Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

(Eill~ VOICES America's-weekly motorcycle newspaper LETTERS TO THE EDITOR VolumeXXXV Sharon Clayton, President Michael Klinger, Publisher Editorial Paul Carruthers, Editor Kit Palmer, Associate Edit{/l' Scott Rousseau, Associate Editor Mark Hoyer, Managing Editor Keith Bush, Assistant Editor/CoT!!! Editor Cameron Coatney, Associate Edrtor Alan Cathcart, European Editor David R. Holther, Copy Editor Advertising Terry Pratt, National Accounts Manager Mark Thome,. Western Sales Manager Thomas Gonter, Western Sales Manager Forrest Hayashi, Weslern Sales Manager Greg Mitchell, Enstern Accounts Ma,JQger jim Clark, Eastern Sales Manager Rhonda Crawlord, Western Ad Coordinator Bridgett Bobrolsky, Assistant Carla Allen, Eastern Ad Coordinator Tina Farr, Assistant Marketing & Promotion Mark Thome, Director Forrest Hayashi, Manager Kory Klinger, Dealer Representative New Media Development Rick Matheny; Webmaster Stephanie Leamon, Assistant Classified Ads Teri Kerr Graphics and Production Mandy Loc, Production Manager Dennis Greene, Lab. Tech. Amanda Wollny, Graphic Artist Randy S. Hess, Graph.c Artrst Sandi Gettys, Graphic Am t Administration judy Klinger, Coordinator Leanne Sims, Administrative Assistant AccountingfData Processing Donna Bryan-Diamond, AIR Coordinator Geneva Repass, Assistant Theresa Milburn, Credit Circulation Alma Anguiano, Circulation Manager Carol Maggio, Processing Coordinator Pam Klein, Billing Coordinator joy Lau, Dealer Coordinator jessica Schroeder, Assistant Service and Support Shannon Clark, Receptionist jim 0\ on, Service and Support ,National Headquarters 3505-M Cadillac Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626 P.O. Box 5084, Costa Mesa, CA 92628-5084 (714) 751-7433 FAX (714) 751-6685 Eastern Office 4188 First Ave., Tucker, GA 30084 P.O. Box 805, Tucker, GA 30085-0805 (770) 934-7850 FJlX(770)934-3112 5ubscribe@cyclenews.com advertising@cyclenews.com ow tha t Congress has passed the omnibus highway bill (TEA-21), which provides funding for our nation's roads lor the next six years, we, as motorcyclists, should applaud the outstanding efforts of the AMA's Government Relations Department in making sure that federal gas-tax money continues to enhance multipurpose off-road.trails in all SO states. A number of other improvements in TEA-21 and previous efforts to lift the federal burden from states regarding compulsory helmet laws are tangible benefits of membership in America's pre- FEATURES Cycle l\cws (USPS 141-340) is published weekly except the last two weeks of the calendar year for S50.00 per ve.lr by Cycle New.., Inc., 350~M Cadillac A,'cnuc. Costa Mesa, CA 92628. Penoc::hca1s Postage Paid at Coo;ta \-tesa, CA and at additional mailing offICe. Can.1da Post International Publicabons Mail 1546615. Cycl~ News, P.O. To determine the expir~tion d~te of your ubsc.ription, check the four numbers on the first line of your ~dd:ress l~b~1. Th~ first two digil§o indicate the last issue numberlou'lJ r«t.ive a.nd the (;lSI two ch,trilcters indicate the year the last issue. ° SubscnplLOn rales: R-:ltes (or the United States and its p0ssessions (or one year (50 ISSU~, $50.00; two years (100 ISSUes). 595.00; I;ix months (25ISSUCS), $26.00; trial sub 05 issues). $19.00. C.,nada ond Foreign. one year (SO issues). S90-lXl; two ye.1rs 000 issues), $175.00; six monlh!J (25 i ues). $45.00; trial sub 05 is!Jucs), $38.00. Cycle ews welcomes unsolicited editori.'ll matcriaJ mcluding stories, cortoons, photos, etc. Such matcrinl. if puI51i!Jhed. become:, the exclusive property ofCyc1e News. Reprinting in whole or part only by permission of the publisher. Advertising rates and circulation infonnlltion wHl be sent upon reques•. See S.R.DS. V __ W/BPA ~1~DlJTI'noN 4 Government relations Thanks, R.C. On May 14 my son, J.T. Krantz, suffered a severe back injury practicing for the Hangtown MX. The outpouring of love from the orthern California racing community has helped him start the long process of recovery. A special thanks to Ricky Carmichael for giving my son one of his SplitFire/Pro Circuit jerseys with his words of encouragement. This gesture will always make him a champion - both on and off the race track. Joseph M. Krantz Sheridan, CA Spectator gripes I just returned from the High Point MX National in Mount Morris, Pennsylvania, and although the racing was excellent, I would have enjoyed it more if I could have seen more. After attending the Amateur races the day before, my brother-in-law and I figured out where we would watch