Motoring and Cycling Notes.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 21 October 1911, Page 4

Motoring and Cycling Notes.

(From the Dunlop Rubber Company). The fifth annual Victorian Cycle Traders' 100 Miles Road Race was ■held on Saturday week, and produced a splendid contest. The race - held over a. triangular course from Rssendon to Lanceiield, thence across to Carlsru-he and back to Kssendon via Woodend and Gisborne --- was won by L. Clarke (off 28inin) from J. Beasley (9min) and H. Donald (17min). The dinner's time was "> hr 23min 32sec. Fastest time was established b\ D. Kirkham (scr.), who finished fourteenth and covered the "century' 'in shr linin -l.sec. Kirkham is riding in wonderful form just now. and only a fortnight back ho scored second and fastest time in the N.S.W. Dunh>i> Road Race from Goulburn to Sydney. Moth the winner and Kirkham rode Dunlops. The event attracted a. bigfield, 212 riders facing tho starter, ont of Whom about 150 will receive, time medallions for covering the 100 miles in (ihr. 15min. or under.

In a recent motor cycle petrol consumption trial held at Glasgow, a remarkable achievement was accomplished by the winner, whose performance was equal to covering 277 miles to a gallon, and that on a. 3J h.p. engine, which weighed well under 312 lbs. This is surely a record!

A six clays' motor cycle reliability trial .has .just boon successfully concluded in England ovor a. distance of .1012 miles, aijd as a result of the returns the average touring motor cycle Appears to be deficient in two respects, viz., the necessity of proper arrangement for control of ignition and the fitting of stronger and larger-sized rims to wheels. As regards the former, it was found that on many of the steep and rough bills that Iliad to bo ridden under observation during tlio trial, riders in many instances dared not let go the handle'bar to retard ignition when the engine was knocking for fear of falling, tlie consequence being thiit several ridcis lost gold medals simply because they did not have the control mounted on the lirandlobar from which point the spark can bo easily manipulated without trouble. On the second point, many of the competitors badly dented their rims and consequently had tyro trouble. Roth these points are of particular interest to motor cyclists in this country, in fact these two deficiencies are very apparent on most of the motor cycles seen on 'our roads.