The First-Time Road Racer's Guide
THE FIRST-TIME ROAD RACER'S GUIDE
John D. Ulrich
Although he can't even see the leaders by the end of the first lap, Dan Robbins battles for 4thfrom-last in 350 Production, just the same. The course is Riverside Raceway in Riverside, California, and Robbins is having the time of his life in his first road race.
The 21-year-old street (and sometimes trail) rider from La Mirada, California, doesn’t have a chance of winning. His stock RD350B is down 20 mph on the tricked-up versions ridden by the experienced racers fighting for 1st, and suffers from severe ground clearance problems. That doesn’t matter, because Robbins came to try something new and have fun. Afterwards, he will yell, “What a gas!” But as good a time as road racing turned out to be for him, getting out on the track wasn’t easy.
It had started several weeks earlier, when Robbins decided that trying Production (or Street) class road racing might improve his street riding, and that it couldn’t be very hard since some of his friends were moderately successful at it.
Removing the stands, taping the lights, drilling and safety wiring the drain plugs, and pulling the mirrors was all done late one night before a Continental Moto-sports Club (CMC) road race. When Dan headed home, he was pumped.
Heavy rains during the night flooded the track, and the race meeting was postponed a week.
It didn’t rain the next weekend, and after paying $22 in fees, licenses, and entry, both bike and rider breezed through tech, with a few words of caution from the tech inspector to “take it easy the first time out.”
Everything ran smoothly up until the time the promoter called for all new riders to follow his Volvo automobile around for a lap “to see which way the course runs.” Then, a brick wall appeared, in the form of a misattributed rule. Memory had it that Cycle News once published notice that CMC allowed first-time riders like Dan to wear a leather jacket and two pairs of Levis if they did not have full leather racing suits, but either memory or Cycle News was in error. That did nothing to pacify Robbins, since CMC officials would not let him out on the dragstrip-and-returnroad track.
“Here I am sitting in my truck reading about Andrews double tube sprinklers instead of being out there having fun. I bent over before I came in here.”
It took a lot of persuasion and a borrowed set of leathers to get him to try it again, this time at an American Federation of Motorcyclists (AFM) race on Riverside’s long, snaky course.
Registration as a new rider, licensing, and entry in two races (both 350 Production and a catchall “Superstreet” class) took 45 minutes and $42. The next stop was a small shed, measuring about 10 by 15 feet, that was crowded with 30 new riders and several instructors. One of the instructors, Kevin Burke, had already started his lecture.
“I’m not going to make you guys great road racers in this class. I just hope to make you safe. Now, you come into the corner shown in the diagram we passed out, and you brake, hit the apex reasonably close, as shown by the solid line, and accelerate out of the corner without having to make drastic maneuvers at any one time. In other words, you’re exiting the corner so that you won’t run out of track and hit the brakes, because that’s where someone who is going to pass you is going to be accelerating as hard as they possibly can. . . .”
Kevin keeps on talking to the atten-
tive class as they pore over their diagrams, straining to learn the magic that they hope will make them fast without putting them into a sideways tumble. Outside the packed classroom, Dick Lewis, Chairman of the AFM’s Board of Directors, spoke about the origin of the program.
“It used to be possible for a guy to apply for an AFM license by mail, preenter by mail, show up at the race track, and be a total stranger to everybody. Nobody had any idea whether he knew what the flags meant, or knew anything else about how to handle himself on the track. Essentially it was, sign your name, pay your money, keep your fingers crossed, and go race.
