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/126294
OK , for the last few issues I have been getting on you r collective cases about street bikers versus dirt bikers , and a lot of you took it seriously. W ell folks, I have come up with proof positive, and not the kind I like to find . For a few minutes here I'm going to ge t serious, which is ha rd to do , bu t it's a must. It seems th a t ma ny dirt bikers , whe n they first tak e to street riding, go out and get hurt. Now , thi s is no t good fo r the bikers ' im age. I m ean, when some zchlu b is driving his Macho Zoom GT 650;.2 sports car down the street , and he comes u pon a biker spl attere d the length of a football field , it just isn't going to get him down to the local bike shop to join our ranks , right? Many dirt bikers are excellent riders in the dirt. T hey can bounce off the berms and jump over obstacles that would scare the he ll out of most street riders. What they do n't realize is that there are a whole other set of rules for street riding. An example co mes to mi nd . A frien d of mine, who was co conspirator of the W FO Dirt Racing Team, was wor king on his Hastyvarn a one day. When it was ru nning just right, he wanted to try it out. Living on th e beach , there isn't a who le lot of good dirt to ride on. So, he just started it up in his garage and too k it u p and down th e street. He was in the midst of doin g th e old fron t wheel in the a ir tri ck whe n out of nowher e a ca r appeared . crossing h is path. Three m onths la ter he was released fro m th e hospita l with a metal p la te in his head. It must ha ve done a lot of mental damage too , because he go t married (yech) a few mon th s la ter. If he. had been school ed in stree t ridi ng. it neve r would have happened . Street riders do d u mb thi ngs like wheelies too , b ut they know eno ugh not to do it whe re there a re cross streets. W hen you ride on the str eet you should always watch the flow of traffic as far ahead as you can. T he second fastes t way to sto p is by anticipa ting the sto p in advance. T he fastest way is to plaster you and you r bike against the ba ck of a Mack truck. O n the street, thi nking re places guts. I kn ow on the d irt there is the sayi ng , "W hen in doubt, gas it. " Bu t on the st ree t th e say ing is " T h in k b efore you do. " An ticip a tion is the first rule of road riding. In future issues I will try and get more int o safet y on th e street. It is a known fact . that dirt bikers tend to hurt th emselves on the street more than bikers who ride th e str eet only. And usually it' s d ue to lack of thought. It can be done. I've been riding on the stree t for 15 years . I've traveled over a half a milli on miles with never an acc ide nt . . . exc ep t when I went d irt bike rid ing on ce . . But we all know; Street is ne at, and you get hu rt in the di rt . Bob Bitchin Over 525,000.00 in Purse and Contingencies Four Weeks of Fun &. Sun in Florida National Recognition for Pro's & Amateurs -1978 Schedule~ FEBRUARY . . 4 & 5 -ClassesSATURDAY AMATUER . . ORLANDO FEBRUAR Y . .11 & 12 . . GAINESVillE 0 - 85cc M in i· 100cc FEBRUARY . .18& 19 .. JACKSONVlllE 125cc· 250cc . OPEN FEBRUARY . .25 & 26 . . ST. PETERSBURG SUNDAY PROFESSIONAL 125 • 250 . OPEN Pro Information WinterAMA 6430 16th St. N. St. Petersburg, FL33702 Amateur Information & Pr.Entry 9041744-5516 & Pr.Entry: moving? W HOT DO G! That means you've got another ell, coupon to fill out. After all, we have to send your Cycle News somewhere and what better piece than your new add ress? So don't delay, do it today. --------------------------------------Fill out and mail to: Cycl e News, P.O. Box 498, Long Beach , CA 90801 old address new address You may stick on your mailing label here. address . --,-_ _ -,-_. city state zip _ name _ address _ name city _ state _ _ _ zip _ 15