Cycling and Motoing Notes

Horowhenua Chronicle, 11 October 1915, Page 2

Cycling and Motoing Notes

i!'rom the Dunlop Itubber Company of Australasia, lor tiie week 1 ending 2nd October, 1915.

it is now common knowledge that once a magneto is litted to a cai' or motor cycle, and accurately timed the ignition will practically look alter 'tscli, and there .is really very Jittle >n

die nature of hints that can .be given as necessary as to its treatment 'Hie only part vl the magneto that may require attention in the shape oi' adjustment is the make-and-break; it is not an exaggeration to slate that this will not be necessary oltener than once in every 1,000 miles; many motorists only attend to tin's once during 4000 to •jOOO miles. The adjustment is quite a. simple operation viz. that of loosening a tiny nut with a special spanner supplied by the makers oi the magneto and giving a platinum tipped screw a half-turn, so tJiat the actual break or gap between the two contracts is not greater .than iiiim.. and as an aid to getting tliis correct the magneto makers supply a gauge that will just lit in the gap when it is correctly set. Re platinum points, the surface ol the platinum points may require trimming; il any nil gets on the points there may be some slight ''pitting" but this can be removed by drawing a slip of fine emery paper between the platinums whilst they are pressed together. II tins «s not sufficient the trimming can be done with a special file, very thin and of line cut; it is known as a contact file.

The representative ol a big American linn, which is supplying an excellent car at a reasonable price, recently (slated that JiiiS Company did not .>tand to make any net proiit until the out))Ut reached close 0,11 100,000 cars per annum. When people in England, .-ays the u T\lotor .News" (English) talk about competing with the American makers, they fail to realise the great difficulty in the way 01-.doing so. Unless a very large output can be assured, ii is useless making the attempt, 'there are not enough motorists in Ureal: Britain to render (such an output possible, but even if there were tliey would Id- ii}) against another ditliculty. The majority of British buyers will not as a rule buy a- new car wliicli is more or less an unknown make; they would rather select a make which has proved its worth, and are prepared to pay a higher price lor it. On the other hand it is by 110 means uncommon lor linns who had noxev been in business before to start in America on the most ambitious scale and provide for quite a large output in the first year. Th\s would be impossible' in Kngland. It appears, that the Americans are not shy about purchasing h new make. No doubt this is partly due To the fact that American practice is more or h":s (•omiiion property. The capitali-Ts wh" start such a husiness take care to .-m-I good men. and from the experience ol others they know exactly the material which is most .suitable, and the devgn which will give the best all-round results; that is to say, wluch is the best adapted for being .produced by . ;:...-

mafic machinery vo as to keep down con(;.. and which will at tho Mine lime embody more or less standard practice, so that it - -c-.-i 11 bo lairly ivcll robed upon to -live satisfaction. The Kuglisli buy or who cannot aliord a high class l'.rii • Mi oar soom.s to adopt a somewhat similar attitude when it comes to pitfohaising American core, for it, is noticeable iliat types which were aTmost unknown in this country have sold well immediately alter being introduced.

There is Jio doubt that the matter ol horn-blowing by motorists is one that ncctU .some consideration *>n the part ol' many drivers. The best pi.au is t-o sound the horn early a net quietly, m order to give ample notice ol' one'is approach. J!' the horn is blown suddenly at the last moment it is apt to have a demoralising effect on the pedestrian, and cause, liini to perl or m involuntary and unexpected movements. It .should he realised that many people are sti'l nervous and uncertain in traffic and to avoid accident no drver .should take it lor granted that other road users will adopt the right and proper course, hut should fio have his car in hand. a.s to he ready for any emergency.

The motor cycle side-car has opened up many fields of usefulness. One of the latest applications in America is that of applying it to street cleaning. In front of the side ear is a steel brush, which may be depressed so as to bring it into contact -witch the pavement. The brush then scrapes and loosens up the dirt, so that the rotary broom which is immediately behind can sweep "t up. A handle is attached to the .side of the driver's seat. When this is raised the broom is lowered into coiltact •with the pavement and caused to rotate. When the handle is lowered, th? broom rotating mechanism is thrown out of operation. A machine of this type is particularly adapted for use on streets paved with asphalt or with wood. These macliineis have been tried in "Washington, and have proved very ellieiont.

