Round Up
ROUND UP
JOE PARKHURST
DUNE BUGGIES are here, and we’ve put out a new book to celebrate their arrival. Not that they just arrived — the sport has been going on for quite awhile. It is simply that now they are really coming on, all over the place.
Aptly enough, CYCLE WORLD’S newest book is called DUNE BUGGIES -AMP;AMP; HOT VWS. Part of it is devoted to the new hot-rod craze of hopping up VWs for the fun of it. Dennis Shattuck is the Editor. Jim Wright and Gene Booth, the contributing editors behind our CAMARO BUYER'S GUIDE, have again combined their talents for the benefit of the growing number of dune buggy enthusiasts. It will appear on the newsstands shortly, or we’ll send you a copy for the seventy-five cent cover price, postage paid.
The contents include: a selection of the buggies available; the best types of tires; ways of getting more power out of the VW engine (the power plant in most of the popularly used buggies); Corvair-engined buggies; hot rodded VWs that have turned up to 102 mph in the quarter mile; glass bodies for the VW chassis for dunes or the streets; where to take your buggy, and much more.
For those who haven't seen a dune buggy in action — they are more like a fourwheeled motorcycle than any other vehicle. They'll go just about anywhere, (and, of course, where they won’t go, a motorcycle will), and are a lot of fun. For the rest of the story, send for your copy of DUNE BUGGIES -AMP;AMP; HOT VWS.
DUNE BUGGY BREAKS MOTORCYCLE RECORD IN BAJA
Yep, you read the title correctly.
An old friend of mine, Bruce Meyers, head of Meyers Mfg., builder of the Meyers Manx (probably the best, and certainly the most popular, dune buggy on the market), set out to upset the record set by motorcycles for the shortest time for the trip from Tijuana, Mexico, to La Paz, Baja California.
Back in 1962. I accompanied several members of the American Honda staff on a stunt to set a record for the trip. Dave Ekins and Bill Robertson Jr., riding Honda scramblers did it in only 39 hours and 54 minutes. They were lost for almost eight hours during the night. At the time, I was in a Cessna 195 with John McLaughlin, following the boys and providing fuel and guidance for them.
Last year, Dave Ekins, in a team with his brother, Bud, Eddie Mulder and Cliff Coleman set out to shorten it. Mechanical problems prevented them from taking more than the eight minutes off. There have been several other attempts, but none have been well enough organized to do the job.
The distance is more than 950 miles on roads that are paved for a little over 200 miles. Then, the honeymoon ends. The rider must fight hard, ribbed and rutted dirt for another few hundred, cross a dry lake bed or two, travel on many miles of sand, and a good deal of it is unmarked. The course taken by all of the bikes has been down the “main route,” which included some of the rockiest, roughest country in the West. It crossed many streams, wound its way up steep, rocky mountains, on one of the most demanding trials for hundreds of miles.
Using a little left-handed expertise, Meyers, in the company of a friend who knew the country quite well, did the trip in reverse, and reduced the time to 35 hours, 34 minutes! Very commendable, but I must point out that they did not follow the same route as the bikes. They took a route down the western side of the peninsula that is some 70-odd miles shorter, but follows a trackless sand-type beach area that can confuse the rider — if not cause him to lose his way entirely. This area is the very one where Ekins and Robertson got lost in 1962, when they entered the area unintentionally.
The buggies are at their best in sand, but their top speed was limited to less than 50 mph, according to Meyers. He estimates that had they not had their share of mechanical problems with their stock VWpowered Manx, they could have made the trip in “around” 30-32 hours. Bud Ekins estimates he could do it in “far less” than 30 hours. Since a motorcycle suffers little in sand in comparison to a buggy, I’m sure it could be done. Any takers?
Bikes can travel in the best groove all the time. They are faster in sand and on the roads (Bud topped 80 mph at times). Cross country, no vehicle alive can stay with one, properly ridden, of course. I know of only one condition under which a good dune buggy is superior. That is on a fairly smooth and flat, wide dirt road. The buggy, properly driven, can slide with more control and better use its power and inherent stability. This describes very little of the trail from one end of Baja California to the other.
Part of the buggy’s victory must be given to Meyers’ partner, Ted Mangels, who knew the country well, and is an excellent navigator. A second driver/passenger/navigator should not only help drive, but navigate for him, as well.