“We had a race in 1973 where a guy who was new to the club went out on the track for the first time. There was a problem between turns six and seven, the yellow caution flag was out, and bikes were down. This guy either didn’t see or didn’t know what the yellow flag meant, and ran into the back of another racer at 70-odd mph, sending them both to the hospital. We thought, “God, we ought to start exercising a little Screening here, about people and whether they know what they’re doing or not before we let them out on the track.” Kevin Burke’s voice carried out of
the little building in response to a new rider’s question. “At the start, you’ll be at the back of the grid, and chances are
you’re not going to out-drag the shoes to the first turn. When they come
around to lap you, if they’re gonna go that much faster to lap you, they won’t have any trouble passing you at all. Passing becomes a problem when after five or six races you start becoming competitive, and you’ve only got a little bit more than that guy you’re trying to pass. That’s when it gets critical. But it’s not that bad the first few times out. They’ll pass you. Just don’t look back to wait, to watch, or to move over. That’s very baaaad! Don’t ever move any where. Just go straight down the track like you were the only person out there, and they’ll pass you. I’ve been lapped by the best of them. . . .”
Brian Duran, the AFM’s Los Angeles Chapter President, holds the copyrights on the new-rider program instructional handouts. Fie also had a few words to say as he stood outside the mini meeting hall.
“The program is developing little-bylittle, and we hope to soon have a packet available by mail that will describe in detail what new riders have to do to race AFM, what they have to do to prepare their bikes and prepare themselves. Then we hope when they get out here it will be a very smooth and safetyoriented program, one that will continue to be successful in the long run.”
Burke’s lecture had already covered a lot of material for the neophytes clustered around him in the new riders’ meeting, and now those standing around outside observing could hear him touch on yet another topic.
“One of the keys to being a new rider is to get something that’s super reliable, that you don’t have to do anything to. Get something that is stone reliable so you can go out and putt it around.”
The class had begun to break up, with some last instructions from Kevin before the next step in the program.
“Let’s go out after you get your bikes through tech, and do three laps fairly slow, speeding them up a little every time. Everybody follow the leader, trying to see the lines through the corners. Then come back in and we’ll have a little conference. Then we’ll go back out, and we’ll do some faster laps. Now, this time I will start out, and then I will wave one guy by. I want him to go around the track at a comfortable speed, remembering that I’m on a 250, and try to go as close to the lines that I’ve shown you as he can. Just keep going, don’t look back. When we finish we’ll all go up to the end here and each instructor will tell you what you did or what you should do, give you a sticker for your bike, and away you go for the regular practices.”
Off they trooped, and Kevin commented on the program to which the AFM had devoted almost all morning.
“A lot of people criticize the fact that we do a new-rider program, taking up time with it. They say they lived through being thrown out there on the track. But since we’ve started this program, we have had no new-rider/experienced-rider collisions on the track. As long as we continue to have no problems, we must be doing a good thing here. People may not see what good it does, but as long as you don’t see anything, then it must be doing some good.”
Dan Robbins moved with the group of riders spilling out of the hut toward the pits. Asked what he thought, he didn’t hesitate in answering.
“It’s really great. They’re gonna take us out there and set us up so we don’t go out there totally unknown. They send new riders around the track, tell them what they’re doing right and what they’re doing wrong, so you know where you’re at when you do race. Last week they were just going to sort of toss them loose and let them go. This beats following a Volvo around the track.”
Sitting on the pre-grid before parading around with the other new riders in one of three groups, Dan thought about what he was going to do.
“I’m just gonna cool it and see what happens for the first couple of laps. Just see how it is. We’ll find out about gassing it after practice.”
A friend coached him incessantly. > “No crashing allowed. Don’t fall down. Don’t look back. Remember, you don’t have any ground clearance. Always go inside. If it looks like you’re going to pass somebody, go inside. If someone falls down, go inside.”
Dan reacts. “Hey, this is only new riders’ practice, I’m not racing yet.” “Just remember, go inside. You’re sure to beat somebody if you just don’t fall down. . . .”
Back from the first regular practice session, Dan’s face was beaming.
“This is gonna be great. This road racing stuff is really fun. I’m taking those S-curves faster than I used to. The only thing that gives me a scare is when I’m coming into a hairpin and a big G.P. bike goes to pass me on the inside. That kind of gives me a shake. I come around and dive for the apex, and this mammoth G.P. bike comes on the inside of me and scares me good. It’s hard to hold your line then.
