Letters

LETTERS

HELMET HASSLE

You ignored our letter protesting your attempt to jam through a compulsory helmet law, but you cannot ignore the fact that motorcyclists throughout the state have voted your opinions on this matter to be against the interests of said motorcyclists.

Any kind of compulsion is repugnant to Americans, and we don’t think you and your publication show the right spirit. Compulsory laws to sell merchandise are almost invariably sought only by persons who stand to profit — magazine editors, politicians, manufacturers and retailers.

We read a dozen motorcycle magazines from the U.S. and Europe, and yours seems by far to be the most advertisercontrolled of all. We are glad that you and your cohorts were defeated in your attempts to force sales of unneeded and unwanted helmets, and we hope that this experience will help make you aware of your responsibility to readers as well as advertisers.

MEL DOTEN Santa Barbara, Calif.

We are neither naive, two-faced, advertiser-controlled, profit oriented, nor are we cohorts in trying to “ram” a law. If you were truly reading the magazine you would realize that CYCLE WORLD is the ONLY motorcycle publication with a free and unbiased editorial policy. How magazine editors could gain by a compulsory helmet law is beyond us. As for the law being unneeded, you could not be further from the truth; it is desperately needed to save lives and make the sport safer. But . . . and this is a very large but (a well-directed pun), we have since changed our minds concerning the compulsory helmet law and are publicly backing down by showing our good sense. We realize some will claim some sort of victory over us; they don’t count. It is after careful and extensive consideration and analysis that we conceded the unconstitutionality of such a law. Regardless, this does not change the worth of such legislation, since it would aid the sport in many ways. As for our being a party to the profits from the enactment of a compulsory helmet law and our being allied with manufacturers and retailers, think a moment: should such a law be passed it is true that many would profit, makers and sellers of headgear primarily. Yet every helmet maker we talked to is against the law for one reason; it would make motorcycling appear dangerous to the new rider (and it is), thus discouraging its growth and in the long run harming helmet and motorcycle sales. What parent would buy his son a motor bike if the first thing he had to do was additionally buy a helmet to make the use of it safe? We are still emphatically for the use of helmets. They are necessary and an absolute essential to safe motorcycling, but not without the discretion of the individual rider.—Ed.

SOUR GRAPEVINE

In the last issue of my tiny newspaper, Cycle Report, I wrote an “Open Letter to the AMA.” I am the president of the Pan American Racing Association, and because the AMA permits its members to compete with the ACA and the AFM, and since PARA has the same identity as both these groups (all are FIM/MICUS affiliates) I thought perhaps the AMA would extend this same right to riders wanting to compete in PARA events.

(Continued on page 26)

I wasn’t completely naive, I knew of the Cartwright Act, but nevertheless I thought the request should be made in the interests of trying to cement relations between all motorcycle associations in this country. I was afraid their answer would be exactly what it was, but I did wonder what excuse or explanation they would have as to why they let their riders compete with some MICUS affiliates, but not the others.

I of course underestimated their ability to evade the issue and substitute sarcasm. Enclosed is a copy of their reply, since I noticed at the lower lefthand corner of their letter that they had sent copies to Cycle Sport, Clymer and Bill Bagnall, but neglected to send to you. I thought this quite humorous. Nothing like making sure the slant is in your favor, you know.

“Dear Mr. Grapevine:

In your letter of May 19th you inquired about the possibility of AMA members competing in the supporting Sportsmen events which you plan to run in conjunction with professional racing events.

Since the AMA is not affiliated with the Motorcycle International Committee United States (MICUS) we do not feel that there is any basis for an exchange of riders between the Pan American Racing Association .and the American Motorcycle Association.

Following the MICUS meeting held in Dallas, Texas on January 9th, a National Press Release was distributed by the MICUS organization which stated that a number of motorcycle clubs from all over the United States were members of MICUS and that; ‘The combined memberships of all the supporting clubs affiliated with MICUS represents the largest group of competition card holders in the United States.’

