Round Up

ROUND UP

JOE PARKHURST

QUESTION:When do the Governor of a state and two state senators attend a motorcycle dealership opening that is covered by the New York Times (of all papers)? No, the shop is not in midtown Manhattan, and it is not owned by an appointee to the Supreme Court.

Answer: When a multi-millionaire

motorcyclist joins partners with Hank Siegers, one of the most popular and successful dealers in New Jersey, and opens the new Slegers-Forbes Agency, said to be one of the world’s largest. Malcolm Forbes, publisher of Forbes, the leading financial magazine, and owner of 13 motorcycles, staged what has to be the most opulent and prestigious dealer opening.

Malcolm invited just about everybody to the affair, including Yours Truly and a few other members of the West Coast motorcycle press. Our quarters were at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, and they whisked us to a midtown yacht basin where a posh cocktail party and buffet dinner was served aboard the Forbes boat. “Boat” hardly fits. The 117-ft. Highlander has a full-time crew of eight, including a captain who served in the German Navy during the war and a chef who would bring credit to just about any restaurant. We cruised around Manhattan Island in a fashion it wouldn’t take me very long to like becoming accustomed to.

The next day we were driven into the wilds of New Jersey to Whippany for a lavish luncheon, preceded by speeches from Forbes, Siegers and Governor of New Jersey William T. Cahill. Forbes, a former senator and a defeated candidate for the Governor’s job a few years back, capped the ceremony with the announcement that they were filing suit the next week against the State of New Jersey to lift the ban against motorcycles on the Garden State Parkway. Cahill took the news with a politician’s poise and aplomb.

CROSS COUNTRY RECORDS

There’ve been a lot of stories in the motorcycle press lately regarding cross country records. The capper, though, came when racing driver and Montesa importer Dan Gurney drove a Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona over the same route in only 35 hr. 54 mm. Gurney assured his critics he never exceeded 175 miles per hour when questioned about his average speed of over 82 mph!

MORE ON THE MOTORCYCLE BOOM

Motorcycle sales continue to break records; trends, innovations and changes are coming faster than ever. Figures on imports show that during the first five months of 1971, sales exceeded the first six months of 1970. In two of four classes, sales in the first five months of 1971 were higher than the total for the entire 1970 year. Japan, of course, still leads with 89.7 percent of the total imported, with England second, and Italy third. Spain and Taiwan almost tied for fourth.

Honda and Moto Guzzi are making serious inroads into the previously allHarley-Davidson police machine market with their 750s. Industry sales totals for 1971 are expected to be $70 to $80 million. In the face of so many new superbikes, i.e., Kawasaki 750 Three, Suzuki 750 Three, Harley 1000-cc Sporters and the Honda 750 Four, several “industry spokesmen” are claiming there is a trend to smaller displacement bikes. Total sales for 1971 will more than likely come close to 2.5 million, with another million or so not registered, as they will be used for off-road purposes.

All manufacturers state the major interest is in off-road bikes. Of Honda’s 25 models, 17 are off-road machines. Yamaha’s 18 models include 11 for off-road, with two new motocross and enduro machines shortly to be introduced. Motorcycle sales are leaning towards “middle weight” bikes in the 250cc to 350cc group. Trends indicate there is little resistance to the 10 percent surcharge, since the average increase is in the range of $55 to $85. Makers claim we can’t fill demands now so the price difference isn’t stopping people from buying.

For several years we have heard rumors about such industrial giants as Ford being interested in the motorcycle market. Indeed, the Benelli firm in Italy was recently purchased by Alejandro De Tomaso, the automotive industrialist and builder of the ill-fated (to date) Pantera. De Tomaso is 80 percent owned by Ford, so, who knows. Will we see a Ford/Benelli on showroom floors one day? Speculation runs that the potential for a new U.S.-built motorcycle is outstanding at this point. Federal safety and standardization formulas are being drawn for bikes now, as are policies concerning pollution controls. More on this later.

GENE ROMERO RACING CARS

Not long ago at the Pocono 125-mile road race, it was put to me by race track officials that it might be interesting if then Grand National Champion Gene Romero would take a crack at automobile racing. Though out of our line of promotion, we decided to take a flyer and sponsored Romero in the Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono. Right after getting into the 429 Hemi-powered Plymouth, Romero recorded 11th fastest time of the day. In the race, running against USAC’s finest drivers and with a sour engine, he qualified for 21st position with a speed of 136.450 mph.

On race day he moved from his 21st starting position to 18th by the 41st lap, then rain and fog ended the race. At the time he was hot on the trail for the 1971 number one plate so he couldn’t return for the rerunning of the race the next week. So Bobby Unser took the car over. Though CYCLE WORLD sponsored the car, the idiot who painted it only put our name on the spectator side, the side opposite the photographer! Had to tell you that.