Cycle Round Up

CYCLE ROUND UP

JOE PARKHURST

JUNE TURNED OUT TO BE one of the most interesting months of my career as the Publisher and Editor of a motorcycle magazine as I spent a good part of it in the company of CW’s Technical Editor. Gordon Jennings (not the best of company but what the hell), at the Isle Of Man and in England visiting several motorcycle factories and seeing as much of the industry as we could cram in the time.

Our week on the Isle Of Man for the fabulous TT, though my second visit (the first time being back in 1959), was without question the most exciting week I have ever experienced and was filled with the marvelous sounds, sights and smells of International road racing at its unparalleled finest. I was wined and dined by CW’s man-aboutEngland, B. R. “Nick” Nicholls, who turns out to be one of the nicest envoys any magazine could ask for. and even spent a pleasant visit with His Excellency, The Lieutenant Governor of the Isle Of Man. Sir Ronald Herbert Garvey, K.C.M.G., K.C.V.O., M.B.E., one of the keenest motorcycle racing enthusiasts on the island.

If ever an island of paradise existed, the I.O.M. is it, to motorcycle racing enthusiasts anyway. The week is crammed with three days of two TT events each; sandwiched in between are weigh-in ceremonies, scrambles, drags, rallys, old bike meets, club meets, and so much activity that the faint of heart can barely survive. One of the oldest road racing events in the world still running, the Island is Valhalla to riders from every corner of the world.

Careful scrutiny of the photograph at the top of the page will reveal yours truly at the right of the group behind the straw bags, and CW’s Jennings wearing dark glasses, peering from behind the post in a cowardly manner. The scene is Bradden Bridge, and it does not require much scrutiny at all to see the stone walls, cement curbings, and other deterents to misjudging the corner. This is not unusual for corners on the 37-mile course; there are many spots that require intimate knowledge before attacking them with much vigor is recommended.

Above you see me again, finger in ear, with Bengt Bjorklund, Editor of Sweden’s leading motorcycle publication. MC-Nytt. My finger is shutting out. to some extent at least, the incredible sound of the 125cc Honda fours warming up at about 15,000 rpm. making conversation a bit difficult. In the next photo Honda’s Jim Redman, winner of the 125cc and 350cc TT’s, and second place man in the 250cc event, and I examine the source of all the racket. Very careful scrutiny would reveal the tach on the machine the mechanic straddles to be indicating a tidy 15.000. I don’t seem able to recall how we managed to look so unconcerned in the face of such a racket.

Among the most sought-after jobs during TT week must be those of Course and Flag Marshals. Flag men, or Marshals as they call them, are drawn from the populace of the Island and some corners are the province of one man who may have had the grand privilege passed on to him by his father. Traveling Course Marshals during the races are motorcycle-mounted and all are extremely experienced riders or old timers who retired from active racing but like to keep their hand in. Such is the case with Peter Crebbin, a man who makes his Triumph Bonneville look like a mini-bike. Crebbin is the Chief Marshal and keeper of a fund of information and tales about the TT that would fill a book. Though a huge man, soft-spoken Crebbin was the key to an experience few enjoy, and one of the most coveted among the many who attend the TT; that of a ride in the “Course Close” car that tours the course right after the last rider is in, indicating that the road is again a public thoroughfare as the racing is ended for the day.

Pilot for the hair-raising flight was George Bridge, one of the Control Officers, local resident/businessman in Douglas, and self-admitted frustrated racing driver. Our 29.50 minute lap, at an average of over 80 mph in a new MG sports car, was a ride I will long remember. Bridge’s intimate familiarity with the roads was amazing and gave me a first hand tour of the most fantastic race course I have ever seen. Such corners (?) as Union Mills (which is not much more than a cement-wall-lined, Sshaped slot with curbs) was negotiated at around 100 mph, with both the entrance and exit being completely blind! We were followed at a very close distance for the entire lap by one of the BSA-mounted Traveling Marshals, also mounting a sign indicating the roads were now open. The nearby photograph shows both of us coming around the slowest point on the course at Governor’s Bridge.

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I was also privileged to see one of Stanley Schofield’s remarkable motorcycle recordings in the making. Schofield’s long playing records of TTs of past years and other motorcycle racing recordings, have captured the remarkable sounds of the MV and Güera fours, the Guzzi V-8, Hondas, Yamahas. DKWs, Nortons, Matchless, and many others in action. The photograph below shows Murray Walker interviewing world’s sidecar champion Max Deubel just after winning the Sidecar TT on his BMW outfit. At his right is Gordon Pitt, one of Schofield’s able recording technicians who are to be seen at almost every point on the course with their portable tape machines, gathering the sounds for posterity. These amazing recording will soon be available in quantity in the U.S.