In view of the reported size and international stature of the organization to which you are affiliated, we are surprised that the other clubs with which you are affiliated in the MICUS organization cannot support your Pan American Motorcycle Association events, and you must look to the AMA clubs in Kansas to support the events you are promoting. Although the AMA cannot boast the international atmosphere of some other associations, we have not found it necessary to supplement our professional racing programs with Sportsmen events.

Very truly yours, L. A. Kuchler Executive Secretary American Motorcycle Association”

Anyway, as much as any of us hate to continue this struggle, it is one that cannot be ignored if the solution is to be found. I sincerely believe the big part of the problem is that the riders are not really aware of what is being done to them, and I felt sure you wouldn’t want to be left out.

I’m afraid the answer is as you said in your May, 1965 issue, page 90. ‘It is a violation of constitutional rights for the AMA to deny its riders participation in races sanctioned by other groups, and penalizing them for such action amounts to flagrant disregard of the law. But until such time as riders, or groups of riders, band together in protest, with proper legal representation, these illegal activâtes will undoubtedly continue.’

Apparently the AMA must be taken to court, state bv state. I cannot answer Mr. Kuchler in regard to the MICUS National press release that stated, ‘The combined memberships of all the supporting clubs affiliated with MICUS represents the largest groim of competition card holders in the United States.’ I didn’t issue this statement, and was in fact somewhat surprised to read this myself. T wouldn’t have thought this to be true, but perhaps it is. I personally do not know.

Their membership does however (according to figures brought forth at the January 9th meeting of MICUS) exceed 10.000, and the point to keep in mind is that this has all come about in less than one year, while the AMA, on the other hand, has been in power since the days of Harley vs. Indian. To throw in a bit of sarcasm of mv own, I sometimes wonder if they realize that those days are over, and that the time has come for America to get in step with the rest of the world.

(Continued on page 28)

Mr. Kuchler is right when he says the AMA cannot boast the international atmosphere of some of the other associations, but it should, if it is to truly be the American Motorcycle Association. It is the American way to compete in the world and not to hide behind a set of rules written to give American products an advantage, or to hold power through bullying or disregard for our laws.

To sum it up, the doors to PARA (and other MICUS affiliates) are open to all riders, but the riders who play ball with us will have the AMA bat jammed up their noses — if the riders choose to let them.

WILLIAM D. GRAPEVINE P. O. Box 359 Sedan, Kansas

INITIALLY CORRECT

After hearing pro and con about AMA, AAMRR, MICUS, etc., I take pen in hand to promote two new organizations, i.e. “Militant Unrepresented Cyclists of the United States”(MUCUS), and “Federation of Laughter At Those Undermining the Sport” (FLATUS). There should be an overall governing body, known as “Brotherhood of All Racing Fraternities” (BARF).

JEROME M. WERNIAUH Miami, Florida

O.l.C. - Ed.

LAY OFF THE LOLLIPOPS

I have watched with great interest in the past months the many letters, criticisms, cartoons, and advertisements on Harley-Davidsons. I too got the feeling, initially, that the magazine in general had the faint odor of prejudice against H-D. Admittedly, my thoughts are without foundation and certainly I must admire the editor for his “guts” in printing them.

The fact of the matter, I feel, must be this: If you’re in the candy business and you just make lollipops, you will probably limit your business to that group between 1 and 6 years old; if you’re in the motorcycle magazine business and you consistently tend to deal with one brand of motorcycle, well . . . welcome to the lollipop business. Obviously, there are a multitude of foreign motorcycles in the United States, even the most avid Harley-Davidson enthusiast will admit that; your function is to sell magazines, something I don’t doubt that you’re doing a good job of and will continue to do.

There is one point I’d like to stress and that is, owners of the big Harley 74s are kind of a special breed. Despite the influx of foreign machines, previous owners of these motorcycles will continue to live on them, love them and buy them no matter what their price (presently about $2000).

