CYCLING AND MOTORING NOTES

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10263, 15 June 1911, Page 3

CYCLING AND MOTORING NOTES

(By Free Wheel.) The probable date of, Australia's gamier road contest, the Road Race from Warrnambool to Melbourne (165 miles) is Saturday, October 14th, the Dunlop Rubber Co. having applied to the League of Victorian Wheelmen for that date. The Saturday selected—Caulfield Guineas Day—is a week later than the date upon which the "Warrnambool" is usually held, the change being .made with a view of missing the Flemington race traffic, thus obviating to a great degree the overcrowding of the road associated with the last few "Warrnambool" finishes. The conditions of the race will* be practically the same as last year, perhaps with an additional rule requiring contestants to wear suitable costumes, including stockings, thus doing away with the scanty track racing costumes, many of the competitors now foolishly ride an. The prize list—totalling over £2oo—together with, conditions, etc., will be issued at an early date. *****

A matter that worries many motor- | ists and intending motorists is ~' Ihe j question as to whether it is better I to have a single-seated body or. the | ordinary tonneau (j'.e., double-seated I body) fitted to their cars, irrespective of the wisdom of fitting a light /body on a chassis sprung to carry a heavy tonneau. For economical motoring there is no doubt the sin-gle-seater—which can be imiade to carry three people—is a long way better than the tonneau, the saving in tyres alone being very considerable, for it.is the lateral strain and the additional weight of the extra j passengers and body over thn back tjres that causes fifty ucr cent, of the tyre troubles met with on the road. Of course, the man with a family wants his four or car, and would be selfish to fit his cai with a single seat, but for the motorist who has no family ties thi.Te ] is no doubt that he will gee cheaper' and better motoring on a singleseater, with chassis for the purpose. As regards the single r | seater, the "Auto Oar" (England) ] recently commented upon the necessity of the proper distribution of weight to get the best result from this type of car. The opinion expressed was that half the weiglit should' rest on the back wheels to i ensure proper road adhesion, for » without sufficient weight over the I back wheels the car loses its stability and extra wear takes place on the back tyres owing to the radial slip when bouncing over rough roads. The writer's experience on Australian roads has borne out the "Auto Oar's' contention, and in many instances, on a single-seated car, originally fitted with a tonneau body and sprung to carry this type of body with full complement of passengers, there has been a distinct loss of stability and pace,, winch was only overcome by carrying additional dead weight over the hack tyres. With few exceptions the single-seated cars now seen our roads show the driver v,and his one or two passengers placed in the same position as the front seat of a tonneau body, with the result that the best result is not being got out of the car. With the growing popularity of this class of body no doubt due consideration will be given by manufacturers to this important matter. The springing is another phase that also requires studying, for it can be readily understood that springs fitted to icarry a certain weight are not giving the best result when only half the load is being carried, hence the need of the singleseated car (being specially sprung, and the chassis designed for this type of body. The convertible body—tonneau to single seat—is a but it can never give the satisfactory \ results- .that can be derived from the specially designed chassis to carry a single-seated body.

Some remarkable figures -were re- J cently established on the Brooklands | racing track (London) *by a freak— i 2-cylinder Lion-Pougeot light voiturette (ismiall car). The freakish nature of the engine will be understood when it is. 'stated that the bore of the cylinders was only 80 millimetres, with a stroke of 280 millimetres (over eleven inches). The times recorded were: Flying half indie in 24.24 (seconds; fifty miles in 39min. 47sec.; hundred miles in 89min. 28 ) sec.; and 78 miles in the hour—re- i marba'ble travelling for such a type I of car. I * * . * # . • * I

A good idea of the rapid manner in which -motoring is spreading in Australia can be gathered from the following Customs figures giving the' importation values of motor vehicles brought into the Commonwealth j during 1910: New South Wales: I Chassis, £282,489; Bodies, £33,737; ] Motor Cycles, £20,817; Total, £337,043. Victoria: Chassis, £225,225; Bodies, £34,896; Motor Cycles £9965, Total £270,086. South Australia: Chassis, £102,167; Bodies, £14,224; Motor Cycles, £7,067; Total, £123,453. Queensland : Chassis, Bodies, £6,442; Motor Cycles, £1496; Total, £28,850. Tasmania: Chassis, ! £7982; Bodies, £1389; Motor Cycles '£1655; Total, £11,026. The total value of Chassis brought into the Commonwealth last year was £694,246; of Bodies, £96,003; and Motor Cycles, £45,981; making a total of £836,230. These figures represent importation costs and. not retail selling prices. It is interesting to note that New South Wales imported over £57,000 worth of chassis more than- Victoria, and nearly £IOO worth less of bodies, clearly proving that considerably more body building is going on in Sydney than in Melbourne. Again, motor cycling appears to Ibe more popular in the Mother State than in Victoria. It is little wander the motor trade in New South Wales is booming. Other surprising facts.'are that Queensland is importing more than double the value fit oars than West Australia is, and that Tasmania is importing more motor cycles than West Australia.