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/126430
Street isNeat The politics of fun Three years ago, Bob Hayes was just like you, a poor, harassed biker fed up to there with bureaucratic regulations and dirty tricks. Today he is J. Robert Hayes, California State Aascmblyrnan from San Fernando, author of a bill to kick the Bureau of Land Mana~ent back to Washington, D.C., and win the desert for motorcycle receration. They call it "The Sagebrush Rebellion." Hayes has a way of saying things we've all grumbled into our beer. "The posey pluckers are talting over the countryl Officials of the federal government are Iiarsl There is a conspiracy to kill the motorcycle sportl We are being raped and made to pay heavily to the rapistl" A member of the California Assembly, even of the minority ~epublican party. carries a lot of clout. He earns over $25,000 salary and is entitled to office expenses for a staff of six. They dig out the hard fact for him. What he says is news. The road to Sacramento is harder than the places BLM lets us ride. Hayes had to learn to wear neckties, look the part. He walked the precincts, lmocIted on doors, tallted with people and listened. He got campaign donations from friends and took a bad beating in his first race in 1976. Then Hayes got lucky. A thing called Proposition IS came along, and he rode it all the way. defeating a powerful millionaire incumbent by just 600 votes. This time he had the support of his club, SoCal M.C. and Motorcycle Owners, Riders & Eiuhusiasts (MORE) ofCalifomia. Last week we paid $ I 25 for dinner to honor Assemblyman Hayes and pay off his old campaign debts: It was a great pleasure to sit there at table 69 with the local motorcycle dealers and -hear one of our own praised highly by ,the likes of Lt. Governor Mike Curb and Minority Leader Carol Hallet. Gov. Curb apparently had recovered from the ribbing he got when he was booed by the rude Superbowl of Motocross crowd. California politics is fun. You need a good sense of humor to enjoy it. You have to enjoy the campaigning, the fund raising dinners, the testimonial speeches, winning and losing, as well as the making and unmalting of laws. Assemblymen like Hayes have to run for office every two years, so as soon as the debts from one campaign are paid off, he starts raising funds for the next year. But Bob (excuse me, J. Robert) had the makings of a state Senator, and they have six years to do what they are elected for before they have to race again. Among other things. Hayes is bading a "Proposition I S for income taxpayers." 1t is hoped that this will help fill 11 more Assembly seats with Republicans and make Mrs. Hallet the Majority Leader, the most powerful job in the state. I hope so too. because I like the lady. Once again Cycle News will issue the call for volunteers in Hayes' campaign, and those 10 or 12 of you reading this who really give a damn will be asked to hang posters, pass out literature, ring doorbells, vanpool voters to the polls - all those grunt jobs that make that 600 vote difference. It's patriotic and . it's fun. Please stay tuned to this newspaper. ,~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-~ I ·81 . \ , ~ 81 8i 8@ 8 8 8 8 8 Eklund I I & D.I.D. Win Winston Pro Series 8 8 8 8 8 DAIDO/D.I.D motorcycle chain: used by more top racing competitors than 8ny other chain. D , 8 DAI D D 8 0 CORPORATION [MtiC) r _II Q 8 8 Lincolnwood. IL. So. San Francisco. CA Headquarters: 885 Centennjal Avenue 0 8 PiS\'ataway. NJ08854. Phona (201) 885-1800 ~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Let the record speak for itself! NATIONAL ENDURO CHAMPIONSHIPS 1969 -1978 Total ChampIonshIps 1969 JOHN PENTON 250 HUSaVARNA In JO Years 1970 JACK MCLANE Honda 1971 RON BOHN 250WR HUSaVARNA HusaVARNA 9 1 1972 BILL KAIN 250WR HUSaVARNA Honda o 1973 BILL KAIN 250WR HUSaVARNA Yamaha Suzuki o 1974 DICK BURLESON 250WR HUSQVARNA o 1975 DICK BURLESON 250WR HUSaVARNA Kawasaki KTM o 1976 DICK BURLESON 360WR HUSaVARNA o 1977 DICK BURLESON 390WR HUSaVARNA Maico 1978 DICK BURLESON 250WR HusaVARNA 1979 250WR's NOW IN STOCK ~ • FULL II"OR1Z"OFTRAVEL • PRECISE DAMPENING • LIGHTWEIGHT, SUPERIOR RIGIDITY • EASY BOLT-oN INSTALLATIONS • MODELS FOR YAM. SUZ, HaN. C-A HUSKY,KTM DEALER INQUIRIES INVITED ANSWER PRODUCTS, INC. 7831 ALABAMA AVE. IS CANOGA PARK, CA 91304 213-340-1083 UPS SHIPMENTS DAILY ~d W.hoble , • . Stay Soh ~v, ~~ ~ Othman Distributing Co. Box 356 San Luis Obispo, CA9340618051544-6181 Pistons "Riding 2-Stroke/4-Stroke -Racing ·Street GLOVES Dealer Inquiries Invited RIDE AWARE ~" Huge Inventory Call Toll-Free • 1I111lt1' , Calif. 800-382-3600 Other states 800-423-5120 Sftil" 213-999-2811 7801 Cancga Ave., Canoga Park, CA 91304 23