Letters
LETTERS
NOISE POLLUTION
I agree with Mr. Wagar’s comments on noise pollution from racing motorcycles. The old four-strokes were tolerable to spectators and added to the atmosphere of the events. However, the dominance of the two-stroke racers produces excessive noise. This fall 1 introduced several friends to motorcycle racing by taking them to see a national short track championship at Springfield, 111. It turned out to be an unpleasant experience for my friends. Forty or 50 two-strokes warming up for practice laps was just too much. It was impossible to hear someone yelling a half-foot away. I’m sure that the decibel rating exceeded 1 20 units, which is sufficient to cause deafness over a period of time. All of my friends and myself had partial loss of hearing for several hours following the event. I’m sure that this will drive potential spectators away from the tracks.
Excessive noise pollution is an additional hassle for promoters near residential areas. Locally, in Marion, 111., a legal attempt by adjacent residents is under way to ban AMA Sportsman racing programs at the Williamson County Fairgrounds because of excessive noise levels.
These sorts of problems could be diminished if the AMA would require that a glasspack straight-through noise suppressor be added onto the end of the expansion pipe. This might create minor timing difficulties, but should not significantly reduce horsepower outputs.
SCOT ADAMS Carbondale. 111.
Your Scene column in the December '70 issue hits the target. It amplifies my personal experience. I bought a Bultaco Matador in April ’69 and have enjoyed riding it weekends. 1 ride all winter and have several wooded and hilly areas near my home. I have been asked to cease and desist by two landowners/tenants because of noise. I have used the standard Matador Mk III muffler, but this device certainly reduces the engine’s performance. Low-speed response as well as high-rpm power seem to be affected. So now my play areas are reduced.
I have joined many from the India-
napolis area near the reservoir southeast of Bloomington, Indiana, to ride the trails, mostly from the John Buffalo farm. Most bikes are motocross specials with expansion chambers and stingers, and they are LOUD. The local Bultaco dealer tried one of the available mufflers on his bike, and it helped, but not much. Also it extends precariously outboard of the rear shocks and too far aft to survive many spills, which are inevitable in the dirt.
I believe the only way to integrate the muffler with motocross bikes is to require an effective muffler to be used in sanctioned events. Then the manufacturers would have an incentive to develop a properly si/.ed, effective muffler. 1 salute your efforts. Please use your influence to adopt a muffler rule for racing.
WARREN L. SOMMER Indianapolis, lnd.
“Lodi city councilman E/. Ehrhardt defended those pesky, bitesize motorcycles that cause sonic booms on every street in the village by saying there's nothing wrong with them he rides one himself. We have seen the aiderman riding one and we only wish that all the others were as sewing-
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machine quiet as his (1970 750 BMW). The latest figures say that this year more than one million motorcycles will be in use in California, and 1 swear some nights every one of the million are concentrated at the corner of Ham Lane and Lodi Ave.”
The above copy, by Paul Zimmerman of the Lodi News Sentinel, is a sample of the people’s opinion when cyclists become “heroes” by the noise they make. While we see more and more motorcycles, smaller types in particular, in garages of homes in the better sections of a city, and an important part of today’s modern camping-outdoor enthusiast’s inventory, we must recognize that the vast majority of the growing motorcycle population is well muffled. But, as in all of this generation’s behavior, it is the smaller number that cause the concern and damage the welfare of the majority.
Since your fine magazine is received by many police agencies, it appears fitting that those enforcement bodies be encouraged to take more aggressive action towards the noise phase of our ecology. As a legislator (city councilman), I have had to take a stand on these matters when complaints come our way. Our meetings are cable televised and thus one can attract considerable view when making an expressionthus I have endeavored to “prove” that motorcycles can be quiet by my behavior, which is getting constructive support.
EZ EHRHARDT
Lodi, Calif.
Typical of your magazine’s “headsup” approach, you have epitomized the feelings of thousands of machine-oriented sports enthusiasts in your December editorial. My thanks to you for having the intestinal fortitude and generosity to devote the time and space to a seemingly insignificant problemaudio pollution.
Citizens all over the country have closed airports, boating areas, desert and mountain trails, buggy areas, go kart tracks, bike tracks, snowmobile courses and uncounted other enjoyable endeavors primarily because of being annoyed by noise. Every enthusiast thrives on’the roar of a big mill or the crack of a wild two-cycle, but they will have to thrive in their own closed garages if they don’t accept the responsibility of considering the nuisance factor to the uninterested occupants of nearby homes and campsites.
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You lit the fuse. I personally support your views and hope that enthusiasts in all motorized sports will consider the alternatives before every area in the country is closed.
DENNIS HOWLAND San Luis Obispo, Calif.
THE REAL HODAKA
In regard to the Report from Japan, Yamaguchi does not manufacture the Hodaka; the Hodaka Industrial Company manufactured SOME engines for Yamaguchi motorcycles. When Yamaguchi ceased production of motorcycles, we created what is known today as the Hodaka motorcycle. Today’s product is in no way related to Yamaguchi.
MARVIN FOSTER Promotional Director PABATCO Athena, Ore.
EEEDBACK DEPT
I have never seen a road test in your magazine on the Honda CB350, and I would like to tell your readers about my
experience with this machine. After riding a Honda 350 almost 20,000 miles in desert heat and bitter cold, across the United States and through part of Mexico, I feel qualified to comment.
The bike doesn’t handle the best in a hard, fast corner, but l believe it is one of the most reliable machines being built. To be perfectly honest, I would have scrapped mine at 3000 miles because of a nasty habit it developed of oozing oil around the head gasket at highway speeds. I had to tear the top end down twice to cure this, but once this problem was remedied the machine was as faithful as hell. Between 3500 miles and 16,500 I never did a tune-up. That is, I never adjusted the timingvalves or ignition. When you are putting 500-600 miles a day on a bike, cruising at 65 and 70, you just don’t feel like messing around with details. I changed the oil regularly, always using the very best 10-40 available, preferably the aircraft variety, as this type seems to have the best resistance to foaming at high speeds. I kept my chain adjusted and oiled, and changed plugs about every 2000. A couple of times, I removed the valve lifter covers, and “fingered” the rocker arms to make sure the lifters had play in them, but other than that, the machine was pretty much on its own.
It never let me down. Every morning
when I would hit the starter button it would respond with a roar. Coming back, when the machine had about 16,000 on it, I rode it from Flagstaff, Ariz. to Merced, Calif, in about 12 hours, stopping only for fuel. When this bike had about 17,000 on it, I ran it in a drag race with a nice young fella who didn’t believe a machine that travel weary could offer much competition. Red (that’s what I call her) turned 10,500 with no sweat and came away the winner! As a present I gave her the first tune-up in over 12,000 miles!
DUNCAN EARL, JR.
Pacific Grove, Calif.
CYCLE CLUB OE AMERICA ?
I need your help in locating the people who ran a “nonexistent” company. This “company,” the Cycle Club of America, really stuck it to me. Their address was: Cycle Club of America, 700-31 Benjamin Fox Pavillion, Jenkintown. Pa. I 9046.
M.J. PAULS Ball vin, Mo.
Last November, (1969), I placed an order with a firm named Cycle Club of America for a set of motorcycle forks . . . After waiting nearly two
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months for the merchandise, I. . . was then informed that they no longer carried that particular item and that they would refund my money without delay . . . My patience has worn out with these people, and I can no longer accept their excuses . . . Would you offer some aid or a few suggestions for a remedy to my problem?
ROD JOHNSON
San Diego, Calif.
Normally, we cannot act as a clearing house for individual disputes between customers and businesses. In this case, however, one complaint after another has come to us enough to form a patteni that of a rather cvnicai business operation. Mr. Johnson has sought aid from the Better Business Bureau, as should Mr. Pauls. If they do not get restitution, they should consider action in court, or a complaint to the postal authorities. We publish this as a warning. “Caveat Emptor": Let the buyer beware. The telephone for Cycle Club of America has been disconnected. Ed.
KEEPING TABS
I have recently become interested in motorcycles for their sports potential in field and trail, and have been reading CYCLE WORLD for technical guidance in selecting the right bike for the job. During this reading, I have noted in your Letters column that motorcycling is plagued by restrictive legislation just as are the shooting sports. Such punitive legislation may frequently be headed off, if those interested band together to oppose it.
As a member of the National Rifle Association and a local rifle and pistol club, I am able to keep up with legislative activities. On the national scene, legislative coverage is provided by the NR A. Locally, our rifle and pistol club appoints a legislative chairman, who keeps us well advised of pending legislation affecting shooting at the state and local level.
May I suggest that motorcycle clubs could also benefit by following the activities of their local legislators, and reporting these at club meetings. Further, since many outdoorsmen now use trail bikes, hunting and shooting clubs should be interested in joining with motorcycle clubs to work for their mutual interests.
CAROL D. GREENE Bellevue, Wash.
WANT A PENPAL?
I have just bought my first copy of
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CYCLE WORLD and am writing to tell you how much I am enjoying it. I find it much more interesting and informative than any of the motorcycle papers or magazines printed over here. As I am totally ignorant of American motorcycling and, indeed, America altogether, I would like, if I may, to ask through your magazine for a pen pal who takes an active interest in motorcycling and cine-photography. This way I hope we may educate each other about our respective countries and, of course, our interests in motorcycling.
BRIAN JOHNSTON 4 South View New Scarborough Yeadon, Leeds Yorkshire, England
A SA TISFIED CUSTOMER
In your June mag you printed a letter from Richard P. MacCoon of Grant Industries about an article in the April issue, which I did not receive because my last duty station failed to forward any of my mail. Well, your reply was that Mr. Heacox’s point is that “no helmet made today eliminates to any high degree the danger of injury from impact to the head.” I disagree 100 percent. Why? Because 1 wouldn’t be typing this letter if it hadn’t been for the crash helmet I was wearing two years ago. I was almost knocked unconcious by the accident but I know by the deep marks on my helmet that my life was saved that day.
By the way, you have a GREAT mag and I have been reading it for nine and one half years now, with every issue saved. I believe in crash helmets, but oppose any one who tries to tell me what to wear.
RONALD G. VANDERHOOF Tucson, Ariz.
WANTS A PEN PAL
Can you put in your magazine this note asking for a pen friend from the U.S.A. who likes motorcycles and enjoys both owning one and watching road racing. If he is married, my wife could write to his as well.
I am writing to you because I get your mag, CYCLE WORLD, every month and I would like to praise you on having the most wonderful mag in print today. I have every British paper and all the monthlies, but they aren’t as good as your great magazine. Keep up the excellent work, and I cannot wait for the next edition.
By the way, my age is 30, and I own a 1968 Triumph Bonneville and a
Honda 50. My wife is 24. We go to Brands Hatch and Isle of Man, etc.
DENNIS CRINSTED 2 Wandle Bank Wimbledon, London SW 19 England
MORE INANITY
As an attorney-motorcyclist, I am becoming increasingly incensed by the laws which our legislators are, in their so-called infinite wisdom, shoving down our throats.
First, it was the helmet law.
Then came the drive-with-yourlights-on-in-the-daytime law.
Third came the law which said that we could not drive in short-sleeved shirts or shorts.
Then-can you believe this they now want us to attach rotating beacons to the tops of our helmets, so that we can go sparkling down the street like some weird kind of whirling dervish.
What can possibly come next?
Perhaps these brilliant legislators could force us to stop every hundred feet, sound our horn, get off the bike, and fire a red warning flare into the air.
And, of course, all of this legislation, supposedly, is to protect us from the 5000-lb., 500-horsepower, 1/4-mile-in9-seconds, smoke-belching Detroit monsters, with which the same legislators and their supercilious friends clog and pollute our highways and slaughter themselves and us by the many thousands.
With the destiny of our nation in the hands of legislators such as these, you and I are in big trouble.
What should we do?
I am sending copies of this letter to my state senators and representatives, and if you similarly wish to put a stop to this inane type of legislation, you should write to yours.
W. EUGENE NEILL, Atty.
Miami, Fla.
PETITIONERS
How about letting your readers know one of the many ways we bikers in New York are combating the political antics of our mercenary legislators and their so-called “safety legislation.” A group of us started circulating a petition protesting the “headlights on at all times” law, which is being considered by our vote-seeking state legislature.
Only by showing motorcyclists’ opposition to being persecuted will cyclists in any state prevent senseless rules from destroying the sport we love so much. Concerned riders should act now, because if elected officials see they can get publicity by forcing bikers to submit to their foolishness, it will mean the end of cycling as we know it.
GEORGE McHALE [O] ' Brooklyn, N.Y.