“I often wonder, going 100 mph, if the engine is going to seize up. And one corner, when I gas it through, the bike has sort of a little shake to it. It doesn’t seem to be anything serious. . . .”
He took his place on the pre-grid for his second regular practice just as a girl riding a small-bore RD with a brown suede seat, featuring a duck constructed from leather scraps as a decoration, pulled in after her second practice (practice sessions are segregated according to engine size). The session started, and he went out again to learn lines and lean angles, amid both much slower and
much faster riders and machines. And then, suddenly it seemed, although in actuality several hours later, he was where we found him at the beginning of this narrative—racing.
Passing two hesitant riders on the first lap, Dan never saw them again.
Both were mounted on RD350s, and both lacked the agressiveness to attempt to pass. Remembering last instructions shouted as he left the pits for the starting line, Dan did not look back. Lap after lap, he and another racer rolled around nose to tail, a few feet or a few yards separating them, on the same line and at about the same speed. He didn’t fall down, didn’t make any serious mistakes, and ended up 9th out of 11 finishers in a race that started with 15 entries.
“That initial takeoff was really a trip,” he shouted back in the pits pulling off his Star. “I was really worked up as we all took off in a big pack. My heart was going 90 mph; after we separated it wasn’t so bad. I stayed back on the first corner. I wanted to see what was going to happen first time out. Nothing happened.
“I’m learning where to gas it, what to do when; and some bikes I had no problem passing. It’s like road riding except you don’t have the problem with cars, debris on the road. The only factors are other bikes and your own skills.”
Superstreet threw together 14 bikes and riders ranging from Yoshimura Kawasakis to RD350s, from experts to first-timers. An AMA Junior dirt tracker on a Triumph half-miler and an accomplished local racer on a Yoshimura 1000 both led; but then both blew up during the race. A man on a Laverda 1000 was the 1st of six finishers, and Dan was 5th. Most of the people who didn’t finish had thrown away their motorcycles with rash moves. Neither rash nor fast, Dan had beaten them just by staying upright, a situation more prevalent in racing than some might think.
“I’ll never race that class again. Too many squirrels. Everybody falls down in front of you.” Dan was shocked. “Every time I came into a corner there was someone lying on the outside.
“I got pretty well blown off, but by the end I hardly saw anybody out there.”
At the end of this last race, the bike’s odometer revealed that it had been run 111 miles on the track.
“It’s great. It was fun. I enjoyed it. Ha!”
His truck loaded with the bike and assorted related equipment, the ill-fitting borrowed leathers wadded behind the seat, Dan Robbins headed away from his first road race.
“Hey,” he pondered aloud, more to himself and the road than any other listener, “Maybe if I get that thing ported, and mill the heads, and move the pegs, and. ...”
1975 AFM COMPETITION RULES
To give you some idea of what rider and machine requirements for production racing are, we have reprinted portions of the AFM Competition rulebook for 1975. If you choose to compete with this organization, we suggest that you obtain a complete rulebook from the federation. The address is 1027 West Bay Ave., Balboa, CA 92661; the phone number is (714) 675-2153.
We chose the AFM rules as an example because they are representative of what you’ll find with other sportsman organizations.
2.0 RIDER REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS
2.1 Licensing
2.1.1 License Processing. The AFM License
Committee, upon receipt of the following, shall issue an AFM Road
Race Competition License:
2.1.1.1 Properly executed application (signature of parent or guardian required if applicant under 18 years of age).
2.1.1.2 Medical Treatment Authorization Form. Two copies, signed and dated, must be submitted (signature of parent or guardian again required if applicant under 18 years of age).
2.1.1.3 Current AMA Membership Card (“Competition” classification); or, current AMA Professional Competition License; or, application and fee for AMA membership.
