Round Up
ROUND UP
JOE PARKHURST
CYCLE WORLD MOTOCROSS
By the time this magazine is in the hands of readers, the first few races of the first International American Motocross Series-the Inter-Am-will have been contested. Unfortunately, CYCLE WORLD is unable to bring you coverage of these outstanding events, simply by reason of the lead time required to deliver a magazine from editorial office to newsstand.At any rate, the eight-race series opened at Pepperill, Mass., Oct. 20, and will close at Saddleback Park, Calif., Dec. 8. Two of the features of the Saddleback meeting will be the award of the Inter-Am European Championship, and the Inter-Am American Championship.
CYCLE WORLD Magazine, sponsor of the final event, as have other promotors, has contributed to a special award fund for the series. The $800 kitty goes to the European rider who accumulates the greatest number of points through the eight races. And, CYCLE WORLD has put up two special $250 prizes for the two Americans who have gained the most points in 250-cc and 500-cc classes through the series.
More than likely, the Saddleback Park Motocross Grand Prix will be the deciding race for both European and American rider prizes, as competition will be extremely close throughout the eight events.
The advertisement on Page 35 of this edition of CYCLE WORLD tells the story.
To me, the Saddleback Park Moto cross Grand Prix is the at least partial fulfillment of my long-held dream-to see the United States become a force to be reckoned with in international mo torcycling.
failed to attract any great number of Americans, and has gained no over whelming popularity in the U.S., it has fallen to motocross racing to become the form of competition that offers the best opportunity for U.S. riders to mix it up with Europe's best. At least one AMA rider, Dick Mann, will ride at Saddleback. I regret that other AMA contenders aren't able to give motocross a whirl, won't take on Hallman, Robert, de Coster and like Continental talent.
Of course, the best motocrossmen in the country aren't necessarily AMA riders. Right now, it appears that the stars and stripes lineup at Saddleback will include Ron Nelson, Preston Petty, Walt Axthelm, John De Soto, J. N. Roberts, Glen Vincent and Charlie Vin cent, among others. -
And, there's reason to hope that Canada's brilliant Yvon du Hamel will travel to the west coast for the series finale.
The entry list of Europeans now includes Torsten Haliman, Torleif Han sen and Christer Hammargren from Swe den, Vlastimil Valek and Karel Konecny from Czechoslovakia, Dave Bickers and Bryan Wade from England, Pierre Kars maker from Holland, and Joel Robert, Sylvain Geboers, Roger de Coster and Jef Teuwissen from Belgium. And, it appears that West German Maico facto ry rider Adolph Weil, and the Rickman brothers from England also will com pete at Saddleback Park.
It has beenalong, hard struggle to bring genuine international racing to the United States. Edison Dye of MED International, Husqvarna importer, and his partner, Torsten Hallman, have been instrumental in bringing the European motocross stars to the U.S. Through their efforts, motocross racing in North America has arrived, has matured in only one year.
I'm firm in my belief that these races should receive the sanction of the Amer ican Motorcycle Association, premier racing organization in the U.S. This may yet happen, but a complete revision of the AMA's archaic bylaws and competi tion rules will be required. And, the AMA must affiliate in some way with the Federation Internationale Moto cycliste, international motorcycle gover ning body, headquartered in Switzer land. CYCLE WORLD will continue to further this cause. The CYCLE WORLD Motocross Grand Prix is only the begin ning.
CLICKS FOR TRIUMPH
i'riumph Corp., Baltimore, sponsors a most interesting contest every year. It awards amateur and professional pho tographers a cash prize for the best photographs using Triumph motor cycles. First prize in the professional class this year went to Stuart Land for his shot of a Triumph on a golf course. Dave Wallace's action shot of a Triumph in action in an enduro won the amateur category. Both win $50 for their efforts. Other prizes range down to $10 for honorable mention. Triumph no doubt will repeat the contest next summer.
THE COLOGNE SHOW
The Cologne, Germany, motorcycle show this year was a brilliant affairwhich started in the parking lot. Outside the exhibition hail were privately owned Laverda Twins; a beautifully restored old Adler, with number plates and lights, on which Reinhard Scholtis up holds the honor of Germany in road racing; a truly sporting Guzzi outfit, complete with a small sidecar; and an ancient Steib. And, if an American tourist had shown up with his new BMW, he would have been riding a more modern BM than was on the factory exhibit stand inside the hall-as the telescopic-forked R69 U.S. models aren't yet available in Germany.
And, attractions inside were numer ous. The Mammut, ponderous pet of Floyd Clymer, shared the Munch stand with the revived, somewhat redesigned Horex Twin. Designed in the late 1950s, originally at 450 cc piston displacement, the new versions are of 600 and 750 cc displacement. The smaller version is expected to deliver 52 bhp at 8000 rpm. The sohc valve train is chain driven. And, the engine is to be built in the Royal Enfield factory in England. Frame and cycle parts will be manufac tured in Italy. On the tank, as per Clymer practice, will be found "Ameri can Indian." The original Horex wasn't sold under its own name in the U.S. either-it came in as the Zundapp Cita tion.
(Continued on page 6)
Continued from page 4
And, there’s prospect of another version of the Clymer-Munch American Indian. This one will be powered by a 500-cc British Velocette engine. The Italian frame and other components also will be used for this model. Maybe it will be at the next biennial Cologne show.
Offerings on the Neckermann stand were ESO speedway and CZ enduro bikes. Also on display, carrying the Neckermann label—the firm is the largest motorcycle distributor on the Continent—was the 367 Jawa of Franta Stastny. This machine is a two-stroke Four with a claimed output of 72 bhp at 13,000 rpm. The Neckermann exhibit also showed the 125 MZ, the 350 CZ.
MZ displayed a 250-cc road racer of its own, along with a working lucite model of the 250 production single.
Kreidler and Zundapp exhibited their 50-cc record breakers—known to CYCLE WORLD readers from reports on European and Bonneville speed record attempts. Zundapp added a range of trials and enduro bikes of German and European renown.
England was represented by the Norton Villiers and Triumph-BSA lines, but neither of the Threes, the Triumph Trident nor the BSA Rocket, was on display.
It was a good show—a show that proves East and West Germany aren’t willing to take a back seat to other nations in motorcycle production.
