Letters

LETTERS

TORQUE TALK

You probably expected a comment from us with regard to Mr. Harrison J. Smith’s article on how simple it is to build a torque wrench. First of all, you will find enclosed a brochure describing our Optical Torque Testers. It is on this kind of device that we make calibration adjustments of our torque wrenches. We do not use a fish scale.

A few things that were obviously left out of this article are the fact that it is extremely important that the beam be held securely in the head end of the torque wrench. Any movement here can cause inaccuracies. No mention was made with regard to the manner in which the increment lines on the scale should converge upon the drive square of the torque wrench or whatever Mr. Smith thinks should be done with them. I suspect that he is wrong, because people that are currently attempting to compete with us in this same field do this incorrectly, and they are reasonably knowledgeable in their hand tool efforts. We go to some length to select an extremely high grade of steel, heat treat this to certain specifications, and then treat it so that we do not encounter the problems of hysteresis and so that we get good service life.

Mr. Smith bases the accuracy of his torque wrench on a spring scale that is generally intended for vertical applications, but in the event that a person has one that is not, it is questionable that this device would be calibrated to the same high degree that we calibrate the accuracy of a torque wrench. I might add that the type of scale he is talking about is used for weighing dead fish in a market generally, and he completely fails to point out the extreme necessity of pulling the scale at exact right angles to the handle over the full test calibration procedure.

Mr. Smith has made a nice illustrated drawing, but I will make him an offer and pay the expense of shipping to receive this handsome torque wrench so that I can run an accuracy test on it. We will give him a notarized certification of our test results, and the devices that we are using are illustrated in the Optical Torque Testing Brochure and the standards that we use for calibration are traceable to the National Bureau of Standards. I would like to see if it is really as easy as he makes it out to make an accurate torque wrench.

At the same time, I think the article is really great, because any number of people are very probably going to attempt to make this, or at least I would hope that they would. In so doing, they probably will become discouraged for one reason or the other and find out that when you can buy a torque wrench from between $10.00 and $15.00 that has a guarantee of accuracy and performance, that this is the way they will go.

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LEE A. STURTEVANT P. A. Sturtevant Co. Addison, Illinois

PROUD PUPIL

At the risk of being considered a smart alec, I wish to level the following criticism at a common misnomer in a wellwritten article from the October issue of your excellent magazine.

I refer to the use of “torsion bar” in Harrison T. Smith’s “Building a Torque Wrench.” The rod, a cantilever, is acted on by a force at either end and by a moment at the drive end, all of which are perpendicular to the axis of the rod, whereas a torsion bar reacts to a torque applied through its axis.

I suppose Prof. Tones at the University of Delaware would be proud of me.

DAVE WIMBERLEY Newark, Delaware

SAFETY OR ELSE

As a friend of motorcycling and of your magazine, I should like to offer my thinking on a subject receiving increasing unfavorable publicity — motorcycle safety. CYCLE WORLD and other magazines and various groups have devoted attention to the question of safety — urging the regular use of helmets, proper clothing, motorcycle maintenance, safe operating rules, etc. Despite these efforts, serious motorcycle accidents in my locality continue to rise at an alarming rate. Something is basically, seriously wrong with the sport, as long as its safety record remains as disastrously bad as it is.

The basic problem is, of course, the rider. The recent boom in motorcycle sales may also be its doom, since the more inexpensive, attractive, and socially acceptable motorcycling becomes, the more serious is the problem posed by the casual, half-interested, half-serious, and often half-grown rider. I honestly believe that the emphasis in advertising and other motorcycle literature on motorcycling as a “sport for everybody” is dangerous. Would anyone seriously think of advertising flying, mountain climbing, or parachute jumping as a sport for everyone, even the most casually interested and committed? Much of the new crop of “respectable, clean-cut,” riders simply shouldn’t be on bikes. Unless people are willing to take the considerable time, expense, and trouble of learning how to ride — with proper equipment — they should avoid motorcycles.

