MOTOR CYCLING AT WAIKANAE

Shannon News, 5 August 1927, Page 2

MOTOR CYCLING AT WAIKANAE

102 MILES AN HOUR ON BEACH. WELLINGTON # CLUB 'S VISIT. ♦ During the week-end the Wellington Motor and Cycle Club made a trip to Waikanae, where a speed test was hold on the beach. A mile was measured out on the beach, an electrical timer beingused for the first time in New Zealand. Despite the fact that thousand was wet in places and the speeds a little slower in consequence, the times recorded by several of the competitors were the best for their class ever registered in New Zealand. Although Harry Manghani has been credited with 111 miles on the the New Brighton beach, these times were not electrically timed, and therefore are not recognised. Maugham's best effort for the flying mile at Waikanae was equal to 102.27 miles per hour, which is the fastest man has travelled in New Zealand on the land to date. A faster speed might have been achieved had there been a little longer distance in which to get moving, and as Manghani's motor was packing a high gear it is probable that his speed on passing the post must have been considerably in excess of the time registered. Manghani made hi%, first effort, and was riding so low on his machine that he missed«the cotton at the finishing post, the result being that ae had-to make a second try. The next time he made doubly sure, and on passing the post took one hand off the handles and raised it in the air, thus making certain of breaking the cotton. To ride a motor-cycle at anything near a hundred miles an hour is a feat that very few r of us would care to undertake, but to let go of the handle-bars when doing such a speed is an act that calls for more than ordinary norvo.

The next fastest competitor w r as E. Barrett, on a Super-X, who, although, only a novice as far as speed is concerned, registered 92.7 S miles per hour, which is quite a. good, effort for so young a rider. A little incident which happened to Barret may be interesting to our readers. When the cotton it caught him across the face, causing a nasty gash, but this little accident did not deter him from making another attempt.

"Tui" Morgan and "Ginger" Southwood had quite an interesting contest on machines, with Morgan proving the shade faster. He covered the mile at 79 miles per hour, while Southw.ood's time was 78.6. Both these times are the fastest ever registered in New Zealand by a 2% horse-power machine.

Tim Wilkinson, on a Harley-David-son and sidecar, gave an interesting display of a machine with standard forks, and coming along the beach to the finishing point his machine was fairly leaping over the ground. The time registered was 75.26 miles an hour, which is also the fastest time ever recorded in New Zealand for a sidecar machine.

The day itself was a m.ost enjoyable one, and attracted a large crowd to the beach. There is every prospect that * at an early date the club will make another run to the beach, when several interesting events will be staged. The run back to Wellington was enjoyed by everyone, Detailed results are as follows:

H. Mangham, 7-9 h.p. Harlev-David-son, 35 l-ssec, 102.27 m.p.h. E. Barrett, 5-fi h.p., Super X, 38 4-5 sec, 92.78 m.p.h.

H. Morgan, 2 J h.p. Harlev-Davidson, 4a 3-osec, 79 m.p.h. L. Southwood, 2f h.p. A.J.S., 45 4-5 sec, 78.6 m.p.h. T. Wilkinson, Harlev-Davidson, sidecar, 46sec, 78.26 m.p.h." H. Leppein, 23 h.p. Harley-Davidson, 46 1-osec, 77.9 m.p.h. F. Brandeis, 3J h.p. Norton. sfisec, 69.2 m.p.h. *