Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

! BY P4IP4I WfjlLfY O"l .- The Consumer Product Safety Commission held a hearing in Washington, D.C. October 23 to receive testimony from the major ATV manufacturers regarding product safety. The Commission cited an estimated 30.000 ATVrelated injuries for the first half of the year as reason for concern. estimating that the figure will grow to 75.000 by year's end. Testimoney was mainly by Motorcycle Industry Countil/Specialty Vehicle Institute of America (MICI SVIA) President Alan Isley and American Honda's Vice President of Motorcycle Sales Ed Glynn, outlining current and future ATV safety programs being implemented to promote rider education and awareness. Also present for testimony were representatives from Yamaha, Suzuki, and Kawasaki. California Off-Highway Vehicle Commission Chairman Mike Bishop, who was observing the hearing, reports that he had ~n interesting conversation with CPSC staff members afterwards; the CPSC has considered roll bars. governors, and even a recall to makeATVssafer. Bishop adds that his input may have a positive effect on any future CPSC rulings. Though the Commission is requesting additional data from manufacturers, no further hearings are scheduled. Tours, S.R.I. is offering motorcycle tours of Venezuela between now and March 1985; the company has a fleet of four RZ350 Yamahas, a BMW RIOOS, a BMW R60/5 and a Gold Wing 1000 and has two tour packages, one lasting nine days, the other 13 days. The nine-day tour explore parts of the Andes mountains and covers 1400 mile; the 13-day tour covers the northeastern part of the country-1500milesofriding-and incl udes tops on the Isle of Margarita and at a buffalo ranch. Information is available by writing to Tours, S.R.I. at Edi£. Res. Los Sauces, Entrada A, Piso 8, Apto. I, Valencia, Venezuela or by calling 041-213007. The AMA appeal board of Carl Donelson, Bob Hansen and Glenn Jordan let stand Hank Scott's $1,000 fine for his part in a fight with Tim Mertens during the September 21 AscotTT National. Gary Scott's fine of $500 was reduced to $1 00 for his part in the same altercation. Gary Scott was "glad that it's over with," while brother Hank said "I realize I should have been fined, but I feel the size of the fine was unrealistic." 2. Even though ABC has tape of the Superbikers already "in the can," (as they say in Hollywood) broadcast of the event is tentatively scheduled for February of next year. According to an ABC network oHicial present at Carlsbad Raceway, the reason for the four-month time lag between taping and broadcast is due to the fact that February is a "sweeps" month when the network broadcasts programming wit~ high ratings potentials. Scott USA has just signed a new one-year contract with Kawasaki's Team Green to be 'their official goggle supplier for 1985. As part of the program. Scott representatives will appear at major amateur events where Team Green riders compete to help them with their needs. It was reported in lasl week's issue Lhat Bob Hannah had injured his fOOL while practicing at the Oakland Coliseum. Here are the details: The Hurricane sustained five hairline fractures in his left foot, and according to Team Honda motocros manager Dave Arnold, Hannah will be out six to seven week. aturally, Hannah isn't planning to ride' this weekend's Los Angeles Superbowlof Motocross. Little Known Fact: The Continental Motosport Club (CMC) is actually incorporated in California as the California Motorama Corporation. The familiar name that racers know the CMC by is its "dba" title. Yamaha Motors Corp. U.S. will import limited numbers of the TY350RN trials bike for the 1985 season. The single-shock trialer was introduced in Europe last year with a 250cc two-stroke, reed-velve engine; for 1985 it's been upped to 350cc. Features include an aluminum silencer, Michelin soft-compound tires. Z-spokes, a six-speed transmission, 36mm fork stanchion tubes and a red-painted frame. Dry weight is 190 Ibs. The Mickey Thompson Emertainment Group and Stadium MOLorsports Corporation have gone thei r separaLe ways, as of OCLober 10. The split comes about six months after MC teamed up with MTEG to produce the Mickey Thompson Grand Prix Series. Thompson ay lhe move was beca