Letters
LETTERS
HAPPY EASTER!
As you probably know, the U.K. and U.S.A. do not always see eye to eye. But the recent Easter motorcycle meetings over here between a British and an American team have proven to be an exception. I think these meetings have been a tremendous success. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend any of these meetings. But I have read the reports, and they seem to justify my thoughts. Perhaps there could be a return match over in the States later on in the year. Long may these motorcycle races continue!
PAUL SCOTT Essex, England
AFTER IS TOO LATE
I am a faithful reader of your fine magazine; it definitely is one of the better cycle magazines, especially with its new format.
1 am a medical student with one year to go before 1 receive my M.D. degree. I also own a Montesa and am quite an enthusiast.
The reason for this letter is the following: for the life of me, I cannot comprehend the reason why some supposedly intelligent individuals (whose letters have been published in your Letters Department) continually complain about the helmet laws. They all fail to see that a helmet is and should be considered standard equipment by every cyclist. As for other legislation, wearing long sleeves, etc., that also might not be a bad idea. From personal experience, a few of the scars 1 now possess could have been prevented if 1 had been properly protected by decent clothing.
But my main complaint is against the anti-helmet people. 1 guess the only time these people value the importance of a helmet is after an accident, but the problem is that it only takes one accident to terminate one's life and after is always too late.
KENNETH E. BERNSTEIN Zaragosa, Spain
WHAT CAN WE ASSUME?
The old folklore of motorcycling— “The motorists will get you if you don't watch out” continues. Statistics pile up to the effect that, “a motorcyclist was hit by an automobilist.” Speeches in legislatures speak of the danger of riding motorcycles. The end product seems to be that a motorcycle is the problem.
1 have a lot of grey hair. I have put in many a long month and many, many miles on motorcycles. 1 ride on the roads. 1 ride in big city traffic and in the suburbs mostly. 1 see a lot of automobiles. Not one of them has tried to run into me, push me aside or otherwise assassinate me!
Why am I different? I don’t know, but let me tell you what 1 do. 1 always drive with my.lights on. 1 wear a-bright colored helmet and visible clothes. Probably most important, 1 drive my motorcycle like 1 do a pickup truck! That is, 1 use the same distance in front of me in traffic to the next car as 1 would if I drove a pickup. 1 do not slip through lanes nor use special advantage over other motorists. 1 use my turn signals for even the slightest turn. I also sometimes give hand signals where special attention-getting is necessary. And, like driving a pickup truck, 1 am very careful about stopping distances. My easily skidded rear end is much like that of the truck.
When 1 tell some other motorcyclists of the way 1 drive, they say: “But that takes all of the fun out of it.” Maybe that explains the problem. Can we assume that the motorcycle is not at fault, but it is the motorcyclist?
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S.H. VANCE McLean, Va.
“SOUND” IDEAS
Been reading about land closures, done and proposed, and other pending legislation against bikes, and it all seems to stem from the noise problem. Having been blasted out of bed at 2 a.m. by a noisy two-stroke and having conversations interrupted by the noise of bikes so far away I can hardly see them, I can understand why non-bikers and legislators are in the mood to restrict bikes.
Relying on MIC, lobbyists and some concerned dealers might help, but nothing has ever impressed a legislator as much as a few thousand cards and letters. Anyway, we riders are causing the problem we should correct it. So, I’d suggest to all concerned riders: write to your legislator and give him your views on the noise problem. Be courteous, and ask his help. Thank him for “listening” to you. Above all, identify yourself as a rider. This lets him know that we want to correct our own problem and that not all riders are “noise nuts.” It might just make him feel better towards bikers in general. If you don’t want to write a letter, maybe a postcard saying, “As a motorcyclist, I would likv to see laws against excessive motorcycle noise.” That, or something similar, would be better than nothing. One thing though, if you have nothing to say but nasty words because he does not understand the rider’s view, forget it' That kind of “help” is something nobody needs.
We haven’t had restrictive legislation against bikes in Idaho yet, but 1 know I’m not the only one who’s had his eardrums stretched, so it’s a safe bet we’ll have a problem in the future if we don’t quiet down. To try and beat the anti-bike group to the punch, I’m going to ask my legislator to submit a bill that will, anywhere in the state, 1 ) prohibit the use of a bike without pipes and/or mufflers, 2) require all owners of bikes now in operation to adapt their bikes, if necessary, to meet sound limitation requirements, and 3) after a specified date, prohibit the sale of any muffler, on or off a bike, that does not meet sound limitations.