Motorcyclists are understandably grateful for the recent advertising campaigns stressing the sport’s appeal to the “nicest people.” Well and good. But a great deal of this advertising consistently demonstrates how not to ride (helmetless, improper clothing, etc ). The “nicest people” will continue to get killed as long as they place fashion above safety, as long as they ride blithely unconcerned about the dangers inherent in motorcycling. I have never liked the Woose Fishers, or the Hell’s Angels. I seriously doubt, however, that most of the new breed of motorcyclists — high school and college kids — or the “putt-putt and go-go set” as a New York official recently called them) have a much better safety record.

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I believe that in my area motorcycling has a poorer reputation than ever because of the inexcusably bad safety record of most riders. Legislation is needed to limit the worst abuses. But, unless the accident picture improves, we may find the legislators going farther than requiring helmets, special licenses, restrictions on the rental of bikes, etc. Opinion seems to be moving rapidly in the direction of favoring genuinely discriminatory legislation, such as prohibiting more than one rider on a bike.

We ought to face the fact that the motorcycle business is going to be hurt in the short run by some of the needed laws. Kids will no longer be able to buy a bike without the additional cost of a good helmet, not be able to ride without demonstrating their proficiency for a special license. The rental business which buys (and wrecks) a number of bikes will be hurt by special licensing laws. But if motorcycling is to survive in the long run these steps must be taken.

The greatest threat to motorcycling’s image is no longer the thugs once identified with it. It is the ignorance, bad judgment and non-existent safety equipment of the average, respectable kids on motorcycles. To ride a motorcycle safely requires experience, sober judgment, and the expense of equipment and well-,maintained machines. By now it is clear that many, many riders lack the good sense to provide these for themselves on their own initiative. Let’s press for reasonable motorcycle laws, before all of us — safetyconscious and otherwise — get ruled off the roads.

NICHOLAS B. DICKEN III

Iowa City, Iowa

WILL THE REAL ONE RISE?

This letter is to correct an erroneous story that appeared in the issue dated October, 1966 with regard to the Antique Motorcycle Club of America, appearing on page 113.

For your information, Mr. Saczwa is not only not president of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America, but to the best of my present knowledge, is not even a member!

The president of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America is Arthur Sigal, RD #2, Easton, Pa. Mr. Sigal has been president for the past few years.

It may interest you to know that Mr. T. A. Hodgdon, president of BSA, Inc. and I were two of the original four founders of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America back in 1954. Our club secretary, Mr. Ernie Biddle, of Harrisonville, N.J., informed me at our recent meet at Boston that our membership was now well over 500 and growing steadily.

There is a growing interest in acquiring and restoring antique motorcycles here in the U.S.A. and many, many strange and exotic machines appear from time to time at the meets of our Antique Motorcycle Club. Anyone interested in joining our Antique Motorcycle Club and receiving the four times a year bulletin should contact Mr. Biddle at Lake Street, Harrisonville, N.J. for application blanks and full information.

EMMETT MOORE Advertising Manager BSA INCORPORATED Nutley, N.J.

“SHUT DOWN’’ RIDES AGAIN

This is directed primarily to R. S. “Rico” Gerber of Natick, Massachusetts, concerning his letter in the September issue of CYCLE WORLD (“HOW about an answer, ‘Shut Down’?”).

“Rico,” you might well have a “350” Honda; you very well might “know a shifting lever from a swing arm;” and you are undoubtedly among the “millions of cyclists who really know motorcycles.” However, it is evident that your comprehension of satire is not up to the same level of excellence. Therefore, perhaps we had better do some brushing up.

My letter was written tongue-in-cheek to poke fun at those who need to feel that their bikes are veritable fire-breathers, instead of the more or less docile machines as estimated by CYCLE WORLD. Tongue-incheek writing is intended to be so extravagant that it is taken seriously by no one and is recognized as a jest. Now, the claims I made about my 175 Kawasaki (purely fictional — I presently own a CB-77 Honda and an X-6, and have owned a Gold Star and a Harley) were completely absurd. That CW saw this was evident (“and a happy April fool to you, too”). The closing of my letter, “Pseudepigraphously yours,” indicated that the signature to the letter was false (“Shut Down”). If the contents of the letter did not lead one to the conclusion that its purpose was satire, then the closing should have done so.

I herewith submit the foregoing as my rebuttal to your obviously puzzled challenge.

