Letters

LETTERS

FRUSTRATED EDITOR

Your March issue gave me the same feeling of chromed nausea I used to get when looking at Hot Rod magazine. I hope you will lay off customs when the word stands for "brilliant chromework." "Let's Not Go Touring" was probably meant to be funny, but it seems a nasty waste of time and space. You could instead run a piece on touring. How about running one good tour each issue! Surely there are 12 long tours per year which are worth hearing about. Last week I heard of two Yamaha 80's which came up from Mexico City, one ridden double.

Must you give those free ads in "Around The Industry"? Could Pacific Basin Trading Co. be persuaded to drop their ugly new name? Will you cut down on the space for racing? Your covers and general layout are fine. Your writing lacks class but labors to be honest. Let's see more tours, more history, more old bikes. How about a real objective piece on the Hell's Angel crowd. How about a piece by Woose Fisher on what's it really like? His letter was the first poetic statement your magazine has had the honor of publishing. GEORGE LEA San Francisco, Calif.

You lack perception by so quickly requesting things you would like to see in CYCLE WORLD, while ignoring what others desire. "Around The Industry" covers just that subject; its value as advertising is of course worth consideration, but that is not its purpose by any means. Woose Fisher as a contributor, along with features on neurotic misguided undesirables, would fit far better into Today's Health as studies of abnormal psychology and have little to do with motorcycles, our prime interest.

REMOVING THE STING

Now you fellows chose your own battlefield when deciding to publish CYCLE WORLD, and a noble move it was, disregarding the obvious truth that we all must make a living the best we can. When first I received your subscription offer I said, "Good show, here's my subscription fee and all the luck in the world." Now I am somewhat hesitant, in that I feel you have entangled yourself too closely with "ape hanger wars," inter-club haggling and other relatively unresolvable controversies. Let's face it, this trivia is not accomplishing what you have set out to do.

If you allow yourselves to align as proforeign, pro-black leather jacket, probrown leather jacket, you are merely fostering the cycling industry's largest enigma, that of inter-fraternity decay through rivalry. My suggestion is to leave your letters column open to sensible, constructive news or general interest contributions, or inquiries, and let the "windsocking," "unsubstantiated bull slinging," and "superfluity for self esteemment" go un-published.

Meanwhile here's a pat on the back to your art editors, layout personnel, photographers, etc. You fellows sell the mag. To your editors of subject matter, good job — but encourage more non-pro contributions; with them will come new angles for the benefit of all. Racing has its limits if you are going to utilize it from the same stagnant "sports page" angle. Don't let the reality of a budget or a cliche format inhibit your creativity. This will take real guts to print, not only because of my grammatical and dictional license, but because it will sting. BOB ROTH Springfield, Penna.

SELF ANALYSIS

I don't know why I do this, except that maybe your magazine fascinates me, or maybe it is just another of the many stupid things I do. I don't have a bike and have no intentions of getting one. At the risk of making Gordon Jennings difficult to live with, I want to congratulate him on his articles. Most engineers, like doctors and lawyers, seem to think they must talk clear over everybody's head in order to be impressive. I once worked for a company where it took the engineering department four full pages to tell the production department to "Hold all Dimensions to the Stamped Size."' Not Mr. Jennings; he is clear, concise and right to the point. If he must use a defining engineering term he qualifies it. I really enjoy his articles even though I might have no interest at all in the subject matter. Carol Sims does a beautiful job of race reporting as well as other items. I care nothing about racing, but that doesn't mean the writing isn't good. I like the Letters column, though I think some of them are unjustified. I like the editor's answers still better.

The thing that really impresses me most is that somehow you have been able to inject a personal touch into a national magazine. I don't recall ever having noticed it in any other publication. This seems to be a composite of all of the writing, and staff too for that matter. Whatever it is, or however it is done, it is a stroke of genius. It is subtle too; if a subscriber keeps reading, sooner or later he gets the faint feeling he knows the staff of the magazine and the riders and the contributors, which of course he doesn't. Anyway, here's my money for three years. I know you will survive the three years, but I'm not so sure about me. H. P. AUSTIN Jamestown, N.Y. Us old friends better stick together. Ed.

INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENCE

I was wondering if any of your readers would care to exchange correspondence and magazines and possibly come to some arrangement regarding trading special parts on a swap basis. I am 22 years old and ride a special BSA Super Rocket. I am just commencing to build a Triumph/Norton, a really "one-off" specimen. Anyone interested can reach me at 47 High Street, Carshalton, Surrey, England. K. WILKINS Surrey, England

I find CYCLE WORLD a most interesting motorcycle magazine. The advertisements are interesting owing to the fact that 90% of the things advertised are unheard of in England; we also get little information about the machines we export to the United States so the road tests are of particular interest. It is easy to see that the motorcyclist wishing to customize his machine is catered to a lot more in the States than here. Would any of your readers be interested in exchanging photographs and British motorcycle magazines as well as general information about the motorcycle scene in our respective countries? I ride a Triumph T100A, 500cc, and if the same model is sold in the States I would like comparison with mine, such as catalogs, etc. DENNIS E. CHAPPELL Hillheads Estate Westerhope, Newcastle Upon Tyne 5 Northumberland England

OPEN LETTER TO THE A.M.A.

I am shocked to say the least at the results of the last meeting of the competition committee. I'm thoroughly convinced that some of this group are dedicated to the task of destroying motorcycle racing in this organization.

The very thought of limiting amateurs to 250cc shows a lack of common sense. I do feel, however, that this idea will eventually be accepted, as Harley-Davidson will stop at nothing to get the flatheads out of competition with the more efficient ohv machines. This is to be done in the interest of safety even though, if I understand the rules correctly, a rider with no experience whatsoever, can enter a Norton Manx, Honda CR, or a CH in the Sportsman's Unlimited Road Race. Too bad they had to louse up a perfectly good set of rules with Sec. 5 (a) & Sec. 7 — (e), which completely destroys the idea of an unlimited class. Why does this class end so conveniently at 900cc, letting the CH in and keeping Vincent, Ariel and some other machines out; and insisting on a stock bore and stroke, when even in Class C these dimensions can be changed if they do not alter the displacement, and the lightweights can increase to 250cc? The latter seems most favorable to a certain Eastern company.

This new class at least gives the G-50 a place to run even if it does have to compete with bikes almost twice as big. It will probably make a good showing, though, if it is good enough to worry the more powerful companies.

I noticed no mention about the FIM race a month before our Daytona. I am given tp understand it was not banned for AMA riders but if they entered they wouldn't have been allowed to race at the AMA event. Can it be true that we have sunk so low? I have been an AMA member since I first started riding and I think it is a fine outfit, but in my estimation the thing that is needed most is to eliminate all factory affiliates and non-active competition, and turn the whole thing over to the boys who have to go out there to try to win. Maybe then a rider wouldn't be afraid to buy a new machine for fear that it would be illegal before he gets it on the track. Even experts can no longer feel secure because in 1965 they might all be riding 250's and over a million dollars worth of KR's, TlOO's, Gold Star's, etc., will be thrown, obsolete, on the open market at a TREMENDOUS loss to the riders, and we might lose many to the growing FIM. Look ahead and keep the AMA together. Please don't fail us. MIKE SOENS Kenosha, Wise.

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CYCLISTS' IDENTITY

There are many reasons why, after a half-century or so of being around, cyclists still endure the disadvantages of a minority group. However, the reason to which I refer is the fact that we have almost no identity insofar as the general public is concerned. Who we are, what kind of people we are, how many we are, what kind of machines we ride and what their capabilities are, how many units of various models are on the road, what their actual (Operational record has been — including safety — most of these vital statistics are unavailable, or buried in various locations in a manner to deny access.

It has been my experience that one key to the difficulty could well be in the hands of Federal and State motor vehicle bureaus. None that I know of keeps adequate records of 2-wheel activity. Again, none that I know of has a branch whose sole duty it is to program this phase of motoring, or even a single specialist directed to devote himself to the needs and problems of 2-wheel riders. If there really is one instance that I have overlooked, let's hear about it that we may hold it up for a shining example!

The result, as I said, is an almost complete lack of identity. As far as Federal and State statistics are concerned, we land in a category as unimportant as powermowers, snow-blowers and vacuum cleaners. In my own state, for example, the registration of my 600cc BMW is lumped in the same class as a 3.2 horsepower bicycle. And if, as my impression suggests, this situation prevails over much of the U.S.A., is there any wonder we get ridiculous outlawing of motorcycles having 100 mph capabilities, from using expressways?

I see little hope for improving the cyclist's lot until this kind of thing is corrected. On the other hand, I can foresee a tremendous leap in progress if vehicle bureaus can be encouraged and authorized to improve their methods of 2-wheel record-breaking and programming. A minimum recommendation would be the installation of a cycle specialist with each such agency who would provide a definite point of reference and understanding for cycling interests within his jurisdiction.

In America there is no better way of getting this move accomplished than the classic way of making a frontal approach to our representatives in Congress and State governments. However, these people, as always need to be deeply impressed that they are dealing with a substantial and organized segment of franchised voters. This is the only mandate they understand. And the pressure must be steady, persistent and repetitious — not just random squawks and gripe letters.