From the Isle of Man we sadly departed for England and several days of visiting a few of the major motorcycle manufacturing factories in the short time remaining after our strenuous days of chasing around the Island, trying to keep out of everyone’s way. Our last evening on the Island was spent dining at the Aragon Hotel, owned and operated by Mr. and Mrs. Geoff Duke, the almost legendary retired world's champion. Though he no longer races, Duke is closely associated with the sport and recently abandoned his “Scudderia Duke” racing team that fronted the Güera four in GP racing in 1963. At Triumph Engineering in Coventry, we were warmly received by Neil Shilton, Sales Manager, and shown most of the nooks and crannies of Triumph’s immaculate Meriden Works. Among several points of interest were a pair of production machines being prepared for the Thruxton production races, and two of the bikes that had just returned from the Scottish Trials where Triumph brought back a class victory.

Highlight of the visit, though, was the personable Shilton, a competent, modernthinking industrialist who rides one of his own products to work and thinks and breathes motorcycling. One of Shilton's pet projects is an active membership in an organization called the Volunteer Emergency Service, a group dedicated to rendering motorcycle mounted assistance to any and all they might meet on the road. Geoff Duke is a Vice President of the V.E.S., and the group should be commended for their unselfish renderings of service that are not only good-neighborly, but do well for motorcycling at the same time.

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From Triumph it is but a short hop to Birmingham and the parent company, the mighty BSA factory. Here we were greeted by Mr. William Rawson. Sales Director for BSA and a frequent visitor to the U.S. We were led around the massive installation and treated in a grand manner. It was almost eerie to see such familiar machines being made; up until this time I think I had the feeling that BSAs, and Triumphs as well, were born, not made. Though BSAs originate from a somewhat more modern manufacturing complex, using methods a bit more up to date, both machines reflect a staunch devotion to quality and detail construction not found in most plants in the world.

Traveling south, Gordon and I dropped in on Bill Smith, Managing Director of Matchless Motorcycles in London. I had met the genial Smith in the U.S. so we were doubly welcomed. The Matchless plant was humming away, pouring out Matchless and Norton motorcycles as we were led about by another Matchless/Norton acquaintance from the U.S., Mr. Fred Udall of the engineering department.

Our visit was brightened considerably by the addition of a visit to the London docks and a cocktail party aboard a P&O Orient liner where the head of the factory, Sir Norman Hulbert. held forth in honor of the opening of their Suzuki distribution campaign in England. Distributing Suzukis is yet another facet of the firm’s expanding trade.

From London we wended our way through the madness of English traffic to Thundersley and the domain of Mr. Bert Greeves and the remarkable machines that bear his name. Greeves differs from the “big three” primarily in that it is considerably smaller, but under Greeves’ direction the firm employs some of the most modern tooling and production methods.

Much of the tooling is of Greeves’ own design and is largely responsible for their commendable success in a field so highly competitive. With a few exceptions they make almost every piece in their machines, including now the new Greeves engine being used in the Challenger scrambler and the latest version of the Silverstone road racer. Bert Greeves is also a connoisseur of good food and fine wine, making things even more pleasant in our mad rush.

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We regretfully had to terminate our visit with Greeves, skipping such firms as Velocette, Royal Enfield, Cotton, Dot, Lucas, Villiers, and a few others, saving them for another day.

ANTI A.M.A. ORGANIZATION FORMS

A short time ago the founding of a new and rather unusual organization came to my attention. An elaborate pamphlet published by a group called the “Voice Of The Membership” in Daly City, California, was mailed to me by the “Coordinator of Public Relations,” Mr. Robert Pilgrim. The pamphlet is a vicious and slashing attack at the American Motorcycle Association, calling it anti-democratic and un-American, a rather strong point of view .

The group drives the point home that the A.M.A. is wrong because it does not offer its members the opportunity to elect its officers and that members are not given any voice in its operation, both of which are of course true. It should be pointed out though, that the A.M.A. was not organized as, nor is it operated as, a rider’s organization. It is a manufacturers’ association that had its beginning when there were many large manufacturers in America. Now there is only one, obviously, and the A.M.A. hasn’t changed with the times.

Voice Of The Membership then lowers itself to near slanderous and libelous statements concerning such things as the disposition of funds, failure to advance the organization or its members and complete lack of a committee or inter-association for membership civil rights. They then accuse the A.M.A. of being militant phrase-mongers, power-mad, and serving to harm motorcycling, rather than help it.

On some points they are right. True, A.M.A. executives appoint themselves, but this is normal policy in manufacturers’ associations. Officers of such associations are always elected by the member manufacturing organizations. I cannot agree that the A.M.A. is actually hurting the sport; they are one of the finest race-promoting bodies in any sport. They do a great deal of good for motorcycling and they, or a somewhat similar body, are absolutely essential.

