MOTOR CYCLE NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 15, 19 January 1932, Page 14

MOTOR CYCLE NOTES.

THE WAIHEKE EVENT.

ARRANGEMENTS FOR T.T

HANDSOME TROPHY PRESENTED.

Entrants for the New Zealand Tourist Trophy contest, to be held 011 Waihekc Island 011 January 29, will be able to start practice over the course next Friday morning, the Waihekc Road Board having granted them the use of the circuit from 4 a.lll. to 7 a.m. daily.

From the lessons learned from the two previous contests, the Auckland Sports Motor Cycle Club, under whose auspices the race will bo held, has been able to evolve better arrangements for both the riders and the public. The course will be the same as for the previous races, a fiij-milc circuit, starting and finishing above Ostend. For the New Zealand T.T., however, the distance will be 175 miles, or 25 laps. Two scoring boards will be erected at the finishing line, one to mark off the laps completed by each rider, and another to show the riders in the order at the finish of each lap, so that (lie spectators, although they see only part of the course, will be able to follow the fortunes of the contest from lap to la p. For the riders, the club has obtained from both companies running steamers to Ostend "•onerous reductions on the freight for machines, and has improved the pit arrangements so that less time will be lost in refuelling and changing _ tyres. Two troops of Boy Scouts will be assigned to the duty of patrolling the

route, to report mishaps and keep reck less pedestrians out of the way- not s< much for the sake of the pedestrians.

Three more entries have been received, bringing the total number up to 22. The latest names posted are W. Hickmott (Huniber) and L. Perry (Royal Enfield), both of Auckland, and A. Raingcr (Yelocctte) of Putaruru. Several other names have been sent in, but A\ill not bo accepted until the entry fee is paid.

The New Zealand Tourist Trophy itself is a handsome silver cup, presented by the Auckland Motor Raajjig Club. This will be held by the winner for one year, while each man who finishes within the time limit will receive a miniature. In addition, the Auckland Sports Motor Cycle Club has donated £100 prize money, £.00 to go to the winner, £.55 to second man and £15 to third. The prizes will be presented at a dance to be held at the Scots Hall the night of the race, but the most important award of all will be made later by the New Zealand Auto-Cycle Union. This will be the selection of the two riders to represent the Dominion at the next international meeting on the Isle of Man, for which purpose the executive of the A.C.U. will attend the Waihekc race on Friday week, armed with pencils and note-books, robed in the authority of the governing body, and more interested in the skill and courage of the riders than in the placings at the finishing line. Notes. While the holiday season is with us, tliej®e is little doing in club circles. Many of the members arc still out. of town and the others are fully occupied doing their own work and that of the absentees in the sundry "hives of industry" round about the metropolis. After the dust of the T.T. race has cleared away, however, the Auckland Sports Club will he able to see to arrangements for their projected grass track meeting, to be held on Avon dale racecourse probably early next month. The club has also a thousandmile reliability and endurance test, postponed from November last, to run off before the end of the season.

Many good tyres arc probably worn out before their time owing to badlyadjusted shock absorbers. The tyre which will wear longest, other things being equal, is that which never leaver; the road. When the wheel leaves the road the engine accelerates it, and when it reaches the road again it is travelling faster than would lie its normal rate if in road contact. The road has then to act as a brake and slows the wheel down by friction on the tyre tread. This means tyre wear. A truly rolling, as against a scraping, contact with the road can only be obtained it' the tyre keeps? in contact with the ground always. This is the function of the springs and slio:k -absorbers.