Round Up
ROUND UP
JOE PARKHURST
TEAM CYCLE WORLD CANCELLED
AS YOU MAY or may not know, the 1966 running of the Isle of Man TT races was cancelled due to the British Seaman’s strike. I want to thank everyone who took part in the first American road racing team organized to go to Europe. Bell Toptex donated helmets, Webco had Cal-Leather whip up the most beautiful blue leathers with a white stripe you ever saw, Good Year Tire & Rubber loaded us up with tires galore, and, of course, Yamaha International was faithful to the last moment in their effort to get our TDI-Bs to the Island for the road racing show of the world. There was some talk of postponing the TT until later in the year, but it could not be done. As of this writing, I have no plans for another team next year. My regrets to all, and in particular, the very disappointed team men: Buddy Parriott, Don Vesco and Ron Grant. CW’s Gordon Jennings almost singlehandedly tackled the job of preparing the bikes, and just made it under the wire, only to have the news of the cancellation greet him on the day they were to be delivered to the shipping company.
Like some idiot is always saying, that’s racing!
JOHNSON MOTORS PRESIDENT DIES
I wish to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Wilbur J. Ceder, late president of Johnson Motors, Triumph distributors in the West, and friend of CYCLE WORLD since our first issue. Wilbur died while we were completing our July issue, but there was not sufficient time to make a statement then. He was a pioneer in motorcycling in the West, starting the firm (affectionately known as “Jomo”) with William Johnson back in 1938. In 1950, Johnson Motors assumed responsibility for Triumph in 19 western states. Mr. Ceder is survived by his wife and a brother. He will be missed by many in the industry, including those of us around CW.
Parent board of Birmingham Small Arms Co., in England, have announced that Mr. H. G. Sturgeon, managing director of the group’s motorcycle division, was elected to take Mr. Ceder’s place. Mr. Sturgeon will also be the president of BSA Western, as was Wilbur Ceder at the time of his death. No changes in company policies have been planned for the time being.
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SHOW BUSINESS CYCLE CLUB
Something I felt pretty certain would happen, finally has; a small group of actors and business people in the entertainment industry has begun the formation of a motorcycle club. True to form, they sent out a news release. The group plans on organizing road trips, scrambles and other forms of outings.
Peter Rachtman, a personnel manager, and Ed Brown, a business manager, both representing “name” personalities, originated the club. Among celebrities who are helping to organize the club are singer Pat Boone, Alex Cord, Jerry Heilman, and singer Johnny Rivers. Because of the diverse interests of many of their members, they tell me “the group will probably not be as close-knit as many of the existing "clubs.” However, according to Rachtman, “we are now building a list of people in the entertainment industry, who are available for occasional one-day and weekend outings and road trips. We also realize that due to the name value of many of our members, we will ultimately be able to use our activities to enhance and promote the entire sport of motorcycling.” Which is the main reason I am mentioning the club in this column.
NEW AMA CHIEF
Mr. William T. Berry Jr. stopped in at CYCLE WORLD last week to tell us of his new position as executive director of the American Motorcycle Association and the Motorcycle, Scooter and Allied Trades Association. He replaces L. A. “Lin” Kuchler, who was recently named executive manager of NASCAR.
Berry has more than 20 years in the motor vehicle field. He joined the MS&ATA after serving as executive secretary of the American Motor Scooter Association, a predecessor. When MS&ATA was merged from two previous groups, he became governmental relations director.
The new executive is married and has five children. He will reside in Columbus.
MOTORCYCLE SPORT BOOK
Petersen Publication’s Motorcycle Sport Book, by Lynn Wineland, endeavors to give an honest appraisal on each and every phase of motorcycling. Those who have been following the automotive editor approach to motorcycles in publications from this firm will be pleased to discover that the editorial attitude is that of the motorcyclist, not the part-time bike rider who takes time away from “funny cars” to write about a few motorcycles.
Wineland is not the only contributor to the book; others include such stalwarts of motorcycling as CYCLE WORLD’S Rich Richards, Montesa importer Kim Kimball, Bultaco man Doug Yerkes, enduro exponent John Penton, Bob Steffan, trialsman Nick Nicholson, Hodaka’s Chuck Swanson, Harley-Davidson of Los Angeles head Dick Hutchins, and touring expert Bruce Chubuck.
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The volume contains almost 200 pages of motorcycle information, ranging from simple directions on how to have fun on bikes, tuning tips, most of the forms of riding instruction, accessories, a catalog of the many machines on the market, to quite a bit more.
It closely resembles a summary of the contents of four years of CYCLE WORLD. The only thing I don’t like about the book is that we did not think of it first. Price is $2.00, and it’s on the newsstands now. It will also be sold in hard cover edition for $4.95.
CW SHOW BIKE WINNERS
From more than 9,000 entries registered at the Cycle World International Motorcycle Show, two young high school students were drawn as winners of Suzukis. Shown receiving their prizes from Carl Gylfe, regional manager of Laurentide Finance Co., co-sponsor of the contest together with Elite Insurance, are Don Williams, 17, of La Mirada, Calif., and Steve Loving, 18, of Montrose, Calif.
DRIVER EDUCATION PROGRAM
Universal Underwriters Insurance Co., in Kansas City, Missouri, launched a motorcycle driver education program on a nation-wide basis in May. According to Universal, a recent national study revealed that teenagers who have studied Automobile Driver Education are involved in half as many automobile accidents as those who have not taken such courses. Because of this, together with the urgent need that exists, Universal has published a driver education program for motorcycle operators.
The course follows the same general format used in existing automobile programs, including classroom instruction, written examinations, practice driving and grading of the student’s riding performance. Brochures containing details of the new program were sent to a large number of motorcycles dealers for use in promoting driver education programs, particularly in school driver training classes. Dealers who have not received a copy can order as many as they need by writing to Universal Underwriters Insurance Co., 5115 Oak St., Kansas City, Missouri 64112.
NATIONAL SAFETY COUNCIL CARTOONS
CYCLE WORLD contributor George Martin sent me a set of cartoons he recently received from the National Safety Council. The Council is distributing to newspapers a series of safety cartoons aimed at motorcyclists. The cartoons, the council says, “apply to the current dramatic increase in the numbers of motorcycles and scooters on public roads.” Featuring a cute girl named “Cycle Sal” (in a full coverage helmet), the cartoons were prepared with the assistance of the Accident Prevention Division of the Public Health Service.
