Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

Cycle News 1979 09 12

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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. . I Silver Va'se Mike Rosso Suzuki McKeesport. PA Twenty-nine-year-old Mike R05IlO topped the list of 175cc Qualifiers for the '79 ISDT. Mike, who works full-time for U.S. Suzuki is an R&D test rider and a rider/mechanic on the Suzuki enduro team. Mike, a bachelor. enjoys snow skiing, driving his car (a restored and performance-oriented '72 BMW ~OO~) and listening to his stereo. Steak IS his favorite food. Like all the Team Suzuki riders, Mike sent a long list of people he wanted to thank. In the internt of space. we refer you t~ t~e. Don Cichocki piece elsewhere In thiS ISSue. They're all fine folks and f~ne companies. and we know Mike appreciates their support as much as Don. Drew Smith, etc. Rosso's reason for competing? "I enjoy traveling. especially ~broad, and I enjoy the sport. The achievements I have earned in enduro riding have given me a lot of penonaI satisfaction." Dave Hulse Suzuki Fort Edward. NY Affectionately referred to as. "the old man" of Suzuki's Silver Vase squad. 34-year-old Dave Hulse will be making his sixth -ISDT start. Suzuki Team Manager John Morgan recalled a moment during last year's Six Days: "The course was so muddy in one section that all you could see were Dave's eyes and a broad grin." Morgan added. "not only is Dave a skilled rider, but he helps build team morale as well - which is nearly as important." Dave enjoys camping with his wife Gail and son Todd, 8. Jeff Fredette Suzuki Tinley Park. IL "Doing whatever I feel like doing and not being bugged while I'm doing what I'm doing," was Jeff Fredette's explanation of his outside interests. Jeff, 21, hangs aluminum siding for a living, but he'll be "doing it" for Suzuki and the U.S. come September in West Germany. Asked if there were any crashes or close calls in the Two-Day Qualifiers, Jeff said, "I did endo out in Oregon and I thought it was all over because the dust was so thick I could hardly find the bike." "I would like to thank all the support personnel, espec.ially Jo.hn Morgan, for doi~g such ~ gre~t Job because it wouldn t be possible Without them. Also my boss, Bob Wilson, for the time off of work," said Jeff on the subject of who he'd like to thank. "I've wanted to go to the Six Days ever since I was a lillie kid. Now that I'm going for the second year. I'm very glad that that's what I wanted when I was little." Drew Smith Suzuki CollingSwood. NJ ''I'm going to the Six Days to test • my abilities against the rest of the best cross country riders in the world. The medal represents to me what I've worked all year for in the qualifiers, and another part of what I've worked all my life for," said Team Suzuki's Andrew Francis Smith, 22, when we asked why he rides the Six Days. .. Smith, also currently m the midst of challenging Dick Burleson for the National Enduro Championship, has been around motorevcles for much of his life. The most important of the people that have helped him, Drew feels, are his parents (his father was .an enduro rider), and he would also like to recognize "all those people who are out there every weekend in all sorts of races" for supporting the sport. Also, Drew sent in a lengthy list of supporters, Which. is lis!c:d in. its entirety in the Don Cichocki tntel'V1C;W' Bicycling, playing around wllh frisbees, skiing, fIShing and "all sorts of outdoor activities" are some of Drew's interests outSide of motoreyling. Manufacturers Suzuki Gary Edmond Suzuki Centerbury. CT Gary Edmond will be riding on the Suzuki Manufacturers team in place of Randy Martin, who broke a collarbone shortly befor the start of the Six Days. Edmond, like Martin, rode the Two-Day qualifiers on prototype PE400s that were literally uncrated at the site of the first Two-Day they competed in. at California City. In previous ISDTs, he has nabbed two gold medals and one bronze. Gary, a 29-year-old native of Connecticut. has been riding motor· cycles since he was 16. Randy Martin Suzuki Keene. NH Fate dealt Randy Martin a cruel blow just three weeks before the start of the ISDT. After qualifying a prototype Suzuki PE400 that was put together JUSt minutes before the first qualifier at California City, Randy broke his collarbone while trail riding near Gorman, CA. Fellow Suzuki 400 rider Gary Edmond will take his place on the Suzuki Manufacturers squad. Martin, who worked as shop foreman at Rokon before they folded and now works in his father's shop, was 1978 New England Enduro Champion and signed with Suzuki to ride TwoDay Qualifiers, his first allempt at ISDT.type competition. His Two-Day debut in April was hectic to say the least. "We got the bikes two hours before scheduled impound time. We put them together, impounded them and then broke them in on the trail in the morning." Randy's thanks went to the same kind folks that Suzuki teammate Don Cichocki expressed his appreciation to as well as to Burt's Cycle, U.S. Suzuki and theAMA. Hunting, running, hiking and fishing are the 23-year-old bachelor's hobbies. We are sorry that Randy won't be able to ride in this year's ISDT and wish him all the best of luck for 1980. ,JIIII 1.'.