Letters
LETTERS
Save the scooters
It was refreshing to see Brian Catterson's article "Scooters from Hell" in the May issue of Cycle World. Too often we scooterists are regarded by motorcyclists as aliens. After all, we are on two wheels and also move by a twist of the wrist (even if we shift gears with the other one). There’s a large number of scooter riders in this country, and I'm sure this article was well received.
Incidentally, there seems to be a growing interest in the older Lambretta. Cushman and Vespa/ Allstate scooters, as well as a number of rarer types.
Bill Reid
Walled Lake. Michigan
I just want to thank you for the superb piece you did on the American Scooter Racing Association. It was by far the best coverage scooter racing has ever had in a motorcycle magazine. You did a great job of getting the facts straight and injecting just enough humor while still keeping an open mind.
Vince Mross. President. ASRA San Diego. ( alifornia
Is roadracing with fat riders and skinny tires coming back? If so, there's hope for me yet. Should you ever speak to those lunatic-fringe scooter guys again, recommend they find a Parilia Greyhound. With a tube fork, swingarm rear suspension, a 2OOcc two-stroke motor, a fourspeed foot shift and spoke wheels, it would humiliate Vespas and Lambrettas today as badly as mine humiliated Harley Hummers and Triumph C ubs back in the 1960s. Plus, a Greyhound will get more
COMING 5 OON mjHtm USASCÍOU!
girls than a boatload of GSX-Rs.
Prank Molitor McDermitt. Nevada
But not more than the little-known Biaggio Continental Trail wavs model.
American power
I'm really P.O.ed about your June. 1991. "American Power" issue. If I want to read about Harleys,
I will buy Basv riders magazine. I buy your magazine to stay away from the Davidson Dinosaur, so. please, no more Harleys.
W.E. Ci reen Spokane, Washington
I enjoyed the June issue, but. wait a minute, is this Cvele World or Harley's enthusiast magazine? Why so much fuss over a bike that no dealers can keep in stock and w hose manufacturer claims it makes no money on? This is not a bike that needs any more press.
Tom Hilbert
Grand Rapids. Michigan
Really liked the June, 1991. issue and all the Sportster articles. Eve been riding since 1954. have ridden just about all makes of' bikes, and liked most of them — if you like to ride, sou like motorcycles. But few have the feel and sound of' the Sportster. A bike that has staved in production for 54 years has to have something going for it.
1 ow n a stock. 1967 Sportster XIII. It starts right up and runs great after all these years. I he engine has nes er been dow n. either.
I've been reading ( ve/e World for almost as long as m\ Sportster's been around, and I'm sure you w ill get a lot of flack from some of your readers about all of the 1 larlcw articles in this issue. But then the odds are good that they haven't been around as long as the Sportster or your magazine. Let them holler.
LAV. Eubanks
C antonment. f lorida
Closed minded-Ness
Arlen Ness' Ness ( 'af'e ( ( 've/e World. June. 1991 ) is an abomination. Cafe racer? You've got to be kidding. Lower the suspension, take out travel, stretch the swingarm and rake out the fork—boy. I'll bet it really handles. Aerodynamics? With that poorly designed cow ling, there's got to be no air flow to the engine.
I'll bet the chromed cylinders are practically at meltdown point just running down the road at 55 mph. That airbox/snow shovel probably costs 10 horsepower, anyhow. There's no way his taillight is DOT street-legal. Paint and graphics have no sense of flow, except on the tank and fender—otherwise, it's too busy and contrived. 1 think you should leave bikes like this to chopper magazines.
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The Ness Cafe is to a real café racer what Nescafé is to espresso.
Mark Lam hie Fresno, California
Aside from those few. small details, did you like the hike?
I detest Ness hikes.
Neil Barker
Pittsburgh. Pennsylvania
Oh shut up.
Nolo contendere
I write this letter to point out one mis-statement in your evaluation of the Cincinnati Microwave radar detector in the June issue. In the last paragraph, you say that speeding can result from a lapse in concentration, and that “the Solo can warn you of that lapse." No sir. it cannot. It can only detect radar beams. A rider can be as careless as can be. and if I’m not in the area working radar, that little device will do nothing but collect dust. Correct?
Trooper Thomas Kunz Virginia State Police I lam il ton. Virginia
We don't know. But in the interest of more complete reporting, the next tinte we're riding in Virginia, if you'll teil us where you're working, we'll put your theory to the test.
Economics 907
In your June issue, you tested a Honda VFR750 against a Ducati Paso 907. You said both bikes were good, but the Honda was the best of the two, that it was the best bike for the money.
How about comparing resale value? In 1974. I purchased a new Ducati Super Sport for $2875, about twice what a 750 Honda Four sold for back then. I can now sell my Ducati and buy two $7200 VFR Hondas (and still have money left over). Had I purchased a 1974 Honda and sold it today, I might have just enough money to renew my subscription to your magazine.
I bought the Paso.
I larold Johnson Pittsburg, Kansas SI
