Letters
LETTERS
City slickers
Really enjoyed April's "Tales of the City" article about New York motor cyclists. Just shows what fortitude these people have. We could all learn a lot about appreciating the areas we do have to ride in, as opposed to all the dreamin' that goes on about better, faster, smoother, longer, curvier roads elsewhere.
Eugene Lodrini Old Mystic, Connecticut
I was inspired by "Tales of the City." It was reality at its best. My dad used to own a Honda dealership years ago in Belirose, Queens, and he sold a gener ous supply of bikes to New York City residents. We are very familiar with city riding. I now live in the southern Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York, and the riding is unbeatable. The point is: No matter where you live, if you love bikes, you're going to ride, no matter what the conditions!
Rick Carvajal Lake Luzerne, New York
Remembering Floyd
I enjoyed your article on Floyd Cly mer in the May issue. I was very much involved with him, as we purchased the Jawa/CZ distributorship in 1949 and started advertising with Floyd when he took over Cycle about that time. He often involved us in publicity stunts.. .like the time we were import ing Zundapps and they sent us Rom mel's 750 with attached sidecar. Floyd arranged to have it tow the Daytona Beach Fire Department's largest lad der truck, and had the press there to witness the event.
Larry Wise
President, Cosmopolitan Motors Hatboro, Pennsylvania
Regarding "Mr. Floyd's Wild Ride" as well as David Edwards' editorial comments about the old huckster, I could not agree more. I recall the day when as a college student I drove to Clymer's office in my 1928 Graham Paige hot-rod and proposed I write a book for him on engine swapping. It took about three minutes for me to figure out I was getting hustled.
Nevertheless, I think we'll all have to agree the world of wheels appreci ated his involvement. Rest in peace, Floyd Clymer, I'm glad Iknew you.
Carl Hungness Publisher, Indianapolis 500 Yearbook Speedway, Indiana
Nuts and volts
Wow! Thank you for publishing the wonderful article on our Lectra elec tric motorcycle! We were all excited to see our bike on the cover of your magazine. We've had a number of Fesponses so far.
Sarah Schilke
EMB Marketing/Distribution San Francisco, California
Just read your short article on the EMB Lectra "wundervolt" in the April issue. Had to comment. As I see it, with the lack of performance that this-or any other-electric vehicle ex hibits, the only way worldwide de mand could possibly increase is for some tree-hugging Al Gore-type to fashion another hokey law stuffing them down our throats. Sadly, a process that I'm sure is probably in the works somewhere.
Hopefully, the EMB's dimensions are small enough as to facilitate stick ing it where the sun never shines. - -
Rick Harbeck Sioux City, Iowa
Dave Despain's Dirt Track Hall of Fame
The richest single race in motorcy cle dirt-track history will be held Sat urday, September 5, on the historic Springfield mile oval at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. Fifteen riders will race 10 laps for $50,000, and pro ceeds from the event will fund the new Dirt Track Hall of Fame. The Labor Day weekend event will be a companion to Sunday's traditional AMA Springfield Mile National.
For dirt-track lovers, this should be the weekend of a lifetime. We will have the most exciting track action of the year, surrounded by a huge re union of the dirt-track family. The races will be televised nationally on ESPN2. Best of all, we will honor the early racers who created this wonder ful form of competition we call dirt track. Funding for this historic event was provided by a diverse group of dirt-track lovers known as the "Pio neers," each of whom pledged $2000 to the cause.
This weekend was inspired by the re cent tragic deaths of three dirt-track heroes, each of whom had a special connection to the Springfield Mile. Dick Andrae was the AMA's Illinois referee; past Grand National Champion Roger Reiman was race chairman; and three-time Grand National Champion Ricky Graham was a nine-time winner at Springfield. The inaugural Hall of Fame race will be run in memory of that trio, but many more of the sport's great stars will be honored during the weekend. Tentative plans call for all of the past dirt-track champions to be in vited to Springfield for induction into the newly formed Hall of Fame. This will be a real celebration of the sport. We will pay the biggest purse in history to the current genera tion of racing stars, honor the great racers of the past and reward our loyal fans with one of the most mem orable weekends ever. Better make your hotel reservations early!
Reader Information
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Dave Despain Watkinsville, Georgia
For more information on the Hall of Fame Race and the Pioneers fundrais ing program, contact Dave Despain and Associates, P0. Box 313, Bishop, GA 30621; 706/769-0474. Dot-corn mers can boot up and access info at Davedes@negia.net.
Topper stopper
Regarding the "Slipstream" photo of Ted riding a Harley-Davidson Topper motorscooter in the March Cycle World: True, what was once "cool" may not be "in" now, but does that make (the Topper) a joke? I don't see the joke here. I see a picture that reminds me of good ol' days gone by, a photograph al most like a Norman Rockwell painting of a simpler, happier time.
Maybe the joke is on Cycle World. Maybe Cycle World is a joke. -
Tom Gannon Editor, Scooter Scoop Stockton, California
Stop! Thief!
To the creep who is ripping off my copies of Cycle World. I realize you must enjoy CW as much as I did when I was still receiving it. Would greatly appreciate your forwarding my copies when you're finished with them, or better yet, buy your own subscription.
Bob Mielke Monroe, New York
No problem, Bob, we `ii send ya the rest of Gannon ` subscription.
