CN
III VOICES
W H A T Y O U A R E S A Y I N G
"Change is inevitable and so is styling in motorcycles."
Archives: Race To
Riot In Atlanta
As we start a new year reading and
enjoying Cycle News, I want to make
a suggestion to all readers: Let's be
sure we don't take Larry Lawrence for
granted.
Larry's a professional, well-
researched writer and a consummate
story teller. His piece on the 1973
Atlanta dirt track was epic. Larry did
what only the best can do; he put us at
the racetrack as if we were a spectator
at the event. I was no longer reading,
I saw a huge cloud of dust rise off the
track. I could see the riders pull to a
stop under the scoring tower. I was
watching the coolers and finally the
glass popcorn machine come flying
over the fence onto to the track.
Larry, thank you for taking all us
back into your time machine each and
every week.
Thomas S. Mueller PhD, MBA
Your article summed it up well, Larry.
A bunch of us drove up from Flori-
da, and we were sure disappointed by
the disgraceful track preparation.
What I remember from that event/
non-event: Seeing the big names like
Dick Mann, Roberts, Rayborn; seeing
the diversity of machinery: Harley
XRs, Yamaha 650 twins, Triumphs,
Kawasaki 750 triples, and even a
Honda 750 4.
I watched Don Castro during
practice on a factory Yamaha clip the
hay bales in turn one, the bike went
ass over teacups, and he was flat on
his back in the middle of the track.
Medics and track workers got him up
after a couple minutes. He walked off
and not 10 minutes later he was, once
again, out near the bales at 100+ mph,
and really cooking! How those guys
could (and still can) do that, I'll never
know.
Bill Paine
Lowside: Better
Way Back When
I thought I would comment on your
article in the back of Cycle News last
week. I just turned 60 and have been
riding for years. I don't do much now
because living in Southwest Florida
and riding our straight and boring
roads is not that enticing. Same with
trying to dodge the blue-haired snow-
birds that show up here each year to
bitch about how is it so much better up
north. But I digress.
I read Cycle News every week
and being old-school miss the luxury
of being able to pick up the printed
versions to read at my leisure. But
change is inevitable and so is styling in
motorcycles. We have had a long run
of motorcycle styles that harken to the
Transformer movies with all pointed
lines and hard edges. Few, if any, mo-
torcycles have actually floated my boat
over the past couple of decades.
Oh there are a few. The BMW R
nineT was one that caught my eye,
but not my pocketbook. I saw a Moto
Guzzi the other day in traffic and
managed to catch up to the rider and
compliment him on his ride (Griso
1200). I even liked the Yamaha FZ1
when it came out. But overall most
street bike styling just doesn't have the
visual appeal of being fun.
My first bike was a Honda TL125
and I managed to transform it into
whatever "style" bike I wanted. Raise
the front fender and it became a moto-
crosser (in my mind). Drill a couple of
bolts into the swingarm above the axle
and bolt on a straight handlebar and
it became a road racer. It let me, as a
15-year-old, use my imagination to be
whoever I wanted to be. Kenny Rob-
erts or Joel Robert or Mick Andrews, it
all depended on how you dressed and
what riding position you took on for
that week (and where you rode, legal
or illegal). And it was fun.
When I came across the article
on the new Kawasaki [Z900RS], I
stopped work immediately and read
the entire report. The visual appeal
alone of the motorcycle stopped me
cold. I remember the first model and
how it inflamed my passion for the
"standard." Even in my road racing
days on a Yamaha FJ600, I like that
style motorcycle better than my Honda
Hurricane I raced the next year. Take
off the number plates and slicks and
put on treaded tires and soft bags and
you had versatility. And fun, with the
same bike. I couldn't do that with the
Hurricane, or could but would look like
a dork.
So in response to your query, "what
about me," "does the retro scene to
anything for you" the answer is—yes.
Simpler lines appeal to me because
they represent motorcycling in my
day. So instead of five slightly different
versions of the same Transformer-style
bike, I think the manufacturers need
to create a wide diversity of options
that cover the gamut of motorcycling
through the decades of styles. It is
probably not economically feasible
but oh how I long for the Kawasaki
GPZ305 I lusted for in college. I guess
that is why Vintage Days in July is so
popular. Anyway, thought you might
want one perspective.
Hans Wilson, P.E.
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
P6
