Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/84166
lQ, ... ,... en N .., 3 > ~ w Z >- W ...J (.J (.J i~ .. HOT NU'STI./N, HONDA(~;l'~'-'H:UT:CHAf!:LJ~' By John Huetter Several 'riders in Northern California are trophying in IT scrambles on it; Bob Hosford has Senior class wins in Ascot MX on it; John R. scared everybody at a 0-37 MX on it; Bill Silverthorne and Gene Fetty won Baja on it. What is it? It's not a bird, plane or man of steel, it's Super Honda. The modestly tuned trail riding XL 250 turned in to something. You can imagine the scene in Japan and over at American Honda. The corporate decision is finally made and the design engineers are let loose. The engineering supervisor strolls back in to the inner offices behind the locked vault doors where the genius Honda mo'sickle engineers are kept under lock and key. uTadeo," he says, "go to it. Design a new off-road type enduro trail riding bike with an engine of (What did Yamaha sell the most of?) ...yeah, about 250cc's. We want a reliable, good-looking machine that Americans will buy lots of." "Hot RicebaJls!" you can imagine Tadeo, Tosh, and the gang saying. "We're gonna buird a scleamer. Haven't had a chance like this since Mike Hairwood gave us back the Six." And so it went, a four-valve short stroke, magnesium-engined, super sanitary, Don't believe Hosford if h~ tells you it's stock and standard. You can see they took the lights off. efficient 250 with a lightweight frame. Hubba, hubba. Honda R&D has done it again. Proudly they present the fruit of their engineering labors to I : V'" (( )) Sard-to- find parts, eas~·to·get at Valerian's. W..lf,r ~~?'~~~,,~!.!~:o~td. 'J~ Los Angeles. Callfornta 90064 - Telephone: (213) 4i5-4541 Sales - Service - Accessories - Parts - R,veUs Champion Leathers HUSOVARNA • JAWA/CZ . SUZUKI, PENTON' MZ . MONTESA . ZUNDAPP . r.lIrJI· TRAIL', open monday through sa1urday P. O. BOX 52681 I HOUST9N. TEXAS 77002 .' FEATURES .....,.. • Hu.., dut,. rust preventiw tor outdoor pr0- tection. • film .ill ...Iop ~" outer cruM, while lilm nut to meul r.main. soft proyidmc .. sett· "aline ch_acteriltic. if the lilm is broken. • Heavy ,ni"ance to ..br..~. Reduces fric- tion and wea,. • CNtl exterior of cable slrands and chJin links. • Giwes immediate and I.stin& ~rotection. Withstands extreme hea' and prusure. ""netrat" core of cable and inner chain links. TEST EXPERIENCE • Protected motorcycle chain for four conH<:- utiwe weeks~ach weeiI~d runninc .It least 100 miles of Enduro--without re.pplic.ltian! • No buildup--dirt. crease. sitt actually reo pelled! • No sien of ower-heatine in two thousand miles of hard driwinc. • In twa thouund miles 01 motorcycle driwlnl no t~siani"l was required. eM" under ........,. to .... water