Cycle Round Up
CYCLE ROUND UP
JOE PARKHURST
CYCLE WORLD IS TWO years old with this issue. Actually, our December issue was the 24th, and officially our second birthday but since this issue duplicates our first issue, January 1962, we chose it to mark the event. On our first birthday we said that the occasion, though seemingly momentous to us here at CYCLE WORLD, contained little of joyful significance to our readers but we wanted everyone to know about it anyway; we must repeat ourselves.
We are particularly proud of our achievements, that of being the number one selling magazine since our very first issue, and the leader in advertising lineage for six months now and still going strong. Our August 1963 issue was the highest selling we have yet to publish, a smashing over-43,000 copies sold. Of course this figure will be verified by an independent auditor. Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC), for the benefit of our advertisers (CYCLE. WORLD is the only motorcycle publication with an audited circulation guaranteeing our status as the largest selling motorcycle publication). CYCLE WORLD is also still the best bargain to our advertisers as the cost per thousand readers is the lowest in the industry.
Our total number of pages of advertising continues to average over 100% more than our nearest competitor, a magazine that has been established for over ten years, and still incorrectly claims itself to be world's largest, and the number of pages in the magazine itself continues to be the largest in number of editorial as well as advertising in our field. Additionally. we feel we are publishing the best magazine from which the motorcycle rider has to choose; the latest news; definitive and honest road tests; technical dissertations of interest and value to all motorcyclists; scooter tests, trail tests, mini-bike tests, lightweight motorcycle tests, etc., to satisfy the enthusiasts of the most specialized two-wheeled vehicles, written by experts; all of the national and international racing news of significance; travel; humor; industry news, etc., and much, much more. And, like we said last year when celebrating our first birthday, we have just begun.
NEW AMA RULES
October saw the annual meeting of the American Motorcycle Association's Competition and Technical Committees, held this year in Las Vegas. A repeat feature was the “public forum" section of the meeting, though it w'ould be far more successful a feature if more of the “public” were invited to attend. Only a handful of voices from the “outside world” were present, among them the well-known racer Neil Keen, National No. 10. Keen, representing the professional racing fraternity in the form of Motorcycle Racers Inc., presented a lengthy list of criticisms and suggestions, most of which were very sound.
Most visitors merely gave pleasant greetings to the session and little was accomplished. CYCLE WORLD’S Editor asked why we have such poor international motorcycling representation and posed a question concerning the abolishment of the 500cc overhead valve vs. 750cc side valve rule; both were sidelined.
Several significant rules, changes, and new proposals were made during the week, the most important of which, in my opinion. were; streamlining to be allowed in all road racing classes; a new National point system that is far more liberal to each of the various types of racing than was the old system: the creation of a new National Championship point fund that will award cash to the top 20 finishers in National standings with 25% going to Number One; to allow women to compete in Sportsman events; the creation of an unlimited side car road racing class; to allow the use of rear brakes at Ascot Park flattrack events, a step in the right direction; it is folly to think that it is safer to run without brakes in any form of racing; elimination of the rider/owner rule in Formula “C” racing; limitation of novices to 250cc machines in all events including flat track, road racing, short track, and at last, TT’s; and probably the most significant of all, the creation of a new “Unlimited” road racing class that indicates the AMA is at last considering the obvious growth in popularity and success of road racing around the country as being an important trend.
The new, experimental-for-1964 Unlimited Class will allow the promotion of races for any machine, I stress any machine, as this is such a radical departure from the past. Though a built-in clause forbids the running of such an event in conjunction with a Class C event, it nonetheless opens the door to the running of AMA road races that would allow Manx Nortons, G-50 Matchless, AJS 7-R, 750cc ohv machines, etc. The basic rules require that the machines be “motorcycles manufactured by motorcycle manufacturers, no restriction on the make, design or type of motorcycle.’’ We are extremely happy to see this class, though we would like to see it be allowed to run in the same program with championship road racing but certainly see their reasons for not allowing it. Though classed as “Sportsman” events, a minimum purse of $1,000 is granted; we certainly hope the race promoters of the U.S. will take up the gauntlet as this opens the door for the type of road racing I think will revolutionize the sport in this country. Classes are 5()cc any type, 51cc to I25cc, 126cc to 25()cc, 251cc to 500cc ohv and 750cc sv (we should have known), 501cc ovh - 90()cc and 751cc sv - 900cc sv.
Five-speed gearboxes were approved for machines up to 25()cc displacement, if they are advertised as production on the machines with 25 or more being manufactured; no change was voted in the ridiculus ban on the Matchless G-50 frame rule.
It was pointed out that the Federation Internationale Motorcyclist chose to align with MICUS (Motorcycle International Committee. U.S.). rather than the AMA, thus temporarily halting any possible international affiliation for motorcycling in the U.S. with our largest cycling body. The AMA has stated to several reliable sources that they do not object to their riders competing in American Federation of Motorcycling (AFM) events, yet they made it well known that any AMA rider competing in the forthcoming USMC (United States Motorcycle Club) FIMsanctioned Daytona International road races would be banned from the AMA event scheduled for one month later. It strikes us that if the AMA claims they are able to co-exist with one group, why can they not do the same for any group whose aims are virtually identical? This should be particularly true since the USMC Daytona is the only International event being held in this country, is a part of the International road racing World's Championship, and could be one of the most important racing events in the U.S.
Although the USMC Daytona races are usually poorly attended, and many say should not be designated as true International events, they are indeed International, and the only ones so designated. We are a bit forced to do with what we have, and we have the USMC Daytona, so it should be supported. I sincerely hope the AMA will not be so unwise as to ban riders who choose to enter our only world standing event.
SCOOTER TOUR GROUP
I recently had the pleasure of meeting with, and speaking to, a group that organized not too long ago for the purpose of promoting touring by scooters. Called the California Scootourist Club, it is headed by Frank Lee, President, and located at 1217% Cypress Ave., Los Angeles 65, California. Though interested primarily in touring, the group is also interested in affecting legislation aimed at restricting scooters, promoting group activities for scooter enthusiasts and promoting the sport in general.
Among their many plans is a massive scooter tour from the west coast to New York to the forthcoming World’s Fair next year; we are advised that any scooter riders interested in joining the tour will be welcomed. During the month of October this year, the club staged an event almost every weekend. Rarely do we find clubs with more enthusiasm for their sport.
Guest speakers at the meeting, including myself of course, were Bill Berry, Executive Secretary of the American Motor Scooter Association; Mr. Ray Cotton, Western representative for Lambretta, and Mr. Fred Bailey, a professional cameraman interested in making a promotional movie of the proposed tour to New York. We urge any scooter enthusiasts interested in joining an organization that is truly working towards the betterment of scooters to contact them. •
