MOTORING

Evening Star, Issue 16090, 15 April 1916, Page 11

MOTORING

[By Carburettor.] Many motorists are at present engaged overhauling and timing up their motors in preparation for the Easter holidays. The novice Trill bo well advised to go carefully over all the nuts and screws on his machine. Tyres jnay need attention. A good few riders and drivers go carefully over their tyres searching for cuts, small stones, nails, etc. If the latter are taken out, those who do not possess a small vulcanising plant will find such preparations as “ Tyre Doh ” useful in effecting at least a temporary improvement in their tines. If a rider has not the time nor ability to take down the gear or take off the cylinder of a. motor cycle, he can at any rate pour in a quantity of kerosene through the oil caps into the gear and through the priming' top into the cylinder. Then a minute or two of brisk pedalling will suffice to clean out both gear and engine. On most if not all engines a little bolt will be found under tbc crank case, and if this is taken out the stale oil, kerosene, and dirt will flow out. After such treatment a motor recovers some of its old liveliness, speed, and power. Messrs W. Duke and bans and Barton and _ Iron grove have purchased HarleyBavidsons for business purposes. Other recent buyers of the “silent grey fellow” are Mr A. Church and Mr L. C. Peters.

"Mr J. Dicker (of Mosgiel, a returned soldier), Mr C. E. Hoad, and Mr A. Johnstone !o£ Sutton) have purchased 7 h.p. Indians, fitted with electric light. In point of pure speed records Brook - lands (England) still retains the lead up to 150 miles, but beyond that, distance the American records made this year are claimed to be world's records, the iigurcs for ?J) miles, beinu' lb 56mm 21.405 cc; 300 miles. 2h 55mih 32.235ee; 400 miles, 4h 4min 49; ec; 500 miles. 5h 7m in 26s c r, • wlrkt the lato Ham- Grant, on a sixcylinder Sunbeam, made, a new non-stop record of 590 miles, accomplishing the. entire distance in the Chicago race, without a stop for any cause whatever, at. a 94.3 m.p.h. average pace.

It is reported that a. well-known Victorian motor cyclist will shortly be making an attempt to reduce J. Bolg-er's Mel-bourne-Sydney record of 23h 41min. With the up-to-date spring-framed twins now available to speed men, the wonder if- that this record has stood on the books since 1913. With, decent luck and weather conditions the 565 miles between the two capitals should be covered in from 18 to 19 hours. Bolgor's ride was established in connection with tho offer of a cold watch by the Dunlop Company to ibe firstmotor cyclist to travel between the two r.it : e? in 24 hours. Keen competition resulted between several Xew South Wales and Victorian riders, success restintr with J. Briber, from Wagga.

Still a. large number of motor cyclists have never used tho spare link in their belts. The longer I use the spare link the greater my appreciation of it. The leather faces of the link seem to eliminate the usual jar resultim from the contact of the belt fastener with the sides of the pulley. As I harp found that I have far less fasteners pulling out when side-earring than was the case when solo riding without the spare link, I never ride without nsincr one.

E. S. Raker, the American racing motor cyclist, has left for the States without ' carrying a-way th- coveted Svdney-Mel- j bourne and 'Adelaide-Melbourne records. I It was announced that Baker intended ! having a cut at both the existing records. | but a trial run over the Sydney-Melbourne ' course was all Baker saw'of the two over- i land routes mentioned. During- his visit \ the American crack established two re- j coids—Hobart to Launce-ston (since lowered t by the. Tasmanian rider E. Bavles on a ' Dunlop-shocl 7 h.p. Indian) and the 24hour road record. The latter was a- magnificent performance, and it will be manv a long day before the American's 1.027 miles "for the full day's rid-? is bettered. Baker, after filling his American engagements, proposes making another visit. with a view to making a further attempt on some of the Australasian motor records. A strange story is told in the English j motor cycle Press. Tho owner of a~fino | side car outfit enlisted, and in due course j was sent to a training camp. Before leav- [ ing home he taught his wife to drive the- i outfit, and left her with strict injunctions; to keep the petrol burning until he cams,

home, and have ar. good a time as pos- j sible. Sin. complied, and being very kcei j on side-earring, used the machine-' con siderably. But dark times came. Her i husband was sent to Flanders, and one dreadful morning she received a letter telling her that he had died on the field j of honor. For months her mind was i numbed with grief; then, as she recovered somewhat from the shock, she felt that | in honor of her husband's memory she must do something to help the brave fellows who had been his comrades in arms. She had had no training in nursing, so all she could think of was to apply to a hospi'ts-1 for permission- to take out convalescents for short runs in the side car. She took out many, and hoard stories that made her realise what genuine heroism - had been shown by all ranks. One day when she had driven to the hospital, a man who had lost a leg wa.s brought out to her. The nurse said he was a sad case, as he had completely lost his memory. A glance showed the Samaritan side-carrist that the man was her husband. He had been frightfully injured by a shell, and the shock had temporarily destroyed all memory of his previous life. He had been picked up on the field almost naked, his identification disc had been lost, and practically all his companions had been killed. His wife nursed him back to health, and now when the two are seen out :. together it is she who always drives. ■' What a story for one of our novelists! The attention of motorists is directed '■■ to thd necessity of securing their certificates of proficiency to ride or drive. As the police are taking action against motorists who have neglected to comply with the requirements of the new by-law, a word to the wise is sufficient. A movement is on foot to send an aeroplane a* a further contribution from Otago towards the successful termination of tivs great war. While full particulars are not yet available, it ia understood that t::--Otago Motor Club and others have a good st'm already promised.

Gentleman : " And remember, James, there are two things I must insist upon—truthfulness and obedience.'' Footman : "Ye?, sir. And when you tell me to tell the visitors you're cut when vou're in, which shall it be, sir?"

Russian farmers hold an average of 27 acres to each family. .