Letters
LETTERS
CLASSICAL INTEREST
With the growing interest in British classics, not much in material is available for younger readers. We are announcing the U.S. distribution of a new magazine "Classic Bike." It is dedicated to classics; Velocette, Gold Stars. Vincents, Nortons, Ariels, etc. Road tests, color photos, etc. are also in each issue. The magazine comes out quarterly, is mailed in an envelope to protect pages and costs $10 per year.
Buzz Walneck Walneck's Vintage Motorcycles Sales 7923 Janes Ave. Woodridge. Ill. 60515
DEFENDING MY KL250
I enjoyed the article “Bikepacking” in your September 1978 issue in which you evaluated the popular four-stroke Single, dual-purpose motorcycles. These comparison type stories are great, and I thought you were fair in your test.
Let me explain why I choose the KL250.
After riding and evaluating all four at various Tulsa dealerships. I took into consideration service and quality of the dealer parts dept. Then price. I purchased the KL250 for $1095. My first choice was the Honda XL250, it was $200 more, the Suzuki SP370 was $300 more and the Yamaha was $400 more and I would have to wait three months for delivery.
I’ve been riding for over 30 years, racing, touring and just playing. I’ve owned almost every brand and I must say all motorcycles are a compromise of sorts. You can’t expect a dual-purpose bike to tour like a BMW. scramble like a YZ. ride trials like a Bultaco or out run a Zl-R.
After 1500 miles I’m more than satisfied with my choice in the KL250. The engine is spotless, never any oil leakage. It starts on the first kick and handles well, considering what it was designed to do. I get 70 mpg not 48 mpg like you said (remember the air cleaner was dirty). The bike seems to be bulletproof and dependable.
I also rated the bike fourth but everything considered I’m happy with my choice.
Rod Davis Bixby. Okia.
10 BEST BIKES
You have a great magazine and, as usual, I was anxious to get my 10 best bikes issue. However, I was quite surprised to^ find that you chose the Honda Hawk over the RD400. Your primary reasons were' that the Hawk wins the box stock class of road racing.
As an AAMRR expert class road racer. I had to let you know that such is not the case in WERA and AAMRR events where we enjoy some of racing’s great tracks in Bridgehampton and Bryar Motorsport Park.
As a matter of fact, very few Hawks are raced at all. probably for some reasons that should be a consideration in your choice: cost and ease of maintenance. The RD has no spokes to true, no cam and valves to wear and adjust, plus disc brakes. Thesefeatures make it easier to get into and stay into amateur road racing. «
The RD’s two-stroke engine gives it far more potential for modification into other classes later on. The Hawks smoke so badly on the track sometimes that it’s hard to tell it’s a four-stroke.
Two years ago I bought an RD400 partly because you felt it may have been the world’s first perfect motorcycle. After using mine on both the Street and the track, I have to agree. And, it's a rare motorcycle with such an indestructible crankshaft and transmission I know we'll still see plenty them long after production has ended.
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William H. Buefl Hartford, Conn.
HARLEY HISTORY
In reference to Harley Highlights, Octo ber 1978 issue, the Harley-Davidson 45-in~ CID opposed Twin shaft drive outfit was indeed only a military model. But it wa~ the model XA, not WD.
My two Harley shaftys have X/4 stamped on the crankcases with the serial numbers. And my original military field manuals list this machine as an XA.
Incidently, Harley-Davidson made onl~ about 1000 of these machines (some sa~ 993 were actually built) at a government cost of $3500 apiece. Also a special XA wa~ made with solid disc wheels (supposedly only 13 of these were built). And I've always been under the impression that the XA was a coov of the 1938 BMW.
Les Snavely Bowmand, N.D.
ALCOHOL AS FUEL
I found your article by Mike Griffin (August 1978) on use of alcohol as fuel very interesting, informative and com plete.
But straight alcohol as fuel has some minor disadvantages, as were pointed ou~ including cost, availability, and the neces sity for certain modifications.
On the other hand, use of alcohol as an additive to gasoline may offer significant advantages without any disadvantages. i have found that the regular use of a can of dry gas (methyl alcohol) per tankful of Sunoco 260 (about one pint per five gal lons, or about 2½ percent) improves pei! formance of my BMW 60/5 remarkably. Idling is amazingly smooth at only a few hundred rpm, as is pulling in high gear a~t low rpm. It also seems to provide more power at cruising speed. When I leave o~ the alcohol I clearly notice the difference.
With 88,000 miles (much of it pulling sidecar) the engine has never been touched, so the alcohol hasn't hurt any thing and may have helped. I undoubtedly have some carbon build-up and I get con~ siderable pinging even with Sunoco 26Q unless I use the alcohol.
Your article gave me some clues as tø why the alcohol helps, e.g. the cooling and anti-knock characteristics, but I would be interested in even more technical informa tion on the subject.
Fred Tausch, Jr. Lexington, Mass.
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I read with interest the article "Playing with Firewater" by Mike Griffin in the August 1978 issue.
I have been running alky for many years in a Yamaha 250MX and in a Webco Hodaka 125. The original purpose was to achieve a cooler running engine with higher than normal compression ratios. Alky provided this benefit along with a few extra horses on the side.