My ideas seem strict? California already has five closed counties, and it looks like Maryland has the same idea, so we had better make a fast decisionnoise or riding room. As far as I’m concerned, it’s come to the point where we either ask for laws we want, to correct the situation, or they will give us laws they want, and theirs might not be as pleasant as ours.
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If such a law was passed, some would have a personal problem. For those who took their pipes off or tore the insides out of their mufflers, I have no sympathy. For those who were kind of “taken in” by their friendly local salesman, I have some, but they must have heard the bike run when they bought it and liked the noise, or they wouldn’t have bought it. In any event, if you still have riding room close to home, it’s cheaper in the long run to adapt or change a muffler than to start paying for car gas to go a hundred miles to ride.
Before anybody gets the idea I’m “anti-bike,” I’ve had two 650s and presently ride a 350, and I've never had to take the pipes off or baffles out to enjoy myself. And for those who say that riders have to stick together, I can only say that if I lose a riding area because of some ear-blasting noise lovers, well, they haven’t done me any favor, so why should I owe them anything? Right now the situation is “too much sound, losing ground.” If it keeps up it will be “no sound, because no ground.” I like the LESS SOUNDMORE GROUND idea better. Time we started working on it.
A. ROBINSON Mtn. Home, Idaho
ON THE MONOCOQUE
I would like to congratulate messrs. Haagstead and Gordon for their persistence in developing a working monocoque frame. (CW, Feb. ’71)
I would suggest however, that the monocoque structure is not the ultimate design approach for a motorcycle frame. One point we probably agree on is that current frame designs, including Featherbeds, MX CZs, Husqvarnas and other successful machines, belong in the steam locomotive era. They just happen to be better than the other terrible designs we are stuck with.
Let’s look at the design requirements of a swinging arm, frame, fork, and wheel system. Once the basic geometry of wheelbase, trail, etc., has been selected, the prime thing left is to maintain this geometry and alignment by reducing unwanted deflections to a sensible minimum, all at minimum weight-and, if you are in the game to make a profit, at minimum cost. Unwanted deflections of the frame, swinging arm, forks and wheels while cornering or traversing bumpy ground will result in unpredictable handling.
Appreciation of the fact that there are severál elements to consider when designing a machine leads also to the conclusion that there is no point in designing any one element to be substantially stiffer than the weakest link in the chain. For example, if a swinging arm permits the rear wheel to deflect sideways half an inch from where it should be during cornering, there is no point in having it joined to an exotic frame that is so stiff its contribution to wheel deflection is only, say, one hundredth of an inch.
This is the first problem of a monocoque structure. The properly designed monocoque frame is too strong and stiff, relative to what is attainable by other elements in the system. Attempts to match its stiffness with these elements results in a material gauge which is ridiculously thin and impractical. Leaving the gauge at a practical level results in more weight than is necessary. An obvious question is what is wrong with the 10 lb. mentioned for this monocoque frame. I estimate the weight to be well above 15 lb., and probably only a couple of pounds or so lighter than, say, a CZ frame. (I presumed the gauge to be 0.030 in., not 0.003 in., as published.)
A second criticism of the monocoque structure is its inability to provide a direct load path between the steering head and swinging arm pivot. The structure when looked at sideways is banana-shaped to permit the engine to be slung underneath. Such a shape for a given stiffness must be heavier than a structure where a direct load path exists between the steering head and swinging arm pivot.
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A third and final point relates to a box section monocoque structure. When twisted, for example, the total sheet metal expanse is not stressed equally; this means that certain areas of the sheet metal are being stressed to their limit; however, other areas are working at less than full capacity. The inescapable conclusion is that frame weight is being carried which is not fully contributing to limiting frame deflections. The frame is therefore heavier than optimum.
If the monocoque structure is not optimum, then what is? In my view, a carefully designed space frame, directly joining the steering head and swinging arm pivot, where stresses are substantially pure tensile or compressive with little bending, like Mr. Haagsteads “bridge trusses,” provides a highly efficient design in terms of strength stiffness and weight, and is also cheap. 1 fully agree with the use of high strength aluminum as the appropriate material.
