Letters
LETTERS
Pushrod Handi-work
Regarding Matt Handi's letter in your September. 1985 issue, his statement that the Cagiva 650 has "pushrods as long as pogo sticks" proves that he didn't read the test, and that he knows nothing about motorcycles. The Ducati has had desmodromic valve gear for over 20 years. and if the Japanese could make a copy of it work, they, too, would have had one in production for years. Mr. Handi belongs on a Ninja, because he doesn't have the class for a Cagiva. Wayne Miller Carson City, Nevada
I would like to make a few com ments and ask Mr. Handi a couple of routine questions on basic motor cycle mechanics. Do the words "desmodromic valve train" mean anything to you, Matt? Ever heard of Bosch? Well, they supply the electrics for Cagiva. As for your little analogy comparing the Ducati powerplant to a "Briggs & Stratton," have you noticed which manufacturer dominates in the Bat tle of the Twins class? As for your current plight, the only solution is to stick to what you call a "true classic," the Ninja 600. Mike Mueller Canby, Oregon
One commodity that is rarely in short supply in motorcycling is tech nical information. Even so, Matt Handi's recent ill-informed com ment about the pushrods in a Cagiva constitutes one of the high-water marks in this area. Not the high water mark, however. That dubious
distinction belongs to some forever nameless sales-droid who, a few years ago. advised me that the new Ducati Darmah was indeed a desmo. Pointing to the bevel tube that houses the driveshaft to the over head cam, he said, "See, you can tell it's a desmo; that's where the three pushrods go
Mr. Handi came pretty close to equalling that dismal performance. His comment on the unreliability of the Cagiva's electrical system. which I'm sure he has come no closer to than he has the moon, nearly put him over the top, while the general tone of his letter revealed him to have the technical background of, say, Donny Osmond, leavened with the tolerance of Idi Amin.
Just to set the record straight. Matt, the last known set of pushrods in a Ducati engine were in the V Four Apollo prototype of the early Sixties. None of which really matters
anyway. as I doubt that Mr. Handi will be buying either the Ninja or the Cagiva: he appears to be far too busy worrying about what is truly "classic" to spare any time to ac tually ride the things. John Foyston. Manager 7 Eurosport, Inc. Portland. Oregon
Matt Handi's ignorance regarding Cagiva/Ducati motorcycles may be forgivable because of the low num ber of units in the U.S.. but it begs for a rebuttal.
Unlike the venerable Briggs & Stratton. which is a cast-iron flathead of modest output, the Ducati engine is an alloy. Nikasil-lined, desmodromic, ohc motor, capable of 10.000 rpm and significant power increases with even minor tuning. What it does have in common with the B&S is reliability. Bear in mind, Mr. Handi. that in World Cham pionship Formula Two racing, Ducati Pantah-based machines have owned the championship since 198 1. Also, that the Bimota KB2 Laser (the nearest thing to the GPz600R's predecessor) is eligible for this class and didn't do well in it at all. As a matter of fact, the Ninja, which you said had the "most sophisticated Japanese chassis yet." has a few roots in Bimota design; from rising-rate. monoshock rear suspension, to perimeter frame, to 16-inch wheels, the Ninja 600's chassis design is firmly rooted in Europe.
That's okay. Cagiva/Ducati aren't afraid to borrow across international borders, either. When they chose the electrics ("the only electrical system> on earth worse than a Lucas") for their bikes, they went to Bosch and Nippondenso. The same Nippondenso. that Kawasaki uses, I believe, on the GPz600R.
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The definition of a classic motor cycle is a hard one. And to choose one from today's amazing range of machinery is even harder. Precious few have that rare combinationperfomance. looks, staying power and the ability to change the course of motorcycling-that generally de fines a classic. I won't presume to comment on Mr. Handi's choice of classic bikes, but suffice it to say that the relatively rare Jawa. Puch and Carabela would draw more attention at a vintage motorcycle meet than the more common Indians, Ariels and Triumphs.
Neil Donovan Chicago. Illinois
Sidestands or bust
Steve Thompson should get a medal for having the courage to stand up and fight for a usable sidestand (At Large. September. 1985 issue).