2.1.1.4 License/Receipt Form.
2.1.1.5 Applicable license fee(s). (Section 2.1.2.)
2.1.2 License Fees
2.1.2.1 Full season (Jan. 1-Dec. 31):
$12.
2.1.2.2 Half-season (July 1-Dec. 31): $7.
2.1.2.3 Sidecar passenger: $5 (no
half-season fee).
2.1.2.4 Race Day Surcharge: $5 (applicable to 2.1.2.1 through 2.1.2.3). This fee shall be added only when application is made at the track on the day of a race meet, and shall apply to license renewals only. (Such applications, if submitted by mail or at AFM Chapter Meetings, shall be exempt.)
2.1.3 Rider Classification. Applicants will be classified as New Riders or Probationary riders at the discretion of the AFM License Committee. They will be issued paper licenses which are stamped accordingly. Upon completion of the applicable programs (New and Probationary Riders—Section 1.4), they will be issued new licenses in the form of plastic cards. (See appendix for examples of license forms.)
2.1.4 An AFM Competition Number will be issued with and listed on each AFM Road Race Competition License. Each rider must display that same number on his motorcycle. Subject to the prior approval of the Race Director, riders holding AMA Professional Competition Licenses may be exempted from this requirement for a given race meet only.
2.1.5 All AFM Road Race Competition Licenses expire simultaneously with the rider’s AMA membership, or at the end of the calendar year—whichever occurs sooner. Licenses which expire in mid-season will be extended to the end of the year without fee upon presentation to the AFM License Committee of those expired licenses and new AMA membership cards (or applications and fees therefore) by the holders thereof.
2.1.6 License Suspension and Revocation. The AFM License Committee, at its discretion, shall suspend or revoke the AFM Road Race Competition License for, but not limited to, the following actions by any rider:
2.1.6.1 Falsifying any information on his license application form.
2.1.6.2 Forging the signature of a parent or guardian on any forms.
2.1.6.3 Failure to co-operate fully in the execution of all forms or documents as may reasonably be required to settle insurance claims or legal actions.
2.1.6.4 Failure to make reimbursement for returned checks within 30 days.
2.1.6.5 Any of the actions listed in Section 2.2.
2.2 Disqualification. Riders shall be disqualified by the Race Director from participation in a race meet for, but not limited to, the following reasons. Riders so disqualified shall not be eligible for awards or points, and shall not appear in the final results. (Also see Section 1.9.5.)
2.2.1 Participating in practice sessions or races at any race meet in which he is not properly entered (Section 1.2) or for which his motorcycle is not passed by the Tech Committee (Section 3.1.1).
2.2.2 Entering a race meet, or participating in practice sessions or races, under any name other than his own.
2.2.3 Allowing any other person to enter a race meet, or participate in practice sessions or races, on any motorcycle^) other than the motorcycle(s)
which he entered in that race meet, without the prior approval of the Entry Committee.
2.2.4 Allowing any other person to enter a race meet using his license.
2.2.5 Riding or pushing a motorcycle on the active course, for any reason, against the course direction.
2.2.6 Bad conduct on or off the course at a race meet.
2.2.7 Disregard of any flag signal, directive of any race meet official, or established AFM race meet policy.
2.2.8 Consumption of alcoholic beverages or other intoxicants in the pit area or being under the influence thereof.
2.2.9 Accepting any outside assistance, except from course officials, during a race.
2.2.10 Utilizing any outside source of motive power to propel a motorcycle other than the efforts of driver and/ or passenger, or natural causes such as gravity.
2.2.11 Operating any motorcycle or other vehicle at excessive speeds in the pit area.
2.2.12 Foul, unfair or dangerous riding.
2.2.13Unfit physical or mental condition
such as may endanger any other rider, official or spectator.