Meyers and Mangels did something anyone wishing to beat their time would be wise to practice; they drove backwards over the route, slowly, making a trip map, studying and marking the course for their more rapid return. It took several days to do it. The pair claim an elapsed time under their record run. Elapsed time proves little. It’s the long, hard, overnight grind that is the proof.
Another advantage the buggy has, and it’s not a slight one, is that the driver only has to work one-third as hard as a motorcycle rider. He is sitting down, sort of, albeit being bounced and thrown around while hanging on to the wheel. But this compares only casually to the tough, physically punishing job a motorcycle rider has to contend with for the long, long grind.
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The bike rider must be in top physical shape. Only someone who rides virtually every weekend should even think about it.
The car enthusiasts, being chauvanistic as only they can be, don’t think it can be done. Obviously, they don’t know anything about motorcyclists or motorcycles. I’ll give a pretty penny, and a heck of a lot of publicity (for whatever that’s worth), to the guy who proves them wrong. And me right. Natch!
Wish I was about 15 years or so younger, around 20 pounds lighter, and could ride like Gary Nixon. I’d show ’em!
MOTORCYCLES AT CATALINA
Don’t get excited, all you old timers in California. We don’t have the island back for racing like it was in 1958 and earlier. What’s happening is that CYCLE WORLD’S staff is preparing the most complete history of the fabulous island off the Southern California coast, and its great race, of course. In the process, we ventured onto the old, almost hallowed ground, blasted around the course awhile, just for background and to get into the spirit of things while putting together the history. We contacted the Catalina Island Company, official spokesmen for what goes on at the privately-owned island, asked for permission to buzz around and put together a story.
We lucked out. To begin with, the manager of the Interior Department of the company, one Norman Cooper, is an exmotorcycle police officer and more than receptive to bikes and the guys who ride them. Not only that, Mr. P. K. Wrigley, the chewing gum magnate and owner of the island, has a couple of old bikes in his garage and agrees that motorcycles really aren’t that bad.
We were placed in the capable hands of Steve Dawes, Security Officer, Jeep mounted, and led him a merry chase over the famous and fabulous old course, (part pavement, part dirt fire road and part riding trail), through the little storybook-like town of Avalon, (same as in the song), up the mountain and back. Nostalgia gripped the staff, a few tears were shed for the “old days” of motorcycling, but we girded ourselves and set at the task.
Catalina is one of the prettiest places in the world. We saluted Mr. Wrigley and his distinguished old family for keeping it that way, by not letting people tear it to pieces with housing projects, cheap amusement parks and the like. It is so peaceful, quiet, and lovely, it is hard to believe the wild roar of hundreds of bikes racing about was actually a welcome sound. Well, welcomed by most, anyway. The island has never been able to duplicate the financial success the Grand National was, but there will never again be a race in the streets of Avalon.
The reasons why this is true will be dealt with in our story, to appear next month. In the meantime, with the wives of our staff riders: Parkhurst, Wagar,
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Hunt, Bishop and Ballard, plus old Catalina rider and friend of the family Jerry Platt, proprietor of Leseo accessories, safely stowed in the Jeep with Steve, we toured the island for endless hours. Wild buffalo roam. Goats, sheep, horses, wild boar, birds abound. So many wild creatures are harbored and protected it is almost zoolike. The land borders on being sacred to the desires of the Wrigley family and the Island Co. Little change has taken place, and little is contemplated. A resort, of sorts, is planned at the West end of the island; but it will interfere little with the peaceful serenity of the interior.
These may sound like strange things for the publisher of a motorcycle magazine to say, but I am not the only naturalist, outdoorsman, nature enthusiast who rides a motorcycle. There must be thousands of us. We not only use the motorcycle as a means to enjoying a motor sport, but we employ it in reaching many of the wild, relatively unspoiled wilderness areas, merely to see them.
Jerry Platt is my riding companion most of the time. We frequently ride the San Bernardino forests, as well as the marvelous, remote sections of California’s deserts, and the foothill areas of the majestic Sierra Nevada mountains as well. I sail a boat, I ski, I ride motorcycles, mostly to one end — to be out of doors. To see nature at work. To enjoy the great wildernesses.