use ..differences arose, and they are documented in the court files, and my attorney said I should noL be discussing the e things out of court." Not production: Last week Kawasaki Team Green rider Bader Manneh snapped his KX250's adjustable rear shock strut in half during both Sand Hill Ranch Trans-Cal motos. We reported that Manneh rode a production ·1985 KX; but according to Kawasaki spokesmen. Manneh's KX is an early pre-production machine with 4.7 inches of shock stroke; production 1985 KX250s have 5.1 inches of shock stroke with a different linkage and shock. And according to Kawasaki Product Support manager Gary laPlante. the adjuster bolt on Manneh's KX broke because he ran a lighter-than-stock KX125 spring. causing excessive bottoming and stress on the bolt. In any case, Kawasaki says struts on 1985 production KX250s will not break. Mike Kidd is promoting a combination motocross (Friday night}!short track (Saturday night)!ATV (Sunday afternoon) race-o-rama at the Amarillo (Texas) Civic Center ovember 2-4. More information is available by calling 817/433-5559. Three-time 125cc Motocross World Champion Gaston Rahier (left) will take turns with European and German enduro champion Eddy Hau riding a 980cc off-road BMW in the Baja 1000. Rahier won the 8000-mile, 20day Paris-Dakar rally on an identical machine. Joining Rahier and Hau on another works BMW are Americans Todd Martella and John Watkins. who headed to Baja to pre-run with Rahier and Hau two weeks before the race. scheduled for November 1-4. for every person over the 61,000 mark, Goodwin will donate an additional 50C to the 1985 Trophee des Nations team fund. Stroh Brewery will sponsor the Stroh's Cup, an II-race series - all Mile Nationals - within the 1985 Camel Pro Series. Finalization of promoter contracts, their signing and other details are expected to be worked out and announced at the November 5 AMA Awards Banquet. . Goodwin also of£ered to donate one case of Miller beer to Papa Wealey for each Poop item published about the upcoming Superbowl of Motocross. with an extra case thrown in for each time Goodwin's name is mentioned. Goodwin, known for inventing Supercross with the original Goodwin's Superbowl of Motocross, is known as "Mr. Goodwin" to Stadi urn Motorsports staf£ members, and simply "Goodwin" to members of the motorcycle industry, or sometimes "that s.o.b. Goodwin," or perhaps "Mike Goodwin" or "Big Spender Goodwin" to those who have seen him at the gaming tables. His mother, Mrs. Goodwin, referred to him as "Mike," but never "Mr. Goodwin." Stadium Motorsports' Mike Goodwin says he'll share the wealth with the top 20 riders if more than .65.000 people attend the November 3 Superbowl of Motocross. For every person over the 65,000 mark, Goodwin will kick $1 into the share-the-wealth fund. And The Dirt Diggers' Kernville, California motocro.ss November 3-4 features a Pro race with a $1500 cash purse and sponsorship by Lubradyne Oil. All Pros race on Sunday; Pro entry. fee is $40. The Sportsman portion of the program features all classes. including O.T. Entries for the 1984 Barstow-toVegas desert race are being accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, with a 1200-entry limit. More information .is available by calling 818/249-2141. & O.T.H.G. Sportsman entries are $20. no gate fees, and overnight camping at the track is available. Husqvarna's Terry Cunningham scored his third-straight overall win in the AMA National Championship Enduro Series at the series-ending Delaware State National on October 28 in Bear, Delaware. Cunningham, who had the overall series title clinched going in, dropped 10 points in the run while second-overall Dave Bertram (Hus) lost 12 points. Mike Melton (Hus) with 13 points, Kevin Hines (Hus) at 16 and Don Tomlin' (Hus),.also with 16 points, rounded out the top five overall. The final -series standings show Cunningham with 264 points, 1983 series champ Melton with 225 for runner-up honors, Hines at 211 for third and Bertram fourth with 203. Not only was Geoff Ballard crowned AMA/Hi-Point National Hare Scrambles Series Champion at the season finale held in Mid-' land, Michigan. on October 14, champs _re also crowned in seven classes. 125cc:' Barry Jeffries (Continued to page 27)

• Cover