WILLIAM L. HUF Chapel Hill, North Carolina

SORRY ’BOUT THAT

I was really impressed by the cover on your October issue. The color was fine, the picture was printed well, except around the edges (but we can’t have everything, and a little blur doesn't hurt). The motorcycle looked very good, and it seemed to be equipped with one of the finest accessory packages I’ve ever seen.

I turned inside, and I found, just as I expected, a road test on the Montesa which was up to your usual high standards of care and completeness. Unfortunately, there seemed to be something missing, and I just couldn’t find all the information I wanted. What about the blonde on the Montesa?

Now, when you show a BMW on the cover being used for touring, I turn inside and find out about how a BMW is as a touring motorcycle. Ditto for other makes intended for other uses. Same way even for people: a few months ago you had a picture of your publisher in some fancy motorcycle riding clothes on the cover, and, sure enough, I turned inside and found out all about Mr. Parkhurst and about what he was wearing. I am used to the fact that when you show it on the cover, I can turn inside and find all the details on one of those white-on-black data sheets, with a lot of extra descriptive material.

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However, you let me down this time. I’m sure that you are not just a bunch of gossips, so you might not want to publish all the performance data on the blonde, and I didn’t really expect to find such. But how can you pretend to be a magazine with decent reader service and not even give out information like name, model designation, or size and weight data? It seems to me that you ought to adhere to your long-established policy that the text of the magazine tells about what’s on the cover.

FRANK T. SNIVELY Redondo Beach, Calif.

The editor was unable to obtain the information you request (or is keeping it to himself). — Ed.

REFORMED

I am a 21-year-old born and dead motorcyclist, at least for the next few years. I am writing so that my story may reach some of the younger drivers on the road today.

I have four traffic violations on my record — two speeding, a stop sign and a red light. These were collected in the first year and a half of my driving career. I liked speed and had little respect for the law governing drivers.

Two months ago, I bought my first vehicle on my own — an X-6 Hustler by Suzuki. Today I’m selling it. Although I haven't received a ticket in close to two years, having calmed down after almost losing my license, I have just received the occasion of my complete becalming.

When my insurance company checked my driving record (I claimed only one ticket in honest naivete) and found that I had three tickets, three years ago, they immediately sent me a letter of cancellation, saying that assigned risk was the only way they’d insure me for a long time into the future. For a driver, unmarried, under 25 and living in the Bronx, the premiums are bad enough; but under assigned risk they approach the $400 bracket.

As you can see, good driving can pay off, especially now that I also have to take about a $150 loss on the resale value of the X-6.

This may never be printed, but if it is, I hope some of the guys who are punk drivers like I was, may be a little more “calm” on the road the next time they get behind the wheel or hop on the bike.

DOUGLAS P. FIORILLO Bronx, New York

WAR AGAINST BIKES

I am sorry to tell you that since I wrote you in May, the war against motorcyclists in this area has gained in intensity. It seems that both State Police and the local paper, The New Haven Register (more widely known as the “Ragister”) have joined the ranks of this group. Last week the Register ran a two part article entitled the “Motorcycle Crisis.” The headline read “Police Attacking Hazard Spawned by 15,000 Motorcycles in State.”

The police, says the article, want to cut down on accidents presumably by “stiffer regulations.” The author quotes a lieutenant who says motorcycles are “one of the greatest hazards that exist on the highway today.”

I wish to get one thing straight. Who are motorcycles a hazard to? Only to the people who ride them, and the safer a man drives, the safer he is.

Perhaps I can explain why the police feel as they do about bikes. Two years ago, State Police Commissioner Leo Mulcahy set out to “prove” that small cars are unsafe. He did, by bringing a few Renaults and Volkswagens to a nearby drag strip, and running bigger cars (like Cadillacs) into them. Then he had reporters take pictures of the wrecks and told the scribes that he wanted to make the public aware of the hazards of small cars. He is now conducting a similar campaign against bikes. He has never admitted that compacts and motorcycles are safe because they can outmaneuver and outstop his juggernauts, instead of destroying anything they hit.

