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
.. . . .... .... . ... . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . .. ., .~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~. ~-~-~-~-~-~- .. -.. , ' - - - - .. .. ' .. ' .. .. .. - .. - .. .. ' Best Wis~es TheSnowjob for t1,<2. I-Iolida~s and happiness Int"he ~ew Year By Ed Armstrong The Snowjob IS part motorcycle, part snowmobile, but it's different from both. To comer with your bike you lean into the CUIVe, tum the handlebars the opposite way, and keep the throttle on, all at the delicate balance point that keeps the centrifugal force more or less balanced by gravity. When you want to comer on the Snowjob you stand up, lean the bike into the curve, put your weigh t on the opposite side to dig in the track on that side, tum your handJebaxs the same way you want to tum, and lean forwaxd to dig that front ski into the snow. It takes getting used to. Last win ter, in the mount¥ns of Lake Tahoe, Brad Lackey climbed on this machine powered by a Norton Commando. He kicked the Norton into life, looking the machine over briefly as someone examined the cornering procedure. Brad twisted the throttle, dropped the clutch, flew off the snow' jump and split for the big meadow. For 15 minutes he felt out the machine; standing, leaning, turning, keeping the snow flying. He came back then, laughing a lot, and enthused about this new machine. Later we went into the wooded area and found a few nice snow jumps. We had three machines; one with a Honda 450, another with the Norton, and the third using a Suzuki 500. Brad really showed his professional ability here. He was having fun. Drek Hine, inventor and developer of the Snowjob, has been riding the Snowjob through the three prototypes he's built and tested over the past four years. Brad had been on the machine less than an hour. They flew off the snow jumps, slalomed among trees at incredible speeds, sometimes following each other, sometimes side by side. The Honda and the Norton outfits both got a real workout. Mounting a motorcycle on the Snowjob is about a half day's job. The bike frame is fitted on the Sn6wjob's swivel beam, which provides the capability to lean the bike from side to side. The swivel beam is attached to the forward frame, while at the rear it ends in a constant velocity universal joint. The ch.ain attaches from the bike to a sprocket on the side of the universal joint that leans with the bike. Through the universal join t, the power is transferred to another sprocket with a short chain that drives the rear axle. A disc brake is included in the housing of the universal join t. The basic Snowjob unit includes the fiberglass body, drive train, swivel beam, tracks, and the front ski and fork extender. The adapter kit contains all the special parts needed to moun t your particular bike to the Snowjob. Kits for Honda, BSA, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Triumph and Yamaha, 250cc and up, are available from stock. The Snowjob offers the summer street·biker a way to ride all winter as well. It can also be for the snowmobile enthusiast when he's tired of staying within the tip angle of his machine. And who knows, he might get to liking bikes enough to take it off in the spring and ride it all summer on the highway. # PUCH DISTRIBUTING CORP. 9825 Mason Avenue Chatsworth, Ca. 91311 HERCULES DISTRIBUTING, LTD. 9827 Mason Avenue Chatsworth, Ca 91311 •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• i ~al[3~~l1Wl~~ ~~~11 • • : • • : • • : • • • • • : ~[!)~~ ! • • Roger DeCoster : • • Moto-Cross: • • Drinking Glasses : • • • Set of six 1702 drinking glasses • with the 500cc World Champion's name, picture, and : • • : : autograph on each one. On the back of each glass is printed the list of the previous twenty years : of World Champions in the 500cc motocross class. • • : • : • , • : • • : • • • • Send now, Order $5.95 a set. Please add $1.00 extra for postage. Calif. residents add 3~ for sales tax. Send check or money order to: Progressive Products, P.O. Box 1051, La Mesa, Ca. 92041 (714) 2B6·7475. Dealer and Distributors Inquiries Invited. set(s) to: : • • • : : • : : • : • naloe • street city state • : zip : • • : • • • ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• WARDS RIYERSloE MQJAVE 18y Benelll PARILLA CAPRloto MV AGUSTA 250 BIANCHI CAPRI SCOOTERS i • PARTS wortd's Ilrgest I.VI.tory 'or 111111. motorcycles Rebulh EI,ine Exchl.ges COSII,POU'" ~IU._. Hatboro. Pa 19040 1850 East Edinger Santa Ana, CA 92705 (714) 541·5217 49