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/126441
Guest Editorial (Continued from page 4) oval racing today, you have to have two things: Harley and Davidson. This would be okay if you could just putt down to your Harley dealer and piek your racer off the showroom floor. But the supply is limited, the demand is high, and the factory, your chief competitor, naturally keeps all die best stuff for itself. Yet Dick O'Brien tells me they sell four out of five of their new racebikes to Junior class customers. They don't want to see a straight 500cc Junior rule because of that market. There is a rumor that AMF, which owns H-D, might even decide to drop out of AMA racing if the option was having to invent a new racebike to conform to a new formula. Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, and Kawasaki have all but shunned U.S. Pro ovals, possibly because of the shady reputation enjoyed by their own homegrown, parimutuel din tracks, said to be controlled by yakuzi, the Japanese equivalent of our mafia. Now there is talk that one or more Japanese factory might go flat tracking if the rules were right: Unlimited 500s versus handicapped 750 twins. Would 'twere as simple as that. What about two strokes? BSA Gold Stan, Manxes, Maelys? How exactly do you handicap a motor just enough and not too much or too little? Then, of course, you'll have to change the handicap formula when the 500s begin to dominate ... it isn't fair. CHRISTMAS SPECIALS! ~ ® pvc Rain Suit 12 Piece) $16.95 WHEELS of MAN Grand Touring Suit (1 piece) Grand Touring Jacket Grand Touring Bib Pants Safety Stripe Suit (1 piece) Safety Stripe Jacket Safety Stripe Pants Suzuki GS Pro-Stoek Jacket-Black Suzuki Jumpsuit - Blue Team Suzuki Yellow Wmdbreaker Windjammer IV Fairing ® 0'0 Reg. $130.00 Sale $117.00 Reg. $ 85.00 Sale $ 76.50 Reg. $ n.oo Sale $ 69.50 Reg. $ 89.00 Sale $ 80.00 Reg. $ 71.50 Sale $ 64.50 Reg. $ 57.50 Sale $ 51.75 Reg. $ 36.95 Sale $ 32.95 Reg. $ 34.95 Sale $ 30.95 Reg. $ 18.00 Sale $ 15.95 Reg. $345.00 Sale $290.00 ALL T-SHIRTS 20% OFF LOP, Husky, Suzuki, Bel Ray, Metzeler, MX Fox, O'Neal, Deluxe Numbers, JOFA, Carrera, PJ1, Plus Many More! 250cc Novice. 500cc Junior. Expert 750cc The racers and prospective racers I've listened to on this matter are rea· sonably flexible about it. Many have fortunes tied up in racebikes that could be obsoleted by new rules. The promoters welcome the added attraction of new factory teams competing on brands their customers can cheer, as long as it doesn't rule out the thundering Expert show that they enjoy presenting now. Mainly the manufacturers or their racing managers are being the most hardnosed about the flat track formula. The fairest, most logical solution to the dilemma is a straight 250cc Novice, 500cc Junior, 750cc Expert unhandicapped. The formula brand competition would be in the Junior class, a feature certain not to be overlooked by the motorcycle media, which goes where the ad dollars are. The officers of Honda, et. at. don't believe in the advertising power of a Junior win. They'd much rather whip the big, bad Harley twins with their little, nice 500cc singles or whatever. I've got news for them: The 500cc Junior victories is where the real sales will be. Trust me. This battle of the brands would give the Junior show a new dimension of interest - enough to pay the bills for promoters and involve a whole new generation of dealers and sponsors and talented Juniors. If the big Japanese firms really want to beat H-D in the most American game in town, let them build a better 750. Or else get some flattrack experience for a season or two in the Junior and Novice classes. Japan, and then go for the Expert glory. Who knows, maybe by then AMF/ H-D will have invented a better 500. Charles Clayton CANOGA PARK SUZUKI 7045 CANOGA AVE. CANOGA PARK, CA 91306 (213) 884-0413 OPEN DAILY 9-6. CLOSED SUNDAY Sale items limited to stock on hand Sale ends January 31. 1980 Order Now ------------------------Send Cash. Check or Money Order to: I I I CYCLE NEWS PRODUCTS P.O. Box 498 Dept.5W49 long Beach. CA 90801 Please enclose 75C for each Comic Book. Plus ~ for postage and handling. : I I C~liJ. rf!sidnats add 6% soil'S tOT I I I I I Please send me copies of the MX Cat Comic Book Dealer Inquiries encouraged! : "'N'--am-e-::IP:;"le-a-se-p-,'7""in-t:-le-g::-ib:-ly'7"",- - - - - - - - - - - - I I I --------1 . _--------------------,...;------------------------Address I City : State ZIP I 17