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/126749
fornia is charging people $2 a day just to drive oil the beach! Outrageous! This is true. so why not give the off-road community better access to the Pismo Dunes without having to go to Oso Flaco Lake or through the creek. MJCHAEL D. BROWN an Luis Obispo, CA WEST America's weekly motorcycle newspaper Sharon C)ayton. Publisher CarolineGendry. ExeculiveSecrelary to the Publisher Nancy Danger. Advertising/EdiLOrial Assislant Editorial Dale Brown, Senior Edilor. L'lnce Bryson. Edilor. David Edwards. Editor. Kit Palmer. Edilor. Advertising Skip Johnson. Nalional Sales Manager. Terry PraLL Sales Mana~er. Mike Spencer. Sales Manager. Linda Brown. Advervising Coordinalor. Tina Bowen. Advertising Assistant. Graphics and Production Gene 8enneu, Graphic Arlisl. Lori Tyson, Crdphi Anisl. Marion Hal3shim. Typography. Sheila Larsen. Typography. Donis Greene. LabOrdlOry. Accounting/Data Processing Mike Klinger. Controller. Donna Bryan. Accounls Receivable Coordinator. Geneva Repass. Assistant. Terry Dailey. eredil Manager. Circulation Rheba mith. Mana~er. Michelle Hanna. Sardh Taylor. Debbie \\falker, Lyna Hood. AssistanlS. Dealer Sales and Service Tim Ryan. Dealer Sales Manager. Want Ads Lynda Millig-dll. Want Ad Sales Service and Support Chris Ailchesoll. Receplionisl. Gregory Hanson. S& . West 2201 Cherry Ave.. Long Beach. CA P.O. Box 498. Long Be<.ch. CA 908010498 (213)'127-7433; L.A. Line 636-8844. East 4190 First Ave., Tucker, GA. P.O. Box 805. Tucker. GA 30085-0805. ('104) 934-7850. Cycle News/WeSl (USPS 141-340) is published weekly except the lirSl and laSl week 01 the calendar year lor S25 per year by Cycle ews. Inc.. 2201 Cherry Avenue. Long Beach. CA 90806. Second class poSlage paid at LonK Beach. CA. POSTMASTER: Send form 3679 to Cycle New•• P.O_ BOll 498. Long Buch. CA 90801-0498. Subscription rales: One year. second class mail. 25; IwO years. second class mail. 54';; three years. second class mail. $68; 25 weeks. S14. Foreign rates available on requesl. Cycle News welcomes unsolicited edi· lorial malerial including stories. carlOons. phOIOS. ClC. Such material, if published. becomes the exclusive propeny of Cycle News. Such accepted malerial is subject lO revision as is necessary in lhe sole discretion of Cycle News. nsolicited malerial which is not used will be returned if accompanied by "3 sell addressed smmped envelope. All unsolicited material will be handled wilh reasonable Cdre. however. Cycle News assumes no responsibilily for the safely. loss or damage to such material. Reprinlin~ in whole or pan only by pennission of lhe publisher. Advenising rales and circulation information will be sent upon requesl. See S.R.D.S. Copyright(!) Cycle New•• Inc. 1984. Tredemark Cycle News regilltered U.S. Patent Office. All rights raserved. 4 ON THE FRONT PAGE: Jeff Wa,d caught in mid-ai, at the Hollister Golden Stete rece by Kit Palme,'. came,e. That wa. about the only thing thet caught Ward... he won both the 126 and 260cc c....... O_il. on p. 8. Huge mistake? I would like to bring your attemion to what I personally feel is a huge mistake concerning the Amateur Dirt Track eries. I have been oing to these ationals since 1978 and feel that it has been a very good program. The way the new program i et-up for '84, there will not be a ational champion for the lhree dirt-Lrack events, and the AMA has eliminated the Grand National eries tilles that were the highest honor an amateur dirt rider could receive. If this series goes on as planned, then the Michigan famil ie that have been traveling to the Nationals will be staying home this year, where we have our own Slate Grand Championship Series thal will offer the dirt rider something to try for. I think you will find that this will happen all over the country. These regional championships will have nothing more than the local riders. Road riders, hillclimbers. ice racers and motocrossers still have a chance at being the one and only national champion in their own classes. So why take a very good amateur dirt track championship, and turn it in to a "nothing" series of events. I would hope lhat the AMA would reconsider, and reinstate the program run in the past. If these events are to be run as a series with an accumulation of points for a national champion. then only the weahhiest will compete. GERALD W. PA KEY Clarkston, MI Smrz says I'd like to thank the following sponsors for all their hel p and financial support during the 1983 eason: Sure Fire Distributing Inc. (who helped me through thick and thin); Bob Datson's Waynesville Cycle Center; Bell Helmets; Castrol Oil; Champion Spark PI ug Co.; Diamond Chains; Street and Competition Cycle; Ferodo, and the Mikuni Carburetor Co. A special thanks to the following: Aldo, and all people from the Michel· in Tire Co. for all their expertise, help and support all season; Eric and Rich from Shelgor Engineering for my cylinder work; and Tom Hardy from Pro-Lap leather repair. I'd also like to thank the following people for coming rhrough when things were looking very grim: Doug Brauneck; Ri hard Chambers; Lex Hutton; Nick Phillips; David Reed; Bob Applegate; Steve (the quirrel) Curly; Doc Price; and my Mom and Dad. MOSl importantly, I want to thank my tuner, Phil Flack, for keeping the bike running competively throughout the season, and for all his advice bolh on and off the Lrack. Thanks also go to Shirley Cappelli and Penny Flack for their help in the pits. Thanks again, your help was greatly appreciated. GREGG SMRZ Wayne, PA Pismo Beach suggestions II This is in response to a letter from an I.e. Clearly in the january II Cycle News. I.e. states that farm land was bought with green sticker money, and he'll never know why. It would be my guess that the reason we motorcyclisls bought a ·Iettuce field was due to sand migration caused by the loss of vegetation on the sand dunes. I.e. also says that Oso Flaco Lake is man-made, which is wrong. When the Spanish were exploring California in the 1600s. they shot a lean bear near a lake in the Pismo sand dunes. Hence the name Oso Flaco (lean bear). So much for history, and Spanish. I too am tired of playing second fiddle to the Fish and Game Department, and Parks and Recreation. Having worked for the Youth Conservation Corp at Pismo Beach, being an avid motorcyclist, seeing people lose their vehicles in the Arroyo Grande Creek and having witnessed my best friend being cited for parking his Husqvama between the one-mile marker and the Arroyo Grande Creek, I feel qualified to make this suggestion. Take some of the green sticker fund and buy the levee on the south side of the Arroyo Grande Creek from the beach to Hwy. I. Then get either the Y.e.e., the California Conservation Corp or volunteers to build a road from mean high tide to Hwy. L I just heard that the state of Cali- Pond rockets I must write and thank both Mr. Alan Cathcart and Cycle News for the article titled "Works Rockets From Both Sides of the Pond." I have long shared Mr. Cathcart's curiosity at the japanese manufacturer's bizarre practice of destroying lheir objects of technological an. Indeed, even the companies of Porsche, BMW and Mercedes Benz, with lheir teutonic no-nonsense engineering, see fit to honor the hard work and knowledge that went into their various projects by setting aside a spot in a museum. But I digress. I can certainly appreciate Mr. Cathcart's many months of work and his ability to successfully "get a foot in the door" with the Honda works teams. His article was superbly written and was one befitting the subject. For a lengthly, technical essay, Mr. Cathcart's light, illustrative style kept the reading quick and entertaining_ Thank you both again for a personal tour inside those mechanical wonders and letting me know whatil is like to ride them. If the japanese continue their strange attitude toward their achievements, I sincerely hope Alan Cathcart is nearby with pen and helmet bag in hand. MIKE MCCHARGUE Phoenix. AZ. The AMA and ITC As a 14-year AMA member and devoted motorcycle enthusiast, I found your sterling interview with (AMA) execulive direaor Ed Youngblood very enjoyable. It is so refreshing to read an interview with a well-known personality that is not self-Iauditory. When Mr. Youngblood stated that one of the hasic goals of the AMA in the 1980s will be to "aggressively confront adverse legislation", I'm afraid he was being less than candid. I have read every issue of American Motorcyclist (the AMA monthly) in the last year and they have maintained absolute silence on the largest issue in motorcycling since I've been a member, the International Trade Commission import tariff on new motorcycles. ow I don't know if Mr. Youngblood, Mr. Beales (of Harley-Davidson) or Mr. Reagan have any knowledge of international economics, or for that matter if they care, but I do and the price of new superbikes is up an average of 750. Trade tariffs have never worked to protect home markets even though they are supported by a disproportionate loss to the consumer, and Harley-Davidson's benefit is woefully inadequate when compared to the waste and direct harm to the motorcycle enthusiast, dealers and the industry. If the AMA calls its present approach "aggressive," then the tariff must not be "adverse legislation." In that case, I may JUSt save my $20 membership fee and apply it toward the tax on my new bike. KEVIN H. PARK Ventura, CA Published letters do not necessarily reflect the position of Cycle News, Inc. Send letters to Voices. Box 498. Long Beach. CA 90801.