2.3 Equipment Required of All Riders. The following must be worn at all times when riding on the active course, hot pit lanes or warm-up area:
2.3.1 Leather pants and jackets, or onepiece suits, covering the entire body at all times.
2.3.2 Leather gloves with no holes or other openings except breathing pin holes.
2.3.3 Leather boots of sufficient height to overlap the trouser leg at all times, and in no case less than eight inches (sidecar passengers excepted).
2.3.4 Suitable materials other than leather for the above purposes, should they become available, may be approved by the AFM Board of Directors.
2.3.5 To June 30, 1975: Helmets certified by the Safety Helmet Council of America (SHCA) subsequent to July 1, 19 72 (such helmets bear serialized SHCA approval stickers numbered
1,415,000 and higher); or, helmets certified by the Snell Memorial Foundation bearing 1970 approval stickers.
July 1, 1975 and after: Helmets
certified by the Snell Memorial Foundation bearing 1970 approval stickers, and the Bell model 120 Star. Helmets, in the judgment of the Tech Committee, must be in fresh condition, including shell and straps.
2.3.6 Shields, eyeglasses or goggles of shatter-proof nature and fresh condition.
2.3.7 The safety and inherent suitability for competition of any of the above items of any rider shall be subject to the reasonable judgment of the Tech Committee.
2.4 Each rider shall have a fire extinguisher readily available at all times in his pit area. Such extinguishers must be of dry chemical or carbon dioxide type and carry current recharge tags.
2.5 Each rider shall be responsible for the conduct of his pit crew.
2.6 Each rider shall be responsible for leaving his pit area in a clean and acceptable condition at the end of a race meet.
2.7 Each rider shall be responsible for arranging the removal of his motorcycle, car, van and/or trailer, and any personal equipment, from the course environs if he is physically unable to remove them himself at the end of a race meet.
3.0 REQUIREMENTS OF MOTORCYCLES
3.1 General Requirements of All Motorcycles
3.1.1 All motorcycles must be approved by the Tech Committee before participating in any practice sessions or races at any race meet, and must bear a seal of inspection affirming that approval.
3.1.2 The safety and inherent suitability for competition of all motorcycles shall be determined by the Tech Committee. The Committee’s reasonable judgment and these rules (Section 3.5 excepted) shall apply to that determination, which may be exercised at any time during a race meet.
3.1.3 Excessively oily motorcycles, in the reasonable judgment of the Tech Committee, shall be excluded from participation in practice sessions or races.
3.1.4 The AFM Board of Directors may, at its discretion, authorize and require the Race Director to verify compliance by any motorcycle at any race meet with the whole of Section 3.0 of these rules (as applicable).
3.2 Mechanical Requirements of All Motorcycles
3.2.1 Engines
3.2.1.1 Engines of any type falling into the classes of Section
1.6.1 may be used.
3.2.1.2 Engines must be naturally aspirated.
3.2.1.3 Cylinders may be bored a maximum of 1.0 mm over the bore size corresponding to the class displacement limit for a given stroke. Motorcycles which have been placed in lower displacement classes per Section 3.5.3 may be bored 1.0 mm over stock only. (NOTE: The stroke of Production Class motorcycles may not be changed—see Section 3.5.4)
3.2.1.4 The whole of the exhaust shall be discharged rearwards by one or more pipes which shall not have any lateral openings. The discharge end of the exhaust pipe(s) may not extend beyond the rear tire, or be directed in such a way as to create dust or interfere with other riders.
3.2.1.5 Any provision for the discharge of waste or surplus oil must prevent oil from entering the exhaust gas stream, from interfering with other riders, and from spilling onto the course.
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3.2.1.6 All plugs and fittings with oil behind them must be securely fastened or safety wired.
3.2.1.7 Liquid-cooled motorcycle engines must use non-lubricating coolants.
3.2.2 Frames
3.2.2.1 Frames shall be free of cracks and kinks.
3.2.2.2 Welds shall be structurally sound.
3.2.2.3 Motorcycles must have both front and rear suspension systems. (NOTE: Rear suspension optional on Sidecars—Section 3.6.17.)
