In my first column I covered a lot of topics, including how STREET CHOPPER came about and how I joined the staff. In discussing the magazine's title, I mentioned that Ed "Big Daddy" Roth had launched his own pamphlet called Chopper, which stopped McMullen from using it as the title of his cycle magazine. No hard feelings; Tom just simply added "Street" and moved on like nothing had happened. The reason I know this to be true was an article published in the January 1969 issue of STC: "Grudge Racing, Trike Style!" A number of you picked up on my mentioning this article and asked for more details. See, we do pay attention to those e-mails.
Looking back on this article and the 1969 issue of STREET CHOPPER brought back memories, especially now that Tom McMullen and Ed Roth are forever gone. I can't ask them, but I still think this Grudge Race had a lot to do with promoting both careers at a time they were still young entrepreneurs. Follow along as I quote the article and how they promoted this event!
Here we are, ladies and gentlemen, at the beautiful Orange County Raceway awaiting the onslaught of Big Daddy Roth's 'Candy Wagon' versus AEE Choppers' 'Trike.' The event that led to this battle for supremity (sic) started at the Long Beach Car Show where Big Daddy was proudly displaying his just-finished three-wheeler. Along with his Candy Wagon, Big Daddy had a sign posted in a most conspicuous place, challenging AEE Choppers to a race to Milwaukee, Wis.; the Trike against the Candy Wagon. Well, AEE wasn't at that particular show, so they didn't get the message. Not one to let sleeping dogs lie, Big Daddy again broadcasted his challenge, this time using Cycle News. He got a mite more insulting this time, insinuating that the Trike was a groovy show piece, but couldn't cut the mustard as a usable machine.
This time AEE got the message and also got some ruffled feathers. One of the facts they are proudest of is that they build usable street machines, no matter how wild they happen to look. They were so riled they returned Big Daddy's challenge via Cycle News. AEE thought there should be a real test to prove who the better street machine was. They wanted a three part contest, a speed and braking test, a cross-country endurance run, and freeway cruising and city traffic test."
"Flash, Big Daddy Roth challenges AEE Trike.
Big Daddy's 350 pound, 45 CID Harley flathead engine was no match for Tom McMullen's Corvair-powered Trike, even though it weighed in at a hefty 750 pounds. Tom put the Trike up onto the wheelie bars for impressive 1/4-mile passes. They called the hairy brake tests a draw with Roth's Harley matching Tom's skidding Corvair. Then they hit the open roads.
"Both bikes were performing admirably and it looked like things were going to be pretty dull. About this time, Tom made a pit stop. Big Daddy being human, had grown kind of tired of the same old monotonous side-by-side running so he thought he'd see how far he could get before the Trike caught him again. As soon as the Trike had been gassed up Tom went charging after Roth. He was really bound and determined to squelch this display of independence, so he cut off the road and took and uncharted route through the wilderness, determined to beat Roth off at the pass. This proved to be a fiasco, 'cause just short of the highway, some boggy, ditchy ditches hung up the Trike. Big Daddy really helped out a buddy in trouble. He just laughed and pointed as he cruised by." Magazine photos both staged and real documented their ride all the way including the patented "policeman pulling us over" picture.
"With sufficient courage having been showed on the part of both riders, they moved off the freeways and down onto the city streets, both confident that they had what it takes to survive this particular wilderness. After sufficient hours of this kind of torture testing, both riders succumbed to battle fatigue and called the contest a draw. Both were satisfied that either machine is a worthy street machine, capable of negotiating under normal street conditions, the only concession was that the Trike would be quicker at getting out of the way of a woman driver pulling out in front of you. Things like that!"
Roth and McMullen went on to become successful businessmen, and the Great Trike Race may have just played a role in launching these two careers. No doubt both men had a fascination with three wheelers long before they came and went in popularity. Later, Steve