Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

Cycle News 1976 02 03

Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles

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Two new Hondas were sprung on the public at the Houston trade show: the long-ilxpected 750 Automatic, said to be available in limited quantity by March at a target price of $2200, and a " cafe" style 360 tw in, targetted at $1000 retail. The twin, described by one reporter as "the hit of the show" has a five speed gearbox (not six ), kick starting (unde rstandable ), and drum (7) brakes. No horsepower figures given. Most inscrut able, but pretty. Advance (and mighty unofficial) word has it that Lane Leavitt (Bul) took the opening round of the California State Trials Championship, hosted by P.l.T.S. at Purisima Canyon, near Half Moon Bay. Story and pix next week . The Greyhounds M.C., for their next run at Ponderosa, Jan . 31 -Feb. 1, are going to be trying two ' mini hare ' scrambles classes: 60cc up to 9 years and 80cc up to 13 years of age. Call 213/360-9287 for details. The phone number in last week's "B ike Baja" ad was (or is) obso lete. Effective February 2, yo u can reach Baja Racing Association by calling (903) 762·2 794 and asking for Raul. This message will self-destruct in five seconds. Four ... three . .. a: u 'Z" '" Cal City may get a bit dangerous over the weekend of February 22 • . CRC is trying out a th ing called the "Tailgate Enduro" fo r beginner fou r-wheel drivers on ly. Don't say we didn't warn yo u. If you'd rather not fight 'em, call (714) . 689-6114 and join 'em. Q, U) i ~. Darry l Hurst and the Schwerma/Champion foo-bar short tracker raised a few eyebrows at its Northern California debut. rrHE LATEST P BY PAPA WEALEY ABC's Wide World of Sports on February 7 will run the Carlsbad USGP alongside a US/USSR weightl ifting contest. Do I get a sense of DEJA VU7 On Valentine's Day, National Number 14, Hank Scott, will be officially "hooked" by Susan Leone of Findlay, Ohio (say, that's Steve and Mike Morehead's hometown). Sounds like there's a racing "family" a-building in Ohio to mat ch that of Michigan. Maico will 'spo nsor motocrosser Barry Higgins and ISDT vet Bob lsmaloff in the 1976 ISDT qual ifying rounds. Penton to a bronze in, Ismaloff rode the 1974 ISDT. a Pat Hennen, by winning three out of the last four races, has , repeated his championship in New ' Zealand's Marlboro International Road Race Series, edging Australians Murray Sayle and Greg Hansford. Rand y Marnola rode 125cc and 250cc support class in the series, and is said to have stifled sta teside critics 'with pavement wins backed up by dirt tr ack victo ries riding his Class C Yamaha 360 , against down-under speedway stars o n their 500cc fuel-burne rs. 2 We hear Benelli has a museum near their Pesaro, Italy factory . Pretty soon the 750 50i will be old enough to be in it; yet still not released for U.S. export. Wonder if the same fate will befall the 850 LeMans Moto-Guzzi, currently being sumptuously displayed at the U.S. trade shows. Seen for sale in Japan: Honda XL250 street bike, with disc brake, flat bars, street tires. In Italy, mags are the rage with manufacturers. All types and sizes of bikes are sold with cast wheels with three to eight spokes. Even Japanese Suzukis are available with seven-spoke cast wheels on some models. Bot h Steve Baker and Ron Pierce spent several days testing tire s for Dunlo p at Daytona last week. Asked befo rehand if he was worried abou t testing Dunlops after Barry Sheene's tire failure at the '75 Daytona National, Pierce said "I'm gonna let Stevie go first." U.S. Suzuki has taken up residence at the Carlsbad motocross track, and ' is getting into the world of motocross schooling . Us ing a program co-developed by Roger DeCoster and coached by Mark Blackwell, the first Spr ing Quarter session will run March 17-19. Call (213) 921-4461, ext. 238 fo r details. The Motorcycle Industry Council has obtained co mment period ext en sion (to January 30) on EPA', pro posed smog regulat io ns fo r mo to rcycles. They 'll use the time to prese n t new data to the agency: pos sibly to incl ude more on the inflationary impact of smog contro ls. Hope so. I'd hate to learn how mu ch it's going to co st after the regs are in effect. Here's one for all you Speedway freaks. Elsinore Raceway will host Speedway practice every other Sunday (star ted January 18) from 12-4 p.m, .~ Papa will let you in on a very confidential secret message if you will prom ise not to tell anyone else. Longt i me Checker/partner Don "Dingus" Watkins has finally ridden off into the sunset. In fact, the whole Watkins fam ily has checked into downtown Bullhead City, Arizona. On February 1 t hey will open a new motocross track, "Cycle World MX Ranch" right on the Colorado River. It'll be ru nning every first and third - Sunday thereafter. Imagine pulling into . the free over-night campgrounds, unloading the bikes, boat, kids, food , beer, etc. and smoking around a 1·1/3 mile GP track for a couple of days. Far out, " Dingusland" is right! Love it ! Love it! 125cc World Road Racing Champions hip Morb idelli's are available on request for $5,700.00 from Cosmopolitan Motors. Overkill Department

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