Letters

LETTERS

NORTON CLINIC

Up here in the frozen waste (at least temporarily), motorcyclists find themselves with a great deal of time on their hands. This time is usually spent polishing and polishing and polishing their machines and wistfully awaiting the spring thaw.

Those either adventurous or mechanically inclined plunge ahead and attempt to tune their machines. For the past two years Norton owners, or those just interested, have had a unique opportunity to gain a great deal of information about keeping their bikes in a fine fettle by learning how to maintain them at a Norton Owners’ Clinic. This clinic is a day-long activity sponsored by Cyclesport, a Norton-Guzzi-Ducati dealership, whose owner/enthusiast is John Schally.

This year the program included a complete A through Z tuneup of the engine. After thoroughly covering the engine, the mechanics, using a stripped Norton for illustration, covered complete chassis tuning, including primary chain care, wheel balance and alignment and how to keep the isolastic system in tune. Even the mysteries of the Lucas electrical system were explained, as well as some basic troubleshooting techniques.

The clinic also included a film on hypothermia, knowledge of which every rider should possess. In a word, the clinic was complete. The 40 people who attended were able to gain a wealth of knowledge for free. I believe this clinic to be the only one in at least the five-state area and am pleased at the great amount I was able to learn about the proper care and feeding of the Norton. The mechanics and John Schally‘deserve special thanks. Neal E. Sorensen Jr. Minneapolis, Minn.

ALDANA EVOKES MIXED EMOTIONS

Just had to write and let you know how much we enjoyed the pictures and story on David Aldana. He really is terrific. We’d like to see more articles like this. Debbie Donelson St. Louis, Mo.

I think you really blew it by publishing the article on Dave Aldana. Too many young readers might think the road to racing success is paved with empty booze bottles. I wonder how his fellow racers feel competing in a life and death situation with a rider who doesn’t even know if he has raced while drunk. The readers of your top quality magazine deserve, and usually get, better articles. John D. Clark Walnut Creek, Calif.

David’s colleagues would probably feel the same way the passengers on an airliner would if they knew that their pilot couldn’t resist “having a few’’ at a party before his flight, or the way a patient in surgery would feel if he knew that his doctor was suffering a hangover from the previous night’s revelry.

We’re certainly not trying to defend what may well be Aldana’s excessive drinking, or minimize the hazard that it may present to other riders, we’re just saying that it exists in other life and death situations, as well. So David Aldana is not unique in that regard. But the real point of your letter seems to be that we should have hushed up the problem even if it does indeed exist. Our policy is, and has always been, to present our readers with factual reportage and to allow them to make their own value judgments based upon it. We would no more cover up the fact that a motorcycle had bad brakes than we would refrain from telling you what Aldana is really like, even if some of you happen to find his lifestyle distas te fu l.—Ed.

(Continued on page 14)

Continued from page 10

THE REAL SAHARA SUBDUER

I am a subscriber to CYCLE WORLD and enjoy reading it tremendously. I ride a Yamaha 500, belong to motorcycle clubs and try to be informed about the motorcycle industry.

In the April ‘75 issue, the story “Subduing the Sahara” by Daniel Richard, though informative and entertaining, conveniently forgot to mention that 30 years ago an English girl on a BSA rode the same route over “The Hump” with no back-up or support of any kind. And she rode it beautifully. That girl—Theresa Wallach—is now president of Easy Motorcycle Riding Schools Ltd. If you want true-to-life stories of motorcycling, talk to her; she’s been there and done it all.

Please be accurate, afterall, you are better than the other magazines! Virginia Barrett Phoenix, Ariz.

Thanks for the info, Virginia, but as the following letter indicates, we also got the word “straight from the horse’s mouth.” And it has been 40 years, not 30.Ed.

The article in the April issue of CYCLE WORLD entitled “Subduing the Sahara” is quite misleading because the journey was not the first crossing of the Sahara by motorcycle.

Another girl and myself made this trip in 1935. . .40 years ago, and it was a well-known expedition at the time. Theresa Wallach Phoenix, Ariz.

AND YET ANOTHER

I very much enjoyed reading “Subduing the Sahara” by Daniel Richard in your April issue. In June of 1973 I made a similar trip on a BMW 750 from Ghana to the United Kingdom, and hope that a few of my observations might be of interest to your readers.

Recalling the trip today, the “real” Sahara is between Agadez, Niger, and Tamanrasset, Algeria. To the south and north my impressions are of very hot, dry, continuous washboard roads interspersed with a few villages, gas pumps, wells and “hotels,” pretty much as described on the Michelin map of N.

(Continued on page 18)

Continued from page 14

Africa. The Agadez/Tamanrasset section (550 miles) is a totaly unforgiving part of the world. There are no gas stations, only a few wells with bad water, and steel posts in the sand every kilometer marking the way. A few are missing, so a compass is essential.