Cyclists can get their wants fulfilled as many another minority group has done before. In current times, we can well take a tip from another sports-minded crowd, the home-built aircraft and antique plane boys. In the case of the home-builders, short years ago, they too were on the wrong end of the stick. They were practically smothered by mechanical and structural regulations that had been conceived solely for commercial and military aircraft. But they went directly to work on their Congressmen plus local and federal aviation agencies. And they hammered away, patiently and persistently through such organizations as the Experimental Aircraft and Antique Airplane Associations.

Their effectiveness is seen in a whole, newly rewritten group of regulations that encourage, not discourage, home-built aircraft and antique plane restoration. Aviation officials endorse and aid homebuilder events such as regional and national fly-ins; and specialists confer regularly with these backyard flyers to help them on their way.

Due largely to this type of programmed cooperation, the number of home-workshop airmen has multiplied phenomenally. The size of this minority group, however is barely more than 20,000. There are at least 50 times as many people trying to enjoy their motorcycles and scooters, if one can achieve any kind of "Kentucky windage" from the present confusion of records.

Therefore, it seems reasonable to predict that whatever other minorities have done — so can cyclists. The question is — when will the loose-jointed, however lovable, league of riders and the cycle industry lock step, form a united front and capture the kind of public recognition that could open a whole new future almost immediately? BERNHARD A. ROTH Springfield, Penna.

FALLING OFF; SKILFULLY

I have found no material on one of the most fundamental skills required in motorcycling; how to fall off without breaking any bones. Thinking about falling off, or being thrown off, as the case would be, may seem fatalistic, but if you remember the road test of the Harley-Davidson Sprint road racer conducted in the August 1963 issue, your Editor fell off. It was reported that he was not seriously hurt; how did he do it? I've dropped my bike on a number of occasions and broke my wrist the first time I did. Other flops have been relatively uneventful, but there is always the chance of running off of a cliff or the like. I therefore hope that you will do an article on how to drop a bike without breaking anything. Maybe some cycle racers could be queried; their beautiful acrobatics as they come sailing off is truly elegant, though possibly not practiced. These riders seem to consistently come through dramatic falls alive and even continue to race. Possibly their knowledge could be shared with the rest of the motorcycling world. LARRY BENSON Turlock, Calif.

Indeed some falls, though by no means all of them, can be predicted and allow a certain degree of preparation by the rider. We suggest you take your bike out to an open field, preferably a plowed one or something similarly soft, and practice the "controlled abandon." One good exercise is to accelerate to a reasonable speed, say 25 mph, stomp hard on the rear brake lever and at the same time place the opposite foot on the ground while yanking the machine around into a braking slide. The faster you go the harder it becomes so caution should be employed. Also, the increase in speed requires a steeper angle of the bike, away from the direction of 'the slide, that is. Your suggestion for an article is an excellent one; you will find other interesting thoughts in the article "Intelligent Motorcycling" in this issue. Ed.

STARTING YOUNG

My name is Carolyn Ann White. I'm 4 years old and don't go to school yet. This is my daddy's motorcycle, it's a 1955 Harley "74," whatever that means. I feel like grabbin' a handful and takin' off, right now, but my daddy won't let me. I know I can do it too, 'cause I watch daddy every mornin' when he leaves for work. CAROLYN ANN WHITE Compton, Calif.

CYCLES IN THE WILDS

Regarding the controversy of motorcycles in our hunting and wilderness areas I would like to speak in behalf of the motorcycles. Although I have ridden cycles and hunted for a number of years, this is the first time I have combined the two. I have ridden many hundreds of miles of trails, hunting or just enjoying the solitude, and seldom seeing other humans. In fact I have rarely seen a "hunter" or "nature lover" more than a few hundred yards from the comfort of his car or jeep. My friend and I were very successful this year due to the fact that we rode where men would not hike and cars could not go. Nor am I adverse to hiking several miles when my bike will go no further, if only to explore a bit of country I might otherwise miss. The few hardy souls I have met on the trails have given me pleasant smiles and fine conversation. Let us hope it is an unorganized minority who would deny us one of the few freedoms we have left. ROBERT CHRISTNER Oregon City, Oregon

NOBODY'S PERFECT

Two mistakes follow; in the All-Japan clubman race held at the Misawa Air Base I was second in the 251 to 350cc class, Louie Johnson was 4th, not second. In the test of the Yamaha Ascot scrambler the pipes are not the same as the TD-1, they are the same as used on all the YDS models, the TD-1 pipes are different. A/2C L. E. HEAM APO 919, San Francisco Sorry about the mistake. Regarding the exhaust pipes, if a YDS model appeared with those pipes the rider would be railroaded to the pokey pretty fast; we have heard few louder machines. Ed. •