3.2.3 Tanks
3.2.3.1 All tanks, whether for fuel or oil, must be leak-free and securely mounted.
3.2.3.2 Fuel tanks must be equipped with readily accessible shutoff valves in working order.
3.2.3.3 Positive clamping is mandatory on all oil and fuel line connections; slip fits or wired connections are not permitted.
3.2.4 Tires and Rims
3.2.4.1 Wheels must be in true alignment.
3.2.4.2 Bent, broken or loose spokes are not permitted.
3.2.4.3 Only pavement-type tires are permitted; excessively worn, or otherwise unsafe tires, in the judgment of the Tech Committee, may not be used.
3.2.5 Brakes
3.2.5.1 Efficient front and rear wheel brakes are required.
3.2.5.2 Drum brake anchor arm fasteners must be safety wired or secured with mechanical locking devices.
3.2.5.3 Disc brake caliper mounting fasteners must be secured by safety wire, elastic stop nuts, locking tabs or adhesive compounds.
3.2.5.4 Air scoops, if fitted, must have screens and be clear of all working parts.
3.2.6 Handlebars and Controls
3.2.6.1 Handlebars must have a minimum width of 20 inches, a maximum width of 30 inches. Exception: For 50cc motorcycles and smaller, the minimum width is 1IV2 inches.
3.2.6.2 Handlebars shall permit the front wheel to be turned a minimum of 20 degrees each side of the straight-ahead position. (NOTE: For sidecars, the figure is 30 degrees—see Section 3.6.19.)
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3.2.6.3 Hand control levers must have minimum half-inch ball ends.
3.2.6.4 Controls must operate effectively and reliably.
3.2.7 Footrests
3.2.7.1 Footrests must be positioned for ready access to all controls.
3.2.7.2 The minimum diameter for all footrests is % inches.
3.2.7.3 Footrests may fold up and rearwards at a 45-degree angle, but must be prevented from folding accidentally.
3.2.7.4 Only one set of front footrests may be fitted.
3.2.8 Fuel
3.2.8.1 Gasoline available from highway commercial stations and intended for automotive use must be used.
3.2.8.2 Additives or changes of any nature in the gasoline, other than oil intended for lubrication only, are prohibited.
3.2.8.3 No fuel may be carried on any motorcycle except in tanks securely mounted for that purpose.
3.2.9 Numbers
3.2.9.1 Three number plates or number surfaces are required, one in front and one on each side. Colors must be as specified in Section 1.6.1.
3.2.9.2 The AFM Competition Number of the rider must be displayed thereon.
3.2.9.3 Subject to the prior approval of the Race Director, riders holding AMA professional competition licenses may be exempted from Sections 3.2.9.1 and 3.2.9.2 for a given race meet only.
3.2.9.4 The minimum size for number plates (surfaces) is 7 by 10 inches.
3.2.9.5 Numerals must be at least 5Vs inches high, suffix letters 2 inches high.
3.2.9.6 Numerals and suffix letters must be securely attached if not painted on.
3.2.9.7 All numbers must be clearly visible during practice sessions and races.
3.2.9.8 AMA Class C-type number plates are acceptable.
3.2.9.9 Illegible or incorrect numbers are not permitted.
3.2.9.10Number plates must be solidly mounted.
3.4 Mechanical Requirements of Production Class Motorcycles
3.4.1 Removable exhaust baffles must be
safety wired.
3.4.2 The minimum clearance between
handlebars and the tank is 1 inch at full lock as determined by the fork stops.
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3.4.3 The following equipment must be removed:
License plate mounting bracket (if not an integral part of the tail/brake light assembly).
Center and side stands.
Mirrors.
Turn signals.
Badges.
Luggage racks, saddlebags, crash bars, etc.