But I’ve wandered off the subject. Catalina is no more, as a race course, though I am told that something might be done to bring racing back to the island. If nothing else, at least in the wild interior.
We were treated grandly by the island people. Even our remarks concerning the “old days” were not treated as the ravings of some kind of maniacs. I firmly believe the majority of the people, particularly the merchants on the island, would welcome back the races.
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For the moment, I’ll thank Mr. Cooper and Steve Dawes for their cooperation, friendliness, and warm spirits. Our story brings back nice memories for those who were around then and just might spark people to inject that certain something most modern-day motorcycle events seem to lack - spirit. The fun of the sport, the carnival atmosphere, the theatre only motorcycle racing in close company can produce.
We desperately need an Isle of Man. Daytona’s cold expanse of super-green grass, blue sky, open space, is cold and emotionless. Let’s bring back Laconia at Belknapp, Catalina, Daytona on the beach, Big Bear up Rattlesnake Canyon and into quaint Fawnskin, or for that matter, the Jack Pine.
MICHIGAN MOTORCYCLE SAFETY WEEK
The week of May 14th through May 20th was proclaimed Motorcycle Safety Week in Michigan, by none other than Governor Romney, himself. The proclamation made note of all the obvious things, i.e., motorcycling is an increasing popular pastime and mode of transportation, that responsible and law-abiding cyclists demonstrate concern for safe use of their machines, proving they are mutual partners with other drivers. Special mention was made of the interfaith motorcyclists convocation and blessing ceremony held at Grand Ledge early in May.
The Grand Ledge motorcycle club has been active in cooperating with state officials, agencies and the legislature in attempting to work out various motorcycle legislation. Club President E. W. “Woody” Hayes has attended each of the public meetings arranged by Attorney General Frank Kelley, and has made club facilities available in an effort to develop a rider training and licensing program for the state. Woody is quoted as having said, “It is participation of this kind by qualified people in the active clubs which will preserve the freedoms and rights of the riders and eventually overcome the poor image of the sport, which sensationalist news reporting has forced upon us.”
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APPROVED SAFETY SCHOOL
A new first in motorcycle safety took place recently when 24 riders were graduated from a 12-hour training course in the art of controlling a two-wheeler. The course, given jointly by the Downey (Calif.) Police Department and Downey Adult School, is the first of its kind to be offered and approved by a state.
Open to anyone — man, woman, or student — the class consisted of four threehour sessions, two in class and two devoted to field activities on an established practice course. One nice thing about the class was that it wasn’t necessary to be a bike owner. The machines were kindly furnished by U.S. Suzuki.
Graduates, instructed in proper attitudes, rider habits, laws and safety, received certificates from the California Department of Education upon successful conclusion of the course.
Cost was only $7 for the 12 hours of instruction, and the program will be a continuing thing.
ELKHART, INDIANA, SOLVES A PROBLEM
Elkhart, Indiana, seems to be the spawning grounds for the solution to one of the thorniest problems facing the motorcycle industry — that of training new riders. The Police Department, Chamber of Commerce Traffic Safety Committee, in cooperation with the Breakfast Optimist Club and the Elkhart motorcycle dealers, established a motorcycle clinic to provide safety instruction, free-of-charge, to anyone wishing it.
The program is a one-day session, held twice a month, in a park. Students are graded on riding a pylon-lined, zig-zag course, inside a circle. Accelerating down a straight section where a timer stops, they must land on a painted line, and a slow race. Winners receive awards, such as helmets. A talk on Indiana laws, viewing movies, including safety films, a short written exam and talks from officials completes the course.
Dealers, when selling a bike, give a letter to the parents of youngsters, encouraging them to enroll him in a class. No charged is levied; the cost is absorbed by dealers and interested associations. The program has had marvelous cooperation from the Chambers and Optimist, insurance has been donated to the clinic by Cycle Insurance, and local clubs and industries have donated funds to cover the cost of awards and the like.
Graduates will receive a reflector strip for the back of their helmets.
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATION
CYCLE WORLD’S “home state,” California, has joined the parade of states setting out to protect motorcyclists from themselves. State Assembly Bill 978 passed from committee and is on its way towards being voted on as a new law in the state Senate soon. Among other things, 978 will require that all riders wear a helmet, and one approved by the state at that. It wjll create a new, separate motorcycle licensing program, and will require that an applicant must first have an automobile operator’s permit, that he wear goggles, glasses or use a windshield, (all approved by the state, of course), and that a rider wear “protective clothing” on his feet.
