CYCLE AND MOTOR NOTES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 31, 19 January 1912, Page 2

CYCLE AND MOTOR NOTES.

The general opinion of the nine motor cyclists who scored full points in the recent motor cycle reliability contest from Sydney to Melbourne was that the conditions for the trial were too easy, hence there was no individual winner, the result being that the trophies donated had to ho split up amongst the nine successful contestants. Whilst it might not ho advisable to make the conditions of any future overland rides too stringent, thus perhaps frightening intending contestants, still an efficiency eliminating tost or competition should ho held at the conclusion of the ride and thus find a winner. In the ride under notice, evidence of breakage was apparent in one instance, and yet the machine received just as much kudos as those that came through without a flaw. The rider deserved every credit for bringing his mount through, but from a reliability point of view the machine was not justly entitled to full points. There is one point that should be provided for in future tests: let there he deductions for specified breakages or faults—the machines to undergo a careful examination by experts at the conclusion of the ride.

A party of South Australian motor cyclists drove from Adelaide to Melbourne and back during the Xmas and New Year holidays, and from their experiences in crossing the Coorong—the 80 miles sand desert between Meningie and Kingston (S.A.) —they do not anticipate that the motor cycle despatch carriers in the forthcoming Dunlop Relay Race between cycles, motor cycles, and motors, from Adelaide to Sydney (1149 miles) will average more than twelve to thirteen miles an hour across the Coorong. According to this estimate, the motor cyclists are likely to lose ground on the cyclists across this wild stretch of country, for in the 1910 relay race the bicycle riders averaged 111 miles an hour. Arrangements for this interesting despatch test are now being pushed forward by the Dunlop Company and the selection of cyclists and motor cyclists for the respective relays will be made at an early date.

A new twenty-four hours’ Australasian motor cycle record was established on Victorian roads last week by Mr A. Richardson, who bettered P. O’Brien’s recent performance by six miles. The new figures are 510 miles, and considering the wretched weather conditions that Richardson had to contend with the new record is a creditable one. O’Brien will make an attempt at an early date to regain the record, and is confident that (300 miles can be covered on the Victorian Western District ’roads in the full day. The Australian car record for the.day is 777 miles. Victoria, has registered 3128 motor cars and 2243 motor cycles. The total amount collected in Victoria in licenses and registration fees during 1911 was £4455, or £1371 more than in 1910.

W. Tormpy’s motor cycle record for Melbourne to Sydney, 577 miles in 34 hours 3 minutes has been lowered by J. YeCj who luiils from the Newcastle district (N.S.W.). Yeo loft the G.P.0., Melbourne, at 2 a.m. on Thursday, January 4th, and arrived in Sydney at 9.19 a.m. the following day, his full time being 31 hours 19 minutes, some 2 hours 44 minutes better than the previous figures'. Yee, who rode a 34 h.p. Triumph, lost considerable time between Gunning and Gonlburn through having to wake railway gate attendants up during the early morning hours, the practice in many places , being to lock the railway crossing during the night. As the overland route is at present in fairly good shape after the recent rains, there is every probability of several other motor cyclists making an attempt to reduce the time between the two capitals. The first try will probably be that of J. Fair (N.S.AV.), who was the first motor cyclist to establish a through record between the capitals. As Fair—who successfully competed in the recent Sydnoy-Mel-bourne Motor Cycle Reliability Con-test—-now has a better knowledge of the overland route, he is confident that with docent luck* lie can break 30 hrs for the journey. A. H. Shepherd, the well-1 mown New South Wales pace follower, last week succeeded in establishing new figures for the Australasian five miles standstart paced track record. Shepherd covered the distance on the Sydney cricket ground in 7min 15 2-5 secs, some 39 seconds better than the previous record.