After receiving a few complaints, the Register slanted their editorials to make one believe that all riders go through residential areas 60 mph with open pipes. In closing, I would ask the editor; What can a teen-ager, who doesn’t ride, do to keep this sport from being banned?

CHRIS LIND New Haven, Conn.

For starters, you might write a letter to the offending newspaper which argues our point of view. To bend Newton’s law a bit, every action deserves a good reaction. - Ed.

HE’D LIKE TO KNOW . . .

I would like very much to know how the Suzuki Corporation gets away with advertising that they have the longest and best warranty in the country when they don’t at all. Benelli has a 25,000 mile or 25 month guarantee, or don’t they recognize this firm? Suzuki is constantly telling us about the poor qualities of the fourstroke and about the far superior aspects of the two-stroke. How do they explain the fact that Honda, a four-stroke is the most popular brand in the world?

I own one of those so-called inferior four-strokes, a Honda 160, and I have put over 21,000 very hard miles on it and except for having to replace plugs, points and one brake cable, it is in perfect shape! Suzuki hasn’t won even half as many races as Honda.

You have a fine mag. Keep up the good work.

DON DAVIS Tempe, Arizona

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MORE FACTS, PLEASE

In your August issue of CYCLE WORLD on page 6, you have a photograph of the new Kawasaki 650 Model W. Alongside you state it has top speed of 115 mph and a quarter mile SS of 13.8 secs. This is truly great, but on page 53 you have the run-down on it in a road test. You clearly state top speed is only 101.2 and SS 1/4 mile is 15.6.

Have I made an error? Please advise.

PAT INTREPIDO Bethlehem, Pa.

You should, Pat, always make a distinction between the advertising part of a publication and the editorial part. Advertising is material paid for by the company; they therefore are free to claim anything (within reason) about their product. Editorial space is prepared by the magazine, not the buyer of advertising space; the magazine is free to make its own observations on the product, as this space is not paid for.

Therefore, make your own conclusions. We stand behind our road test, which we prepared. Our figures were taken with the very latest and most reliable electronic equipment. — Ed.

SO THAT’S HOW!

I own a BMW R69S and found your road test thorough and accurate. However, I would like to elucidate on what you called the “BMW bugaboo,” i.e., its turning ability. The tires will not give way, so the heads can drag. There is a way to avoid this and get through a turn more quickly. One photograph of George Meier in a tight turn would do, but lacking this I will try to explain his method as learned by myself in the Alps.

Entering the turn, the rider should crouch with head and shoulders to the inside and as low as possible, pulling the machine down after himself. He should be beside the tank, and stretched as far from the machine as his armlength will permit. The rider’s weight is entirely off the seat, resting on the outside peg and hanging from the inside grip. The leg on the inside of the turn is full squat. For the fastest turns the rider’s hips should be brought down beside the seat on the inside also, leaving only an arm and a leg over the tank and seat. With this weight bias to the direction of the turn, the machine can be laid over to its maximum and still be turned faster and tighter. Despite the weight, the tires will hold, even at 100 mph.

ETHAN W. CLIFFTON New York, N.Y.

Hope we don’t meet you coming the other way. — Ed.

A VELO FELLOW

I have recently had the pleasure of Fe ceiving from a very good friend in Mass. your February edition of CYCLE WORLD. I was very much interested and somewhat amused by the so-called Road Test of the Velocette Thruxton and subsequent remarks (not all adverse, I'm pleased to say) of the machine in general.

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No doubt by this time you will have come to the conclusion that I am a Velo fan and, of course, your assumption is correct. I'm very pleased to say. Indeed. I am the very proud owner of the truly fabulous Thruxton and also the equally fabulous Velo MOV, registered in 1957 and still motors like a bomb. It will continue to do so when many Jap and English 1966 makes are kaput. You will know, of course, that the MOV is a 250cc bike.

To come back to the M/C in question, the Thruxton Road Test. Surely, Mr. Editor, something was wrong! As you say, the Thruxton is a man’s bike and needs firm handling. Like a race horse, she likes to feel confident in her rider and have her head sometimes! And she will always oblige when asked.

