Letters

LETTERS

HE LIKES OUR STYLE

I would like to congratulate you on publishing the best motorcycle magazine now in print. There are two things, I believe, that set your magazine far ahead of the competition. The first is that you are not afraid to criticize the faults you find with your test bikes, i.e. the Penton’s rear suspension or the Suzuki TM400’s suspension, lack of flywheel, and starting difficulty.

The second thing that makes your magazine superior is the inclusion of such follow-up articles as “Taming the TM400,” in which you tell the reader what can be done to help correct the faults you find with the test bike. My hat’s off to a job well done.

Charles E. Weimer Louisville, Ky.

MOTOCROSS COMPARISON

In your July issue I read the 125

Motocross Comparison. The performance section of the statistics was quite complete, but statistics can be made to represent different views. The article had the Honda coming in a not-so-good third in the performance section. When I added up all 30 lap times for each motorcycle, the Honda was the winner going away. Next came the Kawasaki and the Yamaha at 40 and 46 seconds behind, followed by the Suzuki at 1:45.

The relative performance of two machines of the same make and model can be somewhat different. Get four more motorcycles and there might be a different winner.

John M. Ramsey Garwood, Texas

You’d better go back and recheck your math, John. Our figures show that the sum total of all 30 timed laps in the Comparison Test read as follows: Kawasaki-4 9:32. 88, Yamaha-49:38.19, Honda-49:53.28, Suzuki-50:37.68. If we had used lap times as the sole criterion for our test, the Honda would have ended up in third place, not second.— Ed.

BUILDING OUR OWN IMAGE

Every pimple-faced boy whose voice has cracked in mid conversation to an embarrassing falsetto, remembers the

pain and clumsiness of growing up. It’s the “too old for this and too young for that” time of life that has frustrated and confused adolescents since time began.

Motorcycling, less pimples, changes and other human encumbrSffes, is passing through a series of physical and emotional difficulties that will outline its future in this country.

This growth complication, principally accelerated by the “Great Energy Crisis Hoax” will, in retrospect, prove paradoxically to be both the darkest and the finest hour of motorcycling.

The fantastic sales boom and its corresponding influx of first time riders is drawing attention from all corners of the business and social structure. On one hand we have those persons who realize that growth of any sort needs common-sense regulation to foster healthy outcome. On the other hand, we have the self-appointed patron saints of society who will protect and guard the helpless intellectual dwarfs who seek the sex-oriented, thrill-crazed pleasures of motorcycle riding.

The latter considers motorcycling a two-wheeled malignancy that transforms its helpless victims into everything less than respectable.

As fuel for their fire, these fivestroke freaks are going to take hard facts like increased accident and fatality figures, the noise aggravation element and sales tax and registration increases and poke them in the ear of anyone who will listen, especially political and law enforcement personalities.

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The obvious outcome will be more attention by governing agencies toward the sport. One serious problem that confronts modern day motorcycling is that you almost have to ride to understand how uncomplicated and enjoyable it is.

However, in this element lies our salvation.

Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their... motorcycle.

We must begin immediately to communicate with and educate the lawmaking and governing forces of our country.

Invite local police and politicians to club or area events. Explain the rules and especially the safety precautions. Play down the noise and enforce muffling regulations on race bikes.

Call the Governor and ask him to declare “Safe Motorcycling Week” for your state and then hold an event and give the money to the Governor’s choice of charities. Call your local T.V. or radio stations and tell them to help you write up a public service commercial for motorcycling. (These announcements are free and the stations must provide community services for their license renewal).

If you hold an event, send a short letter or press release on it to local media and newspapers. Get every politician or policeman you can to get on a bike and teach them to ride. If you ride, you know how much fun it is, so why not let the legislators and lawmen in on it. Then when it comes time for public motorcycle parks or when the do-gooders propose flashing lights on four-foot poles on the rear of motorcycles, you’ll be able to deal with lawmakers and policemen who understand the good and bad points of the arguments.

We are all very fortunate because our fate and the future of motorcycling lies squarely on what we decide we want for it.

We can all pitch in a little time and effort now and make our sport the greatest in the country, or we can get together and start a “used motorcycles for sale” newspaper ad to try to unload six million useless vehicles.

