10th Annual Cycle World Show
10th Annual Cycle World Show
JOE PARKHURST
EASTER WEEKEND. The Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena. Bright, sunny, smogless for a change. Tens of thousands of motorcycle and car buffs again swarmed the circular hall to see the CYCLE WORLD Motorcycle Show. CW’s show is the largest and most glamorous of its kind in the world. Customs, track and road racers, toys of famous riders, exquisite creations of the custom freaks and three-wheelers in unbelievable forms filled the arena.
The major distributors were showing their latest models. Honda gave the public its first look at the new 125cc four-stroke trials bike and allowed the International Trials Association the use of several for the CYCLE WORLD trials course outside the arena. Several thousand budding Sammy Millers took a whack at the artificial obstacles built by members of the ITA and came away raving about the new Honda.
Glittering customs and choppers in staggering arrays of color were again the stars of the show, yet more emphasis was placed on off-road and competition and classic bikes. Most customs are highly impractical, and some downright dangerous to ride, but all are fun to look at.
Yamaha International gave the public a good look at its new machines, and a very close scrutiny of Saarinen’s Daytona winning 350, sitting alongside Kenny Robert’s tracker. Norton Villiers beautiful display sat astride the entrance to the show, its traditional spot. Dave Aldana’s Daytona Norton was there, but all the conversation centered around Peter William’s monocoque Daytona bike that had just won the Easter weekend match races in England.
Off-road bikes were more prevalent, but not as many came as the CW staff wanted. For 1974 CW will create a special class for off-road and dual purpose bikes and give a very special trophy to the winner. Trophies were quite different this year. Bob Walters in Newport Beach created handsome ceramic statues for each of the ten major classes. Best Show Custom went to “Mr. Slow Poke;” Best Street Custom Show was Norm Butler’s 1969 Triumph; Best Street Custom was Corky Wood’s ’65 Plarley-Davidson chopper; Best Competition went to Don Vesco’s Bonneville streamliner, still the world’s fastest gasoline powered motorcycle. It graced the main entrance, alongside of Butler & Smith’s Daytona BMW. Best non-bike powered three-wheeler was Ernie Belcher’s Ford Cobra based beauty. The best bike powered three-wheeler was Steve Kephart’s Harley-Davidson creation. Paul Wheeler showed the most beautiful Harley sidecar one could find, winning the sidecar class easily. Thanks to Doug Bingham and the Sidehack Association more sidehacks were on display than ever. Road racers, motocrossers, desert hacks and street rigs totaled almost 30. A new sidecar group, the American Sidecar Assn., brought several outfits as well. The best in the unrestored antique class was George Baker’s 1918 Sunbeam, looking like it was two or three years old. Best antique was the 1929 Cleveland owned by Jerry De Mille. The bike won the same class in the 1972 CW show, as well. Paul Madigan brought several bikes, arranging them in such a way that he received the best display award. The layout featured a pair of Velocettes, a Norton and a Brough Superior. The 350 Velocette in the display won the best antique competition trophy.
For 1973 we called the sweepstakes award (for the best bike in the show), the Editor’s trophy. Mr. Wes Stoll’s unbelievable 1939 BSA was the winner. A more perfectly restored bike would be hard to find anywhere. CW also gave an award for best paint job, which was won by Hugo Nunez. Mike Wright’s stanchions around his VW three-wheeler were voted the best in the show. The Honda engine in Mike Patanini’s bike was regarded the best in the show. A final award for the best use of flowers in a display was given to Don Orr.
Downstairs in the arena the Trident’s custom car show was wailing away with its bizarre and gaudy array of weird vehicles. Vans seem to be the biggest fad these days with interiors surely done by Liberace. CYCLE WORLD showed off its new and dazzling booth with a 30-ft. wall of color and action, designed by Leo Bestgen. If awards were given for the best commercial booth we would have had a hard time not giving it, with all due modesty, to ourselves.
