Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

The California Off-Road Vehicle Association will be holding its North-South Jamboree at Hungry Valley - near Gorman - on July 7-8. The two day event will feature a rally, poker run, timed events and kids' events for motorcycles, three-wheelers, dune buggies, Baja Bugs, jeeps, four-wheel-drives, etc. Primitive camping sites will I)e available atthe SVRA for $3.50 per night; $3 extra if one doesn't bring a white elephant for the CORVA raffle. Call Jim Greene for more information at 714/ 687-0320. The Husky Enduro Team will appear at Husqvarna of Gresham in Gresham, Oregon on May 24th, between 6:00 and 9:00 p.m. info on AMA membership, write to the organization at P.O. Box 141. .Westerville, OH 43081, or call toll free 800/AMA-JOIN. Road racer Wil Harding will be among 80 entrants taking part in the June 2 Historic TT during the Isle of Man TT races. Harding will be riding a vintage Honda supplied by Cycle News contributor Alan' Cathcart. On June 9, Harding will be riding one lap against the clock over the Isle of Man's 37.75 mile road circuit - only this time it will be on a bicycle. "I think it will be a lot of fun and a very unique thing to race twice on the Isle of Man using two completely different types of vehicles," said Harding. Harding is a partner in a bicycle shop in Gainesville, Florida. Don't forget to watch ABC-TV's Wide World of Sports on Saturday afternoon, May 26, for taped coverage of the May 6 San Jose Mile round of the Camel Pro Series. Lui Obispo to larger quarters at Rt. I, Box 8, Paso Robles, CA 93446, telephone 805/239-4235. Moved Hahn Cycle USA's Los Angeles office, from temporary quarters to 1800 North Highland Ave. Suite 707, Hollywood, CA 90028,213/ 464-5876. Recalled The first 100 1984 Husqvarna 250CR motocrossers sold, to have the throule cable locator clip in the carburetor updated. Recall recommended by Mikuni, supplier of the carburetors. Noticesent by Husqvarna five weeks ago. Filed A protest with the California I ew Motor Vehicle Board, by 34 Honda dealers, alledging violation of state laws controlling franchises regarding American Honda's plan to sell ATCs to U-Haul. As a result of the protest, American Honda cannot sell ATCs toany U-Haul dealer located within 10 miles of a Honda dealership, pending final review of the protest. Defined Wadded, as used in Lhis column, doe not nece sarily mean destroyed; rather it indicates contact with Lhe ground by a surface not normally meant to do so; i.e. a • crash of some sort. The Historic Motorcycle Racing Association has been formed to further the racing of motorcycles built between 1940-1970. Write to 2933 N.£. 20th Way, Gainesville, FL 32601 or call 904/378-3715 for more info. Jeff Ward rode an upgraded version of the Kawasaki 125cc works bike at the Atlanta Six Flags National MX, with the only notable difference being the use of a power valve system on the right side of the cylinder. "It's mechanically driven, and it has improved the power output of Lhe motor," said Ward's tuner, Mike McAndrews. "We had gone as far as we could go with the old motor, which we had [or Lhree years, and we're hoping thi will prove 1.0 be a good starting point for our future engines." Moved Rifle Fairing, from San Team Husky scored a sweep ofthe first five places in the May 20 Fool's Gold' National Enduro at Georgetown, California. Kevin Hines took first overall from Mike Mehon on tiebreaker-check points, 36.759 to 36.821. Third went to Dave Bertram (37), followed by Terry Cunningham (38) and Fritz Kadlec (41). Kawasaki rider Jeff Freddette broke the Husky string with a sixth-place finish. Complete coverage next week. David Bailey's water-cooled Honda RC500 works bike sported a new carburetor and other small changes at Atlanta. "It has become the fastest bike I've ever ridden," Bailey said, "with the exception of my Honda Interceptor! It really guzzles the gas now'" Keith McCarty, who had been a mainstay in the Yamaha camp for years and has tuned for the likes of Bob Hannah and Ron Lechien, is no longer responsible for a single rider. ''I'm still involved with research and development like I always was," McCarty said, "but now I'm more of an overseer for the team and try to keep everyone in line." The Camel Pro Series Springfield Mile National was rained out; it's rescheduled for Sunday, May 27. Racing begins at the Illinois State Fairgrounds at 2 p.m. will r-iext week's paper be a day late due to the Memorial Day holiday. Department of Corrections: In our Ascot Half Mile National coverage we said that Gary Scott nearly crashed as the resuh