Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Caltrans (Cont inued from page 22) motorcycle issue, from the department's standpoint, is one little gnat on the back of the elephant," he said. Ted Berg, head of the Caltrans ridesharing program, said the inclusion of motorcycles during th e test not only would increase traffic co ngestion in th e lane, but also would offer a hazard because motorcycles ar e basically, "an unsafe mode of transportation. " H O V lanes a re seen as a strategy to reli eve traffic co nges tio n - we're not going to be building any more freewa ys," Berg said. " T he legi slative intent is clearly stated in th e law," he said. " T he intent was to create and eco no m ize bus es and ca rpool lanes for increased vehicle occupancy. When we introduce motorcycles, what are we doing to th e bus and carpool program? " I feci if you take motorcycles out o f la n e sp litting and put them in the bus and carpool lane it wou ld be safer for the motorcycle," said Berg. " Bu t what does it do to the safety of the carpool lane? If you encourage motorcycle use, what does that do ' to safety? Motorcycles are a more dangerous mode of travel. We wou ld be encouraging people to use a mode of travel that is more dangerous. " We're starting out restricting motorcycles from the lanes until it appears the lanes will work," said Berg. "Then we'll introduce motorcycles to th e lane. or not. depending on what safet y hazard will be created, thereby." Motorcyclists who would lik e to comment on Caltrans'policy should write or phone: Director Donald Watson, Caltrans District 7, Room 100, 120 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, California, 213/620-3550; Cal trans Director Leo Trombatore, 1120 N. St ., Sacramento, Cal ifomia, 916/445-3523 ; Joe Mariner, Caltrans Office of Motorcycle Operations, 916/323-2615 (a t the Sacramento address listed above); or Ted Berg, Caltrans Ridesharing, 916/445-3087, (a lso at the Sacramento address listed above). Concerned motorcyclists should also write to thei r loca l Assemblymen and Congressmen. • Statler and toys (Con tin ued from pa ge 3) " Ins tead o f a lwa ys talkin g a bo u t th e hazards o f ball oons to sma ll children , wh y don 't th ey talk redesign?" she as ked. The CPSC has issued no regulations on toy safety in six years, th ough Scanlon sa id a voluntary sta nda rd strengthe ni ng th e safety design o f mechan ical to ys will be issu ed in J anuary. H e sa id mandatory sta nd ards a re not necessary because the to y industry is coopera tive. a nd added h e co u ld n ot adv ise parents to a void certain to ys this Chri stmas because h e is not a ware of any com pe lling problem . Am endments to th e Con sumer Product Safety Act four years ago limit th e adop tion of mandatory safety standards until voluntary standards have been tried. • had total styIe. H e won every race he ent ered . He got into drugs and girls and he started to slump. Then problems started with sponsors a nd parents. We offered to h elp financiall y a nd to sponsor him ifhe could give it h is a ll. H e co u ld not gua rantee 100% com m itme nt. After a yea r, he wa s ready to try aga in. Well to ma ke a sad story short. during hi s comeback he had a few let downs, wen t bac k to drugs . and qu it racing a ltogether. The point o f th e m atter is the best rid er s sta rt out during th ei r teenage yea rs. This is a time for g oal s, h eros, a n d di scoverin g. Also d iscov er in g drugs, girlfriends, bo yfri ends, partying, and peer pressure. Mot orcycle ra cing is a serious. dangerous. a nd expensive sport. T o m ak e num ber one you need tot al dedi cation, proper nutrition , lots of practi ce, and trainin g . You have to have yo ur wits a bo u t yo u. Your body and mind need to be in shape with no distractions. ' The factory pros were dedicated to ra cing in the beginning. A few may take drugs now, but they are already a paid factory rider. All they need to do is toot a few Jines, a n d bai l big time and their whole career can be ruined . In all major sports some drugs. mostly coca ine, are involved. but in m otocross you are looking to get hurt if you are spaced out while racing. No one ca n tell you not to tak e drugs or to party. Th e more a parent or sponsor says no, the more you will. The