Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Michigan 'Z ~ ~ (Continued from page 14) CD ~ =; >CD If) E o :I: t1. (Above left) Mike Melton was the overall winner in Washington. two points ahead of runner-up Dave Bertram (above right). When riding the water-cooled VZs. the rider's knee will bend the radiators forward. eventually breaking the mounts. AMA National Enduro Championship Series: Round 5 Melton nlasters Washington Making a radiator bracket is simple. A 7 1 /z-inch long. 31. X l/einch piece of aluminum. and drilling two holes is all that's needed. By Paul Nielsen BELLINGHAM, WA, JU E 3 Lacking competition from other teams, Husqvarna provided its own from within the ranks as 1983 National Champ Mike Melton led a six-rider Husky sweep of the Washington round of the series, hosted by the Mount Baker M.e. Mellon dropped juSt II poin lS 20 to take the event, two points better than teammates Dave Bertram, Terry Cunningham and Larry Roeseler. Bertram edged Cunningham and Roeseler for the runner-up honors on tiebreaker scores, 13.513 to 13.537 to 13.540. Mark Hyde and series points leader Kevin Hines each notched 14point scores to round out the sweep. Earlier in the day, at check seven, Meiton, Cunningham, Bertram, Roeseier and Hines were all tied up, down five points. All zeroed check eight with the help of resets and logging roads. It was the following check where Melton gained a point on the crowd and broke the tie. After all the leaders zeroed the 10th check, Melton again showed them the way in the subsequent checkin/check-out special test and gained another point on the field. That was all she wrote. The scene of the II th check had more than its share of interesting spectating. Located 150 yards down a logging road after riders emerged from a tight wooded trail, 30- and 40-foot locked wheel slides were not uncommon as every rider came in late and riding hard. Bellingham resident John ielsen broke the Husky streak with his IT250 Yamaha, dropping 17 for seventh overall and first A rider honors. Nielsen rode the last 50 mile with no clutch. Second in the 250cc A class was Wayne Keezer, who edged Ron Clizbe by seconds. Open A rider Ray Mungenast led his class all the way to top Lyle Duronso, who in turn, was one point ahead of Pat Harrell. Easterner Randy Hawkins came on strong at the end, dropping only six points in the last section to finish with 29 and win the 125cc A class on a Husky. In the B ranks two riders had scores of 31, but it was 200cc class rider Ray Smith whoeamed the instant transfer to A status with the best score. Damon Bee dropped only eight points in the final section for a score of 31 and the Open B honors, losing out on the overall B victory due to the tiebreaker scores. However Bee had a 20-point margin over the rest of his class. Three points behind the B leaders, Kurt Brunhavor had a consistent ride and took the win in the 250cc division. The C riders started 10 minutes after the A and B riders and ran the first loop of the course at the same speed averages. Most zeroed the first check, but afterward, when they hit the 24 and 30 mph sections, they began to lose points. A mudhole in the Cavanaugh Creek crossing also cause some problems. E. Borsky was the overall C winner, dropping nine points. The only woman riding the enduro, Tammy Pierson on a 175 Yamaha. placed a commendable sixth overall in the Cranks. Following the event there were no protests. Kerry Mackinroch from Performance Products in Louisiana was on hand with three ets of Bark Buster handlebar guards, and he presented them to the overall A, Band C winners. - Results OVERALL: 1. Mike Melton (Hus) 11; 2. Dave Bertram (Hus) 13.513: 3. Terry Cunningham (Hus) 13.537: 4. Larry Roeseler (Hus) 13.540; 5. Mark Hyde (Hus) 14; 6. Kevin Hines (HusI14: 7. John Nielsen (Yam) 17; 8. Jeff Irwin (Hus) 18; 9. Jeff Henning (KTMI 20; 10. Ray Mungenast (Hus) 20; 11. Wayne Keezer (Husl 23; 12. Ron Clizbe (HuI) 23. OPEN A: 1. RaV Mungenast; 2. Lyle Ouronso; 3. Pllt Harrell. 250 A: ,. John Nielsen; 2. Wayne Keezer; 3. Ron Clizbe. 200 A: 1. 8. Crally. 125 A: 1. Randy Hawkins. SR: 1. R. Chartier. OPEN 8: 1. Damon 8... 250 B: 1. Curt Brunhavor; 2. M. Varner; 3. R. Hell. 200 B: 1. Ray Smith; 2. R. McCurdy; 3. F. Toste. COVERALL: 1. E. Borskv: 2. V. Gioia; 3. D. McCaslin: 4. S. Peterson; 5. T. Schroedl; 6. T. Pierson. ,,/2......... -~.,~ ~ »1l1W"'. ....• . . . 