Central California Classic Cycle Club
6375 N Sharon, Fresno Ca 93710
President and Newsletter Editor - Bob Miller gjm14@fresno.com
phone (559) 447-0795

January 2002 Newsletter

Darryl Does Dual-Sport
C's has again teamed up with the boys at D&D Bike Barn. Darryl Alcorn has pre-run
the ride and says it is around 60 miles of mostly fire roads with a few trails and
roads thrown for good measure. It will take around two and a half to three hours to
ride. He says that there are some real great views so bring your camera. We will end
up back in Midpines for lunch at the Hostel, a trippy place for free spirits and
bikers. You can get a sandwich for 5 bucks or soup, sandwich and drink for 7 bucks.
Or bring your own lunch. The hostel is very informal. For the true dualsports in the
group you may want to ride there, go on the ride and then ride home. For the rest of
us put you bike in the back of your truck and meet at the corner of Hwy. 41 and 145
at 8:30 in the morning. If your not sure where you are going then follow the group.
 The weather lately has been really nice above the fog. When Darryl pre-rode the
ride he had to strip off a couple of layers because he got too hot! In the past the
weather has been great up there when lousy down here. Be there January 20 (not 21
last month was a misprint.) If you need a ride for your bike and yourself up there
give Bob Miller a call. 447-0795

Friday Night at the Movies "Flat Track Style"
On Friday February 15 C's will be flippin burgers and dogs on the grill at Dan and
Kathy Rouit's museum in Clovis. We have upgraded our menu so come around 6 pm. for dinner and the movies will start around 7 pm.
    Prado Park. It is a Wide World of Sports program that was made in the early
60's. One of the commentators is Bud Eakins. Some of the bikes in this race are BSA
Goldstars so that will give you an idea when it took place. the other movie is Glory
Days a history of American motorcycling. It was made in 1987 with Dave Despain. and
covers from Board track racing up to the then current racing. come on and make a
full evening of it. With plenty of time to relive the glory days, food and movies it
should be fun.
   I talked to the new people who are going to put on Hanford this year and they say
it will probably be on May 18. That means the flattrack museum's open house would be
on May 19. Mark your calendars and leave that weekend open for massive amounts of
motorcycle fun.

Changes at BMW of Fresno!
 After 16 years, Robert Caruthers has sold the local BMW Motorcycle shop. The new
owner, Jack Harwood signed on the dotted line late December. Jack and his wife Lisa
are local folks and long time Motorcyclists! Those that attended our Woodward Park
show and shine may have seen Jacks' immaculate Kawasaki Z1 on display.  He has made numerous 2 wheeled  trips throughout Mexico and is very fond of his BMW R100GS.
   During the transition time, Robert will be on hand to help out in the service
department then he and Martha will do some traveling abroad. Stop by the shop at
4646 N. Blackstone to meet Jack, have a cup of coffee, and watch for the regular BMW
shop rides that will be departing from BMW of Fresno. The first one was Dec. 30th
and though a little damp, was a GREAT time!
   Al Madril and Steve Collier will be there as always to assist  you in Parts and
Service respectively.

New Biker Rag
   A new monthly free newspaper you can pick up at bike dealers is Valley Bike Rag.
Aimed at the cruiser crowd I picked one up last month. I talked to the girl in
charge, Miss Michelle Dayton and sent in a little history on C's It should be in the
next issue, January.  In the future look for a piece on Dan and Kathy Rouit's
flat-track museum.

