Letters
LETTERS
PIERCE AT DAYTONA
Regarding the Daytona coverage, it was stated in several articles that Ron Pierce’s bike suffered mechanical difficulties during the last lap of the Bell 100 Daytona superbike race.
This morning we found this to be untrue. We discovered that it had been an electrical problem rather than mechanical.
Because of the small amount of time between Daytona and the LeMan 24-hour endurance race, which we entered, we were unable to determine the real cause of the problem until this time.
•Fujio Yoshimura, Vice President Yoshimura Research & Development of America
SURVEY INTEREST
As a subscriber, I am looking forward to your consumer survey results. I plan to participate when you survey the kind of motorcycle I own.
Along with the computer testing, the results of your survey certainly keep your magazine as a leader of interest among motorcycle magazines.
Dick Hartman, Amsoil Dealer Vista, Calif.
O’GAFFNEY REFUTED
I would like to gently refute O’Gaffney’s claim (“Around the World in 79 Days,” June issue) that he was “. . . the first American to enter China by road since 1948, and the first ever on a motorcycle.” Robert Edison Fulton Jr. described his around the world journey on a motorcycle in his book One-Man Caravan which was published in 1938.
On the latter part of his journey, Fulton drove his Douglas motor-works of Bristol made motorcycle (750 lb., six horsepower, two-cylinder, horizontally opposed engine was all the description Fulton provided besides the photographs in the book) from Hanoi, Vietnam up to Yuunan-Fu in China. He later sailed to various Chinese ports and drove inland from Shanghai. From the photograph provided in Cycle World, Fulton travelled considerably lighter than did O’Gaffney.
Bill Allen Victoria, Texas
A few comments on your June issue regarding the BMW R100 test and regarding Ernest O’Gaffney.
First, the Beemer. As the owner of a late '77 R100-7, let me say that I thought your test was one of the most fairly objective reports I have read yet on a big Bimmer. You didn’t pull any punches, praised the machine for what it does so well and pointed out its shortcomings in areas it doesn’t do so well.
My own BMW has the Vetter SS fairing with lowers, European police front fender, Lester wheels, and Krauser 36 liter bags and top box. Heavy duty suspension, front and rear, installed by the dealer at time of purchase completes the package. I also had the gearing overall lowered to 4.64:1, by having installed the 34/11 rear end. This gives better mid-range punch, better pull up grades with a load. With the heavier suspension, a slight trade-off in comfort for better handling was worth it. I can simply blow the doors off any similarly equipped Brand X touring bike, period We have lots of curvy roads up here and, invariably, the BMWs are way, way out in front.
The sidestand? Put bike on centerstand, loosen sidestand nut, swing sidestand down, tighten nut. That’s it. The stand is now a semi-automatic retracting stand. It will not retract until one nudges it witfi^ one's foot. Cost? Zip. Time? Thirty minutes.
The hard seat? Germans have always liked their upholstery firmly padded. Check out the difference between a BMW or Mercedes sedan and a Cadillac. 1 also suspect that the new RT seat pan is contoured differently than my R 100/7 pan. I ride 15 hours on the freeway, go bush riding over four-wheel drive "roads” and never have a problem with seat comfort.
The Bings? I'm 6 ft. tall. 185 lbs., wear 111/: D boots, yet never have interference problems with the carbs or intake tubes. One cannot assume the same leg/foot position on a Bimmer as one would with a four-cylinder, transverse engine. The body adapts. Cock your feet at about the 1 1 o'clock and 1 o’clock positions, respectively. and you'll never come close.
I can’t make anv comment on the RT
J
fairing since I find the Vetter such an excellent product.
In high gear roll-ons. only an XS 1 1 can pull away from me. and even then after 10 sec. from 55 mph. only bv two car lengths.
And now for O’Caffney. Putting it politely. those of us who live in the northern climes, border snow states etc., are very skeptical about Ernies's route. The Russian winter, certainly as severe as the Canadian, has stopped Napoleon, even the mighty Wermacht. And here's this fasttalking Irishman, with six months riding experience (none in snow or winter), w ith a monstrously overloaded bike, open chain driven, hauling a 300 lb. trailer, with 150180 lb. of petrol strapped on top. and he's going to conquer the mud. rocks, snow, cold of Russian winter! Not even the Russians go out in that kind of weather.
Turkey. Iran. Afghanistan? Yes. easy by comparison. I've driven those roads. Most are in good condition, gas is available, and people have been traversing those areas for thousands of years. But Russia? In w inter? People I know who have hauled Cvcle Kamp trailers on rough, but paved, roads here in B.C. have experienced frame breakages. But not Ernie on those Turkish roads. Hell, in the picture the bike looks like it was just washed! And in winter, no less.
