MOTORING AND CYCLING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 214, 10 March 1914, Page 8

MOTORING AND CYCLING.

Don Kirklmm and Snell, wlio tool; part in the a'ound-the-niountain cycle raco here last year, are at present on the Continent, competing in European races. Tho French Automobile Club proposes to hokl a test of engines using petroleum as a fuel next October. Prizes to the amount of £24!W will be offered. "Practically all standard types of motor cycles nowadays arc a proved success," says the Motor Cycle, "and it is no longer necessary to narrow one's choice to half-a-dozen different makes in the fear that outside the pale the owner is courting disaster." The trado has had a great year, says a writer in the Field. Xot only has it been remarkable for tho enormous sales of medium-powered cars, but for the continued patronage bestowed upon tho liner products. There seems no dilliculty .whatever nowadays in selling a car ut £ISOO if its reputation is established. The costliest carriages are disposed of with a facility which remains surprising. We were told some two years *igo that it would bo almost impossible to sell any car for more than £7OO when a few years had passed. This pessimism has been entirely refuted by the present year, for there aro firms dealing only in £IOOO chassis who eoukl sell live times the number thoy' are manufacturing. Some fast times were recorded last month on the road near Adelaide in connection with the' annual speed trials, organised by the Mouth Australian Motor Cycle Club. Half-a-mile was negotiated by W. B. Randall'on a 3'/;.-h.n. machine, with full touring equipment on. in 27 l-osec., equal to 06 miles an hour. In the stripped machine class, E. K. Koster, on a different 3'/s-h.p. motor, covered the half-mile in 28 ~1-ssec., equal to a speed of 68.7 miles an hour. These two performances are tho fastest yet recorded in Australia, but would not bo accepted as records in Ifurope, for straightaway speed tests have to bo ridden in both directions, and the mean time taken. This is to overcome advantages that may be derived from favorable wind, gradient, etc. The records recently accomplished in Paris by M. Berthet, on n bicycle with a blunt-nosed torpedo body, should interest motor cyclists who go in for competition work. If this addition to the ordinary pedal wclo so far reduced wind resistance as to enable records' to be beaten, it should prove still more effective to a motor cycle, where the pace is much greater, for the efficiency of such a contrivance naturally varies with the speed. This development might also interest the ordinary tourist, especially if a sidecar is used,' for if it is effective for speed work, it would have the additional advantage of providing the rider with protection from the weather and road mud. In bad weather the motor cyclist's lot is certainly not a happy one. 11 0 has to specially clothe himself for the ordeal, but the protection thus afforded is suit'! inadequate, and he arrives at his destination in a filthy condition. With p. torpedo body to his motor cycle, tile combination would certainly look queer! but the public would sooij get accustomed to its strange appearand* and if it had the effect of reducing wind resistance and affording protection from the wind, and weather without too manv incidental disadvantages, it would probably be adopted by manv riders of the sidecar combination. In hngland, the experiment of usiiiJ a stream-like body on a motor cvcle proved successful, and resulted in'two new world's records, ior ,T. L. Emerson rode n flying kilometre (1093 yards)! in V H seconds, equal to a speed of 50.4 miles per hour, whilst a (lying mile was covered in 46 seconds, equal to 78 l-!> ir'„c* per hour. This is nearly two miles an hour faster than the previous best. Emerson used a uy 3 -h.p. opposed twin, ."net established bis record at Brooklands. An English motorist, named h Barwell, lias put up a unique performance. During tho past nine years lie has never entered a train, but lies motored 130,000 miles during that time. One car he has had for 10y e years, and it is still i running, after having travelled 85,202 miles. English motoring authority, Mr. Henry Sturmcy, that £14,000,000 is being spent annually throughout tho world on motyrcs alone. These figures arc based on the latest published statistics.