Letters
LETTERS
LOCKING THE FORKS
Locking your front fork is not always enough. I lost a '78 GS750 last year in front of my apartment to what the police thought were thieves working out of a van. I couldn't imagine a bunch of guys jumping out of a van in broad daylight and throwing a motorcycle into the back. I was sure they had broken the fork lock and pushed it away.
Then I bought a worn out '72 CB175 thinking that no one would bother to steal it. Nevertheless, I religiously locked it with a Kryptonite lock. Looking out the window of my apartment two weeks ago, a van pulled up, two guys jumped out, picked up my CB175, threw it into the van and drove off. It took less than 60 seconds.
Locking the front fork is a good first step but when I buy another bike I'm going to invest in one of those 20 ft. chains!
Carl Sundberg New York, N.Y.
Sorry to say, you're right. If somebody seriously wants your bike, and is willing to take chances, they'll get it. What I had in mind was simply to remind people that taking the easy precautions is the best policy. AG
I own a brand new 1980 Suzuki GS1000S. I lock the forks everywhere I go, except at home. What better place for a thief to get my hard-earned property than where I least expect it? So, without reading another word of your magazine, I walked out to the garage and locked those forks.
Thank you for enlightening me.
Charles Clement Baton Rouge, La.
SOUTH CAROLINA CAMPING
As Information and Education Office! for South Carolina state parks, and as £ long time commuting and touring motor cyclist, I am familiar with Gregor) Noller's problem. (Letters, January, 1981'
Private enterprise can be discrimina tory, but public agencies cannot. There an thousands of campsites up and down tht Grand Strand area including Myrtle Beach, but none of the commercial camp, grounds in that area admit motorcyclists. We have two state parks in that area . . . Myrtle Beach State Park with 300 campsites and Huntington Beach State Park with 128 campsites. Touring motorcyclists are certainly welcome to camp at these and any other South Carolina state parks. We do not reserve campsites but this is usually not a problem except during the summer months when visitation is at its peak.
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From the mountains to the sea, South Carolina has much to offer the touring motorcyclist. Y'all come and see us!
Dana L. Sawyer South Carolina Dept, of Parks and Tourism
My wife and I headed for Myrtle Beach on our stock Yamaha this past summer and Mr. Noller was right. None of the accommodations guides would help except one who directed us to a state park in South Myrtle. There were a lot of motorcycle campers from Florida to Quebec, Canada. Everyone was very nice and we enjoyed ourselves immensely.
Paul Tallent Timberville, Va.
WOBBLED THROUGH
I'm the fellow who wrote you awhile back, nervously eager to try motorcycling, but awash in doubts, anxieties, and objections. Well, thanks to your encouragement and advice, 1 made it.
The Motorcycle Safety Foundation was . quick to provide the riding book, and a long time friend who had been riding for 10 years offered to teach me. Using the wide open spaces of the university's parking lot we began our Sunday morning sessions. The Yamaha 250 Exciter I proved to be a forgiving mount on which to acquire and hone the basic skills of motorcycle management. My friend bolstered my courage when it sagged, praised me when I succeeded and was charitably silent when I failed. Finally I wobbled through the state licensing exams and became a legal motorcyclist.
My neighbors are scandalized, my family is checking the insurance policies, and my fellow workers are sure I've lost my mind. But everyday I ride a little farther, sampling road and traffic conditions that are new to me. Fm riding alert, awake, and a little scared, and I love it.
William Ward Knoxville, Tenn.
UNAPPROACHABLE
The purpose of this letter is to enlist the aid of motorcycle magazines to convince Japanese manufacturers that there is a U.S. market for sport and touring motorcycles of medium displacement.
I subscribe to Motorcycle Weekly (U.K.) and feel there is a market here for machines such as the Yamaha XJ650. I would love to own a Turbo CX500. Not just a Turbo CX, but a European-styled Turbo CX all the way; low bars, fairing, dual headlights, black pipes, etc.
I consider my CX, set up as I have it, averaging 55 mpg, unapproachable by anything offered on the American market.
Roger Prince Franklin, Mass
1000 VIRTUES
I have just finished rereading the GS1000G test in your November, 1980 issue. Fve owned a 1979 GS1000 for about a year now and am heartened to know that others are finally realizing the virtues of this bike. . . Not only for commuting to work but also as a touring bike.