I'm a Biker!?
Growing up my biking buddies and me started out on small Japanese bikes. From there
we got bigger bikes and started racing local flattrack and roadracing. Back then I
never considered my self a "Biker." To me bikers were those greasy Harley guys that
drank too much and raised hell. Looking back it seems you could have substituted
"Jap Bike" for Harley and we would have fit right in.
 We Considered ourselves "Enthusiasts", or racers. All of our energy, efforts and
money went to our passion, our bikes. When we weren't riding we were working on our
bikes, getting ready for a race, planning a trip or working to buy another bike. My
friends and I had no interests in life other than motorcycles. I remember having a
sales brochure and a magazine article on a little Yamaha that I drooled over for
many months until my parents caved in and let me buy it. After that I had a string
of bikes that I would buy, ride and sell. Only to do it again.
 My Best friend Al got a student loan to go to college and he took the check
directly to Guests Yamaha on McKinley and bought a 1970 Yamaha 650. The people who gave him the loan were a little upset.
 Our motorcycles were more than just transportation. Our whole identity was wrapped
up in them. On the several occasions that I crashed I can remember getting up off
the ground and running, well maybe limping over to my bike and inspecting the damage
to my bike then worrying about myself. Hey, skin grows back but bike parts cost
money!
  For a very short period of time I worked at Mathews Harley Davidson back in the
AMF bad old days. It was my duty every morning to mop up under the new hogs on the
showroom floor. After a long weekend it looked like the Exxon Valdez had run aground
in the showroom. Needless to say this didn't improve my image of the v-twins from
Milwaukee.
   But a lot of oil has gone through the crankcase since then and things have
changed. Harley's are quality bikes now and the line has blurred with Jap v-twins
assembled in the good old USA and many of the parts on Harley's coming from Japan.
Another factor that narrows the differences is the type of rider. Most Harley riders
have owned makes made overseas. Also a new hog can set you back 15 to 20 large or
more. Some of the H.D. faithful may complain that too many yuppies are riding
Milwaukee iron but I bet the factory isn't complaining.
   So I guess over time my definition has changed as to who I am. Yes I am a Biker
and I always will be. If I have to ride a certain brand to be a biker then I
probably always be one of the unwashed heathens let loose to give the true believers
someone to complain about.
 Since 7/11 the difference in what kind of bike a person rides seems small and
insignificant. The next time you see a bike coming the other way, why not wave, then
see what kind of bike it is.

Memories of the Ditch Bank.
By Jim Camack
   Wintertime in Fresno, as a kid in the mid 60's we got up early on a frozen foggy
morning and hopped on our machines. In my case a Honda S-90. I would meet my friends with other S-90's, Ossa's and a 85cc Kawasaki J1. I lived on Dry Creek, we would follow it behind the old Valley Childresn Hospital and hop on the canal and hear out to the airport where we raced around the old ammo bunkers. We thought the bunkers were hill climbs. I am sure a lot rode around this airport area. The Ossa kids
father was a fireman at the airport so we never had any trouble. If you know what I
mean?
   Then we ventured out across Clovis ave. to Fairfield corners at Academy and
McKinley ave for a snack and gas. On the way back we usually cruised the country
roads back up to the Gould canal and hit the really cool riding area the Tarpey
Village guys had at the Peach and Ashland area. Remember the old farm house before
the ponding basin was there? Before Ashland ran through to Peach let alone through
to Minnewawa. As a kid this was a hot riding area and I met a lot of other
motorcyclist over there. I also lost a lot of hide there!
   Five or six years later I would race my Kawasaki 500 triple almost every weekend
down where Dakota T-boned Peach. Wasn't that just a bitchen drag strip? Damn Dave
had a fast purple Dodge with a 413. I still miss my friend Steve who had the green
Suzuki 350. He ran 12 teens with it at Rasin City when I was a senior. I could only
manage 13.20 from my flogged Kawasaki H1 500!
   Well Wilber back to that morning ride we all repeated so many times in our youth.
All of us east side boys finally found at that time the ultimate riding area, it was
at Peach and Bullard. Man that was a high-speed, dirt track, motocross, all in one
steeplechase area. You Clovis area guys had this in your own back yard. I remember
showing up there on my old brown Super 90 wearing jeans and flannel and racing
around against what I thought were real racers because they rode Greves Blowtacos,
Montesas and Huskys. I guess I should say  because they wore helmets. Never any
fights or arguments just a lot of dirt roosting fun for me.
   I also did a little riding at what we all know was a really, really cool riding
area, Lost Lake and Millerton lake before modern times.
   I worked on a lot of motocrossers through the years but except for a couple of
trips to Kettleman and a few times to the old Madera Lakes those mid sixties were my
only dirt bike rides.
If you ain't slidin, you aint ridin
P.S. We have cheated death again and again  and keep on riding the wild ride!
Jim Camack.