The Amateur Cycling Championship of l-lie world was recently decided in America, and resulted in a win for H. Ohrt. The heate of the -world's professional classic •were won by Kramer, Liiwson, and Kaiser of America; Gotillet, Grenda, McNamara. and .Spears, til Australia. The last-named rider '« now leading Kramer two po : nt.s for the championship. Two Italians in Yerri and Moretti. also qualified. The final -will probably be won by Kramer . r fiou.llct. Tlie last named rider is now leading Kramer by two points for the A morican championship.

A comfortable Uicycle saddle, like a thing of beauty, is a joy for ever. Every wise cvclist is aware of this fact, yet

there are multitudes oi pedallers who are not enjoying cycling to the full for the reason that they have not taken sufficient care in the selection of this most important feature Of their mach ines. They are content to take what is offered with a now machine and to endure discomforts which may easily lie avoided. In like manner many cyclists put up with pedals which are too narrow to accomodate the full width of their shoes, and so suffer their pedalling to be uneasy and fatiguing, and themselves to become tagged long before their comrades w'ho are wiser in their generation. Vet comfortable saddles are not as some would have us oolievc, as rare as ruoies, and it is quite easy to obtain pedals to suit individual requirements, at the time a new machine, is purchased. Having once obtained a comfortable saddle, however, the wise cyclist regards it as the valuable possession it really is. Even if the machine to which it is attached changes hands, the sad-'lie is not included in the bargain. a saddle does not become comfortable all at once, (ioncrally it has to oe put through a hroakiilg ill precess belore it acquires that decree of cnmlort which makes ii- too valuable to he parted with lightly. Xo cyclist can put up easily a decent daily mileage on a saddle whicli has uncomfortable features, and a practised rider finds his capacity for endurance much reduced if misfortune compels him to do a jonrney on a saddle \i> which he is not used. A comfortablo saddle, therefore, is perhaps the only thing with which a man should not part when selling his old machine. It is economy lo let the purchaser have » v.ew saddle in itcj place.

Cyclists in this country will be 'nturcsted to loam Unit Laiuinbcrg the man who was responsible for I'loyd .MacFarinie'fe death in America, lias been acquitted on a charge oi manslaughter. MacKarlane, who was one ul' the ablest I'lid cleverest racing cyclists in the world, raced with considerable success in Australia some year.s back. During later years lie acted as a teams and track manager, and it was in the latter (■•ipacfty that he met his death. MacKarlane and L'antinberg had a dispute and during a scuffle ilie popular American rider was struck on the liead with n screwdriver, dentil supervening. .MacKarlane died a wealthy man.

It is reported that the proposed Kngliish duty 3IV, per cent, on imported motorcars etc. will result, in a revenue of CI ,150,000. This may seem a big amount, but recent ligures showing imports of American motor goods into Kngland prove thaC an enormous num,.er of cars and commercial voiiicif-s have been shipped to Kngland. The ".Motor Trader" (Kng) in touching upon the big increase 111 the import ol American cars into Kngland, says: 't should be noted that the bulk of its tceinnigly largo value is due to industrial vehicles, probably at least twoliiirds of which are .State purchases, and laeivlore outside tile scope of private cavil. Latest returns (covering U months show an increase at the rate ol •J. 780 per cent in industrial vehicles ox-ported-not all of them to Great Brit-ain-while for .\fay (Jreal Britain imported 4,030 of 7.2J7 t.S.A. vehicle* o\ both sorts exported. The proportion of cars is not given separately but ol the gross export-/ .217 vehiclos_,l2o were in the industrial category, ;,nd 1821 listed as cars; their monetary values being nearly two to one in favour of the industrial import. For the deven months period, the pross export litres wore for 1014. 20.32! -ears and (101 commercial vehicles, and for 1010. 10,102 cars, and 11.000 vehicles. The „,nv traiff will give the English motor manufacturers a much needed protectj <m . f„r whilst most 01 the large 0011- ( . ( ,, ns are busy on munitions, and doing w „rk for the war office, the Americans have, been taking their trade, thereby leaving them a poor business outlook at the finish of the war. The staff duty „{ 33\ per cent will do much to protect the English motor industry, which is at present incapable 6i protecting its own interests, being engaged ill national work. The next show ol' tin* llorowheiiua A. .„„! I>. Association will Do held on the last Wednesday of January. 1010.