(Continued on page 30)

I know, T own one. It’s 14 years old and runs like a charm; I’m afraid that my addiction to foreign imports will never go beyond Japanese transistor radios.

As a change of subject, I was deeply gratified to see your article on restrictive motorcycle laws (May issue). As a resident of Massachusetts, this really hit home. I made phone calls and wrote letters to legislators on these issues. I’m pleased to report that some of these bills have already been killed and the rest will probably have the same outcome. I’ve also taken the offensive for motorcycling in my state by having a legislator introduce two bills for motorcycling, one to do away with the annoying front license plate (a real nuisance on many smaller, foreign machines), and the other to reduce the cost of the state required inspection, since there really isn’t as much to inspect as on a car. I hope, if you publish this letter, other motorcyclists will see it and rally behind these bills when they appear in the next convening of the Massachusetts General Court.

HOWARD M. SCHWEITZER President, Bay State Riders M.C. Pittsfield, Massachusetts

THERE’S STILL A CHANCE

I have been reading about the legislators trying to ruin motorcycling, but the residents of Acton, California have succeeded. Members of the Scramblers Motorcycle Club, who hold the lease on the Acton track, attended a meeting at the Hall of Records to fight against changing of the lease. Well, the residents won, and no more races will be held at Acton since they told the committee how noisy and dirty our races were. We explained that only three tracks now exist where it is possible to race for District 37 scrambles points — Prado, Perris and Acton. And anyone who has ever gone to Acton will recall that the nearest house is a mile away.

The Chamber of Commerce first demanded that no motorcycles be started before 7:30 a.m. and that races be confined to the track and not the surrounding desert. At our recent race both demands were complied with. We also stayed until 8 p.m. cleaning up the litter, so that it wouldn’t blow all over the scenic (?) town of Acton.

Acton is a fine track which everyone who races would hate to see closed. We have an appeal slated but our club, alone, is too small to fight the written petitions brought forward from Acton residents. We need written support from anyone who wants the track open, sent to us or directly to the L.A. County Board of Supervisors (Burton W. Chase, Ernest F. Debs, Frank G. Bonelli, Kenneth Hahn and Warren M. Dorn), 500 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, Calif.

JOHN CARTER Scramblers M.C. c/o Kolbe Cycle Sales 7514 Reseda Blvd. Reseda, Calif.

LACONIA

The enclosed newspaper item was taken from the editorial section of the San Antonio Express daily on June 22, 1965:

“CYCLE MOB MENACE CURE

“The country can do without motorcycle mobs of the kind that wrecked a New Hampshire resort town. The leather - jacketed clan had gathered from as far away as California — a sign it is more than a regional problem — when trouble broke out.

“One last nation-wide cycle contest would solve this problem. We would stage this meeting on a high cliff overlooking a rocky shoreline. All cyclists would compete and the one landing the greatest distance from shore would be the winner — posthumously.”

Publicity of this sort can, in one swift blow, completely destroy public confidence in motorcyclists. It takes years to regain the friends we lose as the result of this type of publicity. The publicity, of course, is a result of the actions of those of us who tried to erase Laconia, New Hampshire from the map last weekend. Now that one phrase “those of us who . . .” is the one that hurts, for. to the general public, a cyclist is a cyclist whether he is a member of Hell’s Angels or riding his 90cc bomb to a PTA meeting. Maybe we need a revolution within. Maybe it’s going to take concentrated effort on the part of all of us to stop publicity such as this. Of course, the best way to stop the publicity would be to stop the cause. Can we do it? We’d better! If we don’t, the time will come when we won't be welcome anywhere.

JAMES A. RICHARDSON San Antonio, Texas

We have received a great many letters regarding the Laconia incident. The newspaper item is typical of the coverage it received by the non-motorcycling press. Our views are expressed in “Round Up.” Mr. Richardson, along with several million other HUMAN BEINGS in this country, will be the ones to suffer most if we do not take his advice.—Ed.

