Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

for Mini~MX Racers 27,0 0 Kawasaki N. M. A. Contingency Awards for the Ponca City Nationals Attention Mini MX racers: You can earn a $1,000 contingency award prize for winning the National Championship riding a Kawasaki in each of the following classes: • 8lla Minicycle, Stod.-Novice. thru age II • 8kc Minicycle, Modified-Novice, thru age II • 8kc Minicycle, Scock·Intermediate, thru age II • 8kc Minicycle, Modified-Intermediate, thru age II • 8llcc Minicycle, Scock-Beginner, ages 12thru H • 8lkc Minicycle, Modified-Beginner, ages 12 thru 14 • 8lkc Minicycle, Stod.-Novice, ages 12 and over • 8lkc Minicycle, Modified-Novice, ages 12 and over • 8lJcc Minicycle, Scock-Intermediate, ages 12 and over • 8kc Minicycle, Modified-Intermediate, ages 12 and over • 85cc Minicycle, Stock-Expert, ages 12 and over • 8llcc Minicycle, Modifed-Expert, ages 12 and over • I05cc Minicycle, Modified..()pen, ages 9 thru II "I05cc Minicycle, Modified..()pen, ages 12 and over • lOOcc Motorcycle, Schoolboy Junior, Scock,thru age 15 • lOOcc Motorcycle, Schoolboy Junior, Modified,thru age 15 • lOOcc Motorcycle, Schoolboy Senior, Stock, ages 16 thru 18 • lOOcc Motorcycle, Schoolboy Senior, Modified, ages 16thru 18 • 125cc Motorcycle, Scock-Novice • 125cc Motorcycle, Modified-Novice • 125cc Motorcycle, Stock-Intermediate • 125cc Motorcycle, Modified-Intermediate • 125cc Motorcycle, Stock-Expert • 125cc Motorcycle, Modified-Expert • 250cc Motorcycle, Nonce • 250cc Motorcycle, Intermediate • 250cc Motorcycle, Expert The Kawasaki Contingency Prizes will be issued in the form of a $500 Savings Bond for the winning rider and a $500 check for the parent or guardian of the winning rider in each of the posted classes. Payment of the Kawasaki N. M. A. awards is contingent on winning the National Number One title in any of the posted classes on a Kawasaki with verification by N. M. A. officials and signed contingency claim form by the rider and the rider's parent and/or gu~ian. Let the good times roll. .8 IClockwise from top left) Miller developed his ultra-trick let the time' Ariel. "Gov 132." Then he worked for Bultaco and wu responsible for the first Sherpa. Then came a stint with Honda; followed by SWM. No, I've already forgOtten about that. It's up to 959, but I don't ride so much now. Even if you do three events a week and win one of these, you're still talking about close to two years to do that. I used to ride twice every week. I still do time trials occasionally. Did your road racing background tie in with trials? Oh, yes. I think any form of the spon helps other forms. I think motocrOlS is more spectacular, but it's all judgement and coordination and throttle control, no matter which one you're doing. When waa your 1aIt "Ditto the IUra? 1972 for E1 Trial de Espana. Do you remember the little kids from then, Whaley and Schreiber? Yes. They were young then and they still are young now. It didn't quite work out with Marland over here. It's a pity. He had money problema and had to go home earlier this year (1980). The whole trials scene ... I think Bultaco is a perfect example of this ... it's all getting top heavy. I saw it years ago when BSA had 20 odd riders in the competition department and then they chopped back to one rider. I've seen it with Ariel, Trillrnph. The whole thing gets out of proportion to the returns. Really, the best set-up ever was for Bultaco when they employed me. I did the devdopment work, I did my own bikes and won the British and world championships for them. One rider, and they didn't have to send backup crew or anything. I did the 10(. Did you fonee the decline of British dotninance that'. taken place the lut few yean? Yes, I did. When somebody like Bernie leaves home and comes across to Europe - I think that means he's really put his life into it. Do you think Britain will regain their former top .pot? We have the 1979 world champion in motocross with Graham Noyce and the '79 number two in Hudson in the 250 class and that's really it. Look at the Trans-Atlantic road race series where the United States blew us in the weeds with a far stronger team. That worries me a bit, the strength of America. Trials haa alwa,. been an Engliah dominated IpOrt. I think that the effon that the con· tinental riders are putting into it now is far greater than what the UK riders are putting in at present. The trials are changing, going continental, with turning or trick IeetioDI while Britain Itill embraca the straight on leCliom. Yes, I think we shouldn't. Like what Bernie does, plays around off waIls, back wheel, front wheel. It's all riding a bike, you know, and if I was in world championships I'd be out to beat him at that son of stuff. It's all conuol of the machine. Whatever you're doing on a bike, it helps. I know the British runners son of stay clear of this indoor stuff, as they say. trick stuff, but it's all trials riding. When I was in full com· petition it didn't bother me what the section was, as long as it was difficult. The more difficult the section was for me, the better, because I could clean it and the rest could rail off. I was more worried about the easy sections. You lose interest in them and lose points because you don't concentrate. ThatlleeDll to be Bernie'. pr;oblem in our nationals. Doa it surprise you that he did not beat Whaley at home

• Cover