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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126442
my biggest downfalls when I go over there. If things look good for trials I'll -stick with it as long as I can. I enjoy trials. I still think it's a better sport. When I go out and ride a motocross bike I don't see the skill that's involved, compared to trials, or as many elements as are involved in trials. I can go out and practice by myself and stay more interested because I can compare myself to the sections instead of going around and around. That gets old. I think trials .is a super sport. Marland - on the Pipeline at the Scottish Six Days. motocross that I have in trials and won four National Championships, I might be as big as Hannah, if I won that consistently. Hannah is rumored to have made, I don't know how many hundreds of thousands of dollars this year. I know Tripes has a very lucrative contract and I know what Lackey got. And I could work 10 years, be World Champion 10 times, and still not achieve what Lackey got just to show up for three years. I see the numbers and the publicity. I pick up Motocross A etion and it's a Bob Hannah issue every month. And I get a peck of blurp, maybe, in the back of some magazine, if even that. Pride and accomplishment are also a part of it. Sure. Even if the money was equal, to me that publicity they're getting is just phenomenal. That's more encouraging. For the same money would you rather be National Trials Champion or finish fourth in National motoerOll8 ? Well, I almost think I'd rather go the motocross route. I really would. The glamour and publicity just isn't there for trials that I think the sport deserves. Do you think we'll ever see that glamour and publicity in America? No chance. Any reason? It's not anything to do with the sport lacking anything. It's a matter of Americans wanting to sit down and watch something from one spot. Stadium races are ideal for that, or any outdoor motocross. Trials is just too much work, to walk around to the sections and then wait for it to happen. Americans basically have a go-fast attitude. What changed your mind about going to motocrOll8? I had everything planned to go to motocross but my contract still had another year and I didn't want to run out on that. And, I still had yet to put in a good honest year in the world rounds that I felt was everything I had to give. I've yet to do that. The only day I really felt I put it together was in Spain this year. I felt pretty decent, just a few minor mistakes. So I couldn't see quitting without giving it one good go. Looking down the road, then, you really don't know what you'll be doing. If riding in Europe turns out to be successful and I can see a future doing it, okay. Maybe my way of doing it won't be the answer. But if it is, yeah, I'll go for it again. But if it proves to be no better than before I may leave it. Over the years you and Bernie have been southern California and National rivals. You've always been more or less equal. You've won'19 of the last 27 Nationals you've ridden but with his success overseas during the past two years he's upstaged you. ls that a factor? Well, that's another thing that hurts me when I go to Europe. All along in my career I've never felt back seat to him. But when I go to Europe, especially the last two years, I sense the feeling that they think I'm a nobody. It's just a sudden switch from what I had. Bang. in just one year it seemed like it reversed. That's another reason for wanting that U.S. Championship this year. It gets back to Europe. Like at the factory they say you obviously can beat him and people come up to me when I go to Europe and ask me how it is that I do t'hat, beat him in America. Obviously, there's a trend being set there, there's no denying. I may be wrong but I feel that poor preparation and loss of enthusiasm are What about Marland Whaley, the 21-year-old Californian? I prefer being a kid. I don't like being 21. I'm the kid on the Cota. When you're not the Cota Kid, who are you? I'll tell you, riding really takes up a good part of my time. I have a pretty big house to look after, it's a responsibility, and I do have a dog, but no station wagon yet. I do a lot of catamaraning. Any skiing? No. This.year we're going to take care of that. I'm going to Mammoth in December. I have many different interests that keep me going. I'm into disco ... (giggle) ... gold chains and glitter '.' . Anything ebe you want to talk about? One thing I'd like to mention. I think a good part of my success has come from the people who have helped me for the last four or fIVe years. Like Knobby Shop and Bel-Ray. The Tryals Shope has been really helpful since I moved back to Montesa: Chuck West has helped me a lot with sorting out my bike. Alan Greenwood (Knobby Shop International) is good for advice and supporting me on the clothing. And Bel-Ray has been behind me all the way. That all helps. And Montesa. I've been overall very pleased with Montesa, and Honda too. A lot of the past success can be attributed to good support. It's just what I feel I've been lacking sometimes when I go to Europe. Suppoee you win the World Championship. If you can beat Schreiber in the states, you certainly have the potential to do it overseas. That's interesting: I've talked a lot about that. If you climb that mountain ... 1 don't know. I think it's always good to quit a winner, to go out in style. If I go out motocrossing and get hurt I've got a lot to lose. I would always be saying maybe if I hung in there, maybe I could have been World Trials Champion. But if I win, then I've done it. My major goal has always been to be World Champion. Way back in the dark comers of my mind that's always been number one. Once I've done that, I've nothing to lose. If the contracts look on the up and up, I'd go for it again. But once you've been World Champion, you're not going any higher. The year after you win is the year you get all the endonement contracts and the big raise, though. I feel I'd be worth that even though I took a year off. But can you see yourself, after winning a World Championship, getting into a truck and becoming a privateer motoerOll8er? You'd have to go out and earn points just to get a Nationallicense. Oh yeah, I'd have to start from scratch. It would be starting over all over again. But with a few right connections, it could work. It depends. It's not that hard to arrange, but I'd be giving up a lot. But nothing ventured, nothing gained. If you don't fall on your face, how do you ever know? It would blow a lot of people's minds because they wouldn't think a trials rider cO!Jld do it. But if you brought it off, then you could laugh in everybody'S face. • 51 H GET A 8IlOO1 HEll, MORE STABI. RIDE AT HIGH speCIBAlANCE PLUS' I'uDc:lIn 5e*r TIre a.IlInc:er It 1IIIIde _...-.:,de .... ltube tD~ . . . ante the _1OIa1lng ""-I unit _ _ ride. CcntrtfagaIlorce po'"'- the IWd Ior-.Ia to the....- .......fromthe_oI-. 1be t II a lmootller. more liable ride, c::ooIer life. • .......-MoI"'-_ BAlANCEPLUS........... co... ~. COlIIJICI'MtIIIg for _ _ Mol road coolClltloo.. a_ _- pnM/kIIJIt balance for the life 01,..... lin. • -..... ..... punc:tuJe pIOteetionJ BAlANCE PLUS' _ _ _ rlde. ILUlJt .<:on AND LA.HCE .JONES UCOIOlDfD LU..UfCEPLU ADVANCeD C'tCU PIIODUCTS aaaw._.,_. _410,1IepL 1'14 _ _, CA 1I27CM (714) MlHI707 \ 21113 O'NElL AVE. HAYWARD. C A _ RACING FRAME KITS SEATS-TANKlHlWINGARMS'EXHAUSTPIPES HONDA·XRIiOO YAMAHA· TTliOO - 2&0 2-5TROKE RACER INQUIRIES INVITED 141515821333 Tell'em you saw It in Cycle News