MICHIGAN MIXUP

I recently attended the Michigan State Championship motorcycle races at Ionia, and witnessed an incident which exemplified the integrity of the AMA. It was announced before the races that the first three finishers of the two expert heats would qualify for the expert final. This has always been the procedure at Ionia — always six riders in the expert final.

This year Roger Reiman, Mr. #1, was on hand for the event and to the surprise of many could only manage a fourth place finish in his heat — not enough to qualify him for the final. But immediately after his heat, the announcement was made that the first four finishers of the expert heats would qualify for the final.

So thanks to the arbitrary policy-making of the AMA, Mr. #1 was permitted to ride in the expert final — much to his embarrassment I’m sure, for he finished seventh out of a field of eight.

(Continued on page 32)

ROGER D. MIRACLE Oklahoma City, Oklahoma These little things do happen. — Ed.

HARD WORKING CLUB

If motorcycling enthusiasm has not now spread to the four corners of the original states, it is no fault of the Mount Baker Motorcycle Club of Bellingham, Washington as they are doing quite well, holding down the Northwest comer and steadily gaining attendance as the season progresses. Regular Saturday night races on a 1/5-mile dirt track are some of the most exciting shows in the entire area.

The club can boast a very charitable and hospitable membership which works diligently in the interest of public entertainment. There are several riders, including Larry Garbe, Bard Hanson, Frank Nelson and Bruce Sebring who have been providing fans with some fine racing.

The success of the events can be directly attributed to the hard work and sacrifices of the club members who now have something to be very proud of.

P. R. ARMSTRONG Bellingham, Washington

BY ANY OTHER NAME

I have seen published on your pages some letters critical of you, and it is the sign of a good magazine not to be afraid to print other’s views, however critical they might be. I hope I will not have to change my opinion of CYCLE WORLD as I, along with many friends of mine, have found something in your June issue we did not like at all.

We think your readers are entitled to the plain truth. Therefore I want to state that the new line of motorcycles called White, have not been designed or engineered in the U.S. and are not made in West Germany. In fact, they are built in Hungary and are known in most parts of the world as Csepel-Pannonia. (See your own Dealer Directory).

Since in my opinion this does not subtract from its value one cent, I fail to see the reason why false statements are thought to be necessary in its advertising.

RUDI ZACSKO Alberta, Canada

Plain truth of the matter is we can’t argue with you. We described what we were told; we aren’t the importers. We DO know that a new scrambler forthcoming in the White line was indeed designed by the importer and is being built in Europe to his specifications. How would YOU describe this? — Ed.

GET IN LINE

Mr. Aubrey Soper, who wrote the long dull letter in June CW, seems to have left out two very important facts in his discussion of plain and roller bearings. These are the type of lubrication employed and the type of load imposed.

The railroad equipment he cited was probably the “hot boxes” of a few years back. These were the bearings on the train car axles. They used to be plain bearings lubricated occasionally with an oil can. Today they use Timken-type roller bearings packed full of grease. They carry a heavy load but turn relatively slowly.

(Continued on page 34)

The high speed electric motors are small with roller or ball bearings packed in grease and sealed to prevent loss of grease and entry of foreign matter. These motors are nearly perfecly balanced and have almost no load on their bearings.

The ultra high speed turbines usually have their bearings located in a fairly low temperature area and the turbines are perfectly balanced with no vibration or lateral pounding forces imposed on them as found in reciprocating engines.

High speed turbines as found in jet engines are lubricated with a very fine mist of light oil that is always clean and usually not re-used. Mr. Soper’s examples dealt with either high load and low speed or low load and high speed with relatively clean lubrication.

Mr. Bond’s article dealt with motorcycle engines. High speed, high temperatures, high load machinery with heavy lateral pounding forces demanding bearings that can take a real beating, while using hot, sometimes dirty oil.