Author of the controversial bill is Assemblyman Foran, who seems to have nominated himself as watchdog for just about everybody in the state. He is also the author of a couple of other bills which, among other things, would require that all motorcycles have batteries, so that they may employ parking lights.
Along with a few people in the industry — too few — I went to Sacramento for the public hearing on the bill, only to see motorcycle riders sold down the river. We won on only one proposal; the bill originally had a requirement for crash bars, but a little logic from some of the attending spectators put that down.
Requiring riders to wear full shoes of some kind was spawned by an assemblyman from Redondo Beach, one of Los Angeles County’s beach resort communities. The assemblyman knew of a few cases where barefoot riders had been hurt and decided to force his convictions on the rest of us. I’ve advised against barefoot riding myself, but I deplore a law like this. Redondo Beach readers, keep your eyes on Assemblyman Townsend. He seems to genuinely enjoy inflicting his will on people, even when he is completely wrong.
Little opposition was offered to the bill, mainly because little organization preceded the industry’s approach. The Motorcycle, Scooter and Allied Trades Association sent a spokesman who gave well-prepared testimony that helped our cause a great deal. But, unfortunately, not all of the opposition speakers to the bill were as well prepared, nor were they part of a total effort.
Members of such committees are prepared to listen to only a few arguments, and these must be extremely well thought out. Too many questions brought up by the committee went unanswered, or if answered at all, were done poorly. Consequently, the bill simply dashed through, which apparently was all part of a pre-determined plan. “Railroading,” I think they call it.
We now have one recourse left: write, call, wire or petition your representative in the state assembly. Urge him to vote against A.B. 978. It is unconstitutional and unfair. We do not need to be legislated into protecting ourselves.
I am all for a special motorcycle operator’s license. It will make better riders of all who take up the sport and reduce the accident and death rate, I am certain. A license to operate an automobile does not in anyway prepare one to ride a motorcycle. Separate and special training and licensing can do nothing but good for our sport.
The compulsory wearing of helmets is wrong, but I am afraid we are doomed. When the Federal Government passed the Highway Safety Act this year, all of the states were requested to create and pass a law compelling the wearing of helmets. States not following through run the risk of losing 10% of their Federal highway funds. Now, I ask you, how many states are going to hold out on passing such a law, simply because it violates the rights of so few people? None — take my word for it.
What’s to be done in the future when such bills come up for public hearings in other states? If no well organized effort is put forth, it is a plain case of a law being virtually unopposed. The MS&ATA will more than likely be there; but hot heads who cannot offer cool, calm, and well thought out answers and arguments to lawmakers (who are largely guided by misguided instincts alone), will see their rights go down the drain like I did.
California is not the first state to be so subjugated. Several others have already fallen under the political axe. The American Motorcycle Association has filed a suit against the constitutionality of the helmet law drafted in Michigan. The outcome should be enlightening and may lead the way by setting a legal precedent for other opponents of similar legislation to follow»"
MOTORCYCLES AND THE A.M.A.
I mean the American Medical Association, this time. Their official organ, Today’s Health, recently ran a feature on motorcycles titled, “Your Youngster and the Motorcycle.” I’m not citing this to wage a war on Today’s Health. I’ve read the magazine for years and am a great admirer of it. I only wish our AMA had an official paper as good.
Author Harris Edward Dark presents an eloquent appeal to parents that is thought provoking and timely, making only a few technical errors on the way. He cautions parents to make certain their children are trained, ride safely, and wear proper clothing . . . Nothing wrong with that kind of advice.
I objected only to Mr. Dark’s lengthy discourse on gory motorcycle accidents he has heard and read of in his career as an editor of a safety publication. In his appeal for sane operating practices, he cites only isolated problems, suggesting that parents make a bigger mistake by forbidding their children to ride, since this makes them want to even more.
The author’s comparison of the damage done to the operator of an automobile in a slight collision, compared to that suffered by a motorcycle rider in the same collision, strikes home. But he didn’t bother to quote the accident statistics that show motorcycle accidents going down as registration goes up. g
