Round Up
ROUND UP
FORD’S SIGNATURE SEALS POLITICAL WIN FOR CYCLISTS
IN A RECENT White House ceremony, President Gerald R. Ford signed the Federal Highway Act of 1975 into law. An important provision of the law removes from the Federal Department of Transportation (D.O.T.) the power to withold federal highway funds from states that do not have a mandatory motorcycle helmet law for persons over the age of 18.
Representing motorcycling interests as the guest of the White House was Gene Wirwahn, legislative director of the American Motorcycle Association.
The signing marked the culmination of a legislative effort that Wirwahn called “strong evidence of the political power of motorcyclists.” He added, “The combination of mass letter writing among individual motorcyclists, intense lobbying in Washington and the strong support of sympathetic congressmen produced motorcycling’s most significant political victory to date.”
Joining Wirwahn at the White House for the signing were representatives of the D.O.T., including Secretary of Transportation William T. Coleman. Wirwahn has urged a shift of emphasis of D.O.T. motorcycle safety efforts from coercion to meaningful research into areas such as rider education.
Also in attendance were a number of the representatives and senators instrumental in passage of the highway bill. Wirwahn offered motorcycling’s thanks to Senators Alan Cranston (D-Calif.) and Jesse Helms (R-N.C.), who introduced the legislation in the Senate. Co-sponsors were James Abourezk (D-S.Dak.), James L. Buckley (Con.-N.Y.), Carl T. Curtis (R-Neb.), Paul J. Fannin (R-Ariz.), E.J. Garn (R-Utah), Roman L. Hruska (R-Neb.), Thomas J. McIntyre (D-N.H.), and John V. Tunney (D-Calif.).
On the House side the legislation was introduced by Steward B. McKinney (R-Conn.) and later offered as an amendment to the larger highway bill through the efforts of Glenn M. Anderson (D-Calif.). Co-sponsors included John B. Anderson (R-I1L), Bob Carr (D-Mich.), James M. Collins (R-Texas), Floyd Hicks (D-Wash.), William M. Ketchum (R-Calif.), James R. Mann ( D-S.C.), Dale Milford (D-Texas), Edward W. Pattison (D-N.Y.), Ronald A. Sarasin (R-Conn.), Louis Stokes (D-Ohio) and Sam Steiger (R-Ariz.).
Wirwahn added special thanks to Congressman James J. Howard (D-N.J.), chairman of the House Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, Congressman Bud Shuster (R-Pa.), ranking minority member of the Subcommittee, and Congressman David N. Henderson (D-N.C.), whose support and assistance greatly aided in the passage of the legislation.
In a statement issued after the signing, Wirwahn noted that the American Motorcycle Association has historically supported and encouraged the voluntary use of helmets. “However,” he added, “if such an issue is to be legislated, then that decision should be left to individual state legislatures where the interests of all the people—motorcyclists and nonmotorcyclists—are represented.
“We are hopeful that removal of the blackmail power from the D.O.T. will lead them to develop motorcycle safety programs that are completely researched and can be supported because they have merit,” Wirwahn concluded.
CYCLE WORLD SPONSORS TOUR TO ISDT
CYCLE WORLD will be sponsoring a tour to the International Six Days Trials this year that will also take in the IFMA Motorcycle Show in Cologne, Germany, and a portion of the Oktoberfest celebration in Munich.
The tour will leave Los Angeles and New York September 15 on Lufthansa Airlines and will return on the 29th. Participants will fly directly to Cologne for the show, then to Austria for the ISDT. I have been making the trip on behalf of CYCLE WORLD for years and have always come back satisfied. The country is beautiful and the events are among the most important in International Motorcycling.
Associated Travel Services, 2211 Martin, Irvine, CA 92715, is the group to write to for information. Prices are $1023 from New York and $1198 from Los Angeles. Hope to see you at all three events.-/oe Parkhurst.
HONDA GL1000 LIMITED EDITION
FOLLOWING IN Kawasaki’s footsteps, Honda recently announced a limited edition collector’s model of its successful GL1000 roadster. Only 2000 will be built. After the initial shipment, they will not be available again.
Changes from stock are as follows: 1. Special gold markings and striping to accent the custom, dark burgundy paint. 2. Gold Wing LTD identification on the side cover. 3. Specially-formulated metallic silver paint for engine castings and polished valve covers. 4. Gold-stamped collector’s edition owner’s manual and leather key case. 5. Custom chrome plating throughout. 6. Contoured seat. 7. Chromed tools in a custom-fitted leather pouch. 8. High-rise handlebars for touring comfort. 9. Goldanodized rims and plated spokes.
As Honda puts it, the LTD is not a bike for everyone. Nevertheless, it is a very classy looking motorcycle.
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FIRE-FIGHTING BMW
IS THE WORLD ready for a fire-fighting motorcycle? Engineers at BMW think so and are demonstrating a prototype to German government officials and industrial firms. The purpose is to allow firemen to reach places too confined for conventional fire trucks with enough equipment to be effective.
The prototype is an R75/6 equipped with red lights, a 43-lb. fire extinguisher, fire hose and high pressure spray gun. Just additional proof that useful development continues hot and heavy at BMW.
FORBES AND THE GARDEN STATE PARKWAY
MALCOLM FORBES, wealthy publisher of Forbes Magazine (one of the leading financial publications), is truly an incredible individual. He not only owns one of the largest motorcycle dealerships in the U.S., but continually uses his money and influence to help motorcyclists combat unfair legislation.
In this light, he is probably best known for his efforts to get bikes on the Garden State Parkway in New Jersey. He began five years ago by announcing to an assembled group of reporters and dignitaries (including the governor of New Jersey), that he was suing the state over the matter. That effort failed, but he pressed on with well-financed writein campaigns and constant pressure. Because of Forbes’ persistence and the work of other organizations like the AMA, bikes are now being tested on the Parkway. The test will continue through the summer, hopefully leading to a permanent removal of the ban.
If the ban is not lifted at that time, it will be because Mr. Sal Bontempo, chairman of the New Jersey Garden State Parkway, and members of his commission once again voted against motorcyclists.
Until that vote occurs, Forbes is keeping the pressure on by getting these officials together with the press to keep their thoughts public. It’s attention to detail like this that produces favorable results.— Joe Parkhurst.
