Letters
LETTERS
A CREDIT TO THE SPORT
I am the mother of a long-time fan of your publication whose story I think you might find of interest. Rob’s love of two-wheeled machines started about two years ago, at the age of twelve, when, after much persuasion on his part, we bought a Honda Trail 70.
We took the Honda up to our mountain cabin and both Rob and his sister Carin spent the weekends riding on the private dirt roads, making jumps and obstacle courses . . . having a ball!
It wasn’t long until my husband got a bike for himself, and the two of them started riding together, not only at the mountains, but also at nearby motorcycle parks like Saddleback and Escape Country. During the Summer of 1972, Rob traded his Trail 70 for an SL70, and spent all of his time between weekend riding out in the garage, cleaning, tuning and puttering around on his motorcycle. Two of his close friends also got motorcycles about this time, and they all lived for the times when the trailer was hooked up and they were on their way.
Up to this point, I’m sure that this sounds like the story of any one of hundreds of teen-age boys; but there is one tremendous difference. In October 1972, Rob complained suddenly of a pain in his upper left arm. X-rays disclosed a fracture due to a tumor, and a week later, at Memorial Hospital in New York City, he lost his left arm at the shoulder.
The very first question he asked the doctor when confronted with the results of his numerous tests was: “Will I still be able to ride my motorcycle?” The doctor assured him that he would, J^t later told me in private: “A bicycle,
A motorcycle, no.” But he didn’t know our boy, his will to live and his will to ride.
One week following surgery we Hew home, and the very next morning Rob dressed himself and disappeared. I found him out in the garage, sitting on his SL70. This was to happen many times during the next few weeks—sometimes during the day, sometimes in the middle of the night.
That first week home he also started riding his bicycle, finding his balance all over again. Each day his control became improved, and his obstacle course more elaborate. Finally, just a month after surgery, he was roaring up and down the drive on his SL70, and all of the neighbors turned out to cheer him on his first ride down the block! Now he was ready for Saddleback.
After six weeks of tutoring, Rob back in school, accepted by his classmates and doing well enough to make the Honor Society. Now motorcycles were everything to him. Many of the kids at school didn’t believe that he could still ride-how could he with only one arm, when they couldn’t with two? It didn’t take long for his regular riding buddies to spread the word.
All was fine until April 1973, when new tumor growth appeared, and Rob h^^surgery on both lungs. His hospital rUn was ablaze with motorcycle posters from his friends. There were so many, in fact, that his room at home is now papered wall-to-wall with them.
This time there was no balance problem following the surgery, but chest and shoulder muscles had to be exercised and strengthened, and now I knew where to look when he quietly disappeared.
Rob has always been a very private person, so one of the hardest adjustments that he has had to make this past year has been his acceptance of others’ interest in him due to his surgery. The admiration and friendliness of the other riders he meets at the parks, and especially the interest his sister’s high school boyfriends (who ride and race at Saddleback and Escape Country) show him, have really helped his morale and given confidence in his abilities, ob has a long list of changes and improvements to be made on his motorcycle, and now he has just announced his intentions of racing. Another challenge yet to be met, and there always remains the possibility of further surgery to upset his ambitions.
We have come a long way in the past year—and all I can say is—“God bless motorcycles and those special boys who ride them.”
Mrs. Robert Liechti Los Alamitos, Calif.
SINGIN’ THE STICKIE BLUES
I just read the Feb. ’74 issue of CYCLE WORLD and with it Bob Atkinson’s editorial on the dreaded Green Stickie.
One thing that he didn’t mention is that the stickies show even more political cynicism than is normal with Reagan’s little lot. I bought a Honda TL125 late last year and with it, upon the urging of the dealer, the stickie. Big surprise: said stickie runs out in June of 1974. That means that I have coughed up the same money as a customer who bought his stickie at the beginning, although we were all assured that the stickies would be prorated. So much for being honest and obeying the “right thing to do.”
Anyone sensible, who carries his offroad bike in a'van, might well decide to lay off buying the stickie until the new ones come out. In any case, the license fee on an old bike should be less.
Next thing to watch for is the stickie becoming annual. Boat stickies used to be renewable every three years. Some bright politician got the idea to make them annual, thus tripling the income.
Actually, the registration of off-road machinery has been coming up for a long time. If there is anything that makes a politician furious, it is the thought of individuals who will not be pigeonholed. Somewhere, somebody is enjoying himself without paying heavily for it.
You must admit that the somewhat bolshie attitude of dirt riders, not to mention the generally unfavorable impression given by longhaired bods flitting about without helmets, is the last thing to appeal to super-rigid lawmakers. Punish them! And the recent buggeration of requiring expensive commercial licenses for vans and pickups carrying motorcycles is just another indication of their attitude. Drunk driving is acceptable, as witnessed by the recent lowering of penalties (no connection with a certain state official, of course), but having anything to do with motorcycles? Oooooooh!
Actually-, we are lucky not to have requirements for training wheels, license number painted on the top of the helmet (for the chopper), blinking light on top of a 20 ft. whip antenna, and full leathers at all times.
