Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

2 D ick Burleson, at age 31, can look back upon the 1970's with a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment. He began the decade as a champion. He is ending it as one also. No rider can boast what Burleson accomplished in that 10 year span. Lets take a look at the record for a moment. Burleson, as an MX'er, was the 500cc National Champion in 1970. It was an unofficial title then, derived from performance in the Trans-AMA MX Series that year. He finished four· th in the standings. It was during that same year that Burleson rode his first enduro. He remembers it basically as "a ride in the woods." The University of Michigan also loomed large in his plans. In fact, it was his riding that stretched out the date of his graduation - with a degree in mechanical engineering . until 1972. "We were on a trimester system," he remembers. "I would really hit the books during the winter trimester and then do' as much riding as I could during the rest of the year. However, it was hard to concentrate on both and my MX riding sufferedl " 1971 turned Burleson on to the thrill of ISDT competition. He rode his first Two Day Qualifier and, when September rolled around, went to the Isle of Man for his first ISDT. He carded a DNF that year, and then Bronze and Silver Medals in his next two starts, , In 1974 he was a member of the victorious Silver Vase team as the ISDT played on home soil in Dalton, Massachusetts. Burleson has been on the Gold Medal standard ever since. Coincidentally. his Gold Medals and the years in which he won them match exactly his six National Championship Enduro Series titles. Enduro riding didn't get into his blood until late in 1973. "Actually," he says, "I probably only went to a handful in 1971-72. I was still riding MX then plus trying to concentrate on graduating. " With graduation in the record books and a job with Husqvarna as their eastern region service manager, Burleson settled down, got mamed and began to think about giving up MX and returning to the amateur ranks of the sport. It is rather hard to comprehend that with less than one full season of enduro competition behind him, Burleson rode off with the title in 1974. He did the same in 1975 and again in '76. He was cooking and some said that there was no stopping him or his string. Skip Olsen gave him a run for the money in 1977 willie Ted Worrell took the title chase right down to the final event of the 1978 season before it was decided. Drew Smith was the challenger this year and did one helluva job of making life hard for Burleson. Nonetheless, at tbe end of 1979 the tally read Burleson with six consecutive titles and shooting to tie and bopefully break Bill Baird's string (1962-68) of seven. One more bit of trivia: In six seasons, Burleson has won 49 of approximately 120 National starts. Think about that for a minute. T he house, a rambling split level. sits away from the road on a one acre lot in Black Lick, Ohio, and is within easy riding distance of Husqvarna's eastern office in Columbus. It is comfortable. with plenty of room, a good stereo system and has a swimming pool in the back yard, Parked in the driveway, one is likely to 30 find a Ford Van (with license plates reading BrITp), a good sized travel trailer and a four-wheel drive International Scout. An assortment of dirt bikes (Husqvarna, naturally) inhabit the garage as well as a Kawasaki ZI R street bike. "We like the house," says Burleson. "I wanted something we wouldn't outgrow in a few years. It's really nice, but I liked the place we had in Tennessee a bit more. It had atmosphere." A deck/porch area on the rear of the house will probably become the horne of a hot tube sometime this winter according to Burleson. "I plan to enclose the area and install the hot tub so I can relax after working out. (Injuries in the past two seasons - one to his neck and shoulder area in 1978 and an aggravation of the injury in 1979 have left Burleson a bit shy of the condition he would like to be in.) The only other house in the area is one which friends own. It is situated on a parcel of about nine acres next door giving the Burleson family a huge playground. "The neighbors are great," he says. "They've already adopted the kids. Living here is almost like having your own country estate. " Kids. Burleson's world evolves around them. Jon-Erik will be six in February while the newest addition to the family, Lindsey Kate, will mark her second year in March. "They're great," he says with justified pride. ':Jon· Erik is in school and asks a lot of questions. He knows a lot of stuff. "I like to have the kids along at events. Jill and I believe that the only way to raise a family is to be together as a unit whenever possihle. I think children learn from exposure to things outside their home." Thus, the travel trailer gets a lot of use. In fact, it seems to be a gathering place at events for bench racing, con· versations and all the other diversions that are know to riders on the enduro circuit when waiting for scores to be posted. Inevitably, it is Burleson who is a major center of attention when the day is over. Those clustered around are likely to be made up,of many different factions. Some talk racing, some talk Husqvarna, some just come to listen and learn. Whatever the case, he is available. That is a good part of Burleson. He commands respect from the riders for bis skill and knowledge. He is accessable. He will talk to any rider - you don't need to be in the AA class to get his attention. Burleson derives his share from tbe sport and conversely, the sport also derives a good bit from him. Unlike some people in motorcycling who take the money or glory and run, Burleson puts as much or more back into the sport as he takes out. You can't calculate it on an adding machine or total it up on a balance sheet. but he is acknowledged as the enduro rider in the sport today. The plain fact is that enduro riding and Dick Burleson are synonymous, It is for that and the fact tbat he is widely respected not only by bis opposition, but by organizers, the AMA and everyone else connected with the sport of enduro riding that Burleson is in demand to be the guest of honor at awards banquets throughout the country, Hert', a strange paradox comes into view. Burleson, the rider, will talk, talk, talk on any subject going before or after an event in what could be called casual surroundings. Yet put Burleson in front of an audience of the same people - this time dressed up and out of their riding clothes - and he