25 Years Ago November, 1975

25 YEARS AGO NOVEMBER, 1975

Fads, they come and they go. Take automatic transmissioned dirtbikes: Back in July, 1975, CW featured the Rokon RT340 Enduro, and this month the 340 MXII motocrosser was front and center. Garnering editorial accolades for its plush suspension, the 256-pound automatic was nonetheless deemed too heavy for real MX duty. “On the other hand,” editors maintained, “this bike would make an ideal desert sled.”

• Alas, the MXII didn’t stand the test of time as successfully as, say, Suzuki’s RM250. Erstwhile staffers sampled the 250 and its 370cc counterpart at a local motocross track, and then proclaimed them to be “one helluva promising package.” Coincidentally, current Off-Road Editor Jimmy Lewis rode an RM370 in last month’s “Dirt Cheap" feature. • Ever the well-rounded magazine, this issue saw then-andnow CW contributor Joe Scalzo pen a behind-the-scenes look at Yamaha’s racing effort; Senior Editor D. Randy Riggs gave readers a taste of touring through “California’s Mother Lode Country” aboard a Honda CB750; and racing coverage highlighted future three-time 500cc World Champion Kenny Roberts’ dominance at Laguna Seca.

• Finally, because CW is nothing if not on the cutting edge of fashion, a feature mimicking an interoffice memo detailed the Bates LeatherMates apparel line. Staffers (some of whom are still around) modeled the chic togs.

Wendy F. Black