Cycle Round Up
CYCLE ROUND UP
JOSEPH C. PARKHURST
THIS IS TRUE ADVENTURE?
The January 1963 issue of Argosy, one of the many large circulation men’s adventure magazines, contains a story with some parts I cannot quite believe. Mainly because I was there. I refer to the cover story of Dave Ekins and Bill Robertson’s Honda-sponsored motorcycle trip from Tijuana, Mexico to La Paz at the tip of Baja California (963 Mile Trial, CYCLE WORLD June 1962).
The story, by Bob Grant, my companion and also a guest of American Honda in the Cessna that followed the intrepid pair along with pilot John McLaughlin and Don Miller, describes encounters with “thousands and thousands of giant kangaroo rats” and herds of wild horses. Neither were ever seen by either rider. The entire narrative deals with the trip as though it were part of World War II; though the facts for the most part are true, it is the manner in which it is presented.
Maybe it’s sour grapes, but publishing a magazine for men should be a simple enough job by telling stories of true adventures without the Hollywood type of embellishment and over-dramatization. It would seem that I should be happy that the story is there at all, for after all it does deal favorably with motorcycles and tells a true story of a pretty sizeable deed. My primary complaint is that it completely ignores one important element in the stunt; the time required for the first part of the hazardous trip. Not one word is said of the fact that the boys took only 39 hours and 56 minutes to cover 963 miles of some of the most rugged terrain in this part of the world. Time was an important factor; without it the stunt would have been meaningless because the trip is made by hundreds of motor vehicles annually, but not in that short a time.
Other than that, plus the fact that they got the passengers of the two planes mixed up, didn’t mention me (aha, the real reason), and called Dave Ekins, Dave Elkins, it was a good story.
GOLDEN EAGLES FLY FOR CHARITY
The Golden Eagle motorcycle club of Tampa, Florida, recently sponsored a scrambles for the benefit of muscular dystrophy, crippled children’s foundation. Proceeds, after expenses were met, were turned over to the organization. Overall winner was Ray Hamstead of St. Petersburg, Fla., who put on a beautiful show of riding ability. George Whitman of Lakeland, Fla., was elected by his fellow riders as the most sportsman-like rider of the year in his area of Florida. The Golden Eagles also sponsored an English trial at a later date, which may not sound too unusual, until it is revealed that it was held at night under lights!
YAMAHA DEALER SCHOOL
Jack Fullwood, CYCLE WORLD’S Advertising Manager, and I recently were honored by Yamaha International at their Dealer Service School meetings held in Los Angeles. We were both awarded a certificate showing completion of the factory technical course, and we had better add that this was purely honorary before some YDS-2 owner with a service problem assaults us for advice.
We spent an interesting day watching the Yamaha dealers learning about some of the newest service tips and watching movies of various Yamaha achievements, then adjourned to one of Los Angeles’ better Japanese restaurants for a sumptuous feast and to see color slides of Skip Clark’s recent visit to Japan. Clark, Sales Manager of Yamaha International, spent several weeks in Japan as a guest of the Yamaha factory; he also took time out to witness the races on the exciting new Suzuka grand prix circuit where Yamaha upheld their honor quite well.
We also learned of Yamaha’s plans to re-enter grand prix racing in Europe with a new 250cc rotary inlet valve twin with Furnio Ito to be among the leading factory riders. We wish them the best of success this year.
PRESENTATION TO SPEED RECORD MAN
Before the two men behind the recent world two-wheel speed record returned to America, they received farewell gifts from Mr. Edward Turner, Managing Director of Triumph Engineering and of the Motorcycle Division of the BSA Group. Shown here with a photograph in the background of the Triumph-engined streamliner in which he attained 224 mph is Bill Johnson dish. Center is Joe Dudek, designer and owner of the machine, who received a similar gift.
PROMOTING GOOD WILL
Butler & Smith, Inc., in New York, recently found a novel way to promote motorcycle good will and interest by presenting a cut-away motorcycle engine to the Engineering School of the Westchester Community College in Valhalla, N.Y. Mr. Richard B. Kahn, Sales Manager (second from right) is shown making the presentation to members of the college staff.
Butler & Smith feel that many manufacturers, distributors and dealers who have cut-away engines and similar items might turn them over to schools or colleges to create good publicity for motorcycling, and we concur wholeheartedly. The interest among students could be greatly enhanced by such donations of materials which in many cases are just gathering dust on shelves and in storage rooms.
MOTORCYCLING IN NASSAU
CYCLE WORLD’S Canadian correspondent Eve White, in Nassau covering the automobile races for Motoracing, wrote with some observations on two-wheel transportation in the Islands. Many of the car drivers rent scooters for transportation around town and, as many have never ridden before, much less on the other side of the road, the hazards are fierce. Mostly Lambrettas are for rent, with an average cost of $8.00 per day, with quite a reduction by the week.
