Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

N CXl en All that's vital >.... .. ctl :::l C ctl C/) ~ ~Nl!ws More fun for the money Sharon Clayton, Publisher Victoria Smith. Advertising/Edito rial Assista nt . Editorial La nce Bryson, Edi tor . Advertising WEST Skip Johnson , Natio na l Sa les Manager. Terry Pra n , 5.1 Manager, Dua ne John. .. son, Sales Manager. EAST Mike Church. Sales Mana~r. Graphics and Production Kristin Cooper, Graphic Artisl . Donna Sh ipma n. Assistant. Marion Hatashira , Typography. Dennis Greene. Laboratory. Accounting Mik.e Klinger, Ma nager . Terry Da iley , Credit Manager. Circulation Rheba Smith. Manager , DealerslWant Ads (213 ) 427 ·74" West 2201 Cherry Ave.. Long Beach. CA P.O . Box 1050. Long Beach. CA 90801 (215) 595·4755 . East 4190 First Ave. . Tucker. GA . P.O . Box 805 . Tucker. GA 50084 . (404) 954·7850. ATV News is published monthly by Cycle New s. In c. . 2201 Cherry Avenue, Long Beach . CA 90801. Second cIaess post.ge paid at Long Beach . CA . POSTMASTER: Send form 3579 to Cye le News. P.O. Box 498. Long Beaeh. CA 90801 ATV News welcomes unsol icited edit orial material includi ng sto ries. cartoons phot os. etc. Such material , if published, becomes the excl usive pro~n y of ATV News . Such acc ep ted material is su bje ct to revision as is necessary in th e sole dis cretion of ATV News . Unsolicited materi OIl which is no t used will be returned if accompanied by • self add ressed stamped envelope. All unsolicited material will be handled with rea sonable care. however, ATV News assumes no responsibility for the safety. 1055 or damage to su ch materiOIL Reprinting in whole OT part onl y by permission of the publishers. Advertising rates and ci rculation inform a tion will be sent upon requ~t . Advertising Age reports ATV explosion, but Bombarier attacks three-wheelers In the Dec. 7 issue of Advertlu,," Aile, Associate Editor Bob Marich (Special Projectsl wrote an article devoted to the three-wheel market. "At a time when interest rates and recession have contributed to about a five percent drop in '81 motorcycle unit sales, three-wheelers have experienced a sales explosion," comments Marich. What kind of an explosion? Somewhere in the range of 150,000 units will have baen sold in 1981. If Mr. Marich thinks that is astounding, wait for '82 to hit. Mr. Marich also noted that the three-wheelers have given the seasonal motorcycle industry a year round product. It also has given birth to three new publications, ATV New., 3·Wlleell"'lllllallazl"e and Dirt WIIee'•• But with all the attention going to the three-wheelers, we've angered a snowmobile manufacturer, Bombardier. Yes, the same corporation that puts out the Can-Am motorcycles. Now here is where things get a little sticky. According to the article, Bombardier is placing ads in various snowmobile publications with headlines: "Bombardier Snowmobile Alertll l Three-wheelers and other wheeled vehicles have no place on snowmobile trails I for the following reasons: the irresponsible promotion of the use of wheeled vehicles, and especially three-wheelers, on snowmobile trails is a threat to the future of your sport. Wheeled vehicles and most recently threewheelers can leave hulle ruts during thew periods." This was just two, out of a list. Another line read, "you can count on Bombardier to back the snowmobiler in every way to fight for the protection of the snowmobile trail system. Keep the wheels off our trails." It seems a little funny to me that a manufacturer of various products would be taking shots at even his own product. What Bombardier does not say is that they have a three-wheeler but have tabled the project according to my sources. "Bombardier is getting too much flak from their dealers." Let's fact it. the three-wheel market is cutting into the snowmobile market with a heavy slice. Another reason Bombardier is trying so hard to keep the three-wheelers out is the fact that snowmobiles can be ridden three to four months, after that. put them away. Sure there are places a three-wheeler cannot go, but that's OK. We don't care, but for a large company such as Bombardier, to come out and criticize the three-wheelers and motorcycles for damaging the environment of trails paid for by snowmobile vehicle registrations, that gets to ba a little too much to swallow. "When the fields are soft. an ATC will go right across the top without rutting the field:' commented David Mungenast. owner of St. Louis Honda. I'm sure you three-wheelers and motorcycle riders out there don't mind if they come out to the deserts or race tracks .