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/126036
Kenny goes on two cylinders By Joe Scalzo Kenny Roberts is calling for the American Motorcycle Assn . to cut tile present 750 road race formula down to 350 or even 250cc. If it isn't done by 1977, the great two-time Number One hints he may never compete at Daytona again. '. Fre sh from a hair-raising tire , blow-out in the closing stages of this year 's 200 mile classic Roberts insisted: "Speeds at places like Dayto na have gotten too fast for safety anymore. One riding error.. one mechanical breakdown and yo u 're helpless. Racing is always risky, bu t going 180 mph on Daytona's front straightaway .. too much. You can't even read the scoreboard anymore, you're mo ving so . quickly." He continued: "Today's speeds arc . nothing compared to what they'd be if someone like Kel Carruthers at Yamaha got serio us about it. There's probably an additional 40 horsepower in my TZ 750 that Kel can get any time he wants, or feels we need it." Safety , R:Oberts indicated, was only part of the reason he was advocating a switch to 250 or 350 road equipment. He also cited the high cost of racing. "In the last couple . of months," Roberts said, "some fa ctories have had to withdraw their tearns from racing. More top riders are presently out ef work than we've had in a long time. Something should be done about the high cost of racing, and one of the best things would be a switch to 250 equipment. You can ' t make a 750 ro ad racer for $2000. But y ou .can darn sure make a 250 for that price. " . "Something else too: alm o st every factory has a real good 25 0 model Yamaha, Kawasaki and Harley-Davidson all do. There's only a few horsepower _difference between them. But the present 750 formula is never going to be equal. One year our Yamaha team might have more horsepower than Kawasaki, th e next one Suzuki might have the most, and each increase makes for more sp eed and expense and for strung-out races. tt T'he world 's leading lubr icant for 2 and 4 stroke moto rcyc les ••Jor"."",.,.. Burmah-Castrollnc. Member Bu rm ah Group, Hackensack , New Jersey 07601 • Said Roberts: "If I were a spectator, the type of racing I'd want to see [is] bikes and evenly evenly-matched matching riders, really getting it on, bunched together in a pack for an entire race. It's a much greater test of skill to race a 250 machine to its limit than it is a 750. I raced in ' both classes, and no one can tell me it doesn 't take more skill to ride with a limited amount of horsepower and get the most out of it, than it does to ride something that's as overpowered as a 750. , , . "On a 250 yo u 've got to take a proper road ra cing lin e in t he corners, be cris p with your braking and shifting, run flat out all the time and make no mistakes . at all. You ca n't hit your brakes and then grab a han d ful of p o wer ' because there 's no extra power to help you. The bike won't go anywhere. A 250 takes finesse ." , Concluding, Roberts said: "I've ' thought about it a great deal, and truly believe a switch to 350 or 250 machines in U.S. ro ad racing would be in the best interests of everyone. We co u ld- knock 20 mph off top speeds arid n o one would know the difference. Racing would be safer less expensive, more co mpe ti tive - and a better show. " • t Antelope Valley Land near High Vista 160 A cr es - 27 00 sq . ft . house - 3 bedr oom - 2 bat h - 2. f weplaces - 2 caf garage - adobe ~ i n der workshop & b loc k many large other features . Expanson C hamber Cone Sets Adj acent 480 acr es a vail. in 160 acre parcels. Ide al for development in to M/C te e . are a . We hive sma ller parce ls availab le start ing at $ 350 an acre. 20 Ga. steel rolled and seam sl)otwel ded rea dy t o desi gn your own c hil mbe r. 3 Pc . sets, $12.00. 4 Pc . se ts , $1 4.0 0. 5 Pc . sets, $16.00. Post p ai d . P lUS Sales Tax. Quantity d tsc ou rrt s avaHab le. send your di mensions to Ai rc o S heet Metal. 15209 G r evillea A ve . oeee. W . Lawndale, CA . Stello R eal Estate 44738 N . 10th 51. West Lancaster. CA 93534 9026 0 .213-675·529 0. 805·948-4741 Let 's show the world tha t motorcycle riders . are NO.1 THE FINEST IN COMPETITION DIRT BIKE RIMS • FROM YOUR HI-POINT DEAi..=:R Mike Patrick's .1 YAMAHA al CORONA 1101 E. 6t h Street, Coro na, CA (714) 735-7721 'VI 3