Cycle Round Up
CYCLE ROUND UP
JOE PARKHURST
CYCLE WORLD’s EDITORIAL POLICY
We have received several letters, and I have been accused point blank, of harboring an editorial bias against a certain machine made in the United States. On one occasion we were even accused of being un-American. I must clear the air on the subject; CYCLE WORLD harbors no bias against any machine, our editorial policy of freedom and independence from any outside influence has never varied. Our first allegiance is to our readers: it is for them that we have the road tests, impressions. technical features, trail tests, scooter tests, every word in the magazine for that matter. We have not. nor will we ever, submit to altering our policy for the benefit of any advertiser or other influence.
Most of the criticism we have received has been directed at statements made by readers in the Letters column, my statements in this column, and in general towards editorial material directed toward improving the sport which at times encompasses stabs at the A.M.A.. U.S.M.C .. and anyone else we sincerely do not feel at that time is doing the right thing for the sport and our readers We have also been lambasted for criticizing certain elements in motorcycling as they are customers of some of our advertisers. Woose Fisher and the Hell's Angels are someone's customers, but that doesn't change their actions one whit.
Most importantly, we have been described as being anti-Harley-Davidson. This is purely nonsense. True, we have published letters from some rather unsavory individuals who ride H-Ds. but they chose the machine, so it is unfortunate. but beyond our control, that they are occasionally riding that make. We cannot, and will not. censor the magazine in a vain attempt to avoid stepping a little on someone's toes. Truth is truth: ignoring it does not change it.
Our Letters column expresses the feelings of our readers, we publish the letters we feel are the most interesdng. constructive, that speak for a large percentage of readers who might have written similar letters, arc humorous, or that serve a particular editorial function. The only editing done on them is to occasionally shorten some by using only portions of them: no changes in the statement being made are done, nor is any effort made to twist them to suit our purposes.
CYC i i WORI o stands among a small group of magazines devoted to a sport, written for the enthusiasts, with a straightforward and honest editorial policy. We do not write articles in ord^r to sell reprints of them so our advertisers can use them as sales tools. Naturally, if we do say something about a machine that an advertiser wishes to have reprinted and used on a dealer's sales floor we are flattered and happy to furnish permission. Our mission in life is simple: we write to suit the reader, we give him as much of what he wants as we arc able to. we arc trying to build a following of motorcycle and scooter riders who look to the magazine for en ertainment, advice, information, and opinion. In doing this we are building an audience for our advertisers to place their billboards in front of and entice them to their products. It is not a complicated foundation: we simply provide an attentive audience for the advertiser, yet we have had a few cancellations because of our editorial policy. This will not change things. We hate losing money like anyone does, but the readers outnumber the advertisers by a large number.
One last thing that needs clearing up is the term "trade magazine." Because CYCLE WORLD is a magazine about motorcycles, does not mean that it is a motorcycle trade magazine. CW is an enthusiasts' magazine. Trade magazines are written precisely for the motorcycle trade with no thought given to critical evaluation of the machines or products. Trade magazines are entirely devoted to news of the industry and trade, with service and sales information and guidance for dealers, new model advertisements for the information of dealers, new products listed, also for their information. But most important, trade magazines are not sold on newsstands to enthusiasts because there is little of interest for them in this type of magazine. The motorcycle trade is comprised of probably 2,500 to 5.000 people, dealers, distributors and their staffs: this is a very small audience compared to CYCLE WORLD’S nearly 50.000 enthusiasts and riders.
Naturally, dealers and other members of the industry read the magazine: for them we provide a special column, "Around The Industry." We try to maintain this column as a news sounding board for activity in the motorcycle business, and it is handled more like a newspaper section than an editorial column. Again, quite ironically, the non-industry readers enjoy the column occasionally since it is filled with news of an industry that is serving their sport. Also, many of our advertisers include a line in their copy that might read, "dealer inquiries invited." so that the members of the industry w'ho are reading CYCLE WORLD will know of their presence. We also have one or tw'o wholesale-only advertisers who are trying to reach members of the industry only.
In the final analysis w'e are serving two functions, one for the reader, the other for the industry, in that order. The wisdom of this approach is obvious: CW is the leading magazine in the United States, we have the largest circulation and we lead in advertising space. We have tried to make no enemies but you cannot walk a straight path without walking into someone. We will continue as we have from the beginning, trying to make CYCLE WORLD the best posible magazine, and always with our growing audience of readers coming first and foremost. W'e hope we can continue to earn the support we are being given now.
INTERNATIONAL DRAG FESTIVAL SLATED
Some of the most exciting news to come our way this month was a bulletin and a letter from the Allard Owners Club in London, Fngland, outlining a proposed international Drag Festival scheduled for the month of September this year. Sydney Allard, head of the Allard Motor Car Company and holder of the British automobile drag record, is the spark plug behind the plan and is also financing it. The marvelous plan is the outgrowth of the sensational showing Dean Moon of Los Angeles and Mickey Thompson of Long Beach made in Fngland last year when they staged a short series of drag races over a quarter mile course. The British were so stunned with the speeds and times (178 mph. 8.4 seconds elapsed time), they have never quite recovered.