For the advantage of a plan bearing over a roller or ball bearing, for use in reciprocating engines, I refer you back to “A Look at Motorcycle Engines” by John R. Bond in the April 1965 CW.

JOHN D. WEIMER Cape Girardeau, Mo.

ONE MAN’S OPINION

I have been reading CW ever since your first issue came out. And I don’t think I have missed one. But I have never written before. Now I think it is time!

First I will identify myself. I am a member of the fun loving “brush bashers,” and I own what I think is the ultimate in 250cc scramblers. But I also own a 1964 H-D FLH. I would not want to part with either of the two, and when I am not out dodging stumps my wife and I are enjoying taking trips on the big one.

Now what I want to say is, I can’t see what some of your readers are complaining about. I think your road tests of the H-Ds have been unbiased and extremely fair. When there are numerous makes to be tested, how can anyone expect to see a H-D test in every issue? Let’s back off, guys and give the old Ed. a break! So he can keep up the good work.

W. G. STOREY Marion, Ohio

HORSEPOWER DIFFERENCE

I would like to point out a mistake in your road test of the Yamaha YM-1. In it you state that “The 350cc engine of the YM-1 pumps out 26 bhp at 7000 rpm (compared to the YDS-3’s 24 at 7500 rpm).” Well according to the 1965 Road Test Annual, you show that the YDS-3 produces 27 bhp at 7500 rpm. So does this mean that the YDS-3 produces one horsepower more than the YM-1, or should the YM-1 produce more than 26 bhp?

(Continued on page 36)

JAMES WASHINGTON Salinas, California

Regarding June issue CW road tests of the Yamaha YM-1 305 and YDS-3 Big Bear, there seèms to be either:

1) New figures regarding the horsepower in the standard YDS-3 (Road Test Annual lists bhp as 27 at 7500 rpm) 2) Proof reader’s error, or 3) Different methods used in figuring bhp.

On the Big Bear model, with an increased compression ratio, you list bhp as 21 at 7500 rpm. Is this possible? Also, fuel tank capacity and oil quantity varies from previous YDS-3 road test. Although this may seem trivial, I traded my new YDS-3 on the newer YDS-3-C Bear Cat. No new Bear Cat manual was provided, hence my concern, especially over quantity of oil for transmission. (Brand new thing for me, this motorcycle sport.)

LOU W. CHAPPELL Marquette, Michigan

At the time of the YDS-3 road test, the best information available rated it at 27 bhp. A Yamaha factory development engineer was on hand for the YDS-3C and YM-1 tests to give its the 21 and 26 figures. (We believe him.) At present Yamaha has a supplement to the YDS-3 manual for the YDS-3C. Transmission holds six pints of oil.

POWERFUL PEANUT

This unusual show bike, built and owned by us, is a Mustang powered by a 500cc Indian engine. Modifications include oversize bore with Grant high compression pistons, enlarged and polished ports, and dual Amal chrome carburetors. The “Powerful Peanut” is painted metalflake blue with custom scallops and pinstriping. It also has a custom rolled and pleated seat. The picture was taken at a car show held last January at Bayfront Park Auditorium in Miami.

DANIEL AND LARRY BIENVENU Miami, Florida

CONTRADICTION

You fellows catch so much hell, I thought I would put in my two cents’ worth. In regards to the fellow from Topeka, Kansas (July, 1965) who really cut your road test and also the Triumph Corporation on the TR-6, I can’t blame him for not signing his name. If I was so goofy I had to buy two new TR-6s before I found out they weren’t any good, I wouldn’t sign my name either.

As far as the TR-6 not running, and when it did it fell apart, I think something is blowing in Kansas besides the wind and wheat. I had a TR-6 I rode back and forth to work 45 miles a day, rain or fair, hot or cold; one time for a week it didn’t get above 30 degrees.

I ran the TR-6 two years, 32,000 miles, before I broke down for a set of rings. As far as clutch trouble, I just changed the oil as the manual said. You don’t give a clutch more hell than we do down here, running the beach and climbing the sand dunes.

Of course, it is like the unhappy fellow from the north said, “The H-D Sportser (sic) could outrun me,” but down here we have an Ole Saying, “When in doubt, bore it out.” You don’t beat the inches!

It really shakes me the way some people fuss over your test reports; you fellows do a great job. I believe you can buy almost any motorcycle on the market today, break it in correctly, change the oil according to riding conditions, do preventive maintenance, and most of all use some common sense, without any problem. If you are going to ride your horse hard, you’d better feed him good and keep him in shape.

By the way, I’m not hung up on Triumphs. In fact I’m presently Bultaco mounted. I have had Ducati, Triumph, Zundapp, H-D, Cushman Oil Slinger, etc. They are all great. You have to love them, not just leave them.

JOHN A. SANDERS JR. Grand Bay, Ala.

WANTS CLUB NEWS

A recent letter to the editor of your magazine commented on the lack of appeal and stimulating interest that is characteristic of the Foreign Reviews and Racing News from abroad. I am suggesting that in place of, or as a supplement to these sections, club news in a greater scope than has been done in the past, be added to the content of the magazine.

The Mile High Cycle Club, of "which I am V-P, has done a tremendous amount of pro-motorcycling campaigning since the club was founded in 1960. Many of the activities and events that the club has sponsored would be of interest to other clubs around the nation. If there is some sort of an exchange of club news, other organizations could profit from our experience as we could from theirs.

We of the Mile High Cycle Club read with a great deal of interest the editorial in the March, 1965 issue relating to the formation of the American Motorcycle and Scooter Association. Mr. Bill Berry of the Association is the feature guest of our next monthly presentation. He will present his side of the controversial issue of compulsory headgear. I will as briefly as possible tell you of our latest project. One night each month the club invites the public to our meeting room. We present a person who is knowledgeable on a certain facet of motorcycling. Last night was the first of this series. Our special guest was an officer of the Colorado State Patrol who showed a film and discussed the role that motorcycles play in Colorado law enforcement. We were very pleased to have about seventy persons in attendance. For the month of April we have scheduled a prominent motorcycle racing celebrity (on the local scene) who is in the field of insurance. He will discuss the problems that exist for insurance companies. The Denver Post had a representative of the Sunday Magazine section there to explore the possibility of an edition devoted to cycling in Colorado. A member of our club has been tentatively invited to appear on a TV guest show to talk motorcycling. A quarter-page spread appeared last year about our club.

(Continued on page 38)

I am not trying to blow loudly our horn, but rather to show you that we are proud of our efforts and that there are undoubtedly other clubs that could be of help to us. A club news section would be invaluable from this point of view.

Our membership consists of faculty from the University of Denver, engineers, businessmen, and a rancher whose wife uses her Honda 90 to round up strays. We have many of the popular brands of bikes in the club from the huge H-D to the minute Japanese imports. The majority of the machines are BMWs. We have our own building at the county fairgrounds that we have just finished redecorating. It has a seating capacity of about 100. We meet there all year on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

There has been a lot of cooperation among members of the press and in the broadcasting industries in assisting us with our programs and announcements. I am enclosing one of these notices that appeared in the Denver Post.

We all enjoy reading your fine publication. It has a polish that the other motorcycle magazines do not have. Thank you for any assistance you might be able to render to us.

EDWARD PORGES

Denver, Colorado

Thank you Mr. Porges, you are very kind, and observant. Concerning a “Club News” column, we have given it much thought in the past, but have declined as there are so very many clubs we could not possibly do justice to such a feature. Rather, we have concentrated our emphasis on motorcycling on a broad and more general plane, hoping to reach as many enthusiasts as possible. Your club does indeed deserve recognition; our heartfelt congratulations for your efforts. May you continue with equal success. Ed.