Cycle News

of Cycle News West, states on Page 31 that Mr. J.R. Penny accused me of blatantly misinforming the public that 93% of the California Desert was going to be closed to off-roaden. An earlier issue of Cycle News made a similar- editorial comment, and I advised Mr. Ulrich at that time that the figure of 93% was concurred in by a high.ranking Staff Member of the BLM at the initial Riverside meeting on September 8th. If you will refer to the September 18th issue of Cycle News West, you will note that my article stated that 93% of the desert would be closed to competition. Mr. Penny has twisted my words to Don't blame my gate I just read your report on the Trans-AMA in Puyallup, Washington. The story was a£curate and entertaining with the exception of the lack of facts concerning Rich Eintedt's poor start in the first support moto. Just saying that Rich got hung up in the new Preston Petty starting gate and lost half a lap infen that a gate malfunction was to blame, which was not the case. Being unfamiliar with the new gate, Rich apparen t1y tried to gain a fraction of a second advantage by wheelieing over ~e top cable before- the gate actually went down. With regular gates this is 'a common technique, but· the Preston Petty gate was designed specifically so it couldn't be jumped in order to offer a fair start for all of the riders. Matter of fact, in all the testing and actual races in which the Preston Petty gate had been used, Rich now bas the dubious distinction of being the first rider to unsuccessfuUy get his front wheel over the top. I am sure Rich won't try to jump a Preston Petty gate again, but it is unfortunate that a re·start wasn't called as it should have been and Rich had to suffer an inordinate consequence for being unfamiliar with new equipment. The Preston Petty starting gate is very different from existing gates because it takes a completely new approach to get a consistent and positive mechanism that can give an equal start for all riders. Since it is so different, it is naturally wide open for criticism from the uninitiated. Cycle News has the reputation for being a leader in keeping the nation's motorcycle en thusiasts informed. The Preston Petty starting gate has considerable potential for improving the sport for track operators, spectators and riden alike. It would be more consistent for a high standard of journalism to familiarize yourself with this new product and honestly evaluate it. PRESTON L. PETTY President Preston Petty Products, Inc. Newberg, Ore. OK, we'/l test one. Send it dow1k..Ed. Flipped out I am a District 38 TT rider and am tied for fourth place, but ended up f"dth. I called my steward to find out what they did in a situation like this. He said "we flipped a coin". Since they only take twelve of your best races it seems to me they should add up all the points of every race, then determine it by that. What do you think I should do? TIM MELANCON Ask to be present at the coin-flipping. It might make more sense if they listed both as fourth ... Ed. Old Timer Advises Tod Rafferty has a nice style of writing. I enjoyed his column in your November 27th issue, in which he discussed the possibility of gas rationing. In part, Rafferty stated, .....Even at , an imposed limit of 15 gallons per week (in reference to possible ration allotment for automobiles), the judicious biker would have 500 to 1,000 miles of travel juice." From this statement it is quite obvious that Mr. Rafferty was not around, at least at consumer level, during World War II. The government was well aware of the motorcycle's greater economy over the automobile. For, while the majority of cars were allotted four gallons per week (via "A" gas coupons), motorcycles were scaled down to 111> gallons per week (under the "0" gas stamp classification). In essence, based on 15 mpg for the car and 40 mpg for the bike, this meant that both vehicles could travel about the same total distance on their weekly rations of gas. BILL BAGNALL Lake Arrowhead, Calif. So what we'/l do is go fill up our cars and transfer the gas to our bikes, right? That seems counter-productive to us, however. The government could favor bikes and thereby cut down on gas consumption with a shift to bikes...Ed. M.O.R.E. sticks in there that appeared iii the 13 November issue of Cycle News West, concerning the passage of AB 1421. Vour comment, which appeared in the Papa Wealey columnt I wish to take exception to an item stated: "Among those supporting the bill was Russ Sanford, president of M.O.R.E., etc.". That comment is untrue and unfounded. If you would care to examine the facts, you will note: 1. Before AB 1421 came to a vote in the Legislature, I authored an article for Cycle News which explained the controveny over 'Green-stickies VI. Orange-stickies'. In that article, I explained four separate alternatives that were available to off.roaden, and 'asked them to write to me and voice their preference. Cycle News did not print that article for nearly two months, and when it was printed, the bill had been approved and the Legislature had been adjourned for over a month. 2. I issued a newsletter to the MORE membership containing the same information and asking for comments on the four available alternatives. We received numerous replies on this issue from our members, and to a man, they agreed that the extension of the 'green.stickie'. to all off-road vehicles was the best of the available alternatives. 3. MORE is an 'organization that belongs to its mem~ers and represents its member interests. Not mine, or any other individual. . 