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
E • manufacturers flrodru:e ar~ nellIS. A7&d the percentage of "$ftJort" IIH17i _ do exceeds the "chopper" C'OWN«e try a very 14rge margin . .. Editor. ~ lbenks for the memories E o Just read the latest Cycle NQIS and 1 really enjoyed Carol Sims Ashworth's anicle on champion Joe Leoaard. It was a great onel The only thing missing is what is Joe is doing now? How about similar articles on these racers who raced with Joe: Brad Andres, DicIt Mann. Dick Klamfoth. Everett Brashear. and the late Al Gunter? ALEX PITrSON Salem,OR 00 c:n America's only weekly motorcycle newspaper We'll see what we can do along tJune liMs, A lex . .. Editor. Sharon Clayton. Publisher Tom Culp. Marketing Director Caroline Cendry. Sec. to tbe Publi.her Nancy Gorak, Sec. to "the Mlttng. Dir. LeoI1a'd ee.lfleatlons Advertising Skip Johnson. Sale Manager. Terry Pratt. Sales Manager. Linda Brown. Advenising Coordinator. Editorial Charles Morey. Managing Edilor. Oale Brown, Editor. Bobi McGann, Editor. 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Copyright ON THE FRONT PAGE: DIck ....... won the 1110 DaytonIIlOlId _ 4. on a Honda, !lien I1IpNIecI on BSA In 71 aiM) taking his laat AMA Grand N. tIonal Chan plon•• lp tItte that year. Mann _ The Man In U.s. racing then; today It's Bob Hannah lthat's his bike under 8upyI and the IPO" Is Supercrou....... and technolollY ...... conspletel, revlMd our spon In _ decade. and In thIa ~ _ take a look beclt ••• ~ ~ to monoehoc:IL Photo bt·Chartes ~. New Vear's resolutions I have been considering what I want for the new year and have made the following list of resolutions. I. Send Ihe Phantom Duck Legal Defense Fund $5.00 each pay day. 2. Allend all the land use meetings I possibly can. 3. Write at leaS! two lellers per week to state and federal officials and/or agencies on land use problems. 4. Be in Barstow on Nov. 29. 1980 for a trail ride. unless the BLM has changed iI's policies. While this is not much. il is probably all I can keep up with next year. How about you? What are you willing to do? THUMPER FREAK Downey. CA Power to the Duckbackersl The B to V is over for anolher year. We showed our strength in numbers and dedication and we should con· tinue to use the power at hand; not wait for an annual cause. Our cause is an ongoing thing in which we must continue giving the (lLM our advice. (Asked for or nOll. If we lose interest for anolher nine months. we'lI juS! have the same ballie next year. Let's continue to write our (elleTS and allend whatever meetings we can. We have to continue to support lhe Phantom Duck and we have to continue to ask questions and demand answers. I would like to hear a word from the Phantom Duck. as to what his financial status is. at this time. since my pledge of $20 a month is an ongoing Ihing until h,is legal expenses are paid in full (whether past or fUlure). Keep up the good work Duck backers! GRANDMA DUCKBACKER Vallejo, CA For those who helped her reel in a biggie I would like to thank the following people for their continuing support and backing and who also made it possible for me to comeback to racing afler a year's absence due to injuries: Y~a~~ M~. .ff 't. Cy~le Yamaha (who never lost the faith). Malcolm Smilh. Scott U.S.A .. Bell Helmets and especially to Bill Burkhart who supplied me with all the moral support needed lO return. Thanks again! SUE FISH Van Nuys, CA Chicken un-delighted Just to set the record srraight. Chuck Fairchild rode a box stock Moto Morini 3 ~ to fourth place in the 410cc class at the November 18th AFM Endurance Race at Xars Point, nOI a Yamaha as was stated in the results. He did an outstanding job 1 must say. We will give your reponer another chance next year. Chuck will be back with the 3~ box stock. We here at the Chicken Ranch will have a new Super Spon, so keep your eyes and ears open. The Chicken Ranch rides again! KEN HEUSER The Head Chicken North Highland, CA Simply put Let me put this simply: Choppers are garbage. 1 don't are if you call them Specials. Low SliDgers. High Riders, Customs or LTDs. These rolling abonions are selling well becauseJoe Nerd wanu a Harley. But having worked in bike shops, 1 can tell you that Joe Nerd doesn't buy magazines (or Cycle NQIS). Ten percent of us riden do buy motorCJ¥Cle publications. We don't ride choppers. We ride bikes with three or four· into-one pipes, low bars and scraped·up footpegs. Your November 28 cover featured the Yamaha XS650·SG. Junk. Why nOl an RD350·LC? Yamaha has given up on the sport market for 1980. Has Cycle News1 BILL McLAIN Albuquerque, NM Gotta a~ee with you. Bill. at least up to a pornt. NOM of w personally n'de choppers or the MW liM of chopperlike machines. either. But to make value judgements against those who do make or n'de them is not our function. We're a newspaper. a7&d the nwtor· •. .~Ln (~~ tlaw. the tre.¥f~ tJw.t Enjoyed the Leonard interview very much. The old guard from the 40s and 50s isn't mentioned too often these days. There were a few discrepancies in Joe's memory bank. however. and. 1 would like to clear up and add to his article on a few points. First. the CRC wasn't the California Racing Association; it was the Competition Riden Association and was almost exclusive to southern California riders. Second, CRA racing was progressive - there were no Novice. Amateur or Expert claues; everyooe went out. qualUJed and the top 5% 01' so made the program. There were no alphabet sufIixes on the number plates. 1 was 173, Phillips was 198, Luce was 14, etc. Third. Joe's bike did not break a crank pin at Corona. That day Nick Nicolaides won the main and. trophy dash on an AJS. 1 won the consolation (also on an AJS), and Joe was third in the consolation riding one of Stubby Stuhl's Scouts. Finally, Turner and Emde had pretty weD hung it up by 1950. but Chuck Basney. T ex Luce and the Roccio brothers were front-runners at that time. Joe was an interesting guy even before he started riding motorcycles. He used to work for one of the telegraph outfits in San Diego as a messenger and could wheelie his standard street bicycle for blocks. up curbs, etc. He had great balance. I was riding for Richards Motors in San Diego. where he bought his first bike, a 350cc Velocette. He crashed it in Mission Gorge on the way to an English trials shortly thereafter, escaping unscathed. Leonard was the most naturally talented rider I've ever seen. and. without a doubt the best out of San Diego. which has produced Jim Phillipl, Brad Andres, Ralph White. Cal Rayborn. aD of the Emdes. and many olben. Thanks for the IlOIt&Igia trip. BROSMITH Saratoga. CA Next year All the news in the world of motorcycling - every weeki -_ .... ..... - ~_ • • • • • • • _.6.-c It