I have recently read several criticisms of our editorial policy, with particular emphasis on our wish to see the A.M.A. reform itself, particularly in one of the older motorcycle trade publications. Most of the criticism against our attitude is voiced with a defense of the A.M.A.’s personnel, especially the Competition Committee. Our argument is not at all with these men, most of whom are competent, experienced motorcycle men who are doing a grand job regulating the sport as the A.M.A. sees it. It is not with these men, like Aub LeBard, Pete Colman, Walt Fulton, Earl Flanders, Dick O'Brien and the others, that we disagree. We also have no argument with trade publications; after all, they do not dictate their own editorial policies.

I am not too certain how much the new group will accomplish with their tactics, albeit some of their propaganda needs public airing. They ask that members either reform the A.M.A. or help stamp it out, either of which is asking a great deal. As the Publisher of CYCLE WORLD I have for some time privately campaigned for a new motorcycle association to replace the A.M.A., or to work alongside it but in a different capacity.

I have suggested to many industry leaders that our business needs a true motorcycle manufacturers’, distributors’, and accessory makers’ association, and leave race promoting to the A.M.A. Once such a group existed, the A.M.A., freed of its manufacturers’ influence, could become the truly democratic, unbiased, free thinking, rider's organization we need. Open elections could be held for officers, committees could be formed to promote such things as increases for professional rider purses (which are ridiculously low), effective safety campaigns, racing rules and regulations based on more realistic displacement formulae, and most important, a firmly established relationship on an international scale.

On this subject, I have read a great deal of misguided opinion regarding the standing of the United States motorcycle sport by people who have never gone over there and asked the Europeans. American motorcycling holds a great interest for the Europeans who have met, and raced against, many of our riders and have a great deal of respect for them. They do indeed view our rules and organizations with considerable chagrin, as well they should. We need an international relationship, promoting competition between countries, and we could have it without sacrificing our "home base rules.”

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Our two independent racing groups, the American Federation of Motorcyclists, the oldest and largest, and the recently formed American Association of Motorcycle Road Racers in the Eastern U.S. are both operating under rules similar to those employed internationally, and with considerable success. The snag between the A.M.A. and the F.I.M. is difficult to evaluate. I am told by one group that the one holding out is the Federation Internationale Motorcycliste. and that A.M.A. is holding back, by another.

It is obvious that they are having difficulty settling many points. Why the F.I.M. continues to choose to affiliate with the United States Motorcycle Club, or rather what there is left of it, and M.I.C.U.S., rather than either one of the two clubs now racing under their rules, is indeed a mystery. The A.F.M. has tried for over five years to align with the F.I.M. with no success, though they did manage to promote one "International” event a year or two back.

Only one thing can be said in favor of the current situation; simply that while the F.I.M. continues to associate with the current group of wealthy Florida sportsmen we are at least getting international events, something we did not have before, and probably wouldn't have now considering the size of the bank accounts of the other two small organizations. It takes a pile of money to promote a big international event, and the F.I.M. officials do enjoy those paid-for trips to Florida when the weather in Europe is at its worst. Make no mistake; few, if any, in Europe regard the industrial, economical and political giant to their west as being anything other than the most powerful nation in the world, and must continue to wonder why we can't perform the relatively simple task of fronting a team of motorcycle riders in the exciting sport of international racing. So do I.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch!

Motorcycling is growing fast, and it will continue to grow. I can only add to what has already been said that the A.M.A. had better start growing with it or they will be swamped. I do not wish to be associated with the V.O.M. (typically American habit of reducing all to a set of initials); at the same time I do not wish to he put on record as being against them. I do not disapprove of their goals, only their methods.

JOHNSON ENDURO SCHEDULED

One of the highlights of the Western motorcycling scene is scheduled for a repeat this September the 27th when the second annual William F. Johnson Memorial Road Sports Rally is destined to run again. Entries will be raised to 500 for this year's running of the invitational event, and Mr. Edward Turner, Managing Director of Triumph Engineering will again attend and make the awards presentation at the victory banquet.

Sponsored by the Greater Los Angeles Triumph Dealers Association, the event drew participation from nearly every member of the industry in the West, plus an array of movie and TV personalities never before seen at such an occasion, CYCLE WORLD’S staff will again take part; maybe we will even win something this time. Riders will once more be taken on a circuitous tour of some of Southern California's most attractive scenery in the enduro being run in memory of motorcycle pioneer Johnson whose firm, Johnson Mtrs., in Pasadena, distributes Triumph motorcycles in the 19 Western States. •