Letters
LETTERS
Letters to the editor are welcomed and should be addressed to: Cycle World Editor, 1499 Monrovia Ave., Newport Beach, Calif. 92663. All letters are subject to editing and cannot he returned.
THE ROAD TO PRESCOTT
I've never had any interest in side hacks as a form of motorcycling but 1 thoroughly enjoyed The Road to Prescott in the July issue.
It was very entertaining and really captured the essence of motorcycling.
Frank Horn Joppa, Mich.
Your observations regarding the nature of sidecar folks certainly mirrors my experience and was right on point. I particularly appreciated the last couple of paragraphs in the story that came as close as anything Eve read to capturing why it is these rather strange vehicles seem to generate such enthusiasm.
Dan Doyle Penryn, Calif.
Steve Kimball’s article on the sidecar trip was interesting. Especially the part about the restaurant that used paper plates to circumvent a health law requiring three sinks.
But the most interesting part was Kimball’s comment on that law: “Like the 55 mph speed limit and helmet laws, here was another example of laws written to eliminate some theoretical danger, the only result being a lesser quality of life.”
Did you ever have food poisoning, Kimball? Did it improve the quality of
your life? Do you figure you re an expert on public health?
As to the “double nickel.” Without arguing its merits or efficacy, it would appear from reading the article that it did not much deter any desire you might have had to exceed it. Or a 65 mph limit, for that matter.
Helmet laws. I can’t believe you wrote > that, Steve. ’’Theoretical danger?” The only people who believe wearing a helmet doesn’t increase their chances of surviving a crash believe it only because they’re stupid. States which have repealed helmet laws as a result of lobbying by idiots report a dramatic increase in motorcycle accident fatalities and severe head injuries.
Death and permanent scrambling of the personal software are not theoretical. Neither is the state’s obligation to safeguard its citizens—even citizens too dumb to safeguard themselves without
C0erC10n' Dan Hackett
Canton, N.Y.
Quality of life comes from many things: Eating good food, served in a pleasant atmosphere provides it. The freedom to ride a motorcycle provides it, and so does the freedom to do it unsafely. What hurts the quality of life are health laws, helmet laws and speed laws based not on research and information, but on political expediency and the hunger for power.
Stop cataloging bungee cords and bolting on steering dampers and listen up!
I build and ride sidecars and I don’t take people's money to bolt Easter eggs on their solo bikes. The bike must first be adapted to a proper sidecar puller and then the chair can be attached. Ever wonder why serious BMW sidecarists use a /2 frame? It’s a sidecar puller frame complete with an adjustable leading link fork.
The secret to making a sidecar handle and steer is in the steering. A sidecar with the proper rake and trail built into a leading fork will steer effortlessly and handle the sideloads generated in this type of vehicle.
Marc J. Pauls St. Louis, Mo.
Your crew did indeed find the true meaning of sidecars: fun and challenge with practicality as a flimsy justification. Most remarkable was Peter Egan’s discovery of the Great Secret . . . the less a passenger knows about driving the rig the happier and more comfortable he will be.
Steve Johnson Minnetonka, Minn.
I’ve never enjoyed riding two up on my motorcycle but miss the companionship of another motorcyclist on long trips. What a perfect solution the sidecar is.
Congratulations to Steve Kimball for his ability to master the monster and to Peter Egan for his humorous account of the sidecar passenger experience.
Bruce Hayes El Cerrito, Calif.
PIT CREW ASSISTANCE
Recently I had the opportunity to meet the Honda team pit crew, first hand. When getting ready to leave the Laguna Seca races on my Honda CB900F I discovered 1 had lost my keys. After much searching and four-letter words, a friend helped me push the bike over to the Honda team trailer to find out how to hot wire my bike A guy named John got the bike started. I was much relieved, especially because it was 7:00 p.m. and there were about 5 hours of riding time ahead.
Moral of the story: don’t lose your keys and if you do, make sure there’s a Honda team nearby to help you. Thanks again, Honda team and John.
Bill Huber
Citrus Heights, Calif.
TIRE SIZE GUIDE
Being a slow reader, I’ve just gotten around to your July 1982 article on tire sizes. It contains an error.
If a tire with an aspect ratio of 90 is 90 percent as tall as it is wide, it is not, as you incorrectly conclude, 10 percent wider than it is tall. Using real numbers, 9 is 90 percent of 10, but 1 is not 10 percent more than 9.
Don’t feel bad . . . my preschoolers used to make the same mistake.
Richard Sugarman New York, NY.
Correct. And we would have done our math better except that the dog chewed up our homework.
DOUBLE NICKEL ROCKETS
I just finished reading your article “Double Nickel Rockets.” As the owner and rider of a Yamaha 550 Seca I cannot believe that in concluding the article you picked the Suzuki GS550M as second best overall bike. Your reasons were that with a carb fix and some aftermarket products the Suzuki could be made into a bike that had the capability the other bikes possess stock.The Suzuki GS550M placed last in almost every category except cruising range. The argument could be made that by use of aftermarket products I could make my 550 Seca top of the class. I do not believe your test riders were being objective, I think there might have been some prejudice shown! Do you really think the average rider is going to want to tear down the carbs on a bike that he or she just bought. Or invest in a bunch of aftermarket products after just buying his or her bike. I don’t! I also think that the Suzuki GS should have been listed last with an afternote saying that the bike had potential, not listed second best overall.
