Cycle Round Up

CYCLE ROUND UP

JOSEPH C. PARKHURST

CYCLE WORLD AT DAYTONA

Among the members of the CYCLE WORLD staff at the Daytona races, reported in this issue, above you see me astride a Sonic fairing equipped Honda Super Hawk, and Jack Fullwood, CYCLE WORLD’S Advertising Mgr., on the new Norton Electra. The machines were graciously loaned to us by American Honda and Berliner Motors respectively, for our personal transportation around the vast racing plant and the town of Daytona. This is to thank them for their generosity; we would have been lost without them, and they did add to the fun of it all.

Another member of CYCLE WORLD’S staff at Daytona was the man, er. girl, behind the camera that took the above shot. Her name is Alice Bixler, and she’s the little girl behind the immense camera and lens. Mrs. Bixler trained her array of cameras on the furious activities and produced the handsome race coverage in this issue. She has been photographing racing in the southern and eastern United States for many years, not only for CYCLE WORLD but for Road & Track, Car Life, Competition Press, Karting World, and many others as well. We are quite proud of her contributor status, and the petite, attractive lensgirl is without doubt the most beautiful photographer ever seen on a race course whether it be shooting motorcycles, sports cars, stock cars, or what have you. The male members of the staff, including the venerable Slim Wyckoff, were proud to be seen escorting her through the avalanche of the predominantly male population of the fantastic Daytona Speedway.

TOHATSU OFFICIALS IN U.S.

Looking pleased with the newest (at the time) copy of CYCLE WORLD in the photograph below are, left to right; Jack Fullwood, CYCLE WORLD’S Advertising Mgr., John Honda, Tohatsu factory representative and racing rider, CYCLE WORLD Editor & Publisher, Joe Parkhurst; H. A. Nelson, Tohatsu representative and agent for the Hap Jones Distributing Co., Tohatsu distributors; Mr. Hideo Hirashima (holding magazine), President of Tokyo Hatsudoki Co., Ltd., manufacturers of the Tohatsu line of machines; and Mr. M. Hirakubo, Chief of Light Machinery Sec. of Marubeni-Iida Co., Ltd., Tohatsu’s trading company associates.

The occasion was a visit to the United States by Mr. Hirashima when we were given an opportunity to meet the multilingual gentleman and discuss the attractive future for the Tohatsu cycle in this country. John Honda (yes, he does have a bit of difficulty occasionally with his name) won the 125cc class event at the AMA Daytona races, riding the twin-cylinder Tohatsu.

SPECTACULAR DEALER OPENING

CYCLE WORLD’S Editor and Advertising Manager recently spent one of the most entertaining evenings the motorcycle business has ever seen at the opening of Bill Robertson’s third Honda outlet in North Hollywood, Calif. The exciting gala brought more than 1000 people to the door of the lavish agency where a private party was held prior to the official opening and refreshments were served to members of the press and friends of the wellknown Robertson family.

Bill Robertson has been a key figure in the meteoric rise of Honda’s popularity, and for more than 25 years was one of the Southland’s leading sports car dealers. Bill’s two sons, Bill Jr. and Jack, manage two of the Robertson branches, in Burbank and Hollywood, and each competes on Hondas. Bill Jr. recently placed high in the 200-mile National enduro in San Luis Obispo, Calif., and was one of the two riders who demonstrated the Honda scrambler on the record La Paz run (see Cycle World, June '62).

The photograph below shows Los Angeles Supervisor Warren M. Dorn, Warner Bros, starlet Lemoine Blanchard. Bill Robertson and City Councilman Louis Nowell.

MOTOR SCOOTER CLUB

The American Motor Scooter Association recently sent us a copy of the new booklet they have prepared called “Let’s Organize a Scooter Club!” It is principally concerned with helping individual scooter owners organize a local scooter club. The AMSA feels there is no better way to gain complete enjoyment from a scooter than through association with others who have discovered the fun to be had.

A copy of the booklet will be mailed free of charge to any scooter enthusiast upon request. Write the AMSA, PO Box 1896, Salt Lake City, Utah.

TRAIL SCOOTER RACE

Trinidad, Colorado will be the scene on May 19th of a trail scooter race up a mountain. The event, second to be held in this area, is sponsored by the Trinidad J.C.’s in conjunction with the Trinidad Trail Riders. Entry fee is $5.00, $4.00 for entries received before May 18th.

The race, run over an approximately 15-mile-long course, offers prizes totaling between $1,200 and $1,500. Scooters of all makes, 6 horsepower and under, are eligible, and the event will be run in two classes divided by power. Over 100 entrants are expected for this second annual event, the only organized trail scooter competition we know of. A scooter softball game will also be held. •