25 Years Ago March, 1975

25 YEARS AGO MARCH, 1975

This month’s issue was loaded with surprises. On the off-road side of the fence, Bultaco’s 250 Pursang was credited as the Spanish bike maker’s first attempt at a mass-produced, forward-mounted-shocks motocrosser. It also came with a reversible rear hub and a through-the-cases shift shaft, allowing the rider to choose on which side of the bike he wanted to select gears. This, Bultaco hoped, would make up for sales lost to left-shift Japanese bikes that were quickly becoming mainstream.

• Superimposed on the cover alongside the Bultaco was Kawasaki’s “evil, wicked, mean and nasty” Mach IV H2. Overall, the two-stroke sportster left staffers wanting. “Without a doubt, Kawasaki’s awesome 750 Triple is a bike that has outlived its usefulness,” read the road test. “It was conceived at a time when the buying public was preoccupied with acceleration. Gut-grabbing acceleration. And little else.”

• Preceding the road test on the Kawasaki was a profile of AMA Grand National challenger David Aldana. Already Expert-ranked for five years, the fun-loving Californian had won four nationals, three for BSA and one for Norton. “Roadracing seems to be the easiest,” he related to then-contributor John Ulrich. “You just sit there and turn left and right and put on the brakes. Dirt-track, boy, you’ve got to muscle that baby around and fight it all the time.” Whatever you say, Bones.

Matthew Miles