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/126442
p Let's stan with the clecision to quit Honda last year. Well, that really wasn't a quit decision. It was a matter of wanting to stan riding World Championship trials. After winning the U.S. Cham· pionship three times, it loses the ex· citement - except this year. It was like starting aU over because 1 wanted to prove 1 could do it again. Af1u fipwhipI thin! in 1978. Last year wa just a bad year all around for me. 1 couldn't seem to get it together. 1 had a pretty good ~. Iationship with HoDda while 1 was riding for them, but they wanted to keep me in the states. Montesa wanted to do both, 10 I saw a better future with Montesa. Did you make your deciaioD to switch iD Sc:odand? 1 would say yes. You had bike problems and had to drop out over there. That was kind of the icing on the cake. I then flew to Spain. I was keeping an open mind and wasn't going to go unless I got exactly what 1 wanted. Montesa was very cooperative. I got more than 1 expected. A three and one half year contract? It was two and a half. ADd it guaranteed you the world rounds? Yes. ls there any performance standard you have to meet? The contract was for me to ride them all, unless it got to the point like the last two years where the American Championship was on the line. Mcmtesa never had a National Championship before this year. I was second for them in '74 and then in '76 I edged out Don Sweet who was riding for them. You were still ridiDg the !J05 shonstroke when you left HOPda? Yes. The !l60 was waiting for me when 1 got back from overseas. I still had not sign~d anything with Montesa, but I sent in my !lO·day resignation notice to Honda. How did you feel about the Honda prototype as far as production potential? That was another reason I didn't stay with Honda. The pipelin~ had it that there was no way it would ever go into production. We were used as develop· ment riders. If you look at the new XR and XL series and some of their other street engines. you'll find they're based off our shon·stroke trials bike. You would have ridden the !l6O if you had stayed with Honda? Right, but I wanted to ride a produc· tion bike. I feel production is the only way togo. How good was the Honda prototype if the green light had come to go into production? It was an excellent bike. It would have been fantastic. except it had to be beefed up a bit. It was a little fragile .and I think they had to get rid of the cough and spilling in the carburetion. But it was very close, a very acceptable bike. You went from four..troke to twostroke. How long did it take JOu to feel comfortable with the Montesa? I can honestly say I didn't feel really good until the beginning of this year. At first I could never seem to come to grips because the Honda would go so slow. I'd round a tum and shut off and I'd never have to use the brake. I'd fwd myself on the Montesa constantly freewheeling, slamming on the brake and being jerky, where with the Honda I could flow more. But then' the Honda had its downfall when you went to gas it and go up something. It was geared so low to keep it such a good creeper that you had to pick up different gears. With the Montesa you can keep it open and go. THE HOT nu" THANKS YOU ! E FOR HELPING EXPLODE THE MYTH THAT ALL PLUGS ARE CREATED EQUAL Congratulations to NIPPONDENSO RACERS On Their Successful 1979 Season DAVE ALDANA-DAVE EMDE TEAM YOSHIMURA ONTARIO 6-HOUR SUPERBIKE RICK HOCKING NATIONAL 17 DALE SINGLETON DAYTONA 200 WINNER JIMBO FILICE NATIONAL NOVICE CHAMPION DUSTY BEHRMAN KERRY BRYANT ALCOLLINS JOHN GENNAI ROCCO GIORNO WESCOOLEY NATIONAL SUPERBIKE CHAMPION MICKEY FAY HOUSTONTT WINNER RICK GRAHAM JEFF HANEY 'EDDIE LAWSON GIL MARTIN CHUCKPARME 00 ~ ..... RON PIERCE DAYTONA SUPERBIKE WINNER TEAM HONDA ENDURO DENNIS SMITH KURTSOFKA ROD SPENCER TEAM ROAD & TRAIL FRED WINTER AND SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL OUR OTHER FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS o ,. HOl"U" SO IlllQUE,IT'S PA100ID Also avaIlable In Gold Pollochum verSIOn NIPPONDENSO OF LOS AllCELES, INC. 51 e.t 230th 5treet ClInon, CaJlfomill90746 1213) 549-7&10 ifJauun. nRESALE Even Loww Dlllcount PrIces GaS-Madill 3.25 X 21 MX Wrep Around .19.96 3.00 x 21 Sl-A .19.96 ' 3.50 X 18 59 MX 2O.95d 4.00 x 18 519 MX 27.95 4.25 X 18 S25 Rim Saver 29.95 • : 4.25 x 18 S28 MX 5pl. 32.95 ; 4.75 x 18 525 Rim Saver 31.95 ~~ 4.75 x 18' 528 MX Spl. 35.95 ' 5.50 x 17 C9 MX Spl. 39.95 4.00 x 18 S22 Polo ITrials) 19.95 Heavy duty red rubber tubes 4.95 Plus FET & Postage ;1 Shipped anywhere UPS daily. COD Williamson Sports Motors Mill Hall. PA 17751 717/726-4921 .33