MOTOR-CYCLING Burns Contesting Hill Climb Titles

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30302, 30 November 1963, Page 15

MOTOR-CYCLING Burns Contesting Hill Climb Titles

Seven years ago a well-known Christchurch motor-cycling personality. Robert Burns, speed across the Bonneville Salt Flats in America on his 1000 c.c. Vincent Black Lightning motor-cycle and side-car combination to set the world’s fastest average speed of 174 miles an hour for such a vehicle.

On Sunday. Burns, whose unofficial world speed record for sidecars has never been bettered, will be making a surprise return to competition after two years in "retirement” He has entered for the New Zealand 500 c.c. and open motor-cycle grass hill climb championships to be held at Findlay’s Farm, Halswell. In recent seasons. Burns has been more concerned with the preparation of the machines ridden by his talented son, David, who holds the South Island 250 c.c. T.T. title and has held national titles in almost every branch of motor-cycling sport. On Sunday, father and son will meet, Robert on a 350 c.c. Jawa and David on his well known 250 c.c. Cotton scrambler.

To David, hill climbs are a rather new innovation, but his father has had considerable experience. In 1960 and 1961 Burns senior competed

in a club grass hill climb at Heathcote, winning the 250 c.c. class on both occasions. “I am fairly useful with a handful of throttle," he said yesterday. Strong Opposition Several other prominent riders have entered for the hill climb championship. They include M. Butler, the 500 c.c. miniature T.T. champion for the South Island, V. Rush. N. Currie and K. McCleary, all of Christchurch. Several late entries are also expected from Blenheim riders. Butler will be mounted on his well tried 500 c.c. B.S.A. and is probably the most favoured to take both titles. McCleary, on a 500 c.c. A.J.S. Special, should also finish well up. Rush and Currie will both be riding 250 c.c. machines, a B.S.A. and a Greeves scrambler, respectively. A total of 20 entries have been received for each event. The hill climb meeting will be the first of a national class to be held in Canterbury for 10 years. When the New Zealand championships were last held in Canterbury, the fastest time of the day was set by T. McCleary, senior. The course at Findlay's Farm is about 400 yards long, straight but with bumps, and involves a climb as steep as one-in-three. A 30-yard run. in will be allowed and times under 15sec are expected from the top riders.