As an industry we must grow up. We must take positive adult action toward the problems and conditions that we now face, and earn our place in society.

Dan Borgmeyer Missouri Motorcycle Assoc.

St.Charlpyio.

ATTENTION AMA AND ABC

I believe that with enough people writing to ABC Wide World of Sports and letting them know that we want to see more motorcycle racing and related events shown on television, we will soon be able to see fantastic races like the San Jose Mile.

Could CYCLE WORLD please publish the enclosed letter to the AMA in the earliest possible publication? It contains the address of Wide World of Sports. I hope that all of your readers will drop them a line asking for more televised races.

To the executive offices of the American Motorcycle Association:

I am writing to ask for your help in making possible more televised motorcycle races, preferably the Na^fcial races such as the San Jose Mile, Onumo, Ascot and others too numerous to mention.

More extensive television coverage would not only benefit the viewers, but would also greatly aid the sport of motorcycling, not to mention the possibility of generating a large degree of interest in AMA-sponsored events.

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The professional riders would, due to wider recognition and increased interest in motorcycling, have the opportunity of reaching more sponsors. Possibilities of more money for rider benefits such as insurance, bigger purses for National races and the recognition of the AMA’s contribution to the sport would make the effort worthwhile.

I am writing a letter to Roone Arledge, c/o ABC Wide World of Sports, 4151 Prospect, Los Angeles, Calif. This letter will prove the popularity of motorcycling sports through such things as attendance figures for races in California and personal interviews with local motorcycle magazine distributors noting complete sell-outs of magazine stock within one week of delivery.

The reasons that I am writing to you could go on and on, but I will get to the point and ask you, the AMA, to please do all you can to get more televised racesMarie King Lomita, Calif.

LONG-TIME FAN

I have been a subscriber to CYCLE WORLD for many years and have gained a lot of information from your road tests. As a matter of fact, I bought a new motorcycle this year on the strength of your road test, and I agree with your evaluation of the TX500 Yamaha. I am planning a trip into Canada this summer on my Yamaha

with my wife. Incidentally, 1 am 63 years old and my wife is 56.

I am enclosing a picture oljBfciy father-in-law, Frank Carlson, moiled on an Emblem. The picture was taken in 1912. I thought your readers might enjoy a nostalgic picture of motorcycling.

R.EL Dueck Minneapolis, Minn.

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TRIED PENICILLIN?

About a month ago, to attend a party hosted by a good friend of mine, who happens to own a very nice Vincent Rapide, I rode my ‘57 Ariel Square Four.

After a gala evening of song, drink and lies, we returned home, only to be informed the next day by our host that on future occasions of inebriated mirth at his abode, it would be better to leave my Ariel at home and ride something else. It seems that bringing those two great machines together had caused a new wave of infection amongst the other guests, known as “Vinariel Disease.”

I was only responsible for a small spread of this wonderful communicable disease, but by publishing articles^fch as “Shadow and Squariel” (July^^4 CW), you could be the cause of an international epidemic. Being previously afflicted as I was, I’ll not blame you for my individual case. I tremendously enjoyed the article; it was well-written in the way I’ll always want to believe it.

Jim Boucher Riverdale, GA

WHY THE BENELLI?

I would like to express my viewpoint on the Benelli 750 Sei (Aug. ‘74, CW). Why would any particular individual want to spend more money on it when it doesn’t run, handle or perform as well as most of the three and four-cylinders? In your road test you expressed more bad points than good ones, so why would anybody want to spend that kind of money on the Benelli?

Dennis^Wes Okay, Okla.

GO WEST, YOUNG MAN

I live in a little town in the Ozark Mountains of northern Arkansas. I am planning a trip to Colorado with a few friends. We are taking our bikes with us (Yamaha DTI 75s), and wanted to know if you could suggest general or specific areas for some exciting riding in or around that area. We’ve never been out West and want to make the most of it. Thank you for your time.

Delane Campbell Rt. 2 Bobo St.

Berryville, AR 72616

While we aren't familiar enough with the area to offer you the kind of information that you need, Mr. C^pbell, we’re sure that some of our rado readers can help, so we’ve included your address. —Ed.