BARRIE W. LEÈS Assoc. Fellow Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute Montreal, Canada
Your c o tn m en ts are in teres ti ng, Barrie. But we have to differ with you on one point: that of not designing any one element to be substantially stiffer than the weakest link in the chain. While that may work just fine in the stuff that flies (but does it really? ), lack of rigidity seems to us an additive phenomenon. Given a wobbly swinging arm with a flexibility factor of 1, why double the wobble by having a frame and/or steering apparatus that also flexes with a factor of l? If you do, you’re asking for a good case of pavement rash. - Ed.
THE “WHATZIT"
The bike vaguely pictured in your Slipstream article is a gold 1971 650 Triumph Bonneville. In fact, it’s the one you ran your road test on. Am I right?
WAYNE PALMER North Platte, Neb.
The first glance at Dan Hunt’s photo (Slipstream photo, May) had me thoroughly confused. At first I deemed it to be a large Honda Twin. This because it had turn signals, megaphone-type muffler, and an old style, square-type Honda mirror.
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A longer look, however, made me have doubts about this proposition. This is because I have never seen a "large Honda Twin (350/450) with that style muffler or turn signals, that also has an ignition switch on the right-hand side of the bike. I believed that looked like a key hanging there on the right side. The kickstarter, the folded-up footpeg and the double throttle cable looked quite non-oriental to me also.
I dismissed the whole subject as silly since it could be anybody's slightly personalized motorcycle.
Then I noticed one day, while my copy of CW was staring at me from the desk top, that the Bonneville on the cover had one of those old style Honda mirrors.
So I grabbed the magazine, turned to page 56, and thumbed through the Triumph road test. I dutifully noted on page 59 that there is a picture which clearly shows a right-hand ignition switch, the same English looking footpeg, and the same English looking kickstarter. I noted on page 60 that a picture of the flashy British Twin was taken in a grassy area.
1 cleverly put all this together and decided that 1 believe the bike in Slipstream is none other than the very same 40-incher used in your road test.
MARK ACHTERMAN Santa Clara, Calif.
So, you thought you could fool us with your “trick” photograph (Slipstream, May ’71), eh? Well, any enthusiast worth his salt can see that your mystery motorcycle is an A.B. Dick 360 printing press cleverly disguised as a 1947 Indian Flathead “Pink Papoose” model.
Please, in the future, try to provide a challenge for your readers.
In closing, let me say that I had intended to send a snapshot of my pride and joy, a 1950 Norton 500-cc motor in a Vincent Black Shadow chassis, but no one could stop laughing long enough to hold the camera steady.
BRIAN D. DAY Palo Alto, Calif.
Just in case the question posed in the May '71 Slipstream wasn’t rhetorical, the machine in the picture isa Triumph “Bonnie.” The mirror shape and grass surrounding make it a dead ringer for the same bike you tested in that issue.
Man alive! You guys are getting off easy, using one of Dan Hunt’s optical rejects for your (up to now) pithy photo essays on the motorcycle scene. (No, 1 don’t lisp, either . . . )
Anyway, I can barely wait to learn what prize you’re awarding for this brilliant deduction . . .
All in fun, really. With your batting average, it’s easy to overlook one strikeout.
DAN RHOCLES Cheshire, Conn.
In order, our answers to your answers are: right: very clever indeed; we really didn 7 fool you, did we; yes, the question was rhetorical; and we didn 7 want your answers. But as long as you did bother to answer, we thank you. Your prize shall be a beautiful day and a curving stretch of road. — Ed.
NEARLY WENT WILD
I recently received your May issue of CW. In the Letters section I noticed several people criticizing the Suzuki ads which appeared in your March issue. I, for one, very much enjoyed and approve of these ads.
In fact, when 1 loaned the issue to a friend, and his father hauled it off to the dump, I nearly went wild. They did replace it though.
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Your articles on Ake Jonsson and Ivan Mauger were both very good, and as long as you keep up the good work, you can count on always having my subscription. I also enjoyed “Always on Sunday,” Jan. ’71 issue.
JOE CROOK Oroville, Calif.
BADGE SWAP
Having just read with great interest a copy of CYCLE WORLD, I shall subscribe regularly in the future. I found that your magazine compares very well with Motorcycle Mechanics, the English magazine that I subscribe to.
