25 Years Ago October, 1967

25 YEARS AGO OCTOBER, 1967

ROUNDUP

Kawasaki's four-stroke 650SS Twin graced the cover of the October, 1967, issue of Cycle World, though sharpeyed readers were quick to point out that the image had been "flopped" in the printing process and was published backwards. While the photograph may have been puzzling, the consensus of the editorial staff was that the bike was "a superb all-around road machine." • Twenty years have passed since Indianapolis Raceway Park, with its 2.5-mile, 15-turn road course, has held an AMA national roadrace. But in 1967, as reported by Editor Ivan Wagar, many of the top riders were in attendance. Young sensation Art Baumann took the 50-mile Amateur event in grand style, leaving Harley rider Ron Widman and Matchlessmounted Jim Odom to contest sec ond place. Competition was tighter in the 110-mile national, as Mert Lawwill and the late Cal Rayborn battled Dick Mann, Gary Nixon and Roger Reiman. Attrition was high, with ignition troubles claiming Nixon and Ron Grant. At the checkered flag, Rayborn beat Triumph-mount ed Dick Hammer by 8 seconds, with Lawwill showing third. • An interview with longtime Harley-Davidson race manager Dick O'Brien also appeared in this issue. Aside from his other accomplish ments, O'Brien was responsible for building the Sportster-based racer that Lance Weil campaigned in Eng land during the late `60s. Now, 25 years later, O'Brien is retired and Well is manufacturing replicas of his race-winning machine.

Matthew Miles