The Scene
THE SCENE
IVAN J. WAGAR
VISITING Japan probably is my favorite pastime. This time it was to see what Suzuki has up their sleeve for racing this year (See page 56).
Being the first journalist in the world ever to see the little three-cylinder grand prix engine was one of the greatest honors of my life. My wife and the girls at the office cannot understand my enthusiasm for an engine so tiny—but that's women for you. Everyone expected me to come back with news of Suzuki's large displacement three-cylinder street bike. That story, as it turns out, is a bit of a hoax.
The information leak involved an electronic ignition system for Suzuki to be fitted on a Three "of considerable size." Suzuki does have a 500-cc threecylinder car engine, with magneto ignition. A racing version of the engine has been fitted to a beautiful little aluminum-bodied GT car, which is raced occasionally by Mitsuo Itoh. The engine produces 60 horsepower and propels the little bomb to about 125 mph. It's a gas of a little thing, really.
Now that I have explained how even CYCLE WORLD can get caught with its
rumors down, we can go back to the 50 and why it never raced.
There are some things that must be said, not to harm AMA/FIM relations, but to make the people involved aware of one of the biggest problems with the FIM: Central European domination.
When the FIM decided to restrict 50-cc engines to six-speed Singles, the excuse was that this ruling would bring more manufacturers back to that class and eliminate domination by one country.
I do not believe it is coincidental that the president of the FIM at the time was Spanish, and that the Spanish Derbi is a Single with six speeds.
The formula also restricted 125s to two cylinders and six speeds for 1969, and 250s will suffer the same fate in 1970. The East German MZs fit exactly into the category. And if we separate the FIM voting power by the Iron Curtain, we find East Germany with a pretty big legislative stick.
The upshot of the whole thing was that the Japanese were not prepared to go backwards 10 years in their level of technology. So Honda and Suzuki, both with 50s, quit racing after the Japan Grand Prix in 1967. Yamaha, which did not have a 50, continued to race the 125 and 250 classes during 1968, but pulled out before the restriction applied to 1 25s.
One reason I did not go to the Isle of Man last year was the absolutely ridiculous 50-cc race under the new formula. Speeds dropped by more than 20 mph in one year. Barry Smith, on a Derbi, of course, put in the only noteworthy performance, but won by some seven minutes. Derbi was the only factory to
enter the race. So the FIM rule chased away the two biggest supporters of the class, but brought in no new blood.
The same rule will force Benelli, current holder of the manufacturers' 2 50 title, out of racing this year. Benelli, like the Japanese, spent a good deal of time and money developing their 250 Four and are not now willing to build a Twin.
Privateers on TD2 Yamahas will be very competitive this year. But the thing that makes grand prix racing great is factory participation. Without the high factory salaries for riders and the very exotic machines to attract spectators, it is no wonder so many riders are turning to car racing.
ANOTHER plete lack pet of recognition peeve is the for comthe " 250 class in AMA racing. Again, it is not coincidental that the big boys in the AMA represent factories that do not race in the 250 road race category. There are national championship events for short track racing, where BSA, Triumph and Harley-Davidson still compete. So let's have a lightweight road race championship.
In fact, now that we have five road race Nationals, it is time for a separate championship in the big category. As the riders and machines become more highly developed and more specialized, it becomes increasingly dangerous to expect riders to be the all around masters they were in the board track days.
Fortunately the three motocross Nationals have been removed from the points table and will count toward a separate championship. There was a big sigh of relief from a couple of our top contenders when that news became public.
Points can be totaled for all riders, and if a rider is sufficiently versatile, he still could be Grand National Champion.
IT seems Daytona that without Daytona the would nightly not radio be show that covers highlights of racing during the week-long event. This is sponsored by Webco Inc., the wellknown motorcycle specialty and accessories firm.
They'll sponsor the show again this year and broadcast on radio station WNDB nightly from 10:30 to 11 p.m. from March 9 through March 15. The show will originate from Maxim's Restaurant and Lounge in the Riviera Motel in the heart of Daytona Beach's "Gold Coast." The restaurant has seating capacity for more than 300 people during the broadcast.
Content of the show will include a recap of each day's events along with interviews of riders and other people associated with the most prestigious event in American motorcycle racing.