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The police also use scooters and very well turned out Triumph Speed Twins, the Governor having an escort of the latter when he opened the Legislature. Several of the racing stables (automobile again) included motorcycles brought over from the States, Hondas being the favorites in the smaller capacities.
The North American Racing Team Ferrari pit had a rider, sporting a “British Motorcycle Imports” sweater from somewhere in Florida, counting off the laps their cars completed. Not so incidentally, the only person who was able to give Mrs. White some help for which she was looking was Bill Tuthill of the Museum Of Speed and the United States Motorcycle Club, with whom her contacts have all been on the motorcycling side. While chatting to a mechanic for Jim Shaw’s Lister Corvette she found that he had raced motorcycles in Canada, way back in the 1950 days at Edenvale, though he is not a rider now.
TOP EASTERN RIDER
Smiley Hulbert of Duxbury, Massachusetts, shown astride his BSA, was top Eastern rider in the recent East/West scrambles championship. His leading lady, at his side, is Gail Martin who Smiley tells us is soon to become Mrs. Hulbert. His battle-scarred BSA Starfire is still covered with the mud of recent victories.
LAMBRETTA STAFF CHANGES
Innocenti Corporation, U.S. Distributors of Lambretta motor scooters, have announced the following changes in their management effective December 1st, 1962. Mr. C. A. Pozzi, President, has resigned and returned to Italy for a position with another company. Mr. J. Rodocanachi, Vice President of Innocenti Corp. from December 1, 1963, to March 27, 1957 and President from March 27, 1957 to December 1, 1961, has been reappointed President. Mr. Rodocanachi is Sales Director of Innocenti in Italy.
Mr. R. Braceo, as Sales Executive of Innocenti of Milan has been appointed Vice President of Innocenti Corp. in New York. Mr. B. Gabbrielli, formerly Office and Credit Manager is now Treasurer, and Mr. A. Rocco, Sales Manager, has been appointed General Manager in charge of sales.
YET ANOTHER LOCAL CHAMPION
Continuing in our quest for local champions we came across the name of Mason “Butch” Corder, shown here seated on his 200cc Triumph Cub. Butch was the overall point winner for the season at the Three Star Raceway lightweight races in Sacramento, California, and established an outstanding record of winning first place
points’in 13 main events and trophies in 9 trophy dashes. 15 races were held during the season, sponsored by the Fort Sutter Motorcycle Club.
Corder is a 17 year old senior at Grant Union High and has been riding in competition since 1960. He also rides scrambles, hillclimbs and English trials. In September 1962 he won the Nevada State Championship at Reno.
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Three Star Raceway is a specially designed track for lightweight racing, having VA midget and micro-midget paved tracks in the center with decomposed granite l/7th mile oval on the outside for the motorcycles. It was built by Affiliated Raceways, Inc., a corporation composed of racing enthusiasts, in 1960. It is interesting to note that cycle races have been most consistent events and draw the largest number of spectators.
Over 130 riders competed for season points during the 1962 season, running from May to November, entering from California, Nevada and Oregon.
HARLEY-DAVIDSON SERVICE SCHOOL
The first of three classes which will attend the Harley-Davidson Service School this winter completed the two-week course in December. Attending were 24 dealers and mechanics from 17 States. Top-notch instructors from H-D’s Service Department staff the school which is held annually at the factory in Milwaukee, Wise.
Standing in the rear of the group, left to right, are; Joseph Ryan, H-D Service Manager, and instructors Albert Henrich, Sidney Soiney, John Nowak, Robert Jameson and Richard C. Marshall.
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JAWA SERVICE SCHOOL
A group of East Coast Jawa dealers recently received three days of intensive instruction in servicing Jawa motorcycles during service school sessions sponsored by Javco Motorcycle Corp. Factory engineer Stan Cerny provided the latest factory-approved methods for servicing, maintaining and adjusting Jawa electrical systems and gearboxes as well as other phases of Jawa tuning and repair.
Certain phases of Jawa’s 1963 promotion and dealer support programs were discussed by Ben Kohn and Bill Townsley of Javco. Stan Cerny was able to review some of the latest Jawa technical developments with the visiting dealers. Among other things, the dealers were entertained by movies of the 1961 International Six Days Trial in which Jawa riders won 24 Gold Medals during their stay as guests of Jawa.
The school was held in the new East Coast sales and service headquarters devoted to Jawa cycles and Skoda automobiles, with a new parts department and a fully-equipped service department.
