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/126438
00 \11ft ~ .... ~ ..c 8 ~ > o Z We would all like to know what is so private about testing these bikes. when in a couple of months or sooner these bikes will be in use? Sure we did see a 125cc Uni·Trak type watercooled Honda, and new team riders Chuck Sun and Donnie Hanson. But why a locked gate and bad vibes from Mr. Lindstrom? It's not like we are a bunch of spies. And even the riders seemed like they had been told not to speak to any outsiders. If Honda can give a reasonable explanation to all these military·type. secret tests of their equipment. fine. If not, why not let them apologize to a few people who were left without a track for two days? There are other people in' this world who also would like to practice to improve also. America's No.1 Weekly Motorcycle Newspaper SANTA MARIA LOCAL RACERS Spillway Park Shuon Clayton, Publishe.Tom Culp, Marketing Director Caroline Gendry, Sec. to the Publisher Nancy Gorak, Sec, to t~ Mktng. Dir. Appalled by Parks & Rac Dept. Advertising Skip JohlllOtl. Sales Manager. Terry : Pratt. Sales Manager. Linda Brown, Advertising Coordinator. Editorial Charles Morey. Managing Editor. Dale Brown, Editor. Bobi McGann. Editor. Gl1Iphics and Production Judy Klinger. Production Manager. Pamela Wood. ProdUetiOD AIIistant. Marion Hatasbita. Cindy Tones. Typography. ~nnisGreene. Laboratory. Accounting M;lte .Klingrr. ".nager. Jeanne Hammond. Ace... Receivable. Donna Bryan. Aut. ACClS. Receivable. Terry Dailey. CrcQlt Manager. Circulation Rltcba Smith. Manager. Tammy Taylor. Sbirlry Soon. AJsiItan... Reader/Dealer Service Gin Harper, Want Ad Sales. Harry Fis~r, ~Ier Sales Manager. Service and Support Chris Aitchnon, Dickinson. Sti. Receptionist. Sam West 2%01 Cherry Ave.• Long Beacb, CA P.O. Box 4.98. Long Beach. CA 9080 I (%15) 4%7·7455; L.A. Line 636·8844. East 4190 Fint Ave.. Tucker. GA. P.O. Bo. 805. Tucker. GA 50084. (404) 954·7850. Cycle News/West (USPS 141·540) is publisbed wccItly e.cept the lint and last week of t~ calendar year for SI8 per ye.r by Cycle New" Inc., %ZOI C~ Avenue, Long &cach. CA 9080 I. Second c1... postage paid at Long Beacb, CA. POSTMASTER: Send form 3171 to Cycle News. P.O. Box _ a-ch. CA lIllIltl. LAIng _ Subscription rato; One ye.ar. ie'C.Ond claa mail, $18; two ~an.. 1C!Cond class mail, $50; th~ yean. second cb:1I mail, S41; %5 wccka. SIO. Cycle' New. welcomes unsolicited t'ditorial material including stories. cartOON. photOi. etc. Such materi~l. if published. becomes the exclusive propcny of Cycle News. Such accepted material is subject to revision as is ncccsoary int ~ lOIe discretion of Cyelc Newt. Unsolicited material which is not UJed wiU be returned if accompanied by a ..If· addressed ',tamped envelope. All unaoliticated material will be handled with reuonable care. however, Cycle News uoumcs no rcsporuibility for safety. 1011 or damage to oucb malcrial. Reprinting in whole or part onJy by pcnniloion of ,be publis~. Advertising rates and circulation information will be ICDt upon request. SeeS.R.D.S. w CopyrIght· Cycle N_•• Inc. 1179. T.......... Cycle ~ Nglatereel U.S. P.t.nt Office. All right. ....nted. ON THE FRONT PAGE: How do you take Ii color picture of a black bike? This could be the answer. Thanks to The Frog House surf shop for use of their wall. Yamaha XS650SG photo by Charles Morey, 4 Use caution on the power line With the recent opening of addi· tional southern California d~rt areas to off·road use. the Los An~les De· partment of Water ~d Power ~ that cyclists be ~peclany carefuly m • areas where high volta~ transmission lines are located. At present. the DWP is conducting construction work in its transmission line corridor extending from Barstow to the Las Vegas area. While in this area, cyclists should be aware that equipment and materials are stored on the transmission line right·of.way and may not be easily seen by cyclists. For the safety of cyclists and reliability of southern California's electric service, the DWP would appreciate the cooperation o~ all ~ff. road enthusiasts m not dlsturbmg construction materials or operating equipment while in transmission line areas. AlSo. care should be exercised in operating vehicles so as not to dama~ transmission line roads. These roads provide vital access for construction and maintenance of the transmission lines. STEVE HINDERER Director of Public Affairs Dept. of Water and Power Los An~les, CA Congl1ltulationsl The pen is mightier than the sword! It has been proven now that there is a system of justice in California. We apparently protested loud and long enough. through our letters, that someone decided to hear and react. We know the method now. lettersllt is easier and much less expensive than court. Our thanks go directly to Louis McKey's continuing efforts on our