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/126013
FREE WHEELING Well, guess who's in the middle again, as two very cap able "guest editors" take po t-sho ts across the firing line, not necessarily at each other. You see, I know both Gene Wirwhan and Larry Langley, and I know the tre mendous effort they have both been putting into the whole land u se hassle, even if t hey don't know each othe r. Gene 's editorial, taken alo ne, or Larry's editorial, taken alone. would just drive another wedge between D-37's desert people and the body of the AMA . That's one reason I hope all of you have had a chance to read both - to see for y o urselves that we're all fighting the same ba t tle , often un aw are of or unwilling to ackn ow ledge th e other guy's contributions. Running Paul Schlegel's proposal with Gene's piece in thi s issue will , I hope , throw into perspective this whole question of "Where is the (AMA, in dustry, Outdoor Nation, whatever) and who's going to bail u s out?" The main answer - nobody can bail us o ut but us. We can always count on help from the AMA, but the key question is "how much?" What they've done already is save 0 ·37 a bundle. The $2890 or so that they paid Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher would have to have been spen t by somebody just to define the legal pro blems we face. The law is that big a can of worms. If we wan t more help, I say the key to obtaining it is to sign u p mo re M IA members. Thousands m ore . It would seem like duck soup, what with almost 10 m illion riders in th is co untry and only 140,000 of t hem already in the AMA . But the naggi ng do ubt persists, d oesn't it? If the AMA's so great, how co me it can only draw one percen t of all bikers? Well, Paul Sch legel an d t he MfA Co ngre ss have hit o n it wi t h the dead-on mar ksman sh ip of Dan 1 Bo on e taxation wi th ou t re p resen tatio n in West erville. Hey, I remember when th e AMA Congress itse lf was just a gleam in so mebody's eye, and a t that t ime I had scant u se for th e AMA. But when th e old AMA diehard club people co uld co me back to t he diss idents an d say, "Loo k, we've got representation in the AMA Congress , now," it was a whole ne w situatio n. Eve n tho ugh it was o ne guy from each d istric t once a year and had only a token voice in the real seat of power (the Boa rd of Trustees), the AMA Congress above all was the catalyst that propelled the association from 40,000 members to almost 200,000. Now it's time to carry the same idea to the very core of the ruling machinery. We know that to generate the bucks to fight land closure, helmets, harassment and emission standards in 50 states plus Washington, we've got to sell the MIA at the grass ro ots, each an d everyone of us who carries an MIA card. So, OK , AMA, give u s some th ing to sell. And while we're at it, h ow about a p lace to sell it , especially in hot spots like California, where we seem to generate a crisis a week? We need that regional office h er e , and we need it badly. We can scrounge the equipment to put in it (Lord k nows, CN has a desk and typewri ter to spare); and we can find t he volun tee rs to staff it. In fact ,' I know a .law intern or two wh o , given a focus an d a place t o work, wo uld gladly wo rk hard enough to maybe save Gene Wirw han a few trips a year O Ut he re . So think about it so me more, MfA. and you readers out there. write like Paul says. In this bicentennial year, I can 't think of a much better idea than a "Tea Party " in Westerville. Lane Campbell SUSPENSION HEADQUARTERS ARE AT YOUR ·HI-POINT DEALERS NOW... ..CHECK OUT THE EWEST' & BEST 00 C\r l-< CIJ .c o ..... ~~ marzocchi u o THE REBUILDABLE GAS SHOCK The new est rage in gas suspension. These new Marzocchi sh ocks a re now bei ng used by so me of th e world's best comp etitor s . For the pro who ca n 't replace shoc ks one after the other. In most sizes for most popul a r dirt bikes. ~ GIRLlIG GAS SHOCK CUSTOM BUlL T TO YO UR SPECS The fabulous Girling Gas Shocks that take so ma ny champions to victory, are at your Hi-Point dealers now. Your dealer can custom build them for you to meet any application on a dirt bike. Ask any rider who uses them and they have nothing but praise for the Girling Gas. YOUR C USTOM SHOCKS FOR RELIABILITY Now a va ilab le in 3 len gths with special damping a nd a ll the neces sa ry bush in gs to fit any cycle. 12, 13 a nd 13.5" len gths. Com pletely rebu ilda ble. Used by the coun try's top tr ail a nd end uro rider s. The world 's finest h yd raulic competition shock. At yo ur dealers now . HI-POINT CHROME SILICON SPRINGS The fine st in custo m turned competi tio n spri ngs. 2 lengths availabl e - 9· 1/4" x 2·112" a nd 10-11/16" x 2" . In 65, 75 . 80. 95 , 110. 125 and 140 lb. spring rates to fit most a pplications. Custom packed on in formative boa rd. In clu des end caps. EAST 3 709 W ErIe Ave Lo ra,n , OhiO 44 0 5 3 CENTRAL P 0 Boa 2 327 . Ama rillo. Teaas 79106 What ever you have to sell - Cycle News want ads can sell it • WE ST. P. O . Bo x 26182 . Sacr amento. Cahf . 9582 7 ~~ . ~ • Christmas Lay Away Sale Get t hem what they want t his year Sale on all Yamaha motor cy cles & accessories Sma ll d ow n payment will ho ld any item until Christmas Anniversary Sale We're 6 years old New TM 75 New TM 100 New Rl\1125 New RM 250 New Rl\13 70 $395 $595 $749 $ 1099 $ 12 19 Get in the spirit Some d ay you'll own a Ya ma ha 50 habla espanot 3 blocks West of th e San Diego Freewy jM fishbA s Ck' , YAMAHA·rm:roiJ'i?lIMi?l @ Suzuk i of V an Nuys 16141 Shennan Way Van Nuys, CA 213·994-2800 213-994-2882 SUZUKI (714) 822-2252 9008 Sierra Ave., fontana, C 37 a.