~fIC!lf' ! "1_ Don Cichocki Suzuki E. Northport. NY Don Cichocki, a welder who's lived on Long Island for all of his 29 years, will be riding his fourth ISDT. Outside of work and competition, he enjoys sailing, trail riding, cross-country skiing and occasional bicycle riding. Like many of us, he dislikes politics. "You guys asked for ill" he said when we asked if there was anybody he'd like to thank for helping him in the Two·Day Qualifiers. Don encl~ a list and we're sure all Team Suzuki riders join him in thanking Team Suzuki Manager John Morgan ("Number one on the list," according to Don), Bill Oury (Oury Grips), Connie Anderson (Sun Metal Products), Ed Fisher (Gatorade Products), Hi·Point, Magura USA, Trans· World India Rubber Enterprises, DG Racing ProduclS, Buzz Hoge (Sunshine Suzuki, Chariot Trailers), Terry Davis (Terrvcable), Stoughton Sneed (Moto Race), Metzler, Bill Hoss (Hoss Industries), Works Performance Products, Jon Stillman (Husky Products), Scott USA, Bill Kniegge (Bell Helmets), Bruce Challinor (Volvo Jofa), ADJ, J.J. Hanfield (Bel-Ray), Malcolm Smith Racing Products, Mr. and Mrs. Ren King, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Claypool, Mr. and Mrs. Richard France and Kelly, Mrs. Richard Lenover, Ji~ Smith, George Herstek, Marhn Chronister, George Burns, Art Solomon, Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Fredette and Cindy, Sue Morgan, Maria Rosso, Debbie Rudder, Shelly Shoup, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Brown, and last but not least, Rocky Cycle Company. . . . Don concluded hiS questionnaire by saying, "If you've ever ridden the ISDT and have done well, it's very $O.tisfying· " Mike Rosso 'SWM Dane Leimbach SWM Vermilion. OH "I suppose the best way to put it is to say that reliability trials are a giant head trip or mind game. Being able to keep going in the right direction for a whole week gives me a feeling that I've really done something that only a relatively small number of motorcyclists get to as could do." That is part of the view or riding ISDT, as expressed by ISDT veteran Dane Leimbach, who says that hi! age, as of this writing (Aug. 28) is 27 years, 345 days. Dane got his start in motorcycling in 1966 and worked on his dad's farm until he had enough money to buy his first bike, a 100cc Penton Berkshire. Now he works at Hi·Point as a' Motoplat ignition technician. machinist, welder and mechanic for Hi·Point Racing·sponsored MXer Frank Stacy. The job of being an XM mechanic is something Dane enjoys like a hobby - in line with things like working on or making things for his van, and woodworking. After the upcoming Trans-USA Series, Dane plans to change his single lifestyle to a trio by marrying girlfriend Karen and becoming stepfather to her daught~r Kelly. The folks Dane would like to thank include some very familiar names for II ., !iill~ll.f'.J·1 .-t; reliability trials/enduro riders: First he would lik~ to thank his parents "for the set of values I have today," his uncle, John Penton "for his set of values," cousins Tom, Jeff and Jack Penton "for being fast practice companions," Yankee Motor Corp. for his SWM machine, and Hi·Point Racing Products "for their products and their understanding in letting me go to the events. Without them, I couldn't afford to do all my riding." Ron laMastus SWM Greenwood. IN "John Penton once told me that when you die, the only thing you take with you is your thoughts. What better ones than gold medals at the ISDT?" said Ron LaMastus when we asked why he competes in the ISDT. LaMastus, owner of Greenwood Cycle, an SWM/KTM/Herculesl Sachs moped/ Ossa/Hodaka dealership, has been married to his wife. Cheryl, for 10 years and they have two children: Toni, 6, and Chad, 4 (Chad was born on the day Ron left for the '74 ISDT). Tops on Ron'sthank·you list for the Two·Day Qualifiers are his wif~ Cheryl, SWM importer John Taylor, Suzuki Team Manager John Morgan, the Hi-Point and KTM support crnrs, Shelly Shoup and "all my friends who give me moral support." Ron says he donn't have m~ch spare time, but when he don. he Jikes to spend it doing ~hat. his famil~ Jikes to do: fishing, SWlIDmmg, relaxmg at home and bar-b-queing. Thirty·one·year·old LaMastus•.who has ridden the Six-Days five ames previously, said, "My theory is to Jive life to the fullest, while you can ... I live my life to ride the ISDT." Carl Cranke SWM Gresham. OR West Germany marks ISDT start number eight for Carl Cranke. Of his seven previous attempts, five went down on the books as Gold Medal quality. H~ has one silver medal, and DNF the '78 Six Days after an unseen rock broke through his engine cases and desl~ the clutch. Carl, who turns 31 shortly after the completion of this year's ISDT,. once said of the event, "The Six Days IS very personal. I do it to prove mysdf 1o myself. A price can't be put OIl a gold medal - it's so special, as far as personal experience is concrmed. that it's priceless." Bothered by injuries earlier in the year. Carl came on strong in the final two qualifiers, winning the 5SOc:c ~ in Oregon in spite of a 6OO-poont penalty after getting lost in the beawy dust, and again taking the 5SOc:c cbs in Washington. finishing sixth ooaaII. Husqvarna Dick Burleson Larry Roeseler Jack Penton Yamaha Jim Fishback 11

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