This has been my main mo torcycling aggravation for 1 5 years. I've had to manufacture or rebuild the sidestand on every cycle I have ever owned. I recently bought the Number One, overrated. Japanese so-called touring bike only to have it blow over, breaking mirrors. etc. Give me a machine shop and I'll give you a touring bike that is a touring bike.
DeWayne Hald Annandale. Minnesota
The eleventh worst motorcycle
I've been procrastinating about writing this letter ever since your April issue hit the newsstands with its list of the "Ten Worst Motor cycles." You left out the very worst of all, Harley-Davidson (more aptly called "Hardly Ableson" or. since their fascist tariff. "Harmless David son"). I've ridden two Harleys in my life, a 1 93 1 74 flathead and a `47 74. both in the early 1 950s. To this day they stand out as the two sorriest motorcycles I've ever sat on. They had all of the vices for which Harley is famous: ugly, too fat, ugly. under powered, ugly, unreliable, ugly. un gainly. and finally, ugly. Trouble is that Harley is still making the same sorry mess they always have. I saw a restored 1 936 74 in a dealership and could hardly distinguish it from the brand-new bikes on display.
Anyway, if you put out another list of the worst bikes of all time. I trust the Milwaukee Vibrator will be prominently displayed.
Pitt Kinsolving Pasadena, California
Slop beating around the bush. Kinso/ving; what do iou really think?
A horse is a horse
I am fascinated by your interest in big Japanese cross-country motor cycles. The Big Four all weigh more than 800 pounds. and loaded with the necessities, a rider and a co rider, the damn things weigh more than a half-ton. I think your tests should include the number of men and boys it takes to pick one up after it falls over. I guess if one is going to ride a motorcycle that is as big as a horse and that weighs as much as a horse, one ought to be able to make it go sideways like a horse.
Wayne Diffee Denver. Colorado
Okay, so long as it does~z `t deposit the sanie kind of souvenirs a horse leaves behind.
More countersteering
After reading the letters in the September issue referring to the edi torial on countersteering. I am moved to add my own experience to the commentary. - -
I recently purchased a new Honda 500 Interceptor after owning a CM4SO for a short time. When I first read the editorial, I confess I was somewhat skeptical. But in keeping with the fact that the author was the Editor of a major motorcycling publication. I made it a point on my next outing to be conscious of Mr. Dean's comments. With a good case of déjà vu, I soon found myself in the position of the hypothetical sportbike rider referred to in the article. There I was on a sharp curve goingjust a bit too fast, and my first instinct was to brake and wrench the handlebar into the turn, Instead, I followed Mr. Dean's advice and put pressure on the handlebars in the opposite direction. The bike held the line beautifully. And subsequent experience only confirmed this re action. I've had all my friends with bikes read the article, and every one of them has thanked me for it.
I don't care if 50 physicists want to dispute the mechanics of this phenomenon. Thanks for helping one group of riders feel safer and more confident on the road.
Philip J. Rauch Philadelphia. Pennsylvania
That's gratitude for you. Someone tells you how to save your life and what does he get? The soggy end of the lollipop, that's what.
"Countering the Steering Myths" in the June issue may well be the most important piece of advice to appear in any motorcycle magazine. Ever. It would appear. however, that some readers fail to grasp the countersteering concept. -
Admittedly. the idea ot pulling on your left handlebar to turn right is foreign to us by nature. Therefore. I suggest that readers forget about pulling in the opposite direction and think abut pushing. Push right to turn right. Push left to turn left. It will deliver the same results and should prove easier to remember in panic situations. I will also suggest that, space permitting, you run Mr. Dean's editorial again. The concept is that important.
Terrence Bell Toronto. Canada
The Editor thanks roujbr the kind words-and wants iou to know 1/lw i'our check is in the mail.
Some things are better left unsaid
Your italicized ripostes to the published letters, verging from nau seated cutesy to smartass sarcasm and ridicule, create an adversary relationship with readers that de pletes most of the confidence and pleasure one tries to find in a peri odical dealing with his hobby.
It is sad to speculate that your puerile and often nasty put-downs are expressing a contempt for bikers from the executive suites of CBS Inc., your corporate boss. Yours truly (braced for the sneering rejoinder), Robert C. Goodman Northridge, California
Gee. was ii something we said?