I am hoping that either CYCLE WORLD or your readers can assist me in obtaining American motorcycle emblems and U.S. state badges. Perhaps in return I could assist some of your readers in obtaining British motorcycle emblems.
F.H.R. NICKELS l 3 Hollis Place Grays, Essex England
MECHANIC SCHOOL
In your March ’71 issue, you had a letter from a Mr. Ray Richter asking about motorcycle mechanic schools. We have just that thing here in Houston. It is an adult education course in motorcycle mechanics.
PAUL FINNEY Houston, Tex. Those interested can probably find out more about the course through the Houston City Schools system.— Ed.
GOOD TV SPECIAL
Recently on KCOP channel 13 a TV special entitled “Ride a Steel Horse” was shown. For those who didn't see it (which is why I’m writing). I’ll give a brief description. It first showed the progression of motorcycling. It brought out the feelings between man and machine, those who liked them, and of course, those who don’t. It also made known the problems facing all of us, such as noise, our decreasing off-road riding areas, our image, etc.
This film is definitely a step in the right direction. However, I don’t think enough people knew about it. It wasn't advertised enough in advance. Please, all of you, write KCOP and ask for a rebroadcast. Enough letters might convince them.
RICK BUCKENDORF Santa Monica, Calif.
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KUDOS FOR THE CHP
Recently, the Ariel Owners Club had a ride to Beautiful Mission San Juan Capistrano, with the added pleasure of attending a Field Meet put on by the Orange County Chapter of CAMA at a place near Yorba Linda. Bob Stark and Rob Robbins had outdone themselves planning and laying out the events, and we all looked forward to a fine morning.
The place selected was the car park of Knowlwood Restaurant at the corner of Imperial and La Palma. Rob had made the arrangements a month previously with the son of the owner, who represented himself as the manager. On the morning of the I4th, the arrangements were confirmed with the female operator of the establishment at about 9 a.m. At about 9:30 the male proprietor came out and informed Bob and Rob that he would require the parking lot earlier than noon (the original agreement having been for 10 to noon). This was agreed to, and the schedule was revamped to clear the lot by 1 1:30, or before, which was acceptable to the male operator. At 10:30, an ultimatum was delivered to get off the property by the female operator, who said we had misrepresented our intentions. The statement made was, “You haven’t spent S5,” and, “1 really don’t like motorcycles anyway.” The interesting thing about this is that about half our group didn’t know anything about it because they were in the place eating breakfast-at not cheap prices either.
Well, Rob being the soul of discretion, asked us all to move our bikes from the parking lot to a State of California Freeway right-of-way next door. Our events continued on the freeway construction area. While eating lunch in the same restaurant, who should roll up but three CHP patrol cars and four officers, who, it transpired, had been called by our lady friend at Knowlwood! They were very nice, and when things were explained to them, they settled themselves on the bank to watch the fun. No trouble. No hassle, and all friends!
Rob went in to see Mr. Richard Estabrook of the Division of Highways who was responsible for the grounds. He graciously granted permission to use that area at any time, but to please inform him so that he could be present to enjoy the fun !
How many of us have ever thought that we would receive this sort of happy reception from either the CHP or Division of Highways? I would not have expected this reception in a hundred years, but there it was. I sincerely hope that the next group of bikers who feel they are being “hassled" will remember these CUP officers who were so helpful that day and won't be too hard on the Division of Highways either next time.
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Primarily, however. 1 hope everyone who reads this will remember this incident at Knowlwood Restaurant. Particularly if they are in the neighborhood — and hungry. Strange thing-our country has a law prohibiting discrimination against race, color, or religion, but put a guy on a cycle and he's fair game for every loose nut in town!
AUSTIN MUNGER Sierra Madre, C'alif.
THE “HONK" PROPOSAL
To the National Highway Safety Bureau:
1 understand that the Guiding Hand of Government proposes to put speed governors on all vehicles after January 1, 1973, and wire them in such a way that the horn will honk and lights will flash when the speed reaches 85 mph.