thing to rem ember is th e people putting out time and money to make yo u make it. to make yo u win . T? be tire on ra ce day because o f th e ni ght d before o r to be buzz ing a ro u nd th e race track, is a let down to th e people involved who want to see you win. Also it can be dangerous on th e tra ck. One good bail on th e track ca n put yo u o u t of co m m ission for months. th en th e factory will be wat ching th e other guy. If you must party. try to stay a wa,Y from drugs. Remember, tomorrow I S practice or race da y. You need people who su p port ra cing. you, and everyth ing in volved with a racing ca reer. You have to be in the best physical a nd menta l condition to win. A word in closing to a nyo n e involved in th e motocross sp o rt , m echani cs, sponsors. rid ers, e tc. Motocross costs, and drugs and drinking ca n influen ce wh ether yo u or your rider ca n perform a t his best. If yo u ca n' t give your a ll . th en don 't wa ste th e time a nd m on ey o f the pe op le arou nd yo u. NANC Y T HE YS Fra zier Park, CA Publ is hed letters do not necessarily refl ect t he position of Cycle N ew s. Inc. Letters for pu blication must be typed and dou ble-spaced; letters m ust include t he atrthor's correct nam e and address; uns igned or anonymous letters cannot be used; due to the vol ume of ma il no letters can be returned or acknowledged. Send letters to Voices. P.O . ' Box 498. Long Beach. CA 90801 . calaloals of five racers will end th eir motorcycle career. Most of th em will think they can make a co me back. I have only seen one rid er make it back. We helped one ra cer, and to this day I believe he co u ld have been number one. This kid was 16 years old. fast . listened to coaching" and ~ . ~ 00 ...... The lin e of Simpson h el mets is presented in words and photographs in their latest brochure. For your copy. see your dealer or write to Simpson, Dept. CN. 22630 S. Normandie Ave.• Torrance, CA 90502. Yoshimura Research and Development of Am erica 's catalog consists of 20 pages of high performance items for street bikes. including exhaust systems, cams, pistons, carburetors and much more. The catalog also has a section devoted to ATV items. For your copy. write to Yoshimura Research and Development of America . Inc., Dept. CN . 4555 Carter Ct ., Chino, CA 91710. NEW MOTORCYCLEiATV CATALOG FROM RPS T he RPS (Rich ter Perform an ce Product s) ca ta log is fill ed with m o tor cycle an d ATV item s ra n gin g from exha ust co mponents, hand ai r pumps a nd a ir fork kit s to di sc brak e co mponents. skid p la tes, sa fety wire kits a nd more. T o o rde r yo ur co py, wr ite to Rich ter Perform an ce Syste ms, Dept. CN, 2850 E. 29th s., Long Beach , CA 90806. Kawasaki's 1985 Accessory Catalog features Kawasaki's co m p lete lin e of accessories for th e KLF I KL T I KXT ATVs such as covers, ra cks, an d o ther assorte d access ories as well a s riding a p pa rel. Available from Kawasaki Motors Corp. , Dept. ATVI , P,O, Box 25252. San ta An a , CA 92799, --_.-.-_ _. . .-_. __ .__ .._--. -------_----.. _._--_..__. __ -..----- -_--...-_ -------'"---_._-_.. _--------... --_.. _" .. ..,..... _ . . . . . 1lOf:"i aArruy stJ lSAnoll; occt:r. _ 01 .. __ ._. _. _ n. ... tMM PO ~ mu : ~TTDtI£S SlI U ATE:' . I I . U _ . " ,.. _ ,_ "'"A"....... OI••t a.~ .. ..._ ...... ... _ a. . _ .._.n - - - ---- __ - _.. _ _.. ._-1 t:#JII ~' , _ _ _ _ .. UIV !ioU'" bt!'IC'H"1lGE ~ (Continued from pa ge 5) ~. , _ ·H .. Voices, exp la ins in easy-to-u ndersta n d ter minology how sulfation and di sch arge occur and what steps ca n be taken to prevent th em from happening. To receive yo urfree guide, write to Yuasa General Battery Corp., Dept. CN. P .O . Box 1262. Reading, PA 19603. . a al "'. ''' '- a._ ....._ _ • "'"'-" SEH DtSCH"RGE _ n MPEkATUkE roM M IUSON '"',- Yuasa Gen eral Battery Corp. is o fferin g a free six-page brochure ent it led, "How to Prolong Batt ery Life a nd Stop Battery Sulf'!ti<;>n .~ ' ;::~e ~r%t>!J ! Th e Hosking Cycle Works Motorcycle Publicati on s Catalog for 1986 li sts over 500 titles as well as an exten- • si ve co lle ctio n of ena me l pins. To get yo u r co py, send $1 to Hosking Cycle Works, Dept. CN, RFD #1, Box 136, Accord. NY 12404,914/626-4231. 25

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