Around the Industry
AROUND THE INDUSTRY
COSMOPOLITAN MTRS. LINE FOR 1963
Cosmopolitan Mtrs. of Philadelphia and their West Coast Distributor, Cooper Mtrs., announced many new improvements for 1963 on the Parilla motorcycle. The 250cc Wildcat scrambler is now available with a manual ignition retard and lighting system, making it a more versatile machine. Detail improvements also were made in the suspension systems and clutch to control a power increase in the engine.
The new 250cc Parilla Tourist road model, retains the large, soft seat and sealed beam headlight and continues to be a most popular high-speed touring lightweight. The Parilla 125cc Scrambler promises to be one of the stars of the line due to the growing interest in trailing, hunting and other off-the-road sports. The machine is now available with a speedometer.
Bianchi's 75cc will now be available with a foot shift and a hopup kit is also available that gives a 25% increase in horsepower. The MV scooter has just been released that features turnpike-type performance in an attractive package. Other familiar models of the Cosmo line are continued for 1963 with technical improvements and are: Parilla Trailmaster which features the racing 250cc engine in a frame that can be used either on or off the road; the 250cc Parilla Grand Sport which won the 1962 U.S. and Canadian Championships; and the Parilla Olympia lOOcc and the Capriolo 75cc, both featuring high performance.
Cosmopolitan Mtrs. are now in their new headquarters at 5521 Wayne Ave., Philadelphia, and have new facilities to back their dealers with factory technical staffs and 24-hour parts service. They are stocking large quanties of Pirelli tires and will soon add 350 x 18 and 400 x 18 Moto-Cross tire sizes to the line. The Cosmo catalog also features the A.G.V. helmets and Baruffaldi goggles.
On the West Coast the motorcycles are distributed by Cooper Mtrs., 5832 South Broadway, Los Angeles 3, Calif. Parts for the machines are distributed by HallBurdette, 2010 del Paso Blvd., North Sacramento, Calif. Pirelli tires are distributed by Ed Kretz & Son., 417 E. Garvey Ave., Monterey Park, Calif, on the West Coast. In the Mid-South it is Bruce Bristol, 4615 Gulf Freeway, Houston, Texas. North-West representatives are Ray Garner, Portland Ore. and Fay Myers, Denver, Colo., while in the east it's Shore Mtrs., Warren, Mich. Triumph Sales, Hutchinson, Kansas, and Nichols Motorcycle Sales in Chicago, do the job for the Mid-West.
PUBLIC RELATIONS FROM HONDA
One of the most interesting and informative sales letters I have ever seen arrived from Jack McCormack, Sales Manager of American Honda, covering the subject of public relations from the standpoint of the dealer. McCormack makes an extremely salient point in citing the fact that every motorcycle rider on the roads is a rolling sign board for both the dealer that sold the machine, and motorcycling in general.
The crux of the letter points a finger of shame at dealers selling megaphones to these riders, thereby encouraging them to make an audible spectacle of themselves. Of all of the public relations problems facing motorcycling, noise is probably the worst because it is the most abused. Each and every cycle dealer should take stock of what he is doing to encourage proper and courteous riding habits of his customers.
McCormack further points out that, as far as Honda is concerned, there is not a legitimate reason for a rider to use a baffled type megaphone as they have figures showing that with the exception of a full megaphone, used in racing, the standard Honda exhaust system is more efficient. We can add that in the case of most production motorcycle exhaust systems the same holds true. He adds that the few dollars dealers make off the sale of a megaphone or other loud exhaust system, is minute, compared to what he is losing in reduced sales to the public who have become anti-motorcycle because of the noise factor. We could not agree with him more and sincerely hope that more dealers will take heed.
H-D SERVICE SCHOOL & MID-WINTER MEETING
Two important meetings were held recently at the Harley-Davidson factory in Milwaukee — the Mid-Winter gathering of District Managers from all over the country and, two weeks later, the banquet for dealers and mechanics who had attended Service School training sessions.
The District Manager meeting was devoted to talks about the new H-D Dealer Operating Manual, and to informal "Shirt Sleeve" and "Trading Post" discussions between Managers and members of Harley - Davidson management. Participating in one of the Trading Post discussions are (clockwise in photo from right) Roy Benkendorf, Sales Promotion Supervisor; Dist. Mgr. Ray Weser, Sacramento, Calif.; Joe Campbell, Parts &~ Accessory Sales Promotion Mgr.; Dist. Mgr. Dick Murtz, Adrian, Mich.; Dist. Mgr. Tom Conroy, Minneapolis, Minn.; Jerry Johnston, Ad vertising Mgr.; Dist. Mgr. Jim Allin, Port land, Ore.; Dist. Mgr. Waymon Garner, Brownwood, Texas; and Pete Schaff, Col lection Mgr., Kilbourn Finance Corp.
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Sixteen states were represented at the 20-man Service School for dealers and mechanics, with six expert instructors con ducting the training sessions. Latest service techniques were explained, proper use of special tools was demonstrated, and work bench practice for trainees was supervised. An interesting aside is the fact that for the first time in H-D history, a woman at tended the Service School banquet; she was Mrs. Catherine Moneghan, owner of Monty's Cycle Shop in West Bridgewater, Mass., and in the photo she is shown chatting with H-D Secretary I Treasurer Otto P. Resech; on her right is Wm. H. Davidson, President of the company.
BERLINER AGREEMENT
Mr. Joseph BeriLier, President of the Berliner Motor Corp. and the J. B. Match less Corp., both of Hasbrouck Heights, N.J. accepts a long term exclusive distri bution agreement for products manufac tured by Asso lated Motor Cycles of Eng land from Sic Norman Hulbert, D.L., M.P., seen here seated on one of the new 400cc OHV Norton Electra vertical twin motorcycles that feature their re cently innovated push-button electric start ing.
FRYING TROUT TO MUSIC
Mason, Kretz and Fordyce, the wellknown Los Angeles Triumph dealers and promoters of their equally well-known Buffalo Feeds and Trout Fries, recently staged another fry and this time they even had music. Ben Herbert, a noted TV and radio concert organist, presented a onehour concert at their event, held at the Whitewater Trout Hatchery.
Despite a quite formal music educa tion, Mr. Herbert presented a light, toe tapping hour of entertainment for the assembled motorcyclists and scooterists at this increasingly popular type of event the three friendly dealers are presenting.
AMA OFFICIALS MEET
Top motorcycle officials met recently in Chicago at the annual session of the American Motorcycle Association. In the photograph, from left to right, are; Mr. Denis McCormack, President of Triumph Corp. and a director of the AMA; Mr. Carl Swenson, President of the AMA; and Mr. Lin Kuchier, Executive Secretary of the AMA. Standing are; Mr. William H. Davidson, Harley-Davidson Mtr. Co., Treasurer of the AMA; Mr. T. A. Hodg don, President of BSA Inc. and a director of the AMA.
ANNUAL MAMDA BANQUET
The largest, and probably the most festive banquet in its 27 year history was held by the Middle Atlantic Motorcycle Dealers Association at the Hotel Berkshire in Reading, Penna. Over 130 dealers and their wives attended the affair, which featured a Broadway floor show and dance music by Leo Brailer's orchestra.
Photo above shows (left to right) the Hon. John C. Kubacki, Reading's Mayor and guest of honor, AMA Secretary Lin Kuchler, and Dist. 6 Sports Committee Secretary/Treasurer Jack Vanino.