3.4.4 Brake lights must be disconnected or completely taped to avoid distracting other riders.
3.4.5 Glass, and plastic parts which may break or shatter, must be securely taped.
3.5 Eligibility Rules for Production Class Motorcycles
3.5.1 Production Classes shall be limited to motorcycles manufactured and licensable for street use. Such motorcycles must be readily available to the general public from established manufacturers, distributors and/or dealers, and are subject to approval by the AFM Board of Directors.
3.5.2 Motorcycles must comply with manufacturers’ published specifications for given models and be fitted with all original equipment except as noted herein and in Section 3.4.
3.5.3 Motorcycles must compete in classes corresponding to their original, unmodified displacement (or, by prior approval of the AFM Board of Directors, in classes corresponding to their actual displacement), except for the following:
251-350cc Class
Honda 360cc (nominal) 2-cyl., 4stroke
Honda 400cc 4-cyl., 4-stroke Kawasaki 400cc 2-cyl., 4-stroke Kawasaki 400cc 3-cyl., 2-stroke Suzuki 380cc 3-cyl., 2-stroke. 351-500cc Class Honda 550cc 4-cyl., 4-stroke Suzuki 550cc 3-cyl., 2-stroke.
Other models may be added to this list at the discretion of the AFM Board of Directors, and these class assignments shall remain in effect until the end of the season.
3.5.4 Internal engine modifications are permitted with the following exception: the stroke may not be changed.
3.5.5 Carburetors may be upor backdated to any applicable manufacturer’s specification for that basic model configuration (i.e., engine type and nominal displacement, number of cylinders, etc.).
3.5.6 Carburetor jet sizes may be changed.
3.5.7 Air cleaner assemblies may be completely removed, velocity stacks may be fitted in their place.
3.5.8 Exhaust systems may be repositioned only for additional ground clearance and may not otherwise be modified.
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3.5.9 Oil coolers may be fitted.
3.5.10Clutch lining material may be changed.
3.5.11 Final drive ratios may be changed, but internal (i.e., transmission) gear ratios may not.
3.5.12A11 lights, with the exception of the brake light and turn signals, and all other items of electrical equipment and instrumentation (i.e., tachometer, speedometer, etc.) must be in working order.
3.5.13The tail light assembly may be completely removed; the requirement of Section 3.5.12 is waived for the tail light if this option is exercised.
3.5.14Tachometers may be changed or fitted.
3.5.15 Accessory-type, “bolt-on” electronic ignition systems may be fitted. Such units must be readily available to the general public and intended for street use.
3.5.16Brake hub assemblies may be drilled for ventilation but air scoops may not be fitted.
3.5.17 Brake lining material may be changed.
3.5.18 Drilled brake discs are not permitted except when fitted as original equipment.
3.5.19Rim width, diameter and material may be changed; hubs must remain stock. (Exception: ventilation holes may be drilled as provided in Section 3.5.16.)
3.5.20 Rear shock absorbers and springs may be changed but must be of the same basic type as originally fitted.
3.5.21 Rear swing arms may be stiffened and swing arm pivot assemblies may be modified.
3.5.22Effective July 1, 1975: Racing tires manufactured by Dunlop and Goodyear may be fitted on the front wheel only.
3.5.23Windscreens, fly screens, deflectors, oversize number plates or any similar form of streamlining is not permitted, and accessory-type fairings may not be fitted.
3.5.24Fairings may be used only if fitted as original equipment by the manufacturer.
3.5.25 Handlebar type may be changed but the mounting method may not.
3.5.26The seat or saddle may be changed.
3.5.27 Footrests may be repositioned but only one set may be fitted.
3.5.28The dry weight of any motorcycle and the materials from which it is made may not be changed in any way except as provided herein.
3.5.29Modifications introduced by motorcycle manufacturers to basic model configurations (as defined by engine type and nominal displacement, number of cylinders, etc.) subsequent to the original introduction of such models, may be fitted with the limits of normal assembly procedure. External welding, brazing or machining for this purpose is not permitted.
