Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Letters to the editor "...1 say, give Barney Li a chance to bring his machine to market." should be sent to Voices. Cycle News. P.O. Box 5084. Costa Mesa. CA 926285084. faxed to 7141751-6685 or Buster Memories f you, the reader, will indulge me, I ould like to tell you about a friend of ine. I went to say goodbye to him oday, and to thank him for a few things he did that changed my life. You see, he was partly responsible for me not ever giving up, and he taught me that having fun was the secret to going fast. I met Buster Roberts in 1988, out at the ranch in Hickman. We knew each other a little bit already then, from seeing each other at the races, but this was my first time out to Kenny's. I had just been signed up to race for the Marlboro USA team, and Kenny told me I had better start to ride in the dirt and to get my ass out there and get going. So that's what I did, and it was hard. Kenny is pretty darned fast, and so was everyone else out there. So I crashed and crashed. I had so many elbow scrapes that I had scabs on top of my scabs. But you know, I'd be lying there in a heap, spitting dirt out of my teeth, and Buster would come over and just say something like, "Hey Oliver, get your ass up!" But he was smiling. Buster was a man who could laugh with you, but he would never laugh at you. He always encouraged me to keep going, keep trying. He always took the long view and would tell me that it was going to take time and to just be patient, I would get it. So I worked at it and got better. I learned and I started to relax and found out that the more relaxed and the more fun I let myself have, the faster I went. Buster was cool, because some- times he would ride over to the dirt track from his trailer on his little kickaround motorcycle and watch us race each other on minibikes. One of those times he told me, "You know, Oliver, when you got here you couldn't ride worth a shit, but you're starting to get with it now." Kinder words were never said. Years later, we would hang out in his little trailer where he lived, talking about everything under the sun. He would tell me about his girlfriend from Japan, and I would talk about my latest. He was a good judge of a woman's character, as it turns out. I liked him a lot because of that little trailer. He was happy there, and had what he wanted. One day I asked him why he didn't live in the house with Kenny and his family, but he just said he liked it in the trailer better. I like to be in my own castle, too. Buster was always really fair about how he would pull for Kenny Jr., Kurtis and Tyson. But he would cheer for you too, even if you weren't family. He loved to watch a good battle on the track and would care more about how hard you tried than if you finished first or second. I've had to pick myself up this year a few times, and Buster has been there in my mind saying, "Oliver, get your ass up!" I'll keep getting up Buster, until my time comes too. I don't really know what kind of a father Buster was, or what kind of a husband he was, but he was a really good man to me. And I've found there aren't too many of those around. I wonder where he is now. Has he shed his comfortable but worn out body for something better? I think so. He can probably fly faster up there than anyone on a racing motorcycle can fly down here. But we'll keep trying to catch up. Rlch Oliver via the Internet Buster Roberts, the patriarch of the Roberts family, died on October 27 at the age of 82. Oliver is a multi-time AMA 250cc Grand Prix Champion ... Editor More On Buster I just thought your readers might be interested to know that the memorial reception to Buster Roberts was a wonderful event. There were an incredible amount of people in attendance, all seemingly with many fond Buster memories. All in all, it was a great tribute to a man who was a great friend to us all, and a man whose very name makes us all smile. e·mailed to editor@ cycle news.com . Joe Fenech via the Internet Published leiters do not necessarily reflect Okay With Biaggi Firing the position of Cycle News. Inc. Letters should not exceed 200 words and all are After just reading the "In The Paddock" editorial from the November 6 issue, I've noticed a trend to infer that it was a stupid mistake on Yamaha's part to let Max Bi!'ggi go. The point of Max being a good rider is not the question, but rather a lack of commitment on his part. After all, when Yamaha was trying to develop a competitive bike, it seems the only rider who was committed to giving 100 percent was Carlos Checa. How many test sessions did Biaggi skip? Now how many did Valentino Rossi miss? I am a huge Yamaha fan and admittedly have my bias, but I can't help but think that, for going against a Goliath like Honda, Yamaha has done incredibly well. If the facts are to be argued, let all the facts be there. Dan Breitbach Napa. CA subject to editing. Anonymous letters will not be considered for publication. All leiters should contain the writer's name. address and daytime phone number . . Editor. In reference to the letter by Carl Hungness about Barney U's plan to bring the Vincent brand back to the market, I say it's way too early to pass judgment on how this is all going to work out. I understand how a died-in-thewool Vincent lover like Hungness would just as soon want to leave wellenough alone and let Vincent have its place in history as is. That wasn't much different with the Triumph lovers or the Indian lovers when plans were announced to bring those brands back then either. I was skeptical myself when I heard about some guy in England that was going to give Triumph a rebirth. But look what a great job John Bloor has done with that. Indian's rebirth didn't pan out quite as cleanly, as numerous quarrels over the trademark surely muddied the waters there, but I think the current management is now pointed in the right direction, and it appears they have a chance of making their place in history one that will serve the glory of the originals well. Midway through Hungness' letter, he himself points out that the cast of characters in U's plan are the Honda Motor Company and Roush Industries. I'm impressed! For those that don't know Barney Li, I think this I ... n (I) en should be an indicator that, despite the protests of the Vincent faithful who might see Barney as some sort of grave robber, his ability to enlist top-notch organizations like this in his project should tell us he plans to do things right. Barney started small, but he has spent many years bUilding up his Eagle One line of polishes and related products into a major consumer brand. He did that by having a product that works well, and he has always projected a great image for his company. Those are qualities even the Vincent founders would have appreciated. I think Barney knows what he is doing and would bet that he will not go down a road that will result in any black eye to himself or the Vincent brand. It's a free-enterprise system we live in, so I say, give Barney U a chance to bring his machine to market. Then let's ride it and see where it fits into the big picture. DanEmde Laguna Niguel CA Give Barney A Chance cue < 0 _. n More On Vincent It was with great pleasure that I read Carl Hungness' letter last week. It was extremely well written and dead nuts right on. I feel the same way toward the phony rebirth of the Indian brand. If you want to create a new motorcycle, create a new name. Unless you have ties to the factory, which neither of these replica companies have, any attempt to resurrect the brand is futile, Show the courage to put your own name on your new creation. There are real Vincents and Indians out there to be had. If you want one, go buy one. You'll never convince anyone that knows anything about motorcycles that what you're building is worthy of the names you have chosen to desecrate. Dan Henry Endnltr:ls, CA ... _ 51< • NOVEMBER 13, 2002 5

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