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/127207
"The main difference with ·DIRT RIDER is that it's not foo-foo. ·I can trust what it says." -Dick Burleson Name: Dick Burleson in the technical services department. I continued on as racing team manager and technical serv- ' ices manager until forming my own company in 1988." Occupation: President, Dick Burleson Sports; enduro rider a Company de.criptlon: "It's consulting company. One thing I'm doing is race bike prep. An example is a bike I prepared for a transAmazon rally in South America. .I'm also test racing bikes for DIRT RIDER, doing speaking engagements, and consulting on R&D for KTM America. I've also gotten involved in sailboarding and Hobie cat racing and am working to sell Hobie Surf and Sailboards in the eastern states." Riding hi.tory: "I got the fever in the early '60s when I was 18. I bought a Honda 90 under the pretense that it would be transportation to my summer job. In truth, the job was at the water plant on Lake Michigan and the route was through the sand dunes. It took me a long time to get back and forth to work, and I loved it! At the University of Michigan, my roommate was interested in motorcycles, and we did a lot of dirt riding. I bought a BSA 441 Victor, which I rode to class and in the dirt. When I worked up the nerve to go to a IT scrambles, I didn't have a clue as to what I was doing, but took second place. I went to a scrambles with another riding buddy, Sid Wells, and was completely bitten by the bug. He had a Husky and it seemed like he never worked on it, washed it or did anything. He looked at it, started it, and raced and won handily. That was really the beginning for me." Track record: "I started racing motocross when it was just getting started and won the Amateur Championship in 1970. Sid loaned Cj s ~ ~ il: ~,. . Bike. currently. owned: "I ride a lot of test bikes, but own very few right now. My son has two Hondas, and I have a Husky from the 1978 Six Days; just as it finished the event, in my office." Memorable event: " I racetested a bike at th is year's Alligator Enduro and took second overall. Having just turned 40, it was great to be able to ride competitively against 20-year-olds. One of the best things about motorcycling is that it makes you feel young." me $500 to buy my first Husky and I rode the 1971 Trans-AMA series, finishing fourth overall and top American. Because of John Penton and his boys, I got more involved in enduro racing and rode my first Six Days at the Isle of Man in 1971. Between 1974 and 1981 I was the National Enduro Champion and won eight gold medals at the ISDE." Profe••ional background: "One of my roommates in college was Jack Lehto, who was eventually hired by John Penton to manage._ the Husqvarna Motorcycle Co. when John sold it back to Husky. When I graduated in mechanical engineering, Jack hired me to work Magazine: "The main difference with DIRT RIDER is that it's not foo-foo. I can trust what it says. It's not just a magazine to make you laugh or just for entertainment value, although there's a lot of entertainment in it. It has good, solid inform ation. When I read a test or race report in DIRT RIDER, I know that's the way it really is. It's credible, believable." This endorsement is purely voluntary . No lee or other consideration is paid. AT NEWSSTANDS FOR $24.00 PER YEAR OR BY SUBSCRIPTION FOR $15.94. FOR SUBSCRIPTION ORDERS CAll (213) 854·2470.