Steven Hurd Dayton, Ohio
Suzuki’s refusal to provide a bike for the 550 comparison test could, perhaps, have influenced our reactions; call it the motherless child syndrome.
But we don’t think that was the only factor. The carb fix is not at all involved. Two of our crew did the job with hand tools in half an hour or so. The test figures were with the GS550M as rented because our rules require stock condition for all track sessions. But the riding was done with the engine running right, so in daily use the GS was better than the figures indicate.
All of which proved to us that Suzuki has a better bike than they know, that they should fix the engine themselves, and that we really do believe the GS550M was second best in the group.
Come on, you guys. How can you include the Vision in the sporting 550 class, and then say the CX500 has nothing in common with the other bikes.
The Vision should be compared to the Silver Wing. Both have liquid-cooling, both have shaft drive and both are VTwins. They are not sporting bikes but better for touring mounts.
AÍ Romano Portland, Maine
Configuration isn’t everything. Yamaha bills the Vision as a Twin that’s as fast and sporting as the Fours, so we checked and sure enough in wheelbase, weight, acceleration and top speed the Vision is much closer to the Seca 550 than to the Honda CX500.
STRENGTH IN NUMBERS
Lately I have been reading more and more letters complaining against the increasing complexity of the latest Japanese bikes. But unfortunately it is we, the motorcycle buying public of this country, who are to blame.
The Japanese only did what they were forced to do, in order to maintain performance standards while complying with increasing government mandates regarding the manufacturing of motorcycles. Four valve heads and electronic fuel injection were created to meet EPA emission regulations; while water-cooling and drive shafts were designed to meet EPA noise regulations.
It is up to us to let our legislators know that we are tired of having our motorcycles designed by bureaucrats. We must continually write our local and national representatives. 1 also recommend that a concerned motorcyclist join the American Motorcyclist Association. They publish legislative alerts regarding the proposed bills that affect motorcycling.
There is strength in numbers. We can make a difference in the way motorcycles will be made in the future if we want.
David J. Rizzo San Bernardino, Calif.
OUTDOORS ENTHUSIAST
As an avid reader of Cycle World and Field and Stream, I too appreciated the article, Modern Motorcycle Camping in the May issue of Field and Stream. My compliments to Mr. Editor Girdler for recognizing an opportunity to improve relations between two different groups of enthusiasts by writing a letter to Field and Stream.
My two most prized possessions are my 1980 Yamaha Maxim 650 and my Remington 870 Wingmaster shotgun, both of which 1 enjoy very much.
Jeffrey Rud Madison, S.D.
SOME MAGNA ADVICE
Thanks for all your information on the Honda V45 Magna which is the best machine for me because it’s fast and comfortable for touring.
However, Fd like to pass on some advice—because I am over 6 ft. and weigh 240 lbs., I put 25 psi in the forks. (When I later read the manual it said not to exceed 12 psi.) My second mistake was when I took a curve at 90 mph (riding double). Using both front and rear brakes 1 finally got it down to 50 mph, then slowing to 35 mph to lay it down. We escaped with bad* bruises and scrapes but the bike held together fairly well.
God and Honda did their part, I didn’t do mine. Next time 1 will.
Jim Brown Englewood, Tenn.
SR500 SOLUTIONS
To the SR500, Yamaha should have added:
1. A rubber mounted engine.
2. The seat padding from the XJ650.
3. The wire wheels from the 650 Heritage.
4. A high energy ignition system to cure the troublesome starting.
5. A quartz halogen headlight, also round and chrome.
6. Another gear added to the gearbox.
7. A smaller rear sprocket.
8. An aluminum swing arm, painted.
9. A drilled disc.
10. Electric instruments, same shape and style.
11. An aluminum rear brake pedal.
12. Higher quality tires and rear shocks.
With these improvements, Yamaha would have the perfect motorcycle; light, fast, economical, smooth enough, elegant, stylish, comfortable and reasonably priced. The SR500 could be the motorcycle that everyone has been waiting for.
There is no reason why the motorcycle that won Pikes Peak shouldn’t have more prestige in Yamaha’s eyes, certainly enough so that it should not have been discontinued.
Joseph J. Young Stoneham, Mass.
Don't give up hope just yet. Yamaha does have the super new 550 Single. Because it’s smoother it should allow a lighter frame, etc., and if the road-only 550 came with wire wheels, and a disc/ drum brake system it should be able to have electric start and compete with Honda’s Ascot in weight and performance.
Yamaha dropped the SR500 because sales were disappointing. If the Ascot sells well, Yamaha might return with a new and improved SR.
