - bulle of his clJmera equipment neorly eqUtJi to his own, the only man to eve'/" win 12 World Clu.mtnonshiIJs trudged off to his room for IJ few hours sleep. IJnd a 41 ...