25 Years Ago November, 1971
25 YEARS AGO NOVEMBER, 1971
Had Cycle World gone to the dogs? It certainly appeared that way as this issue contained a tongue-in-cheek road test of a “10-Teat Canis Familiaris ‘Pursuit’ modef’-otherwise known as Daisy the dog. “Carburetor intake noise is generally the most noticeable thing coming from the powerplant. Occasional backfiring through the fuel/air intake can be annoyingly loud,” wrote the editors. The specifications panel credited Daisy with a 33.2-second quarter-mile pass and a top speed of 32 mph-2 mph faster than the Heathkit Hilltopper minibike tested in the same issue!
•But even a fleet-footed K9 was no match for Kawasaki’s new 750; “The Mach IV is an absolute jet, leaves all sorts of rubber on the pavement, pulls strongly in every gear and shows absolutely no lag as you click your way from first to fifth.” Ever wonder where the inspiration for the ZX-11 came from? Now you know.
•Also intriguing was a six-page Yamaha advertisement recounting a 24-hour durability test of three new 1972 streetbikes. It wasn’t the color photos of the stonestock DS7, XS2 or R5C that piqued my interest, however-it was the backdrop of Ontario Motor Speedway’s huge grandstands, lavish catch fencing and smooth paved surface that left me longing for the California track, which closed its gates just a few years before I discovered roadracing. Ironically, Roger Penske is currently constructing a new speedway not far from Ontario. Racing does indeed run in circles.
Don Canet