After June, the road is closed to normal tourist traffic for several months, due to heat and wind conditions. When I passed through that region, the temperature was between 1 25 and .1 30 degrees, going down to 70 at night. The chances of surviving a day without water are slim. Water consumption is upwards of a gallon per day, depending on how much pushing and getting unstuck you have to do. The bike consumed about 14 gallons of gasoline and two inner tubes. A word of warning: 4.00-18 tires are hard to find in Africa.

I traveled in the company of two other vehicles that carried gasoline and water for me. As a result of being lightly loaded, I avoided getting stuck in the soft sand conditions that Mr. Richards’ article describes. The vehicles were not so fortunate; one of them is still there, abandoned with a useless clutch and a broken tie rod.

We encountered about five other vehicles in the four days the crossing took us, although traffic is considerably heavier in the winter months. Visas are required for entry into Algeria, Niger, and nearly every country to the south. Have them before you arrive at the frontiers—you could be turned back.

The importance of good planning cannot be overemphasized; calculate gasoline and water consumption carefully, remembering that not all gas stations have gas, and not all water is drinkable. Other travelers are the best source of this information. South of Agadez I had a very unpleasant experience with dehydration, so keep drinking whether you feel thirsty or not.

A few other things to take are a French phrase book, distilled water, tinted goggles for white sand conditions, complete tools and spares, malaria pills (if going into W. Africa), and, of course, a camera.

I made it from Niamey, Niger, to Algiers in 10 days, and would not recommend trying it in less. All in all, the company was great, the scenery fantastic, and the experience really unforgettable. Good luck to anyone who tries it. . .as I hope to again. Tom Lockhart Bath, New Brunswick, Canada

(Continued on page 22)

Continued from page 18

CW’S MA TCHLESS FICTION

I just finished reading “The Prize” (March, 1975), and Bob Miller is to be congratulated on a beautifully written, detailed, and totally absorbing story. One gets the impression that this “fiction” story might have been drawn from a personal experience? As a Norton owner, I heartily agree with his choice of machine.

Randy Papke’s four and five match illustrations were “striking,” but I would have preferred a Norton and a ‘71 Torino.

It’s too bad “Mr. Macho” (Dave Aldana) always lost the drag race to the first turn on his Norton. What is even sadder, and omitted by him, is his inability to keep his balance after the first turn. Few riders have taken more dirt samples than Dave, which has resulted in his being tagged with some even less flattering nicknames, such as: The Jumping Bean, Mr. Up and Mostly Down, The Tunnel Worker, etc.

I believe that Norton riders like Mike Kidd and Rob Morrison will prove in 1975 that the main problem with the Norton/Aldana combo was the rider.

The AMA results will furnish the proof. If Harley and Suzuki are on top in 1975, I’ll be amazed—to the point of apology—if Aldana’s name is alongside as the top rider. Al Zuber Stockholm, N.J.

EXTRA, EXTRA

I am enclosing an article taken from the Milwaukee Journal newspaper and dated February 12, 1975. I think that a more suitable title for it would be: “State Cyclists Victims Of The Old Pigeon Drop Game” or “What You Pay For You Don’t Always Get.” It reads as follows:

Budget Ends Motorcycle Park Plan

Journal Madison Bureau Madison, Wis.— Adoption of Gov. Lucey’s 1975-‘77 budget proposal would end the annual $2 contributions by motorcyclists to a fund for acquiring and developing offroad motorcycle parks.

The budget bill would eliminate the ill-starred motorcycle recreation program adopted in 1970, and put $702,000 now on hand into the regular Department of Natural Resources park fund account. Although motorcyclists requested the legislation, public reaction to a black jacket image of cyclists has blocked development of any facilities. Local residents protested plans for cycle parks in Rock County, in Blue Mounds State Park and at Fort McCoy. Plowever, the DNR has just completed a feasibility study at the suggestion of the Town of Rib Mountain for such a park in an old granite quarry in Marathon County.

(Continued on page 24)

Continued from page 22

Last year about 100,000 motorcycles were registered in the state, a 25percent increase primarily due to the energy crisis.

Budget analyst Stephen Gauger said that under Lucey’s plan the motorcycle license fee would continue to be $7 but the $2 now would go to the Department of Transportation.

It is hard to believe that in a state the size of Wisconsin, of which a large percentage is state-owned parks and forests, it is impossible to find a few hundred acres of land to set aside for bikers.

If this is actually the case, I think Wisconsin cyclists, who willingly paid this fee exclusively for the park, are legally entitled to a refund of the same, or at least the right to state another purpose for which this money should be used. Agreed?

Wisconsin bikers, lets yell good and loud. If our dear old governor received 100,000 letters demanding refunds, I think he just might find a couple of acres of land tucked away somewhere. It’s worth $702,000 to us to try. Robert W. Zinda Franklin, Wis.

OBSERVES OUR TRIALS COVERAGE

This letter is being sent close on the heels of my subscription to your magazine. The reason being your continued and enthusiastic support of the sport of observed trials.

Let’s face it; with today’s problems with noise pollution, land closure, and gasoline shortages, trials makes a hell of a lot more sense than your average gas-guzzling motor sport.

Keep up the good work and keep trials articles coming.

Frank D. Stalego Newark, Ohio