MOTOR CYCLING.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 29 December 1924, Page 4

MOTOR CYCLING.

THE TRIALS. VERY SEVERE TEST. TRIBUTE TO RIDERS AND MACHINES. . The. annual trials arranged Ha/ wera to Te Kuiti and back struck this year the very worst conditions as to road and. weather, which could be' ex- - pected, and consequently the journey proved a most severe and gruelling test both for' machines and for riders, one that none of the competitors are ever likely to forget. The fifteen who 1 completed the round trip and perhaps even more the unlucky ones who were-left stranded owing to machine trouble at various parts of "thev journey had 'a most strenuous experience. Bad as was the outward journely, the reutrn was immeasurably; worse. The heavy rain which fell during most of the day made the road bad, and thi. touring and service cars which came through churned the whole road in some sti etches up into liquid mud, and ' made the going in those parts difficult almost beyond description. - Of those who ' left Hawera. twentyfive got through to Te Kuiti, and only fifteen were able to complete the journey. The first to arrive was J. H. Bodle on cycle with side car, punctually at 4.29 p.m., followed three minutes later Py L. Wann on a solo machine. W. J. Claringbold; also on: machine with side car, was thirds arriving at :.4.45 p.mji and the, remainder reached Hawera/duy- ■ ing the afternoon. ■; F. Champion > was ' - left in the mud, R. Epord reached here at 1 a.m. this , morning, while t three others entrained; to- Marton and came thenpe .to Hawera by road. & The list of arrivals in order was as follows: 1 ' ■■■• 1— J. H. Bodle (Eltham), 7-9 li.p. Harley-Davidson and side-car. 2 L. Wann (Stratford), 34 h.p. Indian. ■ ■ ■ ,3—W. J. Claringbold (Hawera), 7-9 Indian and'side-car. V .4—J. Crockett (New Plymouth), 34 h.p. Norton 5—H. Wakelyn (Wanganui), 34 h.p. Norton. : ... ■ ■ v. 6—A. H. Gibbs (Wanganui), 24 h.p* V Douglas. ■ I 7 ~ H - W- Lightband (Stratford),' 7-9 Indian,and side-ear. 9 J. Phillips (Eltham), 2} h.p. Douglas. • ' 10— Webb (Wellington), 7-9 HarleyDavidson. y . 11— L. McKay (Stratford), 7-9 In- ’ dian and side-car. 12— J. W. Archbold (Hawera), 7-9 Harley-Davidson and' side-car. 13 D. E. Gabbie (Wanganui), 7-9 • Harley-Davidson and side-cat. 14— S. New (Wanganui), 7-9 HarleyDaVidson. - 15— rK. Allen (New Plymouth), 7-9 ■<' Harley-Davidson. >. v

' REPORT ON JOURNEY. (Special to Star.) The advance party, consisting of Messrs Davy, Armstrong, Barringer and Squire, left Hawera .on f Christmas morning at 8.15 a.m., arriving at To Kuitii at 4.30 p.m., after an non : excit* ing trip. Light rain fell' intermittently, and prospects for a good trial were not too good, as was proved to be the case, inasmuch as rain began to: fall heavily on Christmas night and did not cease until 3 p.m. on Friday. Between Tongaporutu and Mokau ferry there is . about nine miles,of mud and from Mokau to Awakino a further four miles, which, in ,fiue weather is fairly ■ good going. The reports coming in 1 from the mud roads after the rain fell were very disappointing, , and the officials at Te Kuiti began to think’that the riders would not be able to get through the mud. However, out. of •• thirty-two riders only one failed to put in an appearance at Te Kuiti, the rider being Mr Foord, who was unfor- , tuiiate to wear out a platinum tip in his magneto. Messrs Gyde and Gasson arrived in Te Kuiti just as the riders were starting on their return trip, ' after being forced to spend the night ’ at Piopio. Messrs Rowson and Champion arrived at 7.6 ptm., after repairing. * a serious trouble on the magneto shaft. ‘ All the riders were wet through and covered in mud. • 1 . On the return journey the weather was fine' until the riders cleared the township, and then there were vfurther downpours, making the prospects very dull for the riders by the time- they would reach the mud roads.' . A , large crowd assembled to witness the departure of the riders for Hawera, and the advance' 1 officials were the last to , clear Te Kuiti. On reaching Awakino fourteen tourist cars were met, all being held up by the condition of the mud roads. Fitting chains on to the wheels of their own conveyance, the miles of mud were. ploughed through, and eight motor cyclists were passed who were simply “dug in,” one competitor abandoning his machine in the mud. ' The mud in places was two feet deep and sticky, and only fit for a bullock team. ,The secret checks