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/126902
-----------------------------~ NATIONAL America's weekly motorcycle newspaper Sharon Cayton, Publish~ Mike Klinger. Comptrolln Skip Johnson, Associate Publisher/ National Sales M4mJgtT Jack Mangus. Assoc:ulte Publi.rMrI Sntior Editof' Rheba Smil.h, Circulation MtJrt4ger Carolinr Gc:ndry, Executi~ S«retdry to 'he Publish" Edltorilll John Ulrich, Editor Kit Palmer. Associate Editor Mall Hilgenberg, Associate Editor Paul Carruth~s. Assoculte Editor Farrm Williams. AssocUJte Editor Advertl8lng Terry Pratl, Western Sales Manager Tim Ryan. Weslt"NI Sales Manager Mark Tbo~. Westn-n S.k.f Manllge, Mike Church. EAStern Sales M.n4g~ Thomas R. Gontrr. Eas'ern Saks Manager Linda Brown. Western Ad. Coordiruator Carla Borden, £&stem Ad. CoordinlLtor Nancy Wastell, At.Wntisingl E.dilorial Asst. G..phica end Production Ginger Machado. Production Mdn4gtr Malcolm Wilson, Craphic Artist Diana HilgmbtTg. GT4l'hic /frltS! Marion Hatashita. Ty~tttT Carolyn Branham, Typesetlrr Dmnu Greene, LAb. Technician Accounting/Dete Procenlng Donna Bryan, Accts. Receiwb~ Coordinator Cmcva Repass, Assutont Fran Hamwty. Credit ClrcuJetlon Sar.th Taylor Assistant Alma Anguiano Assistdnl Lincfu Z.mmmpa Assistant Olen Chapman Ass;s14nt Laura AJdri~. Assistant Went Ada Slan Bem Want Ad Sales Service end Support Chris Aiteheson, HeadqUdrtns Receptionist Leonard Herring, Service and Support Greeves Novices Thank you for publishing my report on Ibe Greeves Days meet in your March 12 issue. We hope your readers will enjoy reading aboul Ihe old bikes and the people who reslOre and ride them. BUI could you please mention Charles Sales of Los Angeles, Ihe winner of the Novice class in the Greeves Trials? He rode very well and earned his trophy. His name was somehow deleled from the printed story. The Greeves Owners and Breeders Association feel our Novice riders are just as important as Ihe Masters and Expens. MOSI of us slaned Ihere. NetioneIH..dque~ LUANA M. CONLEY Carmel Valley, CA 2201 Cherry Ave" Long Beach. CA 90806: mailing address P.O. Box 498, Long Beach, CA 90801·0;198: 21!/427·7435, 215/656-8844, leer locompele in Ihe Grand National circuit with any success. With an increased schedule of events and dislance between tracks, you have to have a mega-bucks racing team. PI us Ihe COSI of a din tracker has doubled and il now requires Ihree bikes 10 be in Ihe bUnl, as compared 10 the old days when lWO bikes would gel a racer by. No wonder the spon is dying; there's no future. The AMA beller take a good hard look al its foundalion, racers, before Ihey find themselves like USAC. USAC was the AMA of sprinl cars, bUl il yielded 10 high-purse-paying oUllaw tracks and if din track racing is to survive, somelbing is going 10 have 10 change. MATT JAMES Walla Walla. WA Eutem OffIce 4190 First Ave., Tuck~, GA 50084; mailing address P.O. Box 80S. Tucker, GA 5008S· O8OS: 4041954·7850. Cycle News (USPS 141-54()) is publish~ weekly ex~pt the first and last week of the calendar year (or $25 per year by Cycle News. Inc.• 2201 Cherry Avenue. Long Beach. CA 90806. Second class postage paid at Long Beach, CA. POSTMASTER: Send form 3679 to Cycle Newa, P.O. Box 498, Long IINc:h, CA 90801-0498. Subscription rates: One year, second claiS mail. $25: twO years, .second class mail, $15; lhr« years, second class mail. $68; 25 ,,'eeks, SUo Foreign rates available on requOL Cycle News welcomes unsolicited C!dilOrial material including stories. cartoons. pholOS. etc. Such material, if published. becomes the exclusive propeny of Cycle News. Such accePled mac.mal is subject (Q revision as is necessary in the sole discretion of Cyde News. Unsoliciled material which is not used will be returned if accompanied by a ~lf addrrsscd stamped envelope. All unsolicited material will be handled with reasonable care. however, Cycle News assumes no responsibility for the safety. loss or damage losuch material. • Reprinting in whole or pan only by permission of the publisher. Advertising rates and circulation information will be sent upon requesl. See S.R.D.S. Copyright ~ Cycle News, Inc. 1986. Tredemerk Cycle N-. regiatered U. S. PlItltnt Office. All righu r.....-:l. ON THE FRONT PAGE: Honda CR VII. Kawasaki KX VII. Yamaha YZ vs. Suzuki RM. Find out which 250cc MXer is beat, starting on page 14. Photos by John Ulrich and Kim W. Palmer. 