Letters

LETTERS

THE SKIN GAME GOES ON

CYCLE WORLD has received a tremendous amount of response to the letter from Gene Mitchell in the Feb. ‘74 issue. It was Mr. Mitchell’s contention that the Harley-Davidson ad in the November ‘74 CW “was disgusting with so many half-naked broads." Following are some of your feelings on the subject.—Ed.

I just received February’s issue and would like to comment on “Our Ads are X-Rated,” the letter from Gene Mitchell, who threatens to cancel his subscription if trashy, obscene advertisments are printed in future issues.

Eve been married 12 years, have three young daughters, have served as a patrolman on the city police force for eight years, have owned seven motorcycles in the last three years, belong to a local motorcycle club in which both my wife and I are active members, and have had a subscription to CYCLE WORLD for two years.

I read your magazine from cover to cover, my wife thumbs through it, our daughters sometimes pick it up and scan it, and the magazine is then placed in our living room, where it is easily accessible for future review. It is definitely not a girlie magazine in any sense of the word, and I can’t imagine any lady being offended by its contents.

As for the “broads” he mentioned, I feel sorry for anyone who doesn’t know the difference between a “broad” and a model. And as far as I’m concerned, one of your models can stand next to my bike anytime. Keep up the good work; CYCLE WORLD will always be welcomed and read by all members of this family.

Milton N. Green Odgensburg, NY

I would like to say how much I enjoy your magazine. I am a newcomer to the world of motorcycles and am in the process of wearing out my first bike, an F6 125 Kawasaki. What I know about bikes has come from CYCLE WORLD. I enjoy your road tests, comparisons and technical information.

I was just reading the “Letters” section of my February issue and noticed the letter from Gene Mitchell of LaPorte, Texas. I would like to say that I do not agree with Mr. Mitchell; the man apparently has very high morals, too high, and should not try to push his opinions on the public so strongly.

I do not like pornography, but CYCLE WORLD is certainly not that.

Harold Huard Plant City, Fla.

I feel that Gene Mitchell’s letter was due a bit more respect than the “naked frames” bit, which seemed, quite frankly, to be bordering on dementia.

What Gene is complaining about is a real problem in America—that of realness versus phoniness. Most phoniness, you’ll find, is for sale. Most “genuineness” is trying to be helpful. . . .

Friendly Jim (no address)

Upon reading Mr. Mitchell’s letter in the February issue of your great mag I began an anxious search through my collection of previous issues, wondering how I could have missed the half-naked “broads” in the Harley-Davidson ad.

Needless to say, I was extremely disappointed when I found the ad in question. . .a small party with a few guys and gals christening Harley’s new SX250.

All I can say is, things must really be dull in LaPorte, Texas! And frankly, I enjoyed your comment more than Mr. Mitchell’s letter. Especially when I found the “filth” he was complaining about.

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My reply to Mr. Mitchell aside, I must say that I really enjoy your magazine and I agree with your editorials in the “Up Front” section. I feel that every cyclist should write something similar to your views in the February column and send it somewhere that it might do some good. Perhaps to the AMA people in D.C. It sure couldn’t hurt our sport; and they just might listen to 100,000 (or more) of us.

By the way, I own a Z1 and would appreciate any tips you might have on them, or on all other bikes for that matter. They all prove helpful.

Steve Marsh Rapid City, S.D.

Concerning Gene Mitchell’s letter in your February issue, I feel that I have put off shooting down some stupid letters for too long.

First, I pity his wife on a hot summer night when he won’t let her wear a halter top. Maybe we could name his severe condition dermaphobia?

Secondly, I think he’d better hide his Feb. issue also. If his wife reads that letter, LaPorte, Texas, may see fireworks before July 4th gets here.

I don’t think that you were wrong to print Harley’s ad. The only thing obscene about it is the cost of a new headlight for that poor SX250.

Steven West Nashua, N.H.

I’ve never written to a magazine before, but after reading Gene Mitchell’s letter regarding the “half-naked broads,” I felt compelled to respond. I first went through all my back issues thinking I had missed something, but then I realized that one of us was sick.

I admit to buying “girlie magazines” and I don’t even hide them from my wife. But really, Mr. Mitchell shouldn’t give H-D credit for those trashy ads; I always liked the Ducati and Norton ones better. Too bad the French don’t have a competitive motorcycle on the U.S. market!

Anyway, like the man said, “If you feel compelled to print trashy magazines in the future, please cancel his subscription.” And, uh, please double mine.

Nat Goode Nashville, Tenn.