In addition to tuning tips provided by Mr. Griffin. I would like to pass on some of my own: 1) If running alky in a two-stroke, you must use a synthetic motor oil. Alky will not mix with mineral oils. Try NPG, Klotz, or equivalent. 2) Experiment with spark advance. 3) Mr. Griffin outlined main, pilot, and needle jetting changes. but be prepared to use a 1.0 or 1.5 throttle slide. 4) After running alky in a two-stroke. it is most important that about ½ pint of oil/gasoline mix be run through the engine before putting the machine away. If this is not done, you will soon find corrosion and etching of cylinder walls, crankpin. piston pin, and all ball and needle bearings, and premature failure. Three minutes running (flushing) with a heavy oil (gasoline mix) prevents this occurance.
I usually have two carburetors for each motorcycle. One is jetted for alky. the other for gas. Because alky is now $1.25 per gallon. I use gasoline for puttin' and alky for serious business.
Please continue to provide your readers with articles like "Playing with Firewater".
Patrick J. Egan LaMirada, Calif.
JUST PLAIN RIDER
I am 42 years old and have been riding motorcycles since I was 19. Our 15-yearold daughter is the owner of a new DT100E and my wife rides with me.
Just yesterday. (without checking the weather forecast), my wife agreed that it was a good day for a bike trip. We boarded the Yamaha and headed for Bloomsdale, some 51 miles down 1-55.
We arrived at our destination just in time for supper. While eating, my brother in-law turned on the news. Severe thunder storms with a tornado alert. The bad weather was due to hit the area in about two hours. With helmets in hand, we thanked our hosts, apologized, and shagged.
About 20 miles down the road, the sky was as black as a tar covered street and the wind was coming down the highway at gale force. For a moment I thought we were airborne. I cut our speed from 60 to 40. No help. My wife was frightened and yelled for me to pull over.
We stopped at a Shell station where we were to stay for almost two hours. The lady and the young man working there were super nice and when asked, said that we could stay all night if we had to. It had been raining cats and dogs.
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We heard reports from the patrons that quite a few cars and three tractor-trailers were literally blown off the pavement and into ditches. The wind subsided, but it was still raining hard. I wanted to wait it out, but my wife wanted to head for home. We agreed it wasn’t going to get any better.
We were not dressed for the occasion, but neither was the bike. At any rate; off we went into the night, with raindrops falling on our heads (and everywhere else), down the interstate infested with multiwheeled critters of all descriptions. The visibility was bad and the rain stung our faces.
Thirty-five minutes later we were home, at last. We were cold and wet. My wife dismounted and said, “You sure know how to show a lady a good time.’’ I replied, “Tell your grandkids about it someday.”
Ronald Cassin St. Louis, Mo.
A DREAM COME TRUE
Received my June CYCLE WORLD and after reading Letters I had to write you also. The letter “Life Can Be A Dream” is so very true.
I owned a Harley back in 1944—my service years. I was a cowboy for years, now town has taken me in. I bought a used Honda 750K-1 and had a good time on it. Then I bought a new 1977 Honda 750 Automatic. I have all extras including a CB. I do my church visiting on it, also hospital visits. I live in Katy, Texas, 25 miles from Houston and I have no trouble riding in Houston. I make 500 round-trip miles to see my son and 150 miles to visit with my mother who is 78 years old. I took her riding on my Honda Thanksgiving Day and she loved it. It made her day. This is a dream come true for me. I love my Honda Automatic. By the way, I am 55 years of age.
Jay Carson Katy. Tex.
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LAVERDA JOTA
In regards to your September 1978 article on the Laverda Jota, the Jota crank--*1 shaft is not “just like the Triumph Triple.” The Triumph, as well as the BSA Triple,4 has a one piece forged crank done on one plane and then reheated and twisted to 120 degrees.
R. Farley Ottawa, Ontario Canada
BRIGHTER LIGHTS
Your reply to Mr. Arnold’s letter concerning quartz halogen bulb failures (September issue) was somewhat inaccurate. Marchai does not manufacture bulbs, nor does Cibie. Both brands use bulbs man-^ ufactured by other companies, usually Philips, who holds the patent for quartz halogen bulbs.
The bulbs often are vulnerable to damage caused by vibrations from some bikes. However, we have found that an even more common cause of failure is voltage surges through the electrical sys-1 tern of the bike. Anything over 13.5-14 volts will usually burn out the filament. For example, several people have told us that hitting the starter switch with the headlight on has caused premature bulb failure. Riders who experience extremely short bulb life should check voltage output of the system at the headlamp.
Another hint is to try to purchase Philips 1 bulbs manufactured in Germany. Bulbs manufactured in Holland have the glass globe mounted in ceramic material which tends to crumble under vibration. For reasons unknown to us, the German-made bulbs are mounted in a metal support. Philips bulbs made in France could be made either way. Check before buying. (According to Philips, the average life of an H-4 bulb is 100 hours on low and 200 hours on high under ideal conditions.)
The point we want to make is that bulb brands do differ (we prefer Philips), but please don’t blame the lamp manufacturer -when your bulb goes.
Michael T. Stanfield National Sales Representative Marchai America Rockville, Md.
SATISFIED WITH CIBIE BULBS
In the September issue, Danny Arnold complained of quartz-halogen headlight failures. I installed a Cibié unit on a CB500 Four in October 1974. That same headlight is still going strong, now installed on my CX500. It has lasted almost four years of use and 46,000 miles. As you stated, Cibié bulbs do hold up.
Gary Brist
Federal Way, Wash. 0
