25 Years Ago November, 1973

25 YEARS AGO NOVEMBER, 1973

ROUNDUP

Watergate was in full swing, the Vietnam War was winding down and Montesa’s King Scorpion Automix 250 shared CW’s November cover with Suzuki’s

GT750. The Spanish dual-purpose bike was given a five-page road test, in which editors oohed and ahhed over the single-cylinder engine’s “new” oil-injection system. The Suzuki was the topic of “Just Passin’ Through...,” a recount of D. Randy Riggs’ 1600-mile trip through Donner Pass aboard the liquid-cooled, two-stroke Triple. Queried Riggs, “Who said twostrokes were no good for touring?” The government, apparently. • On the racing front, the editors devoted eight pages of copy and color photos to that year’s AMA Grand National Championship, which included “two back-to-back Miles followed by two back-toback TTs, topped off with a pavement race at Laguna Seca.” The article, which was titled, “After Columbus They Head For The Sunset,” pursued Kenny Roberts, Gene Romero, Mert Lawwill, etal, westward, with results and commentary along the way.

• In other news, CW went to trials school, which we said was not without its tribulations; a married couple on Montesas discovered the Baja Peninsula wasn’t the ordeal about which they’d been warned, despite the bruises; and there was a faux road test of the fictional Mifuni 750cc V-12, with its “estimated" top speed of 225 mph and ghastly $894,888 sticker. And you thought today’s motorcycles were pricey! -Wendy F. Black