Round·up

ROUND·UP

JOE PARKHURST

CVEL KNIEVEL had better watch out. Three guys from Southern California have a scheme that makes Evel’s rocket trip look like just what it is: a hype!

Doug Malewicki, Rein Stolz and Bob Wills have built a motorcycle that has outjumped Evel, Joe Einhorn, Bob Gill and Debbie Lawlor. Using a Honda 250 Elsinore mounted under a special hang glider, they jumped more than 200 feet, using a takeoff ramp only 26.5 inches high.

Bob Wills is the head of Sport Kites in Santa Ana, Calif, and holder of several l^K glider records. He can ride bikes too. Malewicki is an aeronautical engineer; he designed the rig. Using the conventional jumper’s sevenfoot-high ramp, they expect to extend the length of the jump to 300 or 400 feet!

And, it’s relatively safe. The bike is quite stable in the air and the jumps are smooth and controlled. Landings are a snap.

But, not content with this, the company that the guys have formed, called Aerovisions, has plans for jumping a bike from San Pedro, Calif, to Santa Catalina Island, 26 miles offshore! They will be aided, somewhat, by a propeller mounted at the rear, and driven by a right-angle drive mechanism powered by the bike engine.

They had hoped to have tl^^ first flying motorcycle fSRied in time to dart around in the air over Knievel’s big Snake River event. I am sorry they were not able to obtain financing for the venture. It would have been a mind-blower to see a guy riding a motorcycle in the air the same weekend that Knievel was being shot up in a rocket, descending with parachutes and stepping out as though he had really done something. Aerovisions is looking for a sponsor, preferably the builder or distributor of a motorcycle. A new world record motorcycle jump is in the making. Even without the propeller, they could darn near jump the Snake River, but with a little rocket boost it would sail all the way. Of course, I will not be riding it.

WE WILL shortly know if the country is going to continue through next winter on daylight savings time, which was initiated as an energy-saving move. A survey of traffic engineers has shown that the conservation gains are negligible.

The survey also indicated that school-age children are the biggest driving-in-the-dark hazard and that the fuel crisis has covered up the potential increase in early morning and evening darkness accidents.

To the motorcyclist it spells special problems. The wearing of highly-visible reflective clothing is emphasized, as is the need for driving habits that reflect the attitude that all car drivers are blind, dumb and ignorant. I’m not so sure they all aren’t, unless they ride bikes and know they’re vulnerable.

IF YOU saw the CBS Sports Spectacular program on Kenny Roberts, you saw the first efforts of CYCLE WORLD’S parent company’s expanding coverage of motorcycling. The racing sequences of Kenny were made at Laguna Seca. Steve McLaughlin, son of my old friend and Baja pilot, John McLaughlin (who operates a Honda dealership in Duarte, Calif.), carried the camera mounted on his helmet. They set up the shot after the racing was finished. Steve followed Roberts around riding Don Castro’s Yamaha.