behalf, so let's not forget that he still has a large attorney fee to pay. Just because we've won the battle doesn't mean the war is over. Also our thanks go to the foresight of the BLM. for allowing the fifth annual Phantom Duck Trail Ride to be a successful, happy and peaceful occasion. My personal thanks go to the Phantom Duck. Son of Desert Duck, Thumper Freak. PMM, Grandma Duckbacker, Turkeys. Ducks and Duckbackers, because without all of them, this occasion would not be. And an extra special thanks to Cycle News and Dirt Bilee's Super Hunky. And last but not least. Albert. Let's show the anti·motorcycle. anti·ORV people that we can have a good time and not do anything silly. Let's make an extra effort to keep our respective acts clean for the weekend. We can leave the resting, camping and pit areas cleaner than when we find them. We have a chance to better the ima~ of motorcyclists, so make sure you do yoUT part. Let's show the BLM and Sierra Club that we can work as fervently with them as we have against them. On Nov. 25, I will be out at the start camping area and will have a sign accepting contri butions for the Phantom Duck of the Desert Legal Defense Fund (OKed by the Duck, of course). Naturally, since this isn't an organized event there will be no entry fee or goodies that go with an organized event, so I'm sure anyone who happens to be out there can contribute a few bucks instead of an entry fee. Let's stay sa~ and lega.J. FRIEND of ALL DUCKS Contributions to the Phantom Ducle's Legal Defense Fund may also be made at the Cycle News Barstow to Vegas Motorcycle ROGd Ride and Pom Run, which starts at the Hartlt1rd Rd, off·ramp at 10 a. m., Nov. 24. See the ad on p. 39 for more details . .. Editor. Honda MX secrecy I am writing to Cycle N.ews and its readers to voice my say and the say of many friends in the Santa Maria area. It seems that people with money and a large international name can come into a small town with a MX track and buy the influence to keep local people out. I am tallr.ing about the people of Honda. It is a shame that a company in the business of selling motorcycles and in the need of more support of off· road sales - mainly in the field of MX would keep the publi<; from viewing their bikes. It's even worse when one of the people asked to leave also owns part of the land that Honda was using. I have just returned from a meeting of the Parks and Recreation Dept. Commission, and to say that I am appalled at what went on would be an understatement. I was there as a representative of CAM PAC to stand up for the rights of the dirt bikers of the state of California. The commilisioners, 1 was told, were to discuss the Hungry Valley and Red Rock Canyon areas. Instead, they discussed an urban park in the middle of the city of San Bernardino for which the Legislature had set aside $1.5 million in bond funds to acquire 100 acres of ~impacted urban area in a state of deterioration" to expand an existing park. None of the people on that commission had seen the area on which they were voting. The meeting was held in Kern County. over 100 miles from the site in question. The members fussed about the way in which the Legislature had circumvented the commission to place them in the position of rubber. stamping this project, yet they voted 4·2 to approve the park. 'As commis· sioner Ida Ber"" said. "We better vote before I find out too much about this." She then proceeded to vote in favor of it. This park will relocate a number of people through the power of eminent domain, or as government representative Ken McClellan put it. "We have made tremendous strides in dispossessing people from their property."Whether or not mo~orcy~les are to be allowed in the park t5 beside the point. We are helping to pay for the project and for all projects whether we get the use of them or not. The highhanded and arrogant manner in which this thing was carried off points up the problems that motorcyclists have with government. The' Kern County bikers and myself, as well as members of the Libenarian Party took exception to the whole proceeding, from the fact that. the. commission voted first and entenamed discussion later. to the fact that they tried to adjourn the meeting in the middle of our objections from the floor, tactics which one biker described as "a democratic innovation thought up by Mussolini." They disliked being reminded that Herb Rhodes ripped off the Green Stickie fund, prefering to refer to this little act of misappropriation and theft as "a mistake." Michelle Egizi was the lone commission member who expressed true sympathy with the points we made, and was interested enough to stay around and talk with us later on. To say that the rest of the commission fled when we finally allowed them to adjourn would be an understatement. (Continued to page 21)