Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

AMAstudy (Continued from page 2) Don't go! America's weekly motorcycle newspaper Sharon Clayton. Publisher Mike Klinger; Comptroller Skip Johnson. Associate Publisherl National Sales Manag" . Jack Mangus, Associate Publisher/Editor Rheba Smith, Circulation Manager Caroline Gendry, Executive Secretary to . the Publisher Editorial Kit Palmer. Associate Editor Paul Carruthers: Associate Editor Farren Williams. Associate Editor Advertising Terry Prall, Sa~s M~nagt!1 Tim Ryan, Sales Manager Mark Thome. Sales Manager Mike Church. Eastern Sales Mllnager Thomas R. Gonler. Eastern Sales Manager Linda Brown, Western Ad Coordinator Carla Borden. Eastern Ad Coordinator Calhy- Corrao. Advertising Asst. Grephics end Production Ginger Mach3do. Production Manager Malcolm Wilson, Graphic Artist Diana Hilgenberg, Graphic Artist Marion Hata!lhila. Typesetter Carolyn Branham, Typesetter Dermis Greene. La.b. Tech. Accounting/Oeta Processing Donna Bryan, Accls. Receivable Coordina.tor Geneva Repass, Assistant . Fran Hamwey, Credit Circuletion Sarah Taylor. Assistant Alma Anguiano, Assistant Linda Zamarripa. Assistant Cheri Chapman. Assistant OopS! I'm sorry to write tbis letter, since I've' been subscribing to your newspaper for over 25 years, however, you've decided to go another way, which is certainly up to you. I remember reading about Al Rodgers winnin.g, and now I have to search for Dan Smith or whoever. I concede that pro motocross and road races are your interest; but not mine. I've enjoyed your newspaper greatly in the past, and my son has grown up reading it. So, good luck with the eastern news, road races, etc. Times have changed and I'll try to find a SoCal newspaper, My best wishes to John Ulrich, Keep the sarcasm down, John, and try to remember your DKW, before you got serious, For two weeks in a row you've shown pictures of Earl Bowlby, the nine-time National Hillclimb Champion, and called him Rod Riddle in the caption, If you wake up some morning with tire tracks and chain marks on your backs you know you've been warned, BORIS DOBROTIN Sierra Madre, CA As your subscription hasn't expired yet, Boris, we trust you'll have no trouble finding coverage in this issue of the most recent race Dan Smith competed in and won. If you change your mind on renewing your sub, you'll find an interview of Dan Smith in an upcoming issue, We do our best to cover all forms of the great sport of motorcycle racing, from races on Godmade desert sand to races on manmade asphalt, just as we have done since our first issue in the mid-sixties. Hopeyou'lichangeyourmind..,Editor, Want Ads Debbie Winkler. Wa.nt Ad Sales o.aler 5.les end Service David Mell. Dealer Sales Manager Service and Support Chris Aitcheson. Headquarters Receptionist Leonard Herring, Service and Support Netionel Headquarters 2201 Cherry Ave., Long Beach, CA 90806. P.O. Box 498, Long Beach, CA 90801-0498 (218) 427-7488; 218/686-8844. E.stem Office 4190 First Ave.. Tucker, GA "0084; mailing address P.O. Box 805, Tucker, GA "00850805, (404) 984-7850. Cycle News (USPS 141-"40) is published weekly except the first and last week of the calendar year (or $52.00 per year by Cycle News. Inc., 2201 Cherry Avenue. Long Beach, CA 90806. Second class postage paid at Long Beach. CA, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER; Send lonn 3579 to Cycle News, P,O, Box 49B, Long Beach, CA 90B01-0498. Subscription rates: One year, second class mail, $52.00. Cycle News welcomes unsolicited editorial mateTial including stories. cartoons. photos. Ctc. Such material. ifrublished. becomes the exclusive property 0 Cycle News. Such accepted material is sujbecc. to revision as is necessary in the sole discretion of Cycle News. Unsolicited materiaJ which is not used will be returned if accompanied by a self addressed stamped envelope. All unsolicited material will be handled with reasonable care. however. Cycle News assumes no responsiblity for the safety. loss or damage to such mate~ia!. Reprinting i~ whole or pan only by permiSSIOn of the publisher. Advertising rates ilnd circulation information will be sent upon request. See S.R.D.S. Copyright Cycle News, Inc, 19BII, T....mer!< Cycle News registered U,S, Pstent Office. All rights ....rved, ON THE FRONT PAGE: A sampling of the Deytona Race ot Chempions, Full ntce coverege begins on pege 12, Photos by Rendy Marrs. 4 Please votel PoLIs are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p,m, on Tuesday,. November 4. Vote before work so you don't forget ...,.. or vote before dropping the kids off at school (and set an example for them), ' Iii the October 29 issue of Cycle News, .those pOliticans who have sup~ ported, and those who have opposed off-road issues were listed, Each of our votes is going to count! . And ,thank you to Cycle News, for all of your information on political issues, It's reaHy not much fun to read about, but it would be a lot less ,fuf! to have to sell my bike because there was no longer a place to ride or race_ DANA BELL Long Beach, CA Helping hands On a recent trip to the Ootober 19 Hilltopper GP I had the misfortune of having all of my tools and gear stolen an hour prior to the race, The only things left were my leathers and boots, I was very upset to say the least. I was about to go back and get a refund when riders next 'to my pit area and their friends offered to lend me a helmet, goggles, gloves, chest protector and