1II i I- -- 7 lOP This swingarm modification can prevent broken cases and chewed up swingarms from thrown chains. This mod is a must. Quick cures forYZ swingarm and radiator problems Yamaha's latest competition support wrench report reveals simple cures for the YZI25L, 250L and 490L swingarm aluminum block, and YZI25L and 250L radiator mount problems. To prevent the aluminum swingarm blocks from coming loose; I. Using a "/'6-inch drill bit, drill twO holes 12mm deep as shown in illustration one. The hole must be located 12mm (If-inch) in from the wheel side and 15mm (*-inch) from the end of the swingarm. 2. Tap the holes using a 6x I0 cap screw with a flat washer in each hole using red Loctite, and torque to l.Om-kg (7 Ibs.-ft.). The cure for broken radiator mounts isequally as simple; I. Using *-inch x li-inch aluminum or steel strap, cut a piece 71l-inches long. 2. Bend the strap as shown in ill ustration two (make bends as smooth as possible). 3. Place the strap bracket on the motorcycle as shown in il·lustration three, and mark the bracket where the hole must be drilled. The holes may vary a little with each motorcycle. 4. Drill a 6mm (Il-inch) hole through each end of the bracket. 5. Install the bracket using the original fasteners.8 pump housing at the gas stop and put it on. Thing went well after that, but I still had 720 route points to contend with." . The acceleration test was the property of Melton - he turned the fastest time by a fraction of a econd to top teammate Hines. Hines wa happy with his score. 'Tm riding my slow bike-the one 1 usually ride in eriduros-so I'm lucky to get such good times in the acceleration tests." Hines al 0 noted the time schedule was still hectic. "I was watching my clock heading into one check, and I saw 1 was nearing my minute. I made it in with just 20 seconds to pare." The day's final grass track wa an all Ballard show. with his time of 268 seconds four better than the next rider - Melton. Husky's Fritz Kadlec, a 250cc class rider, notched the next best time at 273. Martin was determined to improve his test score from the previous day. "I had planned to really smoke everybody," Martin said, "but it didn't work out that way - 1 went down hard. Other than thal, it was a trouble£ree day." For many it was time for tire swapping. Martin replaced both front and rear before impounding, while Hines only had time to replace the rear. Cunningham, who had replaced his exhaust pipe on day one, wa told he would have to fit a quieter one to meet the sound regulations. ''I'll sLip that on in the morning," said Cunningham after putting his mount to bed for the night. Roeseler broke the front fork spring on the ride to the final special test. Before entering the test, he pulled a cartridge of compressed air out of his fanny pack, removed the cap on the air fork valve, and pumped the air in to stiffen up the front end. "I'll have to pull the fork apan in the morning," Roeseler said. "I should have no problem replacing the spring in under 10 minutes." His test time suffered, but he still cranked to a very respectable 275-second time, good for fourth best. "I have 55 seconds to make up on Drew Smith, and if all goes well tomorrow I just might make it. I'm pumped about the special test layout, so things could go my way." It was still Melton, who said he "was having a good ride with no problems at all," at the top of the heap at the close of day two with 1,244 points. Ballard had lost a few marks to Melton in the accelera4ion test but went faster in the final grass track to stay within five points with 1,249. Hines held third overall wilh 1,264. Randy Hawkins had moved to the front of the 125cc standings after Hyde had trouble. Hawkins zeroed the course and had "no problems" for his 1,358 points. : The route for day three read 105 miles, and the rain schedule was retained with a few spots of rain hitting the ground as the first riders made their escape from the impound. Hines found the rear tire of his machine had gone Oat and he changed the tu be as well as the front tire and tube in plenty of time. Ballard, on the other hand, stayed with lhe same set of tires for the entire three days. "This is sort of an economy run," said Ballard. "I haven't had to pay for my tires for quite a few years, but since I'm buying my own this year I decided I better make them go the distance. I lost quite a few knobs off the rear yesterday." Water and radiator coolant was a precious commodity in the work area. If it wasn't broken radiator hoses which led to a loss of coolant on

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