of a derailed chain. Actually, Scott nearly crashed becallse flying debris jammed his rear brake full on. The AMA's popular Map Pac Program has been renewed for 1984 with support from American Honda. Requests for the custom trip routing service nearly doubled in e;uly 1984, largely due to Honda's support. The program offers two options: First, an' AMA member can receive any four unmarked maps or, second, choose two unmarked maps as well as two marked with outgoing and return routes. In either case, all four maps, prepared by the H.M. GOl.lSha Co., come in a gold embossed vinyl folder. The AMA Map Pac Program is open to all Association members. For more David Aldana (works Honda) leads Raymond Roche (works Kawasaki) at Suzuka in 1 981 . This week Aldana writes about Roche, the privateer who. is second in 500cc World Championship points. Quit CycJe Guide after nine years, National Advertising Director George Clark, 49, to sell advertising for Petersen Publishing. Clark will represent Lhe Petersen Action Group, a package deal arrangement involving several of the company's magazines, calling on motorcycle manufacturers. Interviewing Cycle Guide Publisher Pete Nicolaysen, looking for an advertising sales rep. Moved Aftermarket exhaust pipe manufacturer Coffman's, effective June I, 1984, to 39200 Seraphina Rd., Murrieta, CA 92362, telephone 7141676-4100. Moved JT Racing USA,to 515 Otay Valley Road, Chula Vista, CA 92010, new phone 619/421-2660. Won A small claims judgement for $800, by Brian Meyette, 31, against Husqvarna Motorcycle Co., Inc., in Orange County Municipal Court, Westminster, California, May II. Meyette maintained that his Husqvarna four-stroke was an unproven protOtype and that he lost $2400 due to problems with the machine. Formed Gianatsis Design Assc., an advertising agency, by Jim Gianatsis, 35, former advertising director for Moto-X Fox, initial clients including Yoshimura R&D of America and White BroLhers. 818/347-4435. DAVIDI on EVf:wlhin4 By David Aldana Wilh all the allemion everybody's paying to Eddie Lawson and Freddie Spencer in the 500cc World Championship, nobody's noticed that Raymond Roche is second in points. The first time I heard of Raymond Roche was at the 24 hours of LeMans in 1981. I heard his name over the public address system; Mike Baldwin and I listened to the announcer say that Raymond Roche had just set fast time in. the la t few remaining seconds of official qualifying. Baldwin and I had been the fastest in qualifying and practice all week long, riding a works Honda endurance racer, but Kawasaki waited until the last minute and sent Rocheout in a do-or-die effort to break our time. So that put us off the pole. The next day, while the race was still going on, Baldwin told me he was out on Lhe course when Roche got sideways and fell off his bike in a fast left-hander. His works Kawasaki stayed upright and went bouncing across the grass withouta rider, almost crossing another part of the course. Baldwin aw all this and was on the brakes, watching the bike, which was on an intersecting course .with him. Finally Roche's bike Oops over. Roche runs to it and picks it up, and finishes the race. He and his partner, LaFond, either won or got second in the race. We had already been disqualified from the 24-hour because Baldwin rode the bike backwards on pit lane after the bike sprung an oil leak and he almost crashed it. The next time I heard of Roche was when he broke his leg in practice for the 24-hour of Barcelona, Spain. A few hours into practice he hit a bike Lhat had hit a haybale a spectator pushed onto the track. All the works teams boycotted the race and went home. Ever since that injury he's been coming back very, very strongly, with a lot of determination. ow he's riding an RS500 wiLh a works S500 engine in 500cc World Championship, and he's second in points, finishing second in South Africa, third in fLaly and third in Spain. He has to owe a lot to the guy who organized his team and kept him racing, Mr. Jean Louis Gulleuxof Honda France. Raymond Roche is a Frenchman; he's a real nice guy, jokes a lot, is a real jovial character, speaks real good English. I spent a lot of time between endurance races talking to him. and now we're pretty good friends. He's an underdog, but if something happens to Lawson, Roche could be in the point lead, and I honestly think he could win the World Championship. So when everybody's talking about Lawson and Spencer, don't forget privateer Raymond Roche. I wouldn't be surprised if he's on works bikes by the end of the year.. 3

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