Even given the marginal level of bureaucratic intelligence that beleaguered taxpayers have come to expect through ages of dismal incompetence, and given the unconcern for individual rights endemic to faceless, mindless federal departments, this proposal burrows to a brand new low. What fool, inane dolt would conceive of such madness, other than the Department of Transportation, the most useless, regressive, illconceived corner of the whole federal nightmare? Have you no idea what such stupidity of de-engineering can and will do to the technology and state of the art in mechanical engineering? Of what good is it to encourage developments and technical advancements when such an inane upper limit is put to an engine’s performance potential? 1 propose that you have no moral or legal right to choke and emasculate the vehicular industries, and I firmly hope that the industries will bring suit against you for the damages that this madness will have on their marketing an unfair restraint of trade, in effect. Who wants to buy a eunuch on wheels? Government never seems to accept that the only effective laws are natural laws, just as it cannot resist the temptation to meddle and interfere where it can do only harm.
And what of the consumer? My, how charming we shall appear when the lights come on and the horn bleats to signal to all the world that a driver has slipped the surly bonds of Federal Maximum Speed and entered that magical zone' of Mach Nothing. We shall pay more and get less for it, just as we have done increasingly in the Land of the Enslaved and the Home of the Craven since government ceased being an instrument of the people and became their jailer. And what liability will government assume for heart attacks caused to hapless drivers when all this Sight and Sound occurs? How about the effects on others, such as motorcyclists who are exposed to the elements, when all this nonsense goes off? Can you picture the effect of all this junk being set off, a driver losing control from sudden panic and charging into a motorcyclist? But, with the rash of regulations and the plethora of no-nos coming from your Department in recent years to the detriment of cycle riders, there will soon be precious few left to slaughter anyhow.
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You have no moral charge to interfere with what is available in the market place, nor do you have the right to restrict the individual’s choice to a federally hobbled vehicle or no vehicle at all. Stay the hell out of our lives! Keep your leaky minds and regulating hands away from us. We do not pay the crushing load of taxes presently forced upon us in order that you and the rest of the Feds be given carte blanche to trample, emasculate, and crush our spirit, deprive us of the goods that technology and science produce and are capable of producing. What moral right have you to absorb our money and restrict our lives?
You push the cause of safety. Is it safer to go 80 mph on the ground or 1800 mph in the air? Why do you support air-polluting, deafening airplanes that cost a king’s ransom and potentially could kill thousands if they were to crash in a populated area? And isn’t it a little contradictory to fuss over vehicular speed and its possible relationship to saving lives, when the Feds send the cream of America's youth to be slaughtered under a foreign flag?
In a government that is a grotesque monument to constipation and unresponsiveness, surely the Department of Transportation must rank as the sickest, the foulest of the scurvy lot. You are biting off more than you ever dreamt of with this latest demonstration of stupidity; the drivers of this country should and will condemn you roundly for the wretchedness of this vile transgression.
PAUL WATTS Fresno, Calif.
NSU-LUBE “YACK"
I have an NSU-Lube “Yack” for which I am having trouble finding parts. I have corresponded with every dealer advertising in your magazine, but none of them handle the Spanish make.
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Can you furnish me the names of any dealers handling parts for this creature? Can you give me the address of the manufacturer in Spain. Would you recommend that I attempt to get parts from Spain, if not available in the U.S.?
BILL MOULTRIE 1026 1 7th St., South Arlington, Va. 22202
Lube-NSU motorcycles are no longer being produced. but perhaps one of our readers can help you. —Ed.
LOOKING FOR SPONSOR
I am an ACA roadracer, and I am looking for a sponsor for this season. I am returning to college, so I will be unable to race without a sponsor.
I finished 3rd overall in ACA point standings for 1970 in the 350 production class. This is the largest and one of the most competitive classes in local road racing.
I used a 1969 Honda CB350 which was completely standard except for tires, handlebars and spark plugs. This motorcycle was also ridden daily to work.
1970 was also my first year in motorcycle racing and I finished every race in which I started.
1 would prefer a production class ride, but would be glad to ride in a grand prix class.
I am now 22 years of age and have been riding a motorcycle for seven years. Previous to motorcycle racing, l raced bicycles for six years, and during my best season 1 had 20 lst-place finishes.
I plan to eventually become a professional grand prix roadracer, and 1 therefore take raci-ng very seriously.
DOUGLAS J. STANTON 13123 Sherry Ln. Los Angeles, Calif. 90049