My wife and I took a 4000 mi. trip this past spring and found it to be superb handling (even fully loaded), and a powerful high performance touring bike. It also gets two more votes for Best Seat on a Motorcycle. We did over 700 mi. on the last day of the trip and could still walk when we got home.
Richard Rowlands Bloomington, Ind.
RIDING THE DRAGSTER
Just wanted to say that the article on riding the Teson/Bernard dragster in your December issue was excellent. One of the most entertaining stories I've ever read.
Steve Middleton Anatone, Wash.
APPLIED TORQUE ADVICE
Your piece on Applied Torque was very informative and interesting. However, I have discovered a much simpler and more accurate method of tightening things: Turn it 'til it strips and back off a quartet Allan Vallis Mississauga, Ontario
HONDA HOKUM
Why is it that Honda sees fit to put a trademark on terms that have been around for a long time? From the midf fifties to mid-sixties, Buick used a pentroof combustion chamber in their V-8s. In 1922 Sir Henry Ricardo designed and developed a 3'/2 horsepower engine for Triumph which had a pentroof cylinder head containing four pushrod operated valves. I'm sure there are many others.
Yet, look at Honda's advertisements about their pentroof (trademark) combustion chambers. It's okay with me if anybody wants to have a pentroof combustion chamber, but I guess now Honda owns the name. Next, I suppose, we'll see an ad for the new Honda motorcycles (trademark).
Mike Rose Fremont, CaliF
ISSUES FOR SALE
I have nearly complete collections of the six major motorcycle magazines start-1 ing from 1970. I am interested in selling each collection to an individual or organization for a modest sum, provided the col-^ lections are preserved, used and continued.
Keith H. Nielsen 266 Dianna Drive Littleton, Colo. 80124
THINKING ON A HEAD
Congratulations on another fine editorial. Montana dumped its mandatory * helmet laws a few years back. Until then, I resented being protected from myself. I wore my helmet then and still do, but I like the freedom of choice. i
With my brothers and some friends get-.1 ting interested in motorcycles I want to set a good example and give them the benefit of my years on bikes. Even an experienced rider will have times when he'll be glad the ol' shell is strapped on.
When they asked me about helmets I told them, “If your head is worth saving, they (helmets) are worth wearing.” I'm glad they've taken my advice.
Walt Roberts Fairfield, Mont.
NO TROUBLES
I want to thank you for the article, In the Land of the Midnight Run.
I am laid up with a broken leg and missing out on the last two riding months in New England. But for 30 min. I forgot completely about my troubles and was riding with the Faceless Four.
I own a CX 500 and have only been riding for about one and a half years but I really love it.
Thanks again.
Miriam Trentini Hudson, Mass.
BEATING THE SYSTEM
Your editorials have enthused me to the point that I figured if you could do it so could I. So I think I did.
I began to think of our local traffic light systems that will not trip for motorcycles.
I thought of a couple of ways to correct this and began by calling the Highway Department. They told me I was up against a system that couldn't be beat. Then I decided that I was not up against a system where I pay taxes that could not be beaten.
After a call to the local engineer to no avail and to his boss with no success, I called our State Senator. I explained that if the lights could not be made to work, I wanted a refund for my license and tag fees. Within thirty days the traffic light was being redesigned so that even a Honda 80 could trip it. I was assured that all of the traffic controllers in the state would be updated so that a motorcyclist could pass freely through lights without having to push buttons or wait for cars to trip the systems.
Pretty soon the public will realize motorcycles are here to stay and I hope this will encourage other motorcyclists to contact their legislators and get their traffic controllers also updated.
C.R. Carpenter Frederick, Md.
THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME
I enjoyed reading The Most Dangerous Game in your January Roundup column.
People are constantly telling me how dangerous motorcycles are to ride. Now I can quote them some figures to repudiate their statements.
I, too, am reassured, and will now feel more secure riding my Honda 750 ... especially on the way to the airport to fly my homebuilt aircraft.
Robert L. Mann Gothenburg, Neb.
My compliments on your Roundup story, The Most Dangerous Game.
You really told it like it is about our safety. It's too bad some of the overconfident automobile drivers don't read Cycle World. They would really open their eyes and see what's going on around them. Maybe some of those high divers would look before they leap.
Jeff Friend Colville, Wash.
