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Wish List
BY KENT TAYLOR
Christmas must-haves of the 1974
A
ccording to the Beach Boys, "Christmas comes each time this
year." Motorcyclists don't need any reminders from any pop
music bands; we know to get our lists out to our families and
friends early, 'cuz every rider needs something new for their two-
wheeled obsession. And even if we don't really need it, we still want it!
Fifty years ago, Cycle News didn't publish an official Christmas Buy
-
ers' Guide, but thumb through our December 17, 1974 issue and you
can still find plenty of good buys for the holiday season that was!
Got a tough kid? Get him a
tough bike—in this case, a
pedaling bike! The new Yamaha
Moto-Bike. The kid provides the
power, but Yamaha does the
rest, thanks to a real "swinging
arm" suspension and telescopic
front forks. Handlebars featured
a crossbar and waffle-style
grips, making the Moto-Bike a
great stepping stone to the real
motorcycle scene. $130 at your
local Yamaha dealer.
Motocross boots have
evolved from leather to plastic
to a combination of the two
materials. In 1974, you could
still choose one or the other.
Hi-Points were the "Choice of
Champions," and guys like Roger
DeCoster and Marty Smith were
sporting the all-leather boots
that featured the metal plate up
front for extra lower leg protec
-
tion. Meanwhile, Harry Everts,
Jim Pomerory and Gaston
Rahier went plastic with the
Heckel boot. The Heckel looked
like a ski boot and offered plenty
of protection. Plus, they were on
and off and back on again in just
seconds. Heckels ran $74.95
from Buddha Enterprises.
There weren't many race bikes
that were truly ready to ride "out
of the box," but Husqvarna's 1974
Magnum came pretty darned
close. Team Husqvarna said
the only thing Kent Howerton
did was "adjust the handlebars."
Together, the duo wrapped up
the 1974 Trans-AMA Support
class over Honda's Marty Smith.
See your local Husqvarna dealer
for a bike that has "quality that
inspires confidence.
