EIGHT RIDERS FINISH

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 981, 26 May 1930, Page 15

EIGHT RIDERS FINISH

250-MILE RELIABILITY TRIAL MOTOR-CYCLING CONTEST j Eight of the 10 competitors who set out on the reliability trial of the North Shore Sports Motor-Cycle Club on Saturday returned to Auckland about 5 o’clock last evening after covering nearly 250 miles over almost every type of road the province has to offer. Of the two defections, one was due to headlight failure during the night section of the run. The other machine is still posted as missing, no news having been received by the officials since the rider left the City southward bound late on Saturday evening. The trial had been set down originally for Whangarei, returning through Dargaville, but adverse road reports led to the course being altered at the last minute. Leaving Devonport - about 2 o’clock on Saturday, the ‘ riders travelled along the East Coast ! road toward Brown’s Bay, and then ; through Riverhead and Henderson back to the City, passing over a slippery section along Lincoln Road durj ing a driving rainstorm. Darkness fell i before the Razorback was reached, and j the journey over these hills and to ; Huntly, where a stay was made overnight, was through the darkness. | Roa’J conditions were dryer yesterI day morning when the trial was re- | sumed, but frost and ice w’ere troublesome through the gorges. The route led to Rotowaro, where competitors I were expected to negotiate a threemile stretch of clay impassable to motor traffic tliorugh Pukemiro and Ngaruawahia to Hamilton. Turning north again, riders took the secondary road through Gordonton, joining the Great South Road at Taupiri. A stop for lunch was made at Rangiriri. On resuming again, the competitors, now* reduced to six in the main body, as two had struck trouble, covered a “Colonial section” of clay and hills considerably water worn, quite equal to the worst stretches of the big trials in England. The route then followed the main road back to Auckland, where machines were examined for serious defects. Points were awarded for reliability !n running, for average speed maintained, and for easy starting from cold. Results will not b«j available for a day or so.