4. Because AB 1421 had already been amended along the alternative though t best of our members, we did not oppose the biU...nor did we support it. On another matter that bears explanation. your November 13th issue Our Own Cycle Paper Congratulations and a personal thank you for your recent coverage of our last two hillclirnbs. I hope this means you are changing your policy of not covering local events? I had stopped reading your paper when week after week no copy ever appeared. If you continue to give us coverage I will again become an avid Cycle News reader, as will all the other hillcIimben and ex-readers. As an ardent climber and member of the Saddleback HilIcIimbers Club it of coune gives us a kick to see our names in print; but more importantly it gives us much needed publicity. It's surprising how the i'uendance at and in the climbs dropped off when your coverage stopped. If our own cycle paper won't give us space, then who will?? We know we have an exciting ~port which is really perfect for spectating, as all tbe action is in one area. Come out and see us. We have two climbs a month; at De Anza Cycle Park on the second Sunday of the month, and at Saddleback Park on the last Sunday. Better still, bring your bike and enter the climb, we have stock classes as well as highly modified - youll have a ball, and if you have a little mountain goat in you you might win some brass. GENE PAQUETTE HiUclimber Laguna Niguel, Calif. National Advertising Direetor; Tom Culp Wendy Blanton; Advertising AssiSlanl Trudi Culver: Advertising Assistant Nancy Gr-v; Advertising Art Director West: P.O. Box 498. Long Beach. CA 90801. (213) 427-7433: 1..A 636-8844. Telex No.673·474. East-Dixie:_ P.O. Box 805. Tucker Georgja. (404) 934:'7850 . Central: P.O. Box 13245. AlUlin, Tex.. 7"8711. (512) 444-7548 Subscription One year. second dass mail. 112.50 2 yean. second class mail. 122.50 3 years, 5Ccond class mail. 130.00 Single copy price. 50 4 make it sound as though I had stated that 93% of the desert would be closed to off-road vehicles. That is not the truth, and your editorial department knows that is not the truth. That is why I can't help but wonder why your article concerning Mr. Penny's press conference did not carry some sort of Editorial Comment that Mr. Penny's statement was in error. This seems to be a normal practice of Cycle News when you wish to set the record straight, rather than printing what you know to be an untruth. Numerous comments have been registered that it would appear that Cycle News West goes out of its way to depict MORE in a bad light. I know that this is untrue, because your very tivelihood depends upon a continuation of motorcycling, and it is hardly feasible that you would risk such livelihood by 'bad-mouthing' any organization, that is dedicated to the preservation of motoreycling: something that MORE works at 24 hours of every day, 365 days per year. RUSS SANFORD President MORE of California Invisible Winners My abje.ct apologies to: Mike Leckhich (Hod), Phil Cowan (DKW) and Jim Squires (Yam) for not having their names in my Barstow-to-Vegas story. All three are Trail Amateurs and by now realize that they are invisible. I even wrote their names on my finisher's list, but still they didn't get into the article. It is a shame when three fine riders such as these ride all that way, finish that well and can't even get their names in the results. For posterity I would like to set the record straight. Mike, Phil and Jim were first second and third Trail Amateurs in the 1973 Barstow-to-Vegas, world's biggest Hare and Hound. ALlCE (Red-Face) RHEA Las Vegas, Nev. Sharon C1oyton; Publisher Tom Culp; Genera) Manager Edna Mewton; Secretary to Publisher Catherine Lampton; Art Director Tod Rafferty; Managing Editor Art Friedman; Editor John D. Ulrich; Associate Editor Rheba Smith; Circulation Manager Pam Hobbs; Circulation Assistant Cheryl Steinberg; Circulation Assistant Hector Aguilera; Lab Technician Marion Hatashita; Typographer Melvin Phelps; Assistant Typographer Gaye Zaionz; Accounting Manager Twila Wheeler; Accounting Assistant Chris Koibet; Accounling Assistan t Rosemary Chaindler; Accounting Assistant Jim Squires; Collection Manager Mike CoIikas; Services & Support Chris Hom; Services & Support Dav Pauli; Services & Support Bill Runyan; Service 8< Support Jeannie Dunivan; Receptionist Trials The Tree-a1 SoCaI Arizona Opinion Speedway Speaking of which North Mostly inside Desert Shopping Guide _ Tis the see·son to spend al yer bucks Test Wanna trophy? Enduroing Results Points paid Calendar Sign 10, pay 20 COVER: Christmas is coming at us again, WFO. If you're looking for a stocking stuffer for someone, the Triumph TR5T might be just the toy for that man somewhere in your life. Photo by Tod Rafferty. 30 32, 34 35 37 6 10, 13, 15,23 11, 17, 18 12 14 20 33 20 ~·uhlish...'d wee kly CXI.:Cpt for the rirsl and las~ wC't.'k of the nlcndar yc;ar by eye'll: Nt"ws, Inc.. PUSI Orfin' Box 498, J..ong KC1U'h, Caliromi.... Sc,'ond dotss poslagc paid al Long I{eiirh, CA. Edilori..1 slories, l· .. rloon~. phOlOll, 1:11.:. arc wekome. .\dc.lressc:d. slotmpcd envelope lISSUrcS rtlum uf c:ditorial mallcr Keprintin, in whok or p.trl only by pcrmhsion of the publilOhcrs. .\dv,..rtising ralCS .Iud drl."ulottion inrmm4lltion will lx.' ......·nl upon request. See S.R.D.S. Cup~'righl Cydl' i\'CWl'. Inc. 19n..\11 righL'l rl·s,:r",:d. 3

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