Motor-Cycle— Test Trial

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 123, 15 August 1927, Page 10

Motor-Cycle— Test Trial

LONG RELIABILITY RUN A rather unusual reliability test conducted by the Sports Motor-Cycle Club during the week-end attracted 40 competitors. The trial was promoted to test the reliability of the competitor’s motor-cycles, the judgment and skill of riders, and to generally impress on club members the necessity for observing all by-laws and motor regulations. The first machine left the Civic Square at 1.45 p.m. on Saturday, one hour behind schedule time, the riders being sent off in pairs at one-minute intervals. No indication was given to competitors how marks would be deducted except that they would have to ride according to schedule. The first check was on the Bombay Hill, where riders dismounted and touched a red flag on the side of the road. Actually five tests were observed unknown to the riders. A time check was imposed at Pokeno and also at Cambridge, where the night was spent. On the first 100 miles two riders had dropped out, one failure being due to tyre trouble. The long. 150-miles drive was commenced at seven o’clock yesterday morning, practically all riders arriving in Te Arolia on time. Once out on the Hauraki Plains the travelling was very good, and, with one exception, no trouble was encountered before the luncheon stop at Ngatea. E. Richards and W. Merrett mistook a turning, and in the confusion their machines touched, with the result that Richards was thrown into a drain. He escaped injuries, although his machine suffered severely. The first machine arrived at .the home check, in the Domain at 2.40 p.m. and the last one at 5.30 p.m. The inspectors then took charge of the machines to examine them for mechanical defects. The results are not yet available.