The Scene
THE SCENE
IVAN J. WAGAR
THE American motorcyclist is a truly lucky individual. Gone are the days when overseas manufacturers added a bit of chrome trim to a domestic model, and rushed it off to the U.S. in the fall of the year, as the American version. Motorcycle factories the world over have their sights set on the U.S. market and, in many cases, have foresaken home trade for the export dollar. Today, the enthusiast is treated to such a galaxy of machinery that the choice of what to buy becomes increasingly difficult each month. The new Triumph and BSA Threes will not be available to the public in England for many months; some estimates range up to a year. Italian manufacturers are doing the same, and it still is not possible to buy the new 350 Hondas in Japan. At the present time, three Japanese factories are building large displacement machines specifically for the North American market.
In fact, this issue does not contain a feature road test motorcycle for that very reason—too many test machines. Over the past few months CYCLE WORLD has tested more off-the-road competition bikes than space would permit publication of test reports. The solution is this month’s competition dirt machine roundup, in which all of the accumulated test data are reviewed in depth.
Many distributors are going to considerable expense to bring European stars to the U.S. to promote sales of their products. Some distributors have done much to enhance the sport of motorcycling by obtaining television and using general news media coverage. Torsten Hallman has been a great ambassador of motorcycle sport through his TV appearances. The latest foreign rider to carry the goodwill banner was Bultaco’s Sammy Miller who, in addition to a civic appearance in Southern California, was a guest at a Bay Area Sportswriters Association luncheon in San Francisco. Not to be outdone, Montesa’s distributor, Kim Kimball, has brought over from Spain, Pedro Pi, motocross and trials ace. TV footage of the Southern California Trials Association event, with Pi as the star, now is in preparation. Hopefully, it will be presented on national TV later this year.
The future looks very rosy indeed, despite all the legislation problems, and as long as there are motorcycle riders such as Lew Buchanan in Washington. With personable Lew setting guidelines for states to follow, there is hope that legislation will not get out of hand. The greatest danger lies in the possibility that state legislators will act on their own, with little or no knowledge of motorcycles and motorcyclists, to create trifling laws designed to protect the motorcyclist from himself. But, hopefully, the repeal of the Michigan helmet law will cause legislators to take a closer look before pushing through additional so-called “motorcycle safety” bills.
It is too early to know how motorcycling fared during the past year as far as deaths are concerned, but it is certain that the statistics will be very good, even though almost half a million people joined the motorcycle ranks in the past 12 months. Some will say the improved figures reflect enactment of stringent helmet laws. This probably is not true. As much as motorcyclists hated it at the time, the rash of bad publicity in the general news media a year ago woke up a great many riders to the need for greater safety measures. Dealers spent more time with their customers, teaching riding techniques and safety, and many civic groups adopted, or supported, rider education programs. Rider education is the greatest step toward better statistics.
The careless, inconsiderate car driver remains the major hazard. The majority of motorcycle deaths are caused when a collision with a car occurs and, in nine cases out of 10, the operator of the four-wheeled vehicle is at fault. The logical explanation is that a few short years ago U.S. roads were almost completely void of two-wheeled motorists. An automobile driver might travel along his merry way for several weeks without seeing a motorcycle. This is not so today. Some 2.4 million motorcycles travel U.S. roads. They are everywhere. So, unlike Europe or Japan, where car drivers have, through their driving years, been accustomed to the presence of motorcyclists. The United States has been going through a growth period which has been very difficult, to say the least. In those parts of the world where motorcycles have served the utility market, there is an added benefit in that most automobile drivers have, at one time or another, been motorcyclists and therefore treat the two-wheeler as a motorist.
In this respect, help is on the way for future generations of motorcyclists. The Motorcycle, Scooter & Allied Trades Association is forging ahead in negotiations with the National Education Association. The two groups are working toward addition of motorcycle driver education to the curriculum of the nation’s schools. Not only would this produce more competent motorcycle operators, but all students would be more aware of the motorcycle’s place in society. Benefits to industry and the motorcyclist would be immeasurable. Unfortunately, not all of the motorcycle distributors belong to the MS&ATA, either through shortsightedness or lack of concern for the future, and the money required to get the NEA program off the ground is hard to come by. It is rather sad that the entire industry is not financially behind the NEA plan. The assessment of the gains and rewards to everyone connected with the sport is not overly optimistic.
Possibly the distributors who are not MS&ATA members should consider a special fund for the sole purpose of supporting the NEA program. The MS&ATA did try to introduce a dealer membership category earlier this year, whereby the retailers would contribute a nominal sum, but that, too, appears to be doomed to fail through lack of support. Many dealers were prepared to join, however, and it is ironic that some of them sold machines for distributors who do not belong to the trade organization.
The ideal situation, of course, would be a trade organization, at wholesaler level, that represents the entire industry. All members would pay dues proportional to dollar volume. Members would have votes proportional to dues paid, to decide where and how the money should be spent. A second category would consist of all the retailers, whose dues would also go into the treasury. It could be called the Motorcyclists’ National Betterment Fund, or whatever. There could be a third group, the Consumer. However, like it or not, the consumer has in reality already paid his dues, because the previous two parties are bound to pass on the expense to the buyer. But, in the long run, it all evens out for the consumer, because what good is a new motorcycle if the owner must spend another grand on a suit of armor, roll bars, and the like? Much better that there should be a strong, well supported, representative association to look after the motorcyclists’ rights. The system would work if the consumer bought only from dealers who display the trade association emblem. Retailers, in turn, could insist that distributors be members.
Eventually, and not too far off, with present growth standards, the motorcycle industry could stand on its own two feet. There never will be the sort of funds the automobile industry can muster, but one of these days motorcycling will be cursed by its own Ralph Nader. Unite and be prepared. As long as motorcycling can dismiss such absurdities as seat belts one need not use, and little front seat back locks which no one can find, motorcyclists have it made. Detroit does not incorporate safety features that harm styling, because there is sufficient money available to enable manufacturers to present their cases to the legislators. Legislators aren’t all bad. Most of them are sincere in their desire to help. This righteous, do-good attitude frequently is prompted by the knowledge that weakness and lack of unity does exist in an industry. \q\