Sunday's action from when we returned with the rest of the family. When the five of us arrived on Sunday, I was shocked to see the area we hoped to it in was fenced off and marked: "VIP seating - $5" This wasn't in the advertisement. Well, we decided to sit elsewhere. Then we found there were canopies everywhere. Not umbrellas, which are bad enough, but big 10-foot canopies. My in-laws set up their lawn chair in the best place they could lind, but they could only see a small portion of the track because of the canopies. I broke down and tried out the VIP section, but again the canopies were a problem. Finally, I gave up Dn sitting and became a mobile spectator, popping my head between canopie here and there. In 1996 at Budd Creek, they allowed canopies. In 1997, they banned them. What an improvement. I could actually see. It was like having my first pair of prescription glas es. I have nothing against canopies. I own one and I love it. But when there are over 12,000 people crammed intD a lour-acre spectator area, there isn't room for umbrellas, much less canopies. Hey, maybe I'll go to a supercross next year and set up my canopy in the stands. That'll go over good. Michael Groves Goldsboro, MD And likes I just returned from the Hangtown Motocross ational, and I would like to not only applaud the promoters but also the riders. First off, l'd like to comment on the promoters. During one of the 125cc qualifiers, several riders went down hard in one corner. One rider required immediate care and was hurt badly. He had to be carried off the track. As he was being attended to, the flagman spread ou t the length of the preceding straightaway (close to four-tenths of a mile) to keep the racers away from the injured rider. This further insured the safetY of the downed rider._l have been to many events where the flagmen eemed to be asleep at the wheel. My ha t' s off to the club promoters as they ran an outstanding event, while putting the riders first and foremost in the prioritycolumn. Next, I was extremely impressed with the attitudes of the riders. Regardless of who I walked up to in the pits with my 5-year-old son, each one gave us all the time we needed to talk, take pictures and get autographs. Some riders even allowed my son to sit on their bikes in the pits. I would like to personally thank Kevin Windham, Ezra Lusk, Mike LaRocco and Jeff Emig. It was not only a thrill lor my son, but for myself as well. A special thanks goes out to Roger DeCoster. I pent about 20 minutes talking to him, showing him Did Trans-Am photos and getting autographs. It was also nice to ee Brad Lackey a t the event. It had been 10 years since I had been to an outdoor National MX, but it is a great feeling to know that the sport of motocross is alive and well. Ralph Benha.r;t www.mbay.net/-benhart Issue 124 Jcne24, 1998 Internet http://www.cydenews.com Printed in U.s.A. In addressing Mr. Rassiga's letter (Voices, Issue #21, June 3), I fully back the AMA's position on helmet laws. I personally never ride without one, but the issue is not the right to ride with or without a helmet - it is whether our government has the right to pass legislation that teps on the individual's rights for the so-called "good" of the taxpayer. Once this precedent has been set, there is no way to draw a dear line. More "under-insured" people are seriously injured playing high school football than "unheimeted" (and therefore irresponsible, according to Mr. Rassigal motorcyclists. Therefore, the burden Dn the taxpayer is much greater should we ban this dangerous sport? I challenge Mr. Rassiga to do his homework before blasting the AMA's position. There are lar too many state studies done that show that the taxpayers' burden for uninsured/unlieimeted riders is negligible compared to almost anything, induding bathroom/shower, golfing, boating, etc., accidents. The overwhelming cause of vehicular fatalities or long-term hospital stays i indeed head injury - but in automobiles. Should we all be requlred to wear helmets when we drive? Or should we be • made tD drive at a "safe speed"? Perhaps 35 mph on all roads would reduce "taxpayer burden." I, for one, am sick of losing my personal freedoms under the lame excuse that our legislatDrs are "saving" us from ourselves. A.J. Waggoner AjWag17mx@aol.com eminent motorcycling organization. The Washington, D.C., office of the AMA has done a fine job of representing our interests and deserves our continued support. Jim Bensberg Denver,CO INSIDE e-mail editor@cyclenew .com POSTMASTER: S~nd address c.h

• Cover