Round·up
ROUND·UP
OPEN FOR REMODELING
YOU'VE PROBABLY noticed that good old CYCLE WORLD has been going through some changes since mid-summer. We hope you'll like what we're doing, as we are basically incorporating the ideas suggested by many of you in the periodic surveys that we send out to check the progress of the magazine.
Most apparent will be the evolution in the look of the book. We’ve changed to a computer typesetting house, which vastly increases the choices of type available to us. Because the computer process is sharper, CYCLE WORLD will actually be easier on the eyes. Expect more graphic changes as we play around with the new type book.
We have some new people. You’ve met Dan Hunt before. He’s one of CYCLE WORLD’S original writers from as far back as 1963, and was CW’s senior editor until 1973. He is currently publisher of Pickup, Van & 4WD magazine and is returning to pull the editorial and marketing oars at CYCLE WORLD as publisher.
Joe Parkhurst—who brought integrity to motorcycle journalism where there had been none—is relinquishing active duty for other pursuits. But he’ll be with us on a consulting basis. We will touch on the affable Mr. Parkhurst’s era in a forthcoming issue.
Our new executive editor is Allan Girdler. His prior life could be described as one of closet biking, punctuated by rabid essays into the realm of automotive sport.
His first bike was a Harley 74, the VL model now on display in H-D’s exhibit, although he himself does not yet qualify for similar exhibition. He’s currently a trail riding buff, owns a Honda XL250, and has the dubious distinction of sharing with Dan Hunt the backwards and upside-down view of the front of Hunt’s Ossa 250, seen while traveling in mid-air at more than 40 mph. Allan was reserve entry for the SCCA national title, and drove the last Targa Florio in 1972.
Those of you who get into the car magazines as well as CYCLE WORLD, will remember his superb writing as editor of Car Life and executive editor at Road & Track.
Teamed with our walking motorcyclopedia, Editor Bob Atkinson, the thoughtful travels of D. Randy Riggs, and the tonguein-cheek blurbs and essays of Virginia DeMoss, you can count on some fine, provocative reading in the months ahead.
CCMs CONTINUE TO ROLL
CM IN ENGLAND, builder of the last remaining competitive four-stroke motocrossers, has purchased all of the jigs and tooling, along with the rights, to continue building parts for the BSA and Triumph 500cc single-cylinder, four-stroke motocross and enduro bikes. We are told that engine and certain chassis parts are available from CCM Imports, America, Inc. A number of updated parts, such as 84mm to 91mm bigbore kits, lightweight front and rear hubs, long-travel forks and shocks, complete engines and frames are presently in stock at Box 475, 4452 W. Bull Valley Road, McHenry, IL 60050. The 1976 CCMs can also be obtained in a variety of bore/stroke sizes, using high-tensile tube frames that are chrome-plated.
A variety of options in gearboxes, carburetors, ignition systems, as well as total machine weights of from 220 to 230 pounds, are also available. A lot of two-strokes should be lucky enough to be so light. New 8-in.travel forks of CCM's own design using magnesium triple clamps are very light and contribute in no small way to the overall lightness of the bike. Nine inches of travel is offered at the rear by gas/oil shocks. Akront green-label rims are laced to CCM’s own magnesium hubs. In short, the CCM can still be considered a competitive motocrosser. Roger DeCoster once told us he could easily be World Champion on one, a compliment it would be difficult to better.
AMA/MIC LAND-USE PIPELINE
•OOD f nouncement NEWS can that be the read boards into of trustees the anof the American Motorcyclist Association and the Motorcycle Industry Council have adopted in concept a plan to provide a broader information base to those involved in land use and the use of off-road vehicles. The plan spans a four-year period and will be applied primarily in the areas of information development, grass-roots participation and litigation. This marks the first joint effort of the enthusiast and industry associations.
Timing could not have been better, since motorcyclists' arch enemy, the Sierra Club, has just published another half-true attack on recreation vehicles, with particular focus on motorcycles. Should any of our readers wish hard data and information to back an attack on the Sierra Club, I believe it is available through either the AMA or MIC.