What to do? Write down the names of the guys that are your governor, state senator, assemblyman, etc. When election time comes, vote for somebody else. Tired of television newsmen run(Con tinned on page 10) ning down motorcycles? Write the station that you just aren’t going to support the advertisers. And send a carbon to the advertisers, as well. They’ll come around.
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Henry N. Manney III Corona del Mar, Calif.
SEEKS CORRESPONDENCE
I am a long-suffering British motorcyclist (a hardy, but dying breed), who is at present fed up with the British (Norton) motorcycle industry, uncaring car drivers, anti-motorcycling legislation and the weather—but not necessarily in that order.
I would therefore like to contact a fellow enthusiast stateside to liven up a dreary existence by exchanging magazines, photographs (of motorcycles, preferably, but girls considered, t^à, etc.
I am primarily a road race fan, but drag racing and scrambling also appeal to me. And motorcycle photography is sort of intertwined with it all. I’m 20 years old (getting on a bit y’know), and I ride a ’73 650 Triumph TR6. I also dislike choppers, but don’t often say so—being run down by massed rakes at High Noon doesn’t appeal to my cowardly nature.
From this you will probably gather that I’m a fairly dedicated and, according to car-driving friends, insane motorcyclist. So, if anyone is foolish enough to reply, I’ll gladly answer their letter.
By the way, in the last year we’ve had compulsory passenger insurance, the demise of BSA/Triumph (what do you mean, “and about time, too”?), a raise in the motorcycle age limit, and compulsory helmets. You think yoi^fc had it bad?
Martin Pegler 22, Warwicke Close Hampton, Middlesex Tw 12 2TZ England
“SWITCH” DO YOU PREFER ?
Okay. I’ve had it with your love affair with handlebar-mounted ignition switches. It seems that every bike with a switch mounted in another position— notably Honda-gets a picture with an accompanying statement that reads: “The ignition switch is still mounted under the gas tank instead of up on the handlebars where it should be.”
This position is hard to reach, but what if the bike is left out in a freezing rain, or any rain at all, for that matter? Some will drain, others will act like the tiny cups they are. And, to thaw tlj& frozen switch, the rider will usually hJ^ to remove it.
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My experience with Honda switches has shown that they short very easily So my advice is to mention the location of the switch, but unless it’s in a very inaccessible spot, don’t be so quick to pass judgment on it. Handlebar and under-tank switches have their advantages and disadvantages, and we all must decide for ourselves which we prefer.
Daniel Holler Hyndman, Pa.
LOVE STORY
I thought I had the bike bug licked. I sold my machine and drove a Camaro all summer.
I thought I had it licked because I’m a thumper freak. Problem with that is the state of the art today says 500cc Singles ain’t cool, and us poor folk can’t buy one at any price-if you can find one.
The last bike I had was a Japanese machine. I thrashed it one summer and nothing broke. I didn’t even know I owned a bike. No running cost, no expense, no work. Also no class and not much fun. So I sold it.
In November, the bug struck with a vengeance. I couldn’t find a 500 Single. No Velocette, BSA, Norton, Matchless, AJS. No 500 anything.
Now I’m at peace with myself. My garage floor is covered with oil. I’m not getting enough sleep and the bike dealer has gotten more money from me than my ex-wife and the Bureau of Support combined. My arms hurt, my hands are raw and my knee is paying the price for my aversion to electric starters.
If a 500 Single is contrary, a ’72 Sportster XLCH. 1000 has got to be the ultimate for absolutely unreal unpredictability.
I sold the Camaro, and rode the bike over 2000 miles through November, December and January.
To hell with that car—I think I’m in love.
Walt Hodge Cincinnati, Ohio
PULL/PULL? PUSH/PULL?
Why do people insist on calling the two-cable throttle system “push/pull?” Actually, it is “pull/pull” and the single-cable system is “push/pull.”
Your writers are as guilty of it as the typical cycle shop wienie with a 500-word vocabulary.
Henry P. Bloomer Waco, Tex.
Yes, “pull/pull” would be more correct, but the single-cable set-up is not a “push/pull” either. Remember the little gizmo called a return spring?—Ed.
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RECOGNIZE THIS ONE?
Pictured here is a Simplex motorcycle that I picked up on a friend’s farm. The fellow on the left, Mark Konen, has helped me with all of the cleaning done on the bike.
Is there anybody out there anywhere who knows where this bike was manufactured? Can you tell me how old it is and what value it has?
The bike is belt-driven by a centrifugal clutch, and has two spark plugs in the small head. I would appreciate any information that CYCLE WORLD readers might be able to offer.
David H. Schneider Kiel, Wise. 53042
DO-ITYOURSELFER
I have a 1/3-mi. asphalt speedway and would like to run motorcycle races on it. I would also like to put in a dirt track on the inside of the 1/3-mi. o^i Can anyone give me any advice on WRPF kind of soil or surface I should use, and on how wide it should be? I am interested in speedway. The surface on which I intend to put the track is loose sand right now. Any information that I receive from CYCLE WORLD readers will be greatly appreciated.
Tom Grbac 14th St.
IÔI Somerset, N.J. 08873
