25 Years Ago July, 1969

25 YEARS AGO JULY, 1969

ROUNDUP

The Vietnam War was raging, making its mark on the American consciousness. Motorcycles, too, were part of the Vietnam experience, and this issue had the stories.

• In Roundup, we noted that hundreds of U.S. soldiers had bought bikes there, or had their motorcycles shipped over. “They don’t seem to be doing much racing, but a heck of a lot of guys are getting around on bikes,” we said.

• Another Roundup item said some soldiers were riding bikes as part of the war effort. An experimental group was formed to make reconnaissance patrols on 175cc dirtbikes. “They roar out of a firebase and cruise until they arrive at a point where the dusty road is crossed by a likely looking foot trail. Diving off into the bush, they search cross-country for the Viet Cong,” read the report. The patrols were said to be highly effective, but there was one potential problem. “As any woodsman will tell you, you can hear the damn things coming from miles away," wrote Joe Parkhurst.

• Not all the motorcycling Americans in Southeast Asia were involved with the war. Robert Bryson described his journey from Laos to Thailand. Roads and local customs were among Bryson’s biggest problems. “The very hard-packed latente beats one’s kidneys out below 40 mph, and throws occasional buffalo wallowing holes in the way,” he said. When he’d stop, Bryson was often offered some home-distilled rice whiskey, and didn’t want to offend his hosts by refusing. “It varies from near turpentine to strong tequila in taste,” he said. -Jimmy Lewis