I’m a relative newcomer to motorcycling, but I wanted to write to tell you that I enjoy reading your magazine every month. I do have one comment concerning the letter from Mr. Mitchell. Being a female person, I am not terrifically upset by the sight of an exposed navel; in fact, I have one myself. I just want to know why your advertisers never picture any good-looking guys wearing nothing but a pair of very brief cut-offs (or just a helmet) as they grace a bike or a spark plug. Female epidermis is not a big turn-on with me, but I am rather fond of the male physique, so how about it? The number of women bikers is growing, so don’t forget us!

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By the way, in your answer to Mr. M., you forgot Hooker Headers. Kathy Johnson Waukegan, 111.

There are some readers out there who aren’t as fond as you of the male physique, Kathy. Witness the next letter. -Ed.

ZIP UP, OR SHIP OUT

I was dismayed at the photo of Mr. Jim Evans on page 63 of the January issue of your magazine.

I wonder if he was trying to impress anyone. If so, was it the guys or the girls. CYCLE WORLD is most definitely above this. Keep it straight. A. Aharonian West Chester, Pa.

We don’t think the photo you point out is particularly disgusting, even though the zipper on Jim’s leathers was open below his waist. Rather, it is common practice on a hot day.

We apologize, however, if the photo offends you. That certainly was not our intent. —Ed.

A DEALER’S PLEA

Many words have been printed by all the motorcycle magazines with regard to our industry’s dealer-customer relations, factory (distributor)-dealer relations, and consumerism in general as it applies to motorcyclists.

It seems to me that our primary problem in this motorcycle business is sheer infantilism (immaturity) on everybody’s part!

Those of us who are a few years older than most riders today, can rather easily remember when there literally were no motorcycle dealers. A touring rider, for instance, was really on his own, and he struck out from large city to large city, hoping he’d make it troublefree. When he arrived in a new city he immediately scanned the yellow pages to find a motorcycle dealer (any dealer, for any brand), then stopped by to visit and hopefully pick up whatever pieces had dropped off or broken since his last city stop.

If a rider was lucky enough to find a rural or small-town dealer anywhere he was ecstatic. Of course, very few dealers carried any kind of parts stock worth mentioning.

Honda’s initial approach of “dealers everywhere with insistence that they keep parts and service shops,” changed all that and ushered in the boom in motorcycle interest that we have all recently enjoyed.

Now, the big push by all major manufacturers and/or distributors seems to be to put only large-volume, little-orno-profit dealers in the larger cities, with marginal parts stocks and indifferent service departments! Our new breed rider loves this, because he is convinced that he is saving loads of money on his bike, and is not experienced enough to realize that a modern motorcycle is a very complex, high-maintenance piece of machinery!

Of course, what we are doing, through our own stupidity, is regressing 25 years or more in concept, and soon all the conscientious, low-volume dealers that have tried (and perhaps failed) to operate as efficient small businesses who are personally interested in the welfare of their riders, will be gone. Out of business.

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Then, once more, riders will be dashing from large city to large city, hoping they’ll make it before something more on their bike breaks, then finding on arrival that all the big-city, big-volume, give-away dealer has to offer them is a new, cheap motorcycle. No parts. No service. No personal attention. No concern. Just cut price, improperly serviced new motorcycles that have to be hauled back to the city when something goes wrong.

Who will be to blame for this stupid, asinine situation? Why all of us, of course, as follows:

1. The rider, who by denying his local dealer the sale, also denies him the investment money for parts and service facilities. (After all, the rider does not work at his job for no wages. Why should he demand that his local motorcycle dealer do so?)

2. The factory distributor, who can see no farther than the end of his own nose, and considers that market penetration percentages are the only criterion of success. It is true, of course, that it costs a distributor just as much to service a 100-unit dealer as it does a 1000-unit dealer, but there is the intangible element of “image” involved here, also.

3. The immature dealer who is (a) looking for a tax write-off for other sources of income and cares nothing for motorcycling as such, or (b) has the primary goal of “running that other S.O.B. down the street out of business,” no matter what it costs him to do so.

The “new-breed” riders, beginning since the late 1960s, simply don’t know and don’t seem willing to learn that they are really only cheating themselves when they force neighborhood shops to close. This group unfortunately includes a great many dealers and distributorship executives for major brands. You can do your readers a tremendous service by editorializing on this situation occasionally lest we all forget we are involved in the world’s best participation sport.

Let’s not go back to the bad “good old days” of 25-35 years ago. We’ve arrived. Riders, dealers, factories, let’s not blow it now by in-fighting. Let’s make the most of what we have by cooperation. There’s plenty of meat and potatoes to go around. Why should anyone need to try to steal the other man’s?

Thanks for listening.

(Name withheld at writer’s request)