gas. 1 was astounded to see people who I :didn't even know offer to lend a. helping hand so I 'could race. The SRA has some fine people, Thanks again for making it not such a bad weekend, ANTHONY FRANCO South Pasadena, CA DON KUHL Cincinnati, OH Tire tracks and chain marks up his back would have been welcomed in comparison to what wedidto the guy who madli those errors",Editor, Cheers for our champs Let's hear it for super performances from the Motocross des Nations team (David Bailey, Rick Johnson and Johnny O'Mara), Bubba Shobert and Eddie Lawson! Let's have the same hard charging atmosphere for '87, Congratulations, guys, for the hard work, GARY HILDRETH Chicago,IL 1-2-3-4-5 I. I have subscribed for several years', 2, MotoWorld air dates have passed by the time I receive your newspaper. Kindly have Papa Wealey include them in the In The Wind section, 3. The new borderless cover is great. 4, I would like to know why you raised the price of a one-year su bscription to $32,50 from $25 when your costs have been significantly reduced by consolidating operations, Why do you call it a special offer? 5, An area code/state directory would be helpful to advertisers and respondents who utilize the classified ads, I personally am much more likely to res'pond to an ad if I know where it originates, THOMAS HECK Harrisburg, PA I. Thanks, 2, We'll give you as much advance notice on the Moto World telecasts as they give us, 3. Thanks, 4, We had maintained our subscription rates for just shy of three and a half years, Costs were significantly reduced by the consolidation, but other costs have significantly increased, Fifty issues at the cover price of $1,50 would cost you $75 and that's why $32.50 is a special offer, 5, Check out the front section of your local phone book and you should find a listing of area codes.. ,Editor, Published letters do not necessarily ,reflect the position of Cycle News, Inc, Letters for publication must be typed and ,double-spaced; letters must inelude the author's correct name and addresa; unsigned or enonymous letters cannot be used; due to the volume of mail no letters cen be ,returned or acknowledged, Send letters to Voices, P,O, Box 498, Long Beach, CA 90801. the ones fielded by American Honda for Bubba Shobert, are a notch up on us (Harley-Davidson) is evident, but restrictors shouldn't be imposed upon them, Why should they (AMA) inflict Harley-Davidson's problems on Honda privateers?" Peel said the adoption of a restrictor rule will cost the average bike owner at least $2,000 per machine to alter. "You're looking at $600' per cylinder head and $300 for just four titanium valves, etc. for an XR750, Access to a dyno is another thing, I have access to one as do several other privateer teams, but others don't. It's beyond me why they (AMA) would take this approach," . Former Grand National Champion Mert Lawwill, who fielded HarleyDavidson XR 750s for factory rider Chris Carr this past season, said, ,''I'm anti-restrictors, While there's some validity to restrictors, they'd be a bonanza to me seeing as how my machinery was running right with the factory Honda, the last part of the season.'t Privateer Honda rider Ronnie Jones agrees with Peel and Lawwill. '" don't understand what they (AMA) mean when they say one of the things they hope to achieve with restrictors is more competitive racing, How could it get more competitive?" said Jones, "Bill Amick says there are too many Hondas in the top 10 at each race, but he fails to look at the fact ,that Scott Parker finished second and Chris Carr fourth in the Camel Pro Series this year, and both ride- Harleys," added Jones, "I wouldn't be racing if it weren't for Honda, I'm talking about the bike, because Honda doesn't pay mea cent to ridea Honda, What they have done is produce a great dirt tracker and what they do is stock spare parts so there's never a wait for one. Unlike Harley, there're no back orders when you order parts from Honda, You call and you get them the next day." Lawwill and Peel both feel that a four-valve kit for XR 750s would produce parity if Hondas were kept at their present specifications. Both said the idea of such kits had been presented to ,the Harley factory in the past. "The present homologation rules require 25 complete engines," said' Lawwill. "If the AMA would allow us to produce the kits and submit one comp'!ete engine and the rest in ,the head kits, we could go that way," Lawwill said the four-valve kits would_cost "around $3,500," If a carb restrictor rule does go into effect, Lawwill said, "If the air intake restriction is minimal, so will be the cost to be right on the money machinery-wise. But if the restriClors are large, then it'll take head and valve work to stay competitive," Jones said he had no objection to allowing Harleys to run with fourvalve head kits, "The Honda is a modern engine and the Harley is an old engine, Allowing them to update wilh a four-valve head kit is alright with me," said Jones, Peel said he would request that the AMA put a freeze on current engines, .i,e, keep the the bore and stroke of the Honda dirt track engine at its present dimensions, and institute a rule that would prevent any form of fuel injection. Amick said AMA plans to announce specifics of the ..new regulations no later than December I, and that they will take effect with the 1987 season. Testing will begin the first week of November. •

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