4 Spencer In 1985 Freddie Spencer was rider of Ihe year. Over a monlh ago, MotOWorld reported he was boycolling Ihe race circuit unlilthe prize money was doubled. Now Speedweek reports he's nOl menially or physicdlly prepared for DaytOna. What's Ibe slOry wilh Freddie and Team Honda? MARK FORD Walker Tech Birmingham, AL We don't know . .. Editor AMA Trustees Report Is Ihe AMA's bread and bUller dying? I've been involved in dirt racing for 15 years. I've walched il go up and down, but never to the all-lime low iI'S reached IOday. What's the future hold? I think the AMA has forgonen what il was weaned on; (din track racing) is whal made the AMA what il is loday. What does lhe pon gel in return? Increased calendar evenlS WilhoUl lrack purses going up. il makes il impossible for a priva- Accidents Allhough Ihe Danny Chandler incidenl is a tragic one, we are, in faCl, linered with this son of poveny crealed by accidents Ihal leave us injured and uninsured. Why? I don'l know why Ihe ovice and Amateur cannol have Ihe same son of securily that Ihe "big-guys" have at their ational evenls. Could you, as parI of the mOlorspons media, help shed some Iigh I on Ibis? And by Ihe way, who is Ihis Mr. Wildl and his MOlOrsports Advancement Crusade? il sounds like lbis could be somelhing for us, and we need all Ihe help and exposure we can gel. MACK BESSER SlOne Park, IL For information on Bill Wildt's Motorsports Advancement Crusade, write P.O. Box 66242, Chicago, IL 60666, orca1l312/678-3577 ... Editor Helmet laws I wish 10 respond 10 Ihe leIter from Ron Toudouze published in Ihe March 12 issue of Cycle News. Mr. Toudouze said he does nOl understand why the AMA suppons anti- compulsory 1Jelm~t laws. He is-from Texas, a slate which has repealed its compulsory helmel laws. He Slales that "We didn't question why we had 10 wear helmets. We wore Ihem because in Texa , in the I96Os, you wore a belmel and Ihal is all Ihere was 10 il." His Slalemenl brings a queslion 10 mind. Whal if some day Congress decides thaI mOlOrcycles themselves are unreasonably dangerous and bans them allogether? Would Mr. Toudouze wanl his freedom 10 be infringed upon 10 thaI degree? If nOl, wbere does he draw Ihe line? Tbere is no doubt Ihal helmelS save lives. I am nOl arguing Ihal. il is indeed tragic thaI people are killed or suslain severe head injuries in mOlOrcycle accidenls where a helmel would have prevented such from occurring. Yet I feel il is even more tragic when we complaisantly allow governmenl 10 reduce our conslilUtional right 10 choose under the pretense of protecling us. In order for ours to remain a free society, we must queslion any law which lends to restricl tbat freedom - even if it appears logical, like helmet laws do. Mr. Toudouze closed his letter by Slating thaI "the AMA .... should admil that anti-compulsory helmel laws are a contradiClion of Ibe most basic rider safely principles." Wilhin a narrow scope thaI may be true. Tbe issue in this case, however, is that our constilulion guaranlees the individual certain righls, among them 10 read and say whal he chooses, and, I think, the right to nOl wear a helmel should be not wan! 10. I think principles such as Ihese are and mUSl remain of the highest priority. Here in California I wear my helmel beause I choose 10. I hope I can always make that claim. JOHN E. WOOLSEY Redlands, CA Variable rake I would like to wrile 10 some of the lOp faclOry-sponsored motocross riders or lheir learn managers 10 presenl to them a paten! Ihal I believe will significanlly advance Ihe an of racing. The patent I hold is for a variablerake sleering head and it improves off-road motorcycle handling immensely. I ran inlo dead ends when I approached Ihe factories Ihrough normal corporate channels. BUI by presenling Ihe palenl directly 10 tbose who will benefil, I believe I can generale inleresl. I would like to know if you could supply me wilh the names and addresses (or someone who can) of Ihe top fully-sponsored, national or inlernational riders or learn managers for each or any learn, Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, and/or Kawasaki I would greatly appreciale any help. W. GREGORY LOVE Glover Enlerprises 1015 Russell Sl. Laramie, WY 82070 Don't call them; they'll call you . .. Editor. Published letters do not necessarily reflect the position of Cycle News, Inc. Letters for publication must be typed and double-spaced; letters must include the author's correct name and address; unsigned or anonymous letters cannot be used; due to the volume of mail no letters can be returned or acknowledged. Send letters to Voices, P.O. Box 498. Long Beach. CA 90801.