Letters
LETTERS
CREDIT WHERE DUE
May I use this column to correct an oversight?
In my haste to limp into your office with my account of the trials school (CW, Nov. ’73), I forgot to include a credit line. Those excellent pictures where the work of Marc Madow. He did a good job and ate a lot of dust that day, so he deserves some recognition.
Allan Girdler San Juan Capistrano, Calif.
YAMAHA’S FOUR-STROKE
The article in the September 73 CYCLE WORLD about the 1974 Yamaha TX500 eight-valve impressed me. I always loved riding Yamahas because of their speed and quickness. My only complaint was that two-stroke Yamahas always went through a hell of a lot of oil. Now Yamaha has come out with the four-stroke 500. Your article has influenced my thought of what kind of bike I will get in the future. Thank you!
Thomas Fleece New York, N.Y.
MISSOURI TAXES
We would appreciate publication of the enclosed letter from the Missouri Dept, of Revenue, as soon as possible. We are trying our best to inform all Missouri motorcyclists of their obü^tion to register their bikes and pay tax in order to avert possible off-road licensing legislation. Thank you for your cooperation.
Mary Ratliff Missouri Motorcycle Assn.
St. Charles, Mo. The Department of Revenue is extremely concerned about the number of motorcycles sold in Missouri that are never registered and on which sales tax is not being paid. These people are guilty of a misdemeanor and are subject to a predetermined fine.
One solution to this problem would be an off-road license for motorcycles. It seems that bikes designed strictly for off-road use are the largest category of violators and consequently we feel this action could perhaps remedy the situation. We will delay our efforts in proposing legislation of this type in hope that the Missouri Motorcycle A^mdation and all dealers in the State of Missouri can disseminate this information to purchasers and possibly remedy the situation.
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A. Gerald Reiss Associate Director for Taxes Dept, of Revenue, Missouri Jefferson City, MO 65101
TRIUMPH VS. HONDA
In reference to a letter in the August issue of CYCLE WORLD that deals with the Triumph ad comparing same to a Honda, I am the owner of a 1973 Trident. To date I have put about 4000 miles on it. Yes, I have had my share of mechanical problems, but all bikes have their hang-ups. Most Honda owners seem to take great pride in the reliability of their bikes. I don’t know, I am really not qualified to dispute the question. But if you want to discuss the aspect of pure experience when it comes to riding a Triumph Trident or a Honda 750, assuming that both bikes are running good, then I might be justified in speaking.
Just by looking at a Trident, you can tell that it is a thoroughbred. The design is classic. I don’t get the same feeling when I look at a Honda. Around town or anywhere, the unspoken challenge exists between bikers as to who has the fastest bike. Few riders seriously attempt to outrun me, but as for those that did, they were quickly staring down my exhaust pipes. I feed my Trident Hondas daily. On the open road at high speeds the experience comes close to being mystical. I hold no envy for Honda owners, only tolerance.
So let the British have their tea breaks. Somewhere along the line they are doing something right.
Dennis R. McCrary Miami, Fla.
Thanks for the excellent article on flywheels in your August issue. It was a real education in just six pages, but after letting it sink in, I’m completely confident about my next motorcycle purchase—a Norton Commando 850, that is after I peddle the Japanese terror I now own (a 650 Yamaha).
The second reason I felt moved to write was the put down of the 2-page Triumph ad by Mr. Collins of Toronto, Canada. Since he came right out and says he owns a 750 Honda, I expected his misinterpretation of the ad copy. The ad merely states that not all people who ride are able to appreciate the differences between a bike that handles okay and a bike that handles superbly. There is an entire generation that was born, weaned and matured on Japanese motorcycles and they make the mistj of assuming that since Japan : ells most they are the standard, y< rdstick, criterion, what have you by which all others shall be judged. Bunk! When Japan first began to make larger road machines it studied the British products.
Triumph and Norton have manufactured motorcycles for a long, long time. Their experience with chassis and suspension design are light years ahead of the Japanese. Japan concentrates on features that entice and fascinate; so you have multi-cylinders with three or four of everything and gee whiz, even watercooling.
In closing, I can only be thankful that the masses, including Mr. Collins, will never be able to appreciate a machine like a Triumph, Harley-Davidson or Norton. They are too brilliant to waste on just enthusiasts.
Glenn Gari^tt Tujunga,
SPEEDWAY “ADDICT”
As a Costa Mesa speedway “addict,”
I would like to thank D. Randy Riggs for his terrific article, “Once Is Not Enough” (CW, Oct. ’73). It may seem hard to believe, but Riggs wrote of speedway racing exactly as it is every Friday night of the summer months. The excitement, thrill and glory is all real—nothing is phony or simulated. You just can’t be bored at a speedway race.
I (like many others) would love to read about some of our favorite speedway racers in future issues—racers such as Rick Woods, the Bast brothers, Danny “Berserko” Becker and Sonny Nutter. I’m hooked on speedway and that’s all there is to it. As Riggs s^^ “Once is (definitely) not enough!”
Kim Murphy Fountain Valley, Calif.
BETTER LIGHTING
I read with interest your Oct. ’73 article “Baja Lighting Rewire For Yamahas,” not because I have a Yamaha or intend to go Baja racing, but because I just want to improve my poor Honda’s headlighting system for road use. The USA is far behind the rest of the world in lighting standards, not just for bikes (whose lighting is horrendously poor) but also for cars (whose lighting is merely miserable).
Being of the sports car set as well as the bike set, I find that imported quartz iodine lights are the only answer. The problem is no one makes, to the best of my knowledge, a good round QI he^U lamp to fit my 350. The only way tof^ seems to be with a bolt-on accessory lamp, which in my opinion ruins the front end appearance of a bike. When a QI lamp manufacturer brings out a line designed to mount in stock lamp shells on bikes he'll make a killing!
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Robert C. Rassa Cockeysville, Md.
HECKLER PROBLEMS
I am a 21-year-old female motorcy clist and own a 350cc S2 Kawasaki as my only means of transportation. I enjoy riding immensely. I have been riding for three years and have encoun tered almost constant embarrassment from people in automobiles. I am always amazed at how rude and disgust ing some people can be, yelling catcalls, dirty names and other disconcerting things. Considering I have never done so much as look in their direction, I see no reason for this kind of behavior. What can a girl do? I enjoy riding too much to give it up because of some idiot who probably couldn't handle a tricycle with training wheels, but I don't want to have these jerks yelling at me. Sherry Emett Pasadena, Calif.
ANTIQUE BIKES
I just got through reading "Vintage, Veteran and Thoroughbred Motorcy cles" in your August issue, and I loved it! It was really interesting. In the past few years, I've gotten into motorcycles and farther into the antique type cycles. I've read a lot of different issues of CYCLE WORLD, and this is the best story yet! I'd like to know if you could send me the address of David Dunfey's Shop. I'd like to write him for some more information. Craig Vandervort Wichita, Kan.
Dunfey `s address was included in the last paragraph of the article. In case you've misplaced it, it's 300 Lafayette Rd., Hampton, N.H.-Ed.
BIKES AND ART
Dr. Theodore N. Harrison and I are researching material for a book on The Automobile and Motorcycle in Art. We would very much appreciate any infor mation, photographs, slides, etc., from the readers of CYCLE WORLD who are involved in this alliance between Art and Technology.
Sharon R. Rich Assoc. Professor of Art Eastern Michigan University Ypsilanti, MI 48197
