MOTOR-CYCLING

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 124, 16 August 1927, Page 7

MOTOR-CYCLING

SPORTS MOTOR-CYCLE CLUB THE RELIABILITY TRIAL The 250-mile reliability trial organised by the club started from the Civic Square on Saturday. There were 40 competitors, who were dispatched in pairs at minute intervals, the last men getting away about 2 o’clock. THE FIRST CHECK The first time check was at Pokeno, 34 miles, to be ridden at an average of 22 m.p.h. R. E. Champtaloup, the A. A.A. service officer, conducted an observation check on Bombay Hill, where riders were required to dismount, touch a flag and remount, observing ordinary traffic rules, such as holding up the hand as a signal to stop and parking machine on correct side of road. Only one man got through this with a clean sheet. UNLUCKY RIDERS Early in the game misfortune overtook W. Dingle, Indian and sidecar, and he was dogged by bad luck throughout the trial. At Otahuhu his speedometer drive became entangled in the wheel, breaking half a dozen spokes and causing him to lose valuable time. The next unlucky rider was L. Crosbie, Norton, who got a puncture a few miles from Papakura, and was forced to abandon the trial, being unable to repair the tube. At Pokeno 39 riders checked in practically on time. The next check was at Cambridge, 61 miles, average riding speed 25 m.p.h. Here all competitors spent the night. POKENO TO CAMBRIDGE The unlucky ones on this section were W. Dingle, who picked up a piece of rusty iron in his rear tyre, just beyond Mercer. At Rangiriri W. Gardiner, Indian Prince, was having trouble with his generator drive. D. Garton, 8.5. A., found a staple embedded in his rear tyre at Ohinewai Flats and spent about 20 minutes wrestling with a new tyre. A very matter of fact competitor, A. Walker, B. and sidecar, was observed having afternoon tea in the Huntly Gorge. A. Harris, Chater Lea, had a spill near Huntly, but no serious damage resulted. Thirty-eight riders arrived at Cambridge, owe competitor having mistaken the road, went on to Morrinsville, but arrived at Cambridge over half an hour late. STARTING OFF ON SUNDAY At 7 o’clock next morning riders assembled for the run to Te Aroha, 49 miles, average speed 23 m.p.h. Mr. Jj. Hastie, of Cambridge, was on the job at 6.30 and dispensed benzine to

all who required it. Riders expressed appreciation of the fine treatment they had all received there. The last men were away by 8.15, R. Ronby, Harley Davidson, leaving half an hour late, being delayed by a puncture. O. Cordes, Harley Davidson, had trouble in the gorge outside Cambridge. P. Fletcher, 0.E.C., burnt out a plug. A. Dallow, Harley Davidson, had a puncture a few miles from Te Aroha. The .roads on this section were in good condition. All riders checked in at Te Aroha in good time. The next check was Mangatawhiri, 54 miles, average speed 22 m.p.h. The route led via Paeroa, with a lunch

stop at Ngatea, across the Hauraki Plains, where a half-mile stretch of mud proved to be the hardest section of the trial. MORE BAD LUCK A. O'Sullivan, Massey Arrow, dropped out of the trial with chain trouble at Paeroa. D. Gordon, Indian Scout, had a nasty spill while negotiating a hump-backed bridge, but carried on despite the pain of a dislocated finger. T. Richards, Rex Acme, had the misfortune to strike the rear of another machine and finished headfirst in a muddy ditch. Although he was unhurt, his machine was rendered unrideable. W. Dingle picked him up and brought him safely back to Auckland on the back of his machine, a distance of about 70 miles. BOGGED IN THE MUD All arrived at the unmetalled piece of road about the same time, the result being that many riders who

could have got through were blocked by others who were bogged axle-deep in the sticky mud. The result was that 35 motor-cycles were bogged in various positions in less than half a mile section of road. Some rode through the tea-tree on the side of the road to get past less fortunate ones. However, about 25 machines got away within half an hour, nearly all arriving late at the check. Three of the club’s officers, Messrs. May, Fletcher and Coulthard, remained and helped the others out with ropes. THE LAST LAP The last lap of the trial was 44

miles, average to be 23 m.p.h. to Auckland, the finish to be at Burns’s Statue in the Outer Domain. The first man arrived on time about 3.15, others following until after 6 o’clock. The machines were taken charge, to be examined for defects by Messrs. L. Sterricker and C. Goodwin, who were kept busy until nearly dark. The lady members of the club dispensed a very welcome cup of tea to each compe itor as he arrived. THE RESULTS The result of the trial is not yet known, as a great deal of figuring has to be done checking times and deducting points. The Dutch Tourist Trophy Race has again fallen into British hands, this : year’s winner being Stanley Woods, riding a 3J h.p. Norton. The time constituted a record for the course. * * * A popular pastime among some American riders is to travel long distances in low gear; 32.4 m.p.h. has been averaged over a distance of 562 miles.

A 349 c.c. B.S.A. side-car outfit, ridden by J. Buxade, was first in the 350 c.c. side-car class in the Fifth International Hill Climbing Competition at Barcelona recently. The time beats the record for all side-car classes up to 1,000 c.c. Spare parts totalling 9,000,000 arc j always maintained in the Triumph Service Stores, Coventry.