The tremendous interest aroused in Fngland by their visit confirmed Allard’s long-held belief that it would be only a matter of time before the sport of sprinting (their name for it) would take hold all over F.urope. He planned the event, to be organized by the Allard Owners Club, to take place on September 13th. 19th, 20th, 26th and 27th. Those are tentative dates.
Approximately thirty of the fastest drag machines in the world will take part; twenty-six cars, and (the best part to us), six motorcycles are being invited. The National Hot Rod Association of America has offered to field at least ten cars, to be the cream of American machines. The motorcycles will be invited from a list submitted by myself. I have already communicated with the group and by the next issue of CYCLE WORLD should be able to report on positive progress.
The remaining seventeen machines will represent F.urope. and many cars and motorcycles are already in production. Since in America drag rules for cars are formulated by the N.H.R.A.. and motorcycles run under AMA rules in some places and local rules in others, while in Fngland the cars run under the Royal Automobile Club and motorcycles under the Auto Cycle Union in affiliation with the Federation Internationale Motorcycliste, a special arrangement will be instituted. This will amount to the events being run under R.A.C. and A.C.U. rules, incorporating wherever possible the form of the event popular in this country. Simply; a “blanket” International permit will be sought to cover all events in the festival; each event will be complete within itself and be run on various strips, but a championship based on aggregate performances will also be included.
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I am particularly pleased at the prospects of this event. Since drag racing was an exclusively American sport until not very long ago, and is now gaining fantastic momentum in England and Europe, we are at last in contention in an International motor sport where we are the experienced past-masters, not the Europeans. I do not at all suggest that we will dominate the meetings and win every event: even one as proud of our motorcycle sportsmen as I would not presume so. What I do mean is that we will compete on an equal footing, but with a slight edge. I speak, of course, for the motorcycle events. I do not follow the cars but have spent many a Saturday afternoon at the Lions Drag Strip near our offices, trying to stretch every ounce of performance we can out of a motorcycle being subjected to a road test, while surrounded by hot modified stocks and dragsters going as fast at 185 mph in the quarter. Any of my readers who have not witnessed this spectacle are missing something.
POP HERMAN DIES
Warren A. “Pop" Herman. Northern California's AMA District 36 Commissioner for many years, was recently involved in an automobile accident that took the life of his wife, Mary. Pop succumbed shortly later on the evening of March 9th. He was one of the finest District Commissioners and contributed much to the advancement of the sport of motorcycling until retiring a few years ago.
MOTORCYCLE TRAFFIC FATALITIES
I recently received a copy of an interesting survey report released by the Travelers Insurance Companies. The report naturally centers upon traffic fatalities and injuries in automobiles, and a grim series of statistics it is. U.S. highway deaths in 1963 totaled 42,700. an all-time high representing a 5Vi r/c increase over the previous year. The report goes on to analyze the reasons, one of the most important of which (and the one they deal with not at all) is the ever increasing number of drivers and automobiles being added to our already overburdened roads.
Only one. very minute section of the report mentions anything about motorcycles, and it has to be taken with a grain of salt.
In 1963, 43,330 automobiles were involved in fatal accidents, and 910 motorcycles were involved in fatal accidents. In 1962. figures for the same were 39.700 and 700 for cycles. In 1963, 39.700
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motorcycles were involved in non-fata! accidents, and in 1962 it was 46.800. Why. in the face of many thousands of additional motorcycles being added to the roads in 1963, were there fewer nonfatal accidents, but more fatal?
Obviously one can speculate endlessly around these figures, and the easiest mistake to make is to say that automobiles are more dangerous than motorcycles. This would be a nice thing for us to be able to say. and it would certainly sell more motorcycles, but it is not true if for no other reason than the fact that automobiles outnumber the cycles by vast degrees. We are searching for more complete figures in order to make some intelligent statements and draw some conclusions that hold more water than the sketchy figures I have quoted.
DAYTONA PROGRAMS AVAILABLE
Houston A. Lawing. member of the Board of Directors of the fabulous Daytona International Speedway and the man almost solely in charge of the general functioning of things, recently notified us that souvenir copies of the Daytona race week program covering the AMA events arc still available for those who missed the races. Just mail $1.00 to Program Dept., Daytona International Speedway, Daytona. Florida.
TRIUMPH PHOTO CONTEST
Amateur and professional photographers are invited to take their best shots at $350 in prizes offered by the Triumph Corporation in a motorcycle photography contest. Entries will be judged by the Triumph Corporation based on suitability of subject matter, attractiveness of background and quality of photograph for reproduction purposes. The motorcycles shown must be predominantly Triumphs and must be 1964 models. One may submit as many entries as he wishes. The prizes are as follows:
Professional type or other first class photos
1st prize $50.00. 2nd prize $35.00, 3rd prize $25.00. Consolation prizes for any photo used in publicity, catalogs, etc.: $20.00, or $10.00 if used in magazines. Amateur type (snapshots, polaroid, etc.)
1st prize $25.00. 2nd prize $20.00. 3rd prize $15.00. C onsolation prizes: $5.00 if used in magazines, $10.00 if used in other media.
I he entries must be accompanied by the letterhead of a Triumph dealer and addressed to The Triumph Corporation, Towson. Baltimore 4, Maryland, Attention Mr. Denis McCormack, President. All entries become the property of the Triumph Corporation. C losing date of the contest is August 15. 1964. •