becomes another person. It isn't stage fright and it isn't lack of expertise. What it boils down to is that Burleson has noted that most speakers tend to ramble on long after they should have stopped. So, like his riding, he does his job in the same economical style. "I enjoy going to the awards banquets," he says. "I see a lot of old familiar faces and meet a lot of new ones. I'm thankful tbat I am as lucky as I am." . One instance comes to mind, It was the Southeastern Enduro and Trail Riders Association banquet (SE&TRA) early in 1979. Mike Melton, a Husqvarna rider had ended their season as top rider overall for the 1978-79 season. Burleson, running on a tight schedule, flew in with a $500 check in hand to present to Melton. He was at the banquet for no mOre than two hours to mingle with the crowds, eat dinner and present the bonus. His speech was short, sweet and to the point. Yet, even that presentation on the run earned him the admiration of most, if not all present. His presence was a surprise to even the organizers. It was a classic example of how to win friends and influence everyone else. P erhaps if the armed forces had gotten Burleson, there would be no article on his decade of greatness. However, they didn't and he tells a funny story of how the Army's loss resulted in motorcycling's gain. It seems that in the late 1960's Uncle Sam sent Burleson an invitation to come in for a physical in preparation for induction into the Army. In short, a draft notice. "I would have to say," he notes with a smile, "that I wasn't overjoyed about getting that letter." Fortunately, for Burleson, things have a way of working themselves out. "I broke my arm as a child," he recounts, "and it didn't heal correctly. They had us do pushups and I exaggerated the problem quite a bit (Burleson can twist the arm so that the back of the elbow actually seems to be in front). The people in charge noticed it; I guess they couldn't help but do so. They sent me home and that was the last I heard about being in the service. " A nyone who talks with Burleson misses out if they keep the conversation totally on motorcycles. This is not to say tbal his knowledge isn't illuminating. Quite the contrary. What you are missing by talking about motorcycles exclusively, is Burleson the person. He is well read, cames opinions on what is happening in the world today and can rap on a wide range of subjects. One conversation started with the gas crisis, moved to the price of gold, then on to an analysis of the movie Apocalypse Now and on to Michigan's chances against their traditional rival Ohio State in an upcoming football game. At another point, Burleson suggested that it would be great if someone would put together a listing of radio stations, their call letters and spot on the dial so that when a person travels he can find the music he wants to listen to wherever he is without searching. "I listen to the radio constantly when 1 travel and it would be nice to hit an area and immediately know that by turning to FM 96 that it would be playing the music I like. " I n an article last year on his winning a fifth National Championship, Burleson was asked what it would take to do the trick in 1979. He . $ answered that eight wins and five good placings (only a rider's 15 best finishes count) would take the title. Burleson's score was eight wins, a pair of seconds and three third places fmishes_ Definitely an 'on target caU. 1980 will be harder since there are only 12 events - 10 finishes count toward the title. "There will be no room for error," he says. "If you get hurt . and there is always that possibility - then you may just have to count yourself out. "Fewer events spread over the same amount of time as last year when there were 24 Nationals will give the riders a bit of a breather between. However, it will still come down uS riding the ISpT first and then going for broke in tbe final three Nationals_ Winning the title in 1980 will probably mean a rider has to take seven overalls and back them up with three solid second Or third place showings. You can't mess up and still hope to be in the running." Drew Smith made life hard for Burleson in 1979 and will do so again in '80. In fact, their battle this year was more of a one on one affair' with the rest of the competition fighting for the scraps of third on down. At the end of the season Burleson led Smith by seven r.oints (251 to 224) while third place Mike Hannon was 75 points behind Smith. Although the competition has been getting tougher in the past three seasons, Burleson sees no reason why he can't tie and break Bill Baird's record of seven consecutive championships. "If I were a person who sets goals then that would be one I wouh:l set. There's no denying that I would like to break the record." In two seasons Drew Smith has forged to the forefront of the challengers for Burleson's crown. Smith, at 25, is eight years younger and, in his youthful exuberance, has taken to potshotting at Burleson. Burleson takes the verbal jockeying in stride. 'Informed that Smith has said (at the fmal event of the season) that Burleson's only edge is that he is champ, that they are even in aU other respects and that Smith is faster in the woods, Burleson pauses only a moment before answering. "What Drew fails to realize," he says with carefully drawn-out words, "is that I am mOre mentally prepared. I ride to win when it is needed. He's not faster, although he may think he is. Winning is more than going fast and Drew is the best there is of all the other riders in contention. He has come a long way since he started and his time keeping and reading of trails is very good. No doubt, he will be the main competition for the title next year. I also think that John Martin could play a spoiler role. He is coming along really fast. " Continuing about enduro riding and the qu~t for the championship Burleson notes, "1 would have to say that my strongest point is stamina. I can ride just as hard at the end of a 125 mile National as 1 can at the beginning. There are a lot of intangibles that all flow together like reading the trails, keeping a steady pace, knowing where the checks will be and staying on time. To some, time keeping is a mystical science. I guess that my background in mathematics has really helped me because I don't consciously think about staying on time, but I always have the figures running through my head. "Another aspect is that I like riding in bad weather. In fact the worse the weather, the more I enjoy it. That is a

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