At a thousand miles your Thruxton was not run-in correctly. My own bike was run in over a period of 3,000 miles. Speed attained, 112 mph with more to go. and without fairing. Your remark that the Thruxton is no "ball of fire” as 500 sports bikes go, is, I suggest, somewhat out of tune. She will outclass any standard sports and the majority of 650s in standard trim and as turned out from the factory. This includes the 440 Honda. Yes! I'm a true dyed-in-the-wool Velo fanatic, and as for "bump starting,” truly I am amazed since you say your testers are ex-Velo owners! Come, come. Sir, I have honestly never bump-started my Thruxton! Follow the drill as laid down by Veloce. Ltd., and you cannot go w rong. The "Beast” will tick over and be rarin’ to go, but you must know the drill. In short. I guarantee she will fire first kick when warm, and no more than three kicks will be required when cold. I'm giving you facts. My bike is used every day, gone to work through all weathers (and we have an assortment in England), and she’s parked in the open.

You will pardon me, but your top speed is really way-out. No! I do not doubt for a moment that your speed was 102 mph; what I do suggest, someone had a check-rein on and wouldn't let the Beast go. Perhaps you would care to compare the following. Long ago, in 1958, a 500cc Venom Clubman, with sports Mag, 8-75 -1 er, and 1 3/16 T.T. Curb was road tested at 1 10.4 mph, with 4.87 top gear and 98 mph in 3rd, 5-35-1 (close ratio gears). Below are the performance figures on the THRUXTON as supplied to me by Veloce, Ltd.

18 tooth final drive sprocket at 6,200 rpm 97.29 mph

19 tooth final drive sprocket at 6,200 rpm 102.3 mph

20 tooth final drive sprocket at 6.200 rpm 107.6 mph

21 tooth final drive sprocket at 6.200 rpm 113.1 mph

22 tooth final drive sprocket at 6,200 rpm 1 1 8.4 mph

These were attained with a 4.40-1 top gear at 6,200 rpm. My Thruxton is fitted with a 22 tooth final drive sprocket, and tin Avon A.R.7. Racing fairing is, I suggest, good for around 128 mph under reasonable road conditions. Unfortunately, our roads are glorified cow tracks, and the limit on our so called motor roads is 70 mph.

The acceleration of the Thruxton. Zero to 60 mph in 11.2 sec. qualifies for some comment. A road test of a 1965 350cc Velo Viper sports recently attained 0 -60 mph in 10 secs. This bike is heavier than the Thruxton by 5 lbs., and 27 bhp against 41 bhp leaves a very large ?.

I enclose ti photograph of myself and the beast. She cost me over £400 as you see her. Put that into dollars! She is a good bike and certainly not a play thing, or a toy for a learner.

I guess every enthusiast stands by his bike, whatever make, and I am satisfied with mine. My last bike was a Venom, but there is one thing to remember, yon pet what yon pay for, and if a spare is needed from the works or a Velo agent, you don’t have to wait six months; you get it by return mail. I can’t say that about the other firms.

Yes, I think you gave the Thruxton an excellent write-up, and I would like to thank you for same. At the same time I congratulate you on producing a very excellent magazine, and trust that it will go on and on to success.

MICHAEL L. WARD Derbyshire, England

FAST YANK

In last month's CW you asked “Are The Yanks Coming?” Well, I was at Brands Hatch on Sunday, August 14th, to watch Lance Weil in the Senior Championship Race. He fought his way from 11th to a great 4th, on a Manx Norton, beating many of our own good riders. So the answer to your article is YES.

I am very interested in the American way of Customizing your bike with a load of chrome, high handle bars, and flash paint work.

Whereas over here we go for clip-ons, rear sets, swept back exhaust pipes with Goldie megaphones, fiber glass tanks, alloy mudguards and rims.

I myself ride a 1959 BSA Super Rocket with most of these goodies.

JAMES AVIS Surrey, England

KEEP TRYING

Please be assured that I am not the sort who picks an issue apart for little mistakes. However, I must say something about your motor vehicle regulations information in a recent issue. New Jersey does require a separate license to operate a motorcycle.

A stupid little thing to pick about, but I felt you should be informed. Keep up the good work.

JEFF HARDINGHAM Plainfield. New Jersey