CYCLING AND MOTORING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 220, 24 February 1915, Page 6

CYCLING AND MOTORING.

AUTOMATIC LUBRICATION. ■ In their keen rivalry to make tlit modern motor cycle even more perfect tlmn it is at present there is one obvious improement th&t ttic liritis'.i manufacturers seem to overlook, and that is automatic lubrication. It is true that'some makers have shown enterprise in this direction, but the fact reprovide engines hat are lubricated by guesswork. In the hands of experienced riders the present hand purqp 01 drip feeds are quito satisfactory, but the new rider cannot '.ossibl.v judge '.iii; exact amount of oil required, and •nsequently he either under lubricates or swamps his crank case with oil, which results in worn bearings or a badly-carbonised engine. Nearly every including those who have own--1 machines for some years, over-oil

ir because they want to l)_e on '.lie safe side, and quite a number do »ot feel comfortably unless they can see blue smoke from the exhaust. This • regrettable, for the somewhat evilsmelling smoke does not all to the popularity of motor cycles. It would surprise a good many men to know how sparing some expert riders are with the lubricant. In one official English motr cycle test, a well known rider drove 2000 miles and used only four nuarts of oil, that is to say, one quart for every 50 miles. How many ordinary riders of 750 c.e. twins would dare to use so small an amount? Very few, we think. Now, if the lubrication were automatic, tile makers of engines would find out from prolonged experiments how much oil of a certain grade was required, and the riders would nei'er have to give an ytlionglit to the matter at all. Oijed-up plugs would be unknown, and the engines would run two or three times as far as they do at present before they required re-car-bonising. American motor cycle makers are favouring systems of forcedfeed. which in most eases are perfectly satisfactory. To refer to car practice: AYe av find that the oil pump ■ n which a constant, level is automat--on 11 y maintained is satisfactory and fool iroof, and it seems possible tliat a similar device might be applied to motor cvcles.

Apart from the usefulness of the light car for dispatch work etc., there is another aspect of the business which will be of very vital importance to the light car moveemnt. These ears will receie a testing such as fifty reliability trials combined would Jiot. equal. A ■rood number of them will break up, just as is occurring with the heavier types of cars whether of the. passenger or goods class. In various cases it will hi- found that a clfr is perfect except in one particular item, and the (lata thus gained by the manufacturer will he invaluable. TTe will have found the weak part of his car at the expense of expense of the nation, and will be alii,, to make the necessary steps to eradicate it in succeeding models. Th's ".honld result in vitally improving the light ear, and should prove for more -imclusve than any race or trial. The margin of safety is not so great in these chicles as in the larger types, 'nd therefore it is vitally importnnt for the rapid success of the 1 ight car ' ■ weak points and its limitations, anil that at he carlies possible dae.

I will interest- cyclss to learn that 011 ordnarv "wired on" Dnnlop cycle t' I'e bus been inflated to a pressing 'if Iflfllb.-. to the square inch before blowing off the rim, while n beaded edge evele cover withstood up to b'Albs, It seems almost incredible that, such lightly constructed covers and their simple mode of attachment, could possibly withstand such great pressures. Francis Birtlcs the well-known evclistMor'st overlander, is off on another f his long uajnts—into the centre oi Australia, this time per medium of evele and motor car. IT,, intends travelling along a new route via the northeast of New South Wales, thence across deserts to Alice Springs, in tin l e.'litre of the Continent. The trip, which nedless to state is not a. speed one. is expected to last two years. Birtlcs' finest speed records are Frremantle to Adelaide. l!l">0 miles. 20 days, 12hrs. min.; Freniantlc to "M-lbom'uc, miles. 211 days. r>hrs Hfimin.: Fremantle to Sydney. 1if177 miles, lil davs 3hrs. 1.1 min.'