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/126428
.- II • • ~ gap at pr~nt if ~ot enough riders and in the long run it would .put more Experts into our ranks. OB: If the AMA had passed a 500cc rule, it would have been up to Harley· Davidson to decide what to do. I can't speak for what the corporate policy is no more than Kenny Clark and sOme of the rest of these guys that run off at the mouth at the races and other places about what they (the Japan~ factories) are going to do when they've got no horsepower. They don't have any more right to say wh,at the company is going to do than I do to say what the president of AMF is going to do. . Ii O'l l' O'l O 'l $.< Q) ,.c e Q) ~ 0.. Q) "We (Winston) look' at motorcycle racing as a solid promotional product. It is doing the right things for us." Dave Knight Harley-Davidson wants to stay in racing. If we can stay in the picture and be competitive we will, but if we aren't going to be competitive-why, we should just pull out. We just can't build a brand new motorcycle overnight to make somebody else happy. That's just the way it stands. If it goes to 500cc in two years I really don't know what the policy will be. I am not authorized to build a 500cc at this point in time. . NK: Why didn't the AMA Board take any action? I'll tell you. They are so intellectually impoverished that if they . couldn't come with a good rule then they wouldn't come up with anything. GR: I would imagine that they would have liked to pass the rule in some form as it was presented by .(Mike) DiPrete, but that they weren't ready for all the flack that they would surely ha e gotten if they did. NK: I believe if we use a little common sense we can work this problem out. I am not for touching the Expert program at all. ML: BUt we aren't doing good like y!>u . say. W~'re in trouJ,>le al)d that's why I support getting things started 'at the dealer level and having all these other brands involved. I know it appears to you that I'm just a 500cc guy, but that's not the thing. OB: Well, you may not think it's that way, but by some of the comments you've been making at times Lt sure sounds like it. Now you might not remember some of those, but I have. Mert is Slill my friend, but by aaron if he says something out 'of line I'm sure going to tell him about it. And if I do, I expect he'll tell me. If I can't argue thar way then hell, I won't argue at all. ML: Hey, this isn't the first time OB and I have had an argument and it probably won't be the last. GR: Let me throw out an idea ;lnd here what your views are on it. What do you think of separating din track and road racing and 'having two separate championships? NK: I think it's a horrible idea. (MuTmu,red agreemenf.) GR: Next question: To be competitive -in a chase for Number One you have to own a good bit of equipment. If you're serious and own a road racer in addition to dirt equipment for all forms of racing you could have $30,00040,000 tied up in that alone', without counting the expenses of the season. My-point is that if it did come to 500cc racing then there ought to be an !>rganization like the World of Outlaws in sprint car racing where you could run your 750cc equipment c:n . san Jose Mile 25-Mile AMA National Sunday, September 23, 1979-2:00 p.m. Santa Clara County Fairgrounds GA Tickets at all BASS Outlets, Phone No.: (415) TELETIX or (408) 297-7552. TIckets also at Barkhimer & Associates (408) 438-3210 and Participating Motorcycle Dealers in your area Warning; The Surgeon General Has Determined Tha) Cigarette Smoking Is Dangero~s 10 Your Health. 20 mg. "tar". 1.3 mg nicoline av. pel cigarette. FTC Repotl MAY 78. Cycle News Want Ads do 1.t -.(8)- Whatever you decide to do, do it with Cycle News. Husqvarna INVENTORY REDUCTION SALE$$$ SEE US NOW AND SAVE $$ We have one of the most complete lines of Husky parts and accessories in .the country T&OYamaha 24020 Narbonne Ave. {Torrance/Redondo areal Lomita, CA 90717 213-534-2311 23