PILLION RIDING ON MOTORCYCLES.

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2729, 25 March 1916, Page 14

PILLION RIDING ON MOTORCYCLES.

Sir, —Prom reading some of the letters in TheDou/nion under the above heading, ono caimot help being imprssed by' the evidence of maudlin decay of the British nation that has leaked out over this pillion riding controversyWe have already proved ourselves sufficiently decadcnt without having to resort to the abolition of sport on the grounds that it might be dangerous to the participant. Nearly all our internal troubles are the on (come of wealc administra?tion and lack of initiative and general shirking of intricate questions. _ If it had not been for the wee bit stiffening of the backbone by siwrt flavouring of danger to the participant, wo would have found ourselves in a queer moss now. Wo may thank God this war has proved our young: men to be sports to the backbone. It has been an awakening to the nation, one that will bring about a ii'osli effort to strenuously maintain ourselves in the future. It is the olemont of risk in sport that gives tho necessary exhilaration. I wonder how aeroplaning would appeal to "Experienced Motor-Cyclist" I love to see our girls motoring and pillion riding. It promises well for tho nation's future. I have not tried it, but could believe it to be exhilarating. Limit the pace in crowded thoroughfares if you iike.— I am, etc., OF THE OLD SCHOOL. Wellington, March 24, 1916.

Sir, —Re "Experienced Motor Cylist's" letter in Friday's Dominion, I would like to point nut tliat his experience is probably the most romantic out of the many hundreds of motorcycle riders in this city. Ho states, on his personal experience, that carrying passengers on the carrier is a dangerous practice. He evidently judges the abilities of other ridera by his own. He points out that while carrying a passenger 011 the carrier he has not proper control over Iho st.oo.rims of his machine ; probably a little adjustment to the head of his machine would provo to him that it is there his trouble lies, not at the rear. While leaving our correspondent to affect this adjustment, I would lileo to mention that a notice, recently. appeared in one of iho looal

papers giving an account of a successful contest held in America, for tho purpose of selecting tho best stylo of Beat to bo fitted to the carriers of roo-tor-cyclcs. This test was carried out at a high rate of spaed which proved tho stability and safety of tho machines under these conditions. I would liko lo ask your correspondent if he, before Inserting his letter in The Dominion, obtained tho opinion of the many other motor-cyclists in this city, and if ha did so, can ho truthfully state that their opinions agree with his own? Thank' Ing you for valuable space in your paper, —I am, etc., _ _ NOT A SIDE-OAR DEALER.