Cycle News

CN III VOICES L E T T E R S T O T H E E D I T O R Rain Race Paul Carruthers (Carruthers Says, Issue 22, June 3) sure knows a lot more than a part- time amateur like me, but I think he has some wrong views of what happened at Road America. He thinks the race should have been stopped when it "stopped being a race and turned into a battle for survival." But what's wrong with a battle for survival? I once finished third and last out of a starting field of 15. Battles for survival are com- mon when it rains heavily on a motocross race. Remember the 2008 Daytona Supercross? But Paul would also say the red flag should have been used to stop the race to keep people safe. But why is slippery (which is what rain does to a track) less safe? When you're racing everybody is going to ride to limit of traction. If that limit is 50 mph in a particular corner instead of 100 mph how does that make it less safe? I'd rather fall off at 50 than 100. I agree with Paul that most people would have been happier if they'd red flagged the race and let everybody change to rain tires. But that's only because it wouldn't have hurt anybody's chances and it would have looked racier. Suppose it had rained hard immediately in the race. Then guys who bet on rain would have won. Yet all of Paul's objections would still have obtained. Guys on slicks would still have been tiptoeing around in "a battle for survival." And everybody would still have been riding to the limit of traction. Brent Meeker Camarillo, CA Honda Fours I believe Mr. Cathcart is in er- ror with the statement the first four-cylinder Honda built outside of Japan. As a Honda fan for over 50 years and a resident of Ohio for over four decades, the Gold Wings that were built in Ohio were I believe a four- cylinder engine. As a matter of fact I know they were because I worked on many of them and can remember seeing "Made in USA" cast in the area of the engine number! All and all the new CB650F looks great. I would love to have one sitting next to one of my CB400Fs. Also while speak- ing of time, I have enjoyed your magazine for over 45 years. Please don't stop. You are the last bastion of motorcycle news! Charles Smith Via the Internet I believe what Cathcart meant was… "This makes their all-new powerplant the first Honda four-cylinder engine to be (exclusively) manufactured outside of Japan."… Editor Wrong AMA It's positively sickening witness- ing the "terminal" erosion of American road racing. What's truly sad is the riders don't even know who they are dealing with. At what point does DMG (Day- tona Motorsports Group) stop hiding behind the AMA and let everyone know it's a subsidiary of NASCAR in Daytona Beach, Florida? Not one paycheck at a road- racing event is generated from the American Motorcyclist Asso- ciation in Pickerington, Ohio. It's time for someone to save motor- cycle racing in this country. Marty Stalnaker Parker, CO Story Placement Just curious as to why relic racing would be on page 50, and MotoGP back on page 75? Mandated by the AMA? Bill Hyde Oviedo, FL We decide on what stories go where in each issue and we like to mix it up a bit. Where the story falls in the issue doesn't necessarily make one story more important than the others… Editor No Navel? In the recent issue (Issue 22, June 3) on page 10 there's a trophy girl/eye candy in the FMF ad who has a push-up bra on but has no belly button. Have space aliens landed and taken over? Will Monster Energy girls be next? David Kelly Via the Internet Letters to the editor can be sent to voices@cyclenews.com. Published letters do not necessarily reflect the position of Cycle News. Letters should not exceed 150 words and are subject to editing. Anonymous letters won't be considered for publication and each letter should contain the writer's name, address and daytime phone number… Editor P16 "Not one paycheck at a road-racing event is generated from the American Motorcyclist Association in Pickerington, Ohio."

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