••do you? After talking to Phil Mickerson, Service Manager for Bombardier Corp.. I came away still unclear as to what the big fuss is about. Mr. Michelson stated that the three-wheelers and motorcycles can't be ridden in deep snow. But then added, that we were tearing up their trails. The Army's Ninth Signal Battalion of the Ninth Infantry Division is putting Honda motorcycles and three-wheelers to the test at Fort Lewis, Washington. Using the motorcycles primarily as vehicles for Signal Corps messengers, the unit is also testing the vehicles for other applications. One of the ATCs is equipped to string wire for field telephones. Accord ing to a New York TImes article. most of the soldiers "find it hard to resist the temptation to race up a steep hill or splash through mud puddles while delivering messages." . Copyright © Cyele New• • Ine. 1981. All rights reserved. ON THE COVER: (Topl Roger Stanley 161, Ted Winkle (16), Gary Carmichael (31 and Eddie Brown (331 have at it in Seattle Super Modified action. (Middle) Sideways at Saddleback. (Bottom) Rick Watkins (981 doesn't appear concerned about the action behind him at Seattle. Photos by lance Bryson. 2.1o...-- (and fit to print) ~ Lo nnie Orosco. who rode in the recent Golde n State Series a t Saddleback on a 175cc Premi er Yama ha in the 200cc Intermediate class . was turning a full second faster than the factory Hondas . Look for Orosco and Premier to put the yellow and black colors in the winning ci rcle in '82 . Orosco will move up to the Expert ranks at the next rac e . I was told . > If you remember a few issues back. w on fairing . Well, here is their producti with a windscreen and number plate. riding pleasure. If you 're out playing or whatever, the clear windscreen acts a hey, this is the ticket for oval racing or us for sure from Hondaline. the n umber one three-wheel starting position . Som ething else that might prove to be exciting, the three-wheelers will start right after the motorcycles. which means the cars will be chasing the three-wheelers instead of the threewh eelers chasing the cars. SCO RE fee ls th e three-wheelers since making a good showing at the Baj a 1000 . just m ig ht have a shot at the overall. If you woul d like to be added to the sta nd by list you can get ho ld of SCORE a t 213/ 889· 9216. For those of you riding a th ree- wheeler you best be on your toes and prepa red , those cars chasing you mea n business, but then so do wel ' Oops - last issue we had a feature on " T ak ing the Honda 250R a couple of steps further" by Eddie Brown. It should have read by Rory Ivers. Sorry Rory. It seems the AMA is expanding its professional level of supercross racing down to the amatuer level. Hugh Fleming (AMA three-wheel coordinator) revealed to A TV News that in '82. AMA will sanction and award National Championship points to the supercross amateur program plus the th reewheelers. "We are working on the program right now , as for the threewheelers. it will be up to the promoters as far as classes to be run . or if the~ want to run the three-wheelers at all . ' com mented Fleming. "Mike Goodwin wh o does most of our supercross pro· grams is really excited about it. bu t like I said, we're still working on it." For more info you can contact H ugh Fleming at 614 /891 ·2425 . Ponderosa 3-Wheel claims that if you don't heve a performance carburetor then you're gonna be left in the dustl Their Mikuni carb and kit w ill increase performance throughout the entire rpm range. Ponderosa says your ATC 250R will feel like it just got a slap in the facel For more inf orma t ion contact Ponderosa 3Wheel, Dept. ATV, 2201 Central, Dubuque, IA 52001 . SCORE held th eir ninth annual pre entry d ra wing for t he Pa rker 400 O ffRoad race December 6th a t American Honda . Some 1500 ra cers a nd their families showed up for th e d rawing of their starting positio n . Since the BL M has put an entry q uota on the Parker 40 0 (400 ra cers) race, everyone that attended the d rawing m ade it except for six standby d ri vers . In this case. if someone does not show . the st andby drivers start to fill in. In this year's Parker race . 13 three-wheel entries are entered. J - Wheeling Magazine's Harry McDermott and Mike Coe drew •• Due to the flooding problems in NorCal. the third race of the CMC Golden State Series has been moved from Marysville, CA, to Sand Hill Ranch. For more info you can call CMC at 714/557 -3323. I The people at Stadium Motosports have let ATV News know that the re will be three-wheel racing at t he Anahei m Stadium Jan 31. Amateur Supercross program. Two classes will be run - 0 200cc and 201 -250cc. For more info check out page 23 of Cycle News for details . There will be a $2000 semi -pro split between the Pros : motorcycles and 'threetwheelers. ' .I • • ~ - :t • c.. I r

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