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/126803
Voices ( C o n t i n u ed [rom pa g f'-I ) G rousing Why all the grousing about John Ulri ch? Mr. Ulrich is one of th e verv few American rnotojournalists I personally hold in high esteem. What other journalist in the motorcycle industry would take a bike and "risk" his health to give the readers a qualified report on the subject? Thereareonlya limited number of people who can take a motorcycle and ride, come to a stop, and accurately relate the bike's capabilities. John Ulrich is unquestionably capable of evaluating a motorcycle. I would rely on his professional opinion. What would you rather do, listen to an opinion from a young inexperienced "tank waxer/air pressure checker" turned mo tojourna list who needs more riding/raci ng time to give a proper evaluation o f a motorcycle? John Ulrich's long experience offers a better perspective from w hich to evaluate these machines. H e offe rs more than the typical "the seat's too hard" evaluation. Personally, I'll read the experienced voice of John Ulrich, and take the risk of being better informed. WILLI SCHEFFER Canoga Park, CA Those motorcycle people I've always felt that motorcycle people were with few exceptions one of the nicest groups you could meet. Pro -T ee's owner Skip Clark is a classic example. If you have followed four-stroke motocross racing, you are probabl y aware of the intense competition between Pro-Tee and White Bro s. for four-stroke racing supremacy. We both spend a lot of time and money on equipment and rid ers to win th ese major four-stroke events. Four-Stroke National and Championship wins mean additional sales of our fourstroke products. When our rider, Warren R eid , pu lled in the pi ts after one la p of p ractice at the Four-Stroke National with a blown head gasket on our number one bike with the muchslower stock switch to the back up bike with the much-slower stock engine. In a field of top national riders this would mean a poorer showing, and of co u rse, almost no chance of beating Pro-T ee's rider:- 250 National Champion Ricky Johnson on a well-massaged TT600. When Skip Clark heard of our plight he did th e crazi est thing I ever heard of. H e offered us his spare race engine that's absolutely perfect (as his equipment always is), to use in our chassis and lends us one of h is mechanics to put it in. Well , th e engine was good! Good enough for Warren to actu a lly beat Ricky in the second moto though not for th e overall. When it comes down to it, I guess Skip C lark and a lot of other motorcycle people just like him is the reason I lik e being ' involved in th e motorcycle industry. This Bud 's for you, Skip ClarkI TOM WHITE White Bro s. Stanton, CA Good 01' Eric Something occurred toda y I must share with the Cycle News readers. Last week I took some parts off my KTM to the bike shop to get replacements. The shop was Eric's Motorcy'cle Company Jn, Pasadena, "owned! operated by Eric Jen sen. Eric sugges ted the part (sidera se a nd rear hub ) co ul d be repai red ins tead o f being replaced . Not o n ly were th e parts repa ired in a very p rof essional fashion but I saved SIOO! Futher more. I had forgot to br ing m y chec kbook an d wa s still a ble to tak e th e parts a nd mail th e chec k lat er. This kind of service reall y mak es deal in g with a m ot orcycle sho p a real pl ea sure. I urge anyone who need s welding/machin e sh op service for th eir bike to sto p in and see Eri c. The shop is near Hill St. o n Walnut, ca rr ies KTM , Husqvarna and M-Star a nd has a ver y co m p lete and attractive line o f accessories. LARRE BUTTERFIELD Barbenders West M.e. Glendora, CA Uving in fantasy Rega rding John Ulrich's Risk editorial (Cycle News, December .19,) I realize that he still lives in a fantasy wo rld. Let's get a few facts straight. I did state a nd still feel th a t Ul rich is slow . I did not state that I, not Kevin Schwantz, deserved the Yoshimura ride. My " tryo u t" was in March of 1984 when the bike was still being developed. I have not been associated with Yoshimura R&D of America since the April 1984 Riverside Racewa y Pro -Am. I did sta te that Mr. Schwantz may be a very good rider, but having him on the threshold of greatness (possible World Champion ) after a co up le of impressive showings is a bit ridiculous - time will tell. I did state that Ulrich crash ed th e Ninja because he was over his head. How m an y others fell at Firebird Ra cewa y? U lrich stated that I hadn 't ridden a Ninja 600R or raced an ything with a l6-inch front wheel. I . won a race at Riverside on March 25, 1984 on a Honda Interceptor, and I thought it had a 16-inch on the front ! H e m ad e it sound like I love 16-inch wheels. Not true. In fact. I stated I wasn't impressed with 'th em at a ll. With all his vast knowledge on 16s, (i.e, quotes from Lawson, Renfrow, Cooley, etc.), h e still managed to fall off th e new Ninja. Amazing! EARL RO LO FF J R. Im p erial Beach , CA Knowledge gained after a crash cannot prevent that crash . . . Editor. FMF I would lik e to clear up a few rumors th at have developed over the reesta blish m ent of FMF in the motorcycl e industry. As of September 3, m y former wi fe m oved the Roo st Factory to Huntington Beach , California , wh ere she is owner and operator. FMF is still a t 1430 W . 259th St . in H arbor City, Cal ifornia , stoc kin g our full line o f 1985 motocross a nd AT\' FMF pipes. So , as o f that date, I hav e n othing to do with Roo st Factory. Roost Facto ry no longer ca rrie s products fabricated or designed by me. DON EMLER H arbor City, CA Published letters do not neces-sarily reflect the position of Cycle News. Inc. 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