CYCLING AND MOTORING.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 October 1916, Page 9

CYCLING AND MOTORING.

NEWS AN"D XOTES. One of the most strenuous middledistance reliability motor-cycle tests vet held in Australia was carried through under tke auspices of the Victorian Motor-cycle Olub the other Saturday. The course was over a distance of 122-miles from Melbourne to Marysvillc and back, a. stiff test at any time, owing to the mountainous nature of the country to be negotiated. Bain had fallen for some forty hours previous to !) a.m., the time of starting, and continued to fall afll through tile day. The motorists knew that the travelling conditions would "be strenuous, and only 25 of the 46 entrants faced the starter,' the larger number of the machines used being side-car combinations; in fact, there were but four single machines participating, and that it proved a struggle against the elements is shown by only four competitors completing the course, and, further, by only one of the quartette succeeding in compassing the journey within the time This wag Mr. J. H. Rhodes, who, with his wife in the side-car of a 7-h.p. Indian combination, covered the 122 miles of heavy flooded roads in 5 hours 46min., exclusive of an hour for lunch at Marysville. In the circumstances, it stands out as a most meritorious performance. There were two classes of competitors—-side-car and solo machines—each of which was again divided according to engine-power—-high and low—but none whatever in the latter category finished. It is significant that no machines having ibelt-drives came through, while those' who finished had change-gears in addition to chain transmision.

Next to the war, the main topic amongst English motorists is the serious shortage of petrol. The motorists of England, according to applications rendered! to the .Petrol Committee for supplies, have asljred the authorities for 153 million gallons to carry on with, mostly for commercial purposes, and there is only 70 million gallons of fuel available in the country. Already 75 million gallons had been promised by petrol license, so that even the quantities allotted in this direction by the authorities will have to be curtailed. The general adopted in the distribution of the precious liquid are as follows:—Commercial vehicles, 60 per cent, of demand. Industrial l processes, 60 per cent.; taxicabs, 'buses and other public vehicles, 60 per cent; doctors and veterinary surgeons, full amount up to 50 gallons a month; private cars, 25 per cent.; motor-cycles, two gallons a month. The quantity of petrol to be distributed monthly is 6,300,000 gallons —if it is available.

As an inducement to purchasers of motor-cycles an English agent advertises that 'he gives away Iroin six to ten gallons of petrol free, according to the class of machine bought. The idea is businesslike,! but who would have ever dreamt that things 'would come to such a pass that the given-away-with-a-pound-of-tea principle would one day apply to petrol? The recent Italian successes afford yet anothen example of the successful emergency use of motor vehicles for moving bodies of troops to criti«al positions, hardly less remarkable than that of the battfe of the Maine. Th»s Italian commander's plan involved sudden strokes upon the Austrian flanks.' For this purpose, says a recent despatch, infantry were rushed up in motor-cars over mountain noads on which the work of improvement and extension had been completed only a few hours before. By this means an entire army corps was moved up from the plains in the space of fifty-four hours, being "whirled along at top speed in vehicles of all sorts through the night as well as by day, over the half-made tracks. Accidents were frequent and casualties numerous, but the broops got there." A relay of 43 small-powered low-pric-ed American motor-cars of the same make recently succeeded in crossing the United States from New York to San Francisco (3331 miles) in 6 days 18 hours lOmin., equal to an average speed of 25 m.p.h, for the full distance. Whilst this was a good performance for a cheap runabout, it does not compare with thtt recent straight-through run in a Marmon car by Mr. S. B. Stevens, who negotiated the same course in 5 days 18% hours. The most .spectacular motor-car action picture yet obtained by a camera was filmed recently near Santa Barbara, California, when a touring car leaped a chasm of 33ft wide and 21ft deep. It lawdied safely on the other side with 14ftl to spaire, iihe total distance of flight being 47ft. Three passengers were carried! .am the perilous journey, and none of the passengers- were injured, and; the car was unharmed. The car was driven 1000 feet on a temporary board 1 inclined to give it the momentum necessary for its long leap through the air. It had attained a speed of 50 miles an hour when it left the incline build on the approach side of the gulf. When the flying car shot off the incline into the air it described a graceful arc, and landed squarely o"n the road bed, 14ft beyond the brink of the'gorgo. When the car landed on the other side of the gorge, it continued on its way up the road until it was. brought to a stop by its daring driver. As proof of the ease with/which car and passengers withstood the hazardous experiment, they immediately drov,e to the city in the same car in which they made their motor car flight. The English daily and weekly papers are, almost with one accord, booming the pastime of cycling and using every effort to revive it. The opportunity is .great, for the bicycle is the cheapest possible way of getting about, and the best from a health point of view; hence with restricted incomes, high taxes and the difficulty in getting petrol, thousands who have given up cycling altogether arc in a condition of mind to adopt it again, and will no doubt continue to cycle after the war, having realised the pleasure and convenience derived from same.

The Dunlop Rubber Co., Ltd., points out that in these days of drastic economy, motorists who prefer the deceptive comfort of slack tyres have only themselves to blame for the following higher running costs. Economy can be effected by keeping the tyres inflated to the figures given by the makers, pressure being tested by a pressure gauge. Fur: ther, it is pointed out that tyres worn out through constant under-inflation are by no* means so satisfactory when retreaded as those tyres previously given legitimate and regular use. Of the three wheeled motor vehicles at present on the market the side-car combination is unquestionably the most popular. It is, at the same time, the most mechanically incorrect, but that does not seem to affect its popularity in the slightest degree. The designers and manufacturers of side-cars have brought their productions to such a high stage of efficiency that one can afford to ignore the fact of their being indefens-

ible on mechanical grounds, provided, of course, that the vehicles are well made and properly attached to motor-cycles. The latter has also been improved out of all resemblance to its former state and is now for the most part wholly reliable' and suitable for the extra work which the propulsion of a loaded side-car entails. The opinion seems to be held, however, by some that the side-car has already reached the zenith of its popularity and that the demand will in the near future tend to decline. They urge, therefore, that manufacturers should be giving attention to the work of evolving alternative, methods of conveying extra rides whilst retaining the feature of detachability of the component parts of the vehicle so that the machine can be used for solo or passenger work at will as at present. We confess to not having ourselves noticed any falling off whatever in the popularity of the side-car and we are of the opinion further that the wants of those desiring some other form of three-wheeled motor conveyance are fully met by the excellent vehicles already on the market. Over 20,000 motor-cycles are said to be in use by the Allies, more than half the total by the British Army. An effort is to be made by an American motor cyclist to cover 1000 miles in 1000 consecutive minutes. The attempt is to be made on the New York speedway at Sheepstead, which is claimed to be the fastest motor-racing track in the world. E. Baker, in his recent 24 hours' road race in Australia, cohered 1027 miles in 1292 minutes.

A motor lorry that can bf- propelled with almost any fuel must be a decided acquisition to a commercial .house in these times when petrol and such like have to be seriously reckoned with when it come s , to cost of running. It has long been known that motors run on the distillate or kerosene system have a wonderful propelling nower, and this system is therefore largely in operation where lorries of a heavy carrying capacity are necessary.