Round Up
ROUND UP
JOE PARKHURST
CERTAIN REPORTS have been circulating for some time concerning the future of Associated Motor Cycles, makers of Matchless, Norton, James. AJS and Francis Barnett in England. Things looked pretty bad financially for AMC for quite some time and rumors were rife that they were going “under.” Not long ago, the firm fell into the hands of receivers and the future looked even bleaker, to those who didn't know' what w,as going on. at least. Close observers, such as myself, knew matters were a bit snug and that Associated had labor problems, but we also knew the entire British Empire was in trouble in many w-ays, including their failing Pound Sterling.
Now, I am happy to report, things are looking up. I received an official statement concerning AMC, now known as Norton Matchless Ltd., as follow's:
“Norton Matchless Limited announces that the production of the highly successful Norton and Matchless motorcycles in road, scrambler and racing form, will continue during 1967 with detailed improvements. Production of these models at the Plumstead Factory in South London. England. and their shipment to the United States is continuing without interruption.
“Norton Matchless Limited have appointed Mr. Charles Summerton, chief production executive: Mr. Bill Smith, chief sales executive and Mr. Charles Udall, chief designer and engineer. All these executives have been associated with the motorcycle industry for many years and are well known to their many friends in the States.
“Norton Matchless Limited is a recently formed company which has taken over from the Associated Motor Cycles Limited group, inter alia, the business of Norton and Matchless motorcycles, and is now part of the Villiers Engineering Co., Ltd. group, a subsidiary group of Manganese Bronze Holdings Limited."
I am sure this comes as the best news possible to many, particularly that clannish group of Matchless lovers from out of the past, myself among them! It is not my policy, nor CYCLE WORLD'S, to attach an endorsement to any single brand of machine, and thing's aren't changing. I just happen to have a fond affection for my first real motorcycle and a passion for big singles.
MOTORCYCLE TRAILS
That collective effort and a willingness to cooperate with those who hold the reins is the recommended course to work things out is amply illustrated in some good news we have recently received. The Ridgeriders Trailriding Club of Ojai, Calif., has just entered a formal program with the U.S. Forest Service to develop a vast motor cycle trail area in the Cuyarna District of California's I os Padres National Forest. The club, ably guided by president Bob Dokes, has been assisted and supported by the National Trail Riders Association throughout their negotiations for the pro gram. Currently, they are establishing an overall plan to guide budgeting, and are determining the needs and wishes of trail riders, setting tip ground rules, designing camp grounds tailored to the trail bike. and plotting courses and trails for both fun riding and trials-tx pe competition. We don't have a firm figure on the amount of land involved, hut we have been given a conservative estimate that it encompasses more than a half million acres! An ap praisal of the NTRA must surely gain in admiration in light of this, and particular ly so, when hacked up with their work in behalf of Southern California motorcy clists in the motorcycle recreation area that is to be built on the northern edge of Los Angeles. NTRA has recently absorbed the American Mechanized Sportsmen, and plans to work with their new subsidiary and other trail riding organizations to schedule a national e'ent in the spring. Amidst the many fun-and-game events planned, NTRA will host a Scottish Trials type event that will he run for two days. While a location has not been definitely selected, it is felt that the event will be held in the Cuyama area mentioned pre viously. And all this just 80 miles from one of the largest cities in the world!
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WE LOST IN NEW YORK
Though I cannot explain how it happen ed, I was misinformed. In this column in our October issue, I stated that the com pulsory helmet law was not passed in New York. and that Governor Rockefeller had vetoed it. Well, much to my embarrass ment, he signed the bill after all! Starting January 1, 1 967, all motorcyclists must wear helmets and goggles "of a type ap proved by the Commissioner of Motor Ve hides in the state of New York."
Another chapter of the same bill (3505) prohibits the operation of more than two motorc~cles abreast in any OflC single traf fic lane. It also requires motorcycles to pass to the left of vehicles in the left lane. I cannot argue with either of the latter two. But the Governor just lost m~ sup port for passing the unconstitutional Chapter 979, sections 2. 3 and 4. Section four, for your additional information, pro hibits an~one from selling helmets or gog gles not approved by the State agency. I dont know how they will test helmets or h~' what scale they ill grade them. But I'll bet my pants they aren't equipped to test helmets any better than is the Amen c~in \lotorcvcle \ssociation. where they bang them on the sharp corners of a filing cabinet, I'm told!
SHOW FEVER
Motorcycle shows are springing up all over the place. CYCLE WORLD wasn't the first to stage a motorcycle show. Daytona's dealer show is one of the best known in the trade, held during the running of the American Motorcycle Association `~Speed Week," and it sure as heck isn't the last, either. September saw the running of the first motorcycle dealer show at the Disney land Hotel in Anaheim, Calif., staged by a motorcycle trade publication. CYCLE WORLD held a continuous open house dur ing the show which, according to re ports, was a smashing success.
Long Beach will be the setting for an other motorcycle show, to be held in con junction with the running of the indoor short track races in the Long Beach Arena in November. This is one of the best motorcycle events to be seen any where. with bikes running on the highly polished cement floor at dizzying speeds. San Francisco's Brooks Hall, where several automobile shows are staged each year, is the scene for the first "Interna tional Sport Cycle Exposition." Brooks Hall is a handsome underground arena, smack in the center of downtown San Francisco, drawing from a highly concen trated population. I wish they would own tip and call it a motorcycle show. "Sport Cycle" is a nice polite term, but we all know they are motorcycles and it's about time some of the people in the industry quit trying to hide the word motorcycle behind such terms. If it were not bad business to do so, I would change the name of CYCLE WORLD to "Motorcycle World." It would not be bad business to call it "Motorcycle World," but publishing history is filled with examples of maga zines that changed their titles and lost their readers, who lost them on the news stands. -
But Fm digressing.
Las Vegas in January is not a new song, just the place and time that yet another motorcycle show will take flight. This one is to be part of a big automobile and boat speed squipment show, with bikes thrown in. And then we arrive at good old Day tona, Florida, in March again. Followed by the best and biggest of them all, sched uled for June 1, 2. 3 and 4, 1967, at the Los Angeles Sports Arena again. Natch, the 4th Annual CYCLE WORLD Interna tional Motorcycle Show. There may be even more shows sandwiched in between somewhere. If so, I apologize for not mentioning them. Bike shows are getting to he big business these days.
