Round Up

ROUND UP

JOE PARKHURST

I RECENTLY MENTIONED the Revell Motorcycle Model contest, which the Revell people tell me is now ready to roll. As a reminder, the contest is for motorcycle models submitted before January 31, 1972. It is open to anyone in the U.S. building any l/8th scale model from an existing kit. You must send Revell one to four photographs of your project, and from that the finalist will be selected. He will then be requested to send the original model for judging.

1 am to be one of the judges, as is racer Parnelli Jones and several others. The prize list has changed since I last mentioned the contest; Kawasaki is now the co-sponsor, so all of the prizes will be Kawasaki motorcycles. First prize, for the best overall model, will be a 500-cc three-cylinder Mach 111. All entrants are also eligible for the Special C'ategory Prize, a Kawasaki MB-1 minibike, which will be awarded for the best photograph submitted. The contest is divided into three classes, and each class will have a separate first prize for entrants 14 years of age or older, and for entrants 13 years and younger. This separate first prize for 13-and-under entrants is a “first,” designed to encourage those youngsters usually overwhelmed by the competition of older, more experienced builders.

'There are 126 prizes in each class. First, for boys 14 or older, is a Kawasaki G3-TR 100-cc trail bike, a Bell helmet and a trophy. Second prizes for all eligible ages are a Kawasaki MB-1 trail bike, a Bell helmet and a trophy. Third prizes are eight Bell helmets and certificates of merit. Fifteen Kawasaki racing jackets and certificates of merit are 4th prizes, and 5th prizes are 25 subscriptions to Car Model magazine and 25 subscriptions to Model Car Science. Sixth prizes are 50 packets of Helmet Safety stickers.

Write Reveil Inc., Venice, Calif. 90291, for entry blanks and full information.

MOTORCYCLE BOOM CONTINUES

Often the question arises of whether or not motorcycling is a fad, and if so, when it is going to wear off. For you sceptics, imports for the first quarter of 1971 are up over 69,000 units from 1970. According to Ward’s Automotive Reports, the Japanese led the importing of machines, bringing in 354,654 of the 276,160 machines imported in that period. Italian imports were up also. We will publish a report when the six months figures are in, but it looks like motorcycles are off to another record year. Not bad for a 75-year-old “fad.”

GREENHORN PROGRAM

One of motorcycling’s stellar events, the Greenhorn Enduro, is now 25 years old. 'To celebrate the event, the sponsor, Pasadena Motorcycle Club, took on one of the most involved publication efforts I have ever seen any club produce. Club President Bob Vail has sent me a copy of a book entitled, “The Greenhorn Enduro, ¡971, Motorcycle Meets the Environment. ” Though a program for the' 1971 Greenhorn, it is filled with interesting features and worthwhile advice. Most of the material was reprinted from magazines, including CYCLE WORLD. I especially appreciated Chuck Clayton’s article from Cycle News, the letter from the Sierra Club, old Greenhorn Man Bob Greene’s advice on the event, (illustrated with pictures from even my earliest days of riding), plus several features on the motorcycle and the environment. 'The American Motorcycle Association tells you how to join and start a ciub, and gives a little of their history. At $1, 1 think it well worth the price. T heir address is 2 1 East Howard, Pasadena, C’A 91 1 03.

AMERICAN MOTOCROSS TEAM

I am genuinely pleased at the response our motocross team advertising has produced. Money is coming in, and AMXT 'Team Captain/rider Bryan Kenney is in Europe doing our support grand. By the time this is being read Bob Grossi and Barry Higgins will be joining Bryan in France for the team race at Blargies, and the following week, they will race in the Belgian Grand Prix.

Bryan is having his ups and downs, like in Torce En Vahee, France, where he crashed off a 20-ft. jump and spent the night in a hospital. In Sweden during the Swedish Grand Prix he finished 17th overall, after being knocked off at the starting line, along with England’s John Banks and Czech Karl Konecney, by a mad rider, and then later losing his gas cap during another moto. In a national race in France he finished 4th overall for the day, after working his way from 7th to the lead in the first moto on a steep and slippery course. He swapped the lead with Britisher C’hris Horsefield. In the second moto his second gear was out, but he finished extremely well. He has been riding in other events of course, and -we’lL bring our readers completely up to date as soon as possible. The season is now at fever pitch, and as magazine deadlines must be scheduled so far ahead, I am unable to bring much current news. We now have a new transfer of the AMXT emblem available, which are priced at 12 for $5 or 24 for $10. Write them at Box 3276, Hollywood, CA 90028. Kim Kimball, Dan Gurney and I are amazed at the wonderful response to our appeal for financial help; we have received hundreds of encouraging cards and letters urging us on. A good number of us are convinced that an American team can do well in international motocross, and AMXT is paving the way.