Letters

LETTERS

Rep rap

“Motorcyclists,” according to your February Editorial (“Bad raps and bad reps”), “have done more over the years to further their bad image than anyone or anything else.” Really? It is generally agreed that those who fall into the category of “ruining the sport” are no more than the oft-quoted one-percenters. But for the sake of argument, let’s give it a high figure of five or 10 percent. Is there another sport, occupation or hobby with so high a compliance with civility? Are 90 percent of the boaters safe and lawabiding?

The fault here lies in the failure of American pluralism to live up to its stated ideal of making room for everybody, of allowing people to express themselves in diverse ways. America hasn’t been too kind to minorities—of opinion, of color, of expression. Motorcyclists are a minority, a highly visible one at that, which calls attention to itself by accentuating the differences between itself and the public; not by going off on its own as, say, boaters do, but by putting itself in the traffic of mainstream America, on the roads.

I also cannot agree with the Mr. Dean's statement that “no one would have paid much attention to books or movies about the misdeeds of bike gangs, fictional or otherwise, had thousands upon thousands of real motorcyclists not done their best to live up to that image.” Sure, and maybe no one would have paid attention to the characters of Stepin Fetchit and Aunt Jemima if there weren’t people like them? No, these characters were created, just like the image of motorcycling.

But consider how quickly those myths can be shattered. Mikhail Gorbachev undid 50 years of the poisoning of the public mind by just a few days in Washington; he might have placed second in the Iowa primary had he stayed longer.

Maybe motorcyclists should hire Gorbachev’s public relations team. Better, though, let motorcyclists be motorcyclists, good and bad, and let the public accept us for what we are: different, to be sure, but also part of the American spirit that tolerates and accepts differences.

Robert G. Lowery Seldon, New York

I couldn’t agree more with your February editorial. Last week I was riding my XL600 on the interstate near Denver, keeping with traffic at 65 mph. Suddenly, two sportbikes, their riders all tucked in, whisked past doing at least 90 mph. I wondered what the motorists around me were thinking. Like you said, we can largely blame ourselves for motorcycling's lousy public image.

Steve Morgan

Larkspur, Colorado

Stuck in 1969

I took one look at the new Norton Classic in your March issue and almost puked. It was several minutes before I could bring myself to read the article. Classic? That feeble attempt at Nippo-emulative styling? You call those dual upswepts?

That's supposed to be a seat? Let me guess: The ugly thing is the gas tank, right? And where’s the rear fender?

That thing bears as much resemblance to a Norton as did a Royal Enfield Indian to the Springfield, Massachusetts, variety. I know: I’ve owned both. And I also own a classic Norton, a 1969 Commando R. Your article is an insult to every motorcycling anglophile in America. Why didn't you do an article on the Triumph Bonneville? They still make them.

F.J. Jermyn

Huntingdon, Pennsylvania

Read voar back issues, Jermyn. The "new" Triumph Bonneville was tested in our October; 1986 issue. And thanks for reminding the rest of us that it was catering to the wants of people like you that put the British motorcycle industry where it is today. S

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