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It just doesn't wash. Come on up here to Vancouver, Ernie, and join us with your set-up Kwacker on one of our follies on back bush four-wheel drive roads. Oh yes, be sure to bring your Cycle Kamp along!
Bob Schneider Vancouver, B.C.
We can 7 support the veracity of O 'Gaff -ney's claims, not having accompanied him on the ride. We also don't know■ the exact route he claims to have ridden, but suspect it didn 7 include Siberia.
POWROLL PUSH
After reading your Up Front editorial in the June issue, I promptly called Pow roll in Bend. Oregon. I personally took my cylinder and cam up there, they bored the cylinder out to 83mm. and I picked it up the same day. I got the 312 kit and a cam to go with it.
Everything went together the next day. I made one trip to the Honda shop to get the right main jet. All this came off without a hitch, believe it or not.
Pow roll products make your bike go fast. Thanks to you for a nudge in the right direction and also for a fine magazine.
L. Curtis
Sprague River. Ore.
SUPER HAWK HINTS
I am writing in response to some of the questions Slater Davis asked in your June issue about his 305 Super Hawk engine. The anti-foaming tower and camshaft counterbalancers he mentions were present on the very early CB77 engines, probably as a production carry-over from the earlier C and CS72 models. Later engines, from about 1964 on, dropped the tower and used a lighter camshaft sprocket. There is a difference in the upper cylinder oil passages, which makes it impossible to> use a later model upper end with the older lower cases. However, the “newer” and lighter camshaft sprocket may be installed in the older engines, thus lightening the valve train.
As far as the Super Hawk club goes. I have not heard of one. However, there is an excellent club for vintage and out of production Japanese motorcycles. For more information, write to the Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club. 301 Phelps Ave.. Bergonfield, N.J. 0762 l.
Perhaps some fellow readers can help me with my problem. I have rebuilt a 1964 CB77. fitting it with the old Forged True 350cc racing kit and K&N roller cam. The part I am looking for is a factory five-speed kit which replaces the stock four-speed. Quite a few of these were running around in the mid '60s. Does anyone out there have one rusting away on a shelf or in a blown CR77? If so. I'd appreciate hearing from them. I am also looking for a headgasket for the 350cc kit. as I have just installed my last one.
Thanks for publishing such a fine magazine and keep printing those articles on older bikes.
Ed Litwin
6955 Guinea Rd.
Charlotte. Mi. 48813
PARTS TO SPARE?
My friend and I have one problem which we hope you can solve for us. The case is that we are trying to rebuild a motorcycle but are lacking some spare parts. What we need is the wheel rim and spoke set for both front and rear and we'd like to know whether you can give us any idea where we can get them. Also, if you know about any Henderson owners club, as the bike is a Henderson ohv. built in 1918.
Reynir Einarsson Iceland
You guys have all the luck. Yes, there is a Henderson Club. It's one man, a former Henderson emplovee named Otis Spiker, RR2, Mountain Berg, Ark. He makes some parts and has all the information vou'll need.
You may also beneft from the Antique Motorcycle Club of America. The president of the western U. S. chapter is Lance Tidwell, 3015 South St., Ton? Beach, Calif. 90805.
H-D FAN
Your recent test on the Harley-Davidson XLS was a nice piece of journalism in addition to being an informative and useful write-up on what many motorcycle publications seem to dismiss as an outdated example of early Americana. While some of those criticisms may have a ring of truth. H-D has never pretended to be anything other than what it always has been an honest-to-god motorcycle. The term “bike" has never ht the H-D image and I. for one. hope that it never will.
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I have owned a number of two-wheeled machines over a long span of years including several examples of the “state of the art" in Japanese technology. With few exceptions I have enjoyed them all. Though I don't believe that I have anything particularly profound to say on this subject, my lasting impression of this personal involvement in motorcycling is that H-D has been the only one of the group to ever make me feel that it was designed with me in mind. With H-D. 1 never felt as though I was sitting on a platform—I was the platform.
Keep up the great job you're doing as America’s best motorcycling journal.
George L. Greene Los Angeles. Calif.
SEEKING CR OWNERS
I'm trying to locate past or present owners of CR 1 10-93-72-77 Hondas or any RC factory machines. My hope is to establish a worldwide contact list, a CR Register. between people who were or are now involved with these fascinating bikes. Perhaps we'll be able to piece together a more complete history than currently exists.
Anyone interested, please contact: Douglas Whitbeck 139 Locust St. Swansea. Mass. 02777
BMW CLUB
I would like the address of the BMW Club of America, w hich you have referred to in your magazine.
Richard Storms N. Creek. N.Y.
You can contact the BMW Motoreve/e Owners of America, Inc. at P.O. Box 74, Newark, Calif. 94560, and the BM W Riders Association at P.O. Box 8280, Ashville, N.C. 28804.