Future need for better planned approaches to land use by the two organizations arose from the fact that the environmentalists are more frequently challenging the recreational use of public lands by motorcyclists, as in the current case of the Sierra Club. The need for factual evidence that would give recreational planners and land managers something other than emotional appeals and prejudiced information led to the formation of the specific objectives of the plan.
According to the AMA/MIC, much has been written about the problems of land use and the effects of off-road vehicles on the environment, but very little concrete data has been compiled that applies specifically to the recreational trail biker. The AMA/MIC plan is an attempt to gather pertinent information and to provide a means of supplying this information to those involved in landmanagement decisions.
The information phase of the plan provides for “wheel-to-ground” case studies by colleges and universities, along with research dealing with rider expectation and fulfillment information. The information gathering phase would also include legal review of the existing land-owner liability laws and an analysis of what is necessary to make them effective when applied to trail bikes on private land.
The grass-roots phase, as they call it, would provide professionally produced material to local riders for the purpose of improving their impact at local land-use meetings with governing agencies. They feel that regional seminars to educate rider representatives in effective government communication , as well as the development of widely distributed educational material, is critical. A system of computerized mail notices to alert riders of land-use meetings in their riding areas is being investigated in an attempt to increase grass-roots participation.
The final phase of the plan, litigation, would be used as a last resort and would establish a fund to be used for certain legal actions when necessary. Bob Rasor, AMA associate legislative director, said, “We anticipate the initial programs for the implementation of this plan will begin immediately, with the entire plan in full swing by the first of the year.” Like I said, good news. I hope it travels as fast as people say it does.—Joe Parkhurst
(Continued on page 24)
Continued from page 4
WORDS TO THE WISE
ESERT RIDERS, especially those of us P who love Baja California, don’t like to talk about incidents like this but sometimes they’re hard to ignore. Two riders died in the desert recently. The details are lacking, but by most accounts they relied on supplies that weren’t available. One man had medical problems and the other fell victim to heat as he rode out of gas, then tried to walk out of the desert.
We assume that riders who read this magazine know how deadly the desert can be, and that they take the standard precautions. We’ve published articles on desert survival before, we'll do so again and we routinely list books on the subject when they appear. (And there are several good ones in print, close as the nearest bookstore).
Even so, the rescue clubs and teams working in the desert have asked us to issue a reminder. . . and a warning: There are several long off-road races held in Baja every year. Each entrant receives a map of the course, for the race and for pre-race planning. These maps are marked with fuel stops and pits and such.
Now. There are indications that the race maps are being copied and passed from hand to hand, for use by weekend riders. Fine, to a point. The maps are good ones.
Thing is, the race maps showing fuel stops are for the race only. There are no gas stations in the Baja desert or mountains. There are Pemex stations in the scattered little towns and sometimes you can get fuel at some of the larger ranches, if they have it to spare and if you’re polite.
Plan ahead. Explore with an experienced friend, and have a standard map, from the tourist bureau, the guidebooks, whatever. Know before you start how far you’re going and where supplies are sure to be. And don’t rely on race maps. Baja’s charm is based on its lack of civilization, which also makes Baja a deadly place for the unprepared.
COMMENT NOT NEEDED
^T THE ANNUAL gathering of one of the road-riding clubs, there was a trophy presented to the best-dressed motorcycle and to the best-dressed Harley-Davidson.
The Blue Knights, a club open only to motorcyclists who are also law enforcement officers or work in related fields, voted to oppose all mandatory helmet laws.
SAVED FROM OURSELVES
lOVERNMENT-IMPOSED restrictions on bikes are, of course, not limited to America. In Japan, for instance, the rider must pass a fairly strict riding test before he’s allowed to buy a 750.
In Sweden, home of the Cosseted Consumer, they may go the Japanese one large step tougher. Plan is to ban sale of all motorcycles displacing more than 250cc.
