Letters

LETTERS

DOGGONE HONDA ENTHUSIAST

Just thought you’d like to see a picture of a Honda enthusiast, his name is KB and he is the mascot of the KBKW Radio Station in Aberdeen, Washington. KB

enjoys motorcycling as much as my husband and I, although we are “Limey” enthusiasts and ride an AJS, not a Honda. MRS. DAVE PERKINS Aberdeen, Wash.

MAKING A POINT (ER)

In your October issue th'e following statement regarding the Japanese Pointer motorcycle appears in the column “Report From Japan”; “Negotiations for distribution in the U.S. are reportedly underway with Harley-Davidson.” To set the record straight, we advise you HarleyDavidson is not negotiating in any way with Pointer or any other Japanese motorcycle or scooter manufacturer.

HARLEY-DAVIDSON MTR. CO.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

FIFTY YEARS GOING STRONG

Only fifty years old now, I handled Thors here in Helena, Montana at that time. I am using this 1913 model now

and then when I want fresh air. I am a motorcycle booster as the best sport of all kinds.

WM. E. MOORE Helena, Montana

GOING DOWN

I feel your magazine got off to a fine start but appears to be going down hill. Road testing both the Honda CB-72 and CB-77 in different issues as fill-ins for the lack of your being able to get the use of other machines very much in the limelight such as the 750cc Matchless, 400cc Norton and others is not well looked on in my group.

If you must test two similar machines of different displacements do so at the same time.

CALEB R. LAYTON IV New York City, N.Y.

The two Honda tests you mentioned were over one year apart; why do you not object to the tests of the 650cc and the 750cc Norton which also appeared one year apart? Perhaps you are not aware that Hondas are very much in the limelight and are by no means “fill-ins” for some machine we could pot obtain. (There is no machine we cannot obtain for test that is sold in this country.) We base our tests on the desires of our readers, amount of interest and popularity of any given machine.

FROM DOWN UNDER

I was reading your article on Speedway Bikes (August ’63) and I remembered a couple of pictures I had taken at a grasstrack meeting at Warragul in Victoria, Australia. At these meetings they run special events for speedway machines on the grass.

I don’t know whether you have this type of event in your country; however I am sending the photos taken at the starting line which might be of some interest.

I feel the speedway machines look far better on the grass tracks since they are chromed and polished as compared with the dirty, old, beaten and converted machines. However, one should not look down on the grass track machinery just because of its appearance; one is soon convinced of their power and speed.

Cycle World is the best looking and possibly the best presented magazine available here in Australia.

R. A. FORBES Hampton, Victoria Australia

FROM JAPAN

I am a 16 year old boy of Japan, I know your magazine from newsstands here in Japan. I am now riding a Yamaha. We cannot very easily obtain pictures of motorcycles here, could you please send me something?

I would like pictures of a Norton, BMW, Bultaco, Velocette, BSA, etc. If you would like something from Japan I will send it.

TAKAO TOSHIKAWA 1-502 Koenji Suginami, Ku Tokyo, Japan

Unfortunately we have nothing we can send Takao, except CYCLE WORLD itself, obviously. Perhaps one of our readers would like to correspond with him we have published his complete address. Ed.

WRONG HEAVY EQUIPMENT

Every now and then you get caught off base. In the October issue you’ve got Dick Hammer mounted on a Caterpillar D-9. He is in fact operating a little TD-9 International which is like comparing a Honda 50 with a 74 Harley.

WALT HOWLAND Vancouver, Wash.

AN OLD QUESTION, GETTING OLDER

I have read your answers to many letters, you go for trail bikes, but not for high risers and customs, why? Many trail bikes are advertised in CW, but risers and customs are not! Is this the reason?

I hesitate in sending this letter because you get the last say. Also, you are overly sarcastic. You say risers are illegal in California now, what’s Big Al’s rebel gang going to do? I’m worried for him.

JOHNNY LIBERTY Flemington, N. J.

I would like to say that I learned to ride on a bike with risers. I find them quite sufficient for anything except perhaps high-speed road racing. Sitting straight on my bike, my hand grips are -about 3 inches below the level of my shoulders, I have been hill climbing and cow trailing quite often and they are great when it comes to standing on the pegs to save the kidneys.

I am far from being the best rider but I still maintain that with high bars I can control and maneuver it just as smoothly, easily and deliberately as anyone with my experience using low bars. You didn’t seem too anxious to mention who told you about the statement concerning over 80% of accidents involving bikes have been with high bars. Was it grandma? If you print this letter I will probably be shot at dawn, but I wanted to express my opinion, so go ahead.

AMOS STRICKER Laguna Beach, Calif.

... I would like to buy the CB-72 Honda but your write up has given me a neurosis. I can’t talk myself into the idea of sporting “stubbys.” I foresee a loss of mechanical advantage, a loss of body movement area, a loss of low speed handling, and a loss of looks compared to a “western” set up.

I haven’t had the chance to try a stubby rig as the dealers here in the East don’t allow you to test drive a cycle so I am calling on you for more elaboration and comparison of stubbys vs. westerns.

JAMES R. BARNETT Northport, New York

Gentlemen, your letters are exemplary of the type we have been receiving in huge numbers since we first attacked high bars, or risers, or ape hangers, as they are known. We must first identify the bar we mean as being one with a total lift above the fork crown, or steering head, of more than say 9 or 10 inches. Obviously this can vary with the size of the rider, what is high to one, is not to another. Scrambles, trailing and moto-cross bars are generally referred to as “high” bars and are excellent both off and on the road; it is entirely a matter of preference, though if one prefers to ride fast and corner with verve as a habit he had best stick to the lowest possible bar as this places the rider’s weight lower, adds to balance, leverage and mechanical advantage and makes a lower rider silhouette, all of which are necessary for fast cornering on pavement and high speed.

Conversely, this “low” bar is inadequate off of the road because the upright seating position places the rider in complete control at slow speeds and allows the use of strength where it is needed most, i.e.; fighting the forces acting against the front wheel off the road, shifting the rider’s weight for balance, etc. At high speeds, and on smooth pavement, natural geometric forces replace the need for strength and allow the machine to track and balance as it will whether the rider is on, or off, of the machine. The answer is not quite this simple, of course, and we are preparing a complete analysis of the problem. We hope soon to complete it.

To reader Liberty, you apparently missed our custom issue, but the case you present regarding advertisers is ridiculous. Regarding Big Al, I don’t honestly think you need worry about his type. To Mr. Stricker; BANG! And to Mr. Barnett, 1 hope soon you will be given the opportunity to try the excellent bars on the Honda CB-72, you may like them. What a shame the dealers in your area cannot see the simple value of maintaining demonstrators to help sell motorcycles. Often, this is all that is required to convince a prospective customer. Ed.

TOM AGAIN . . .

“Gosh, it sure feels good to get back on my BMW,” said Tom, unchained.

JOHN STRATTON

Groton, Conn.

WRONG NORTONS

Since when did the AMA let Norton 750cc Atlas’ run in the 40 and 50 mile road races at Laconia, (CW October Racing Review).

FRED M. CRECY

Pawtucket, R. I.

Our error completely. Perhaps it was wishful thinking. Sorry for whatever confusion we may have created. We naturally realize they were 500cc machines. Ed.

SPELLING BEE

Since I have been reading CW I have seen complete spelled “compleat” (July cover), and “compleate” (October issue). At present I believe both variations are incorrect.

WILLIS HADLEY

Tucson, Arizona

“Compleat” is the old (or olde) English spelling of the word complete. We must confess to borrowing it from lzaak Walton, of the 16th Century, whose series of essays entitled “The Compleat Angler” is a classic form of this type of collection. Our technical editor, he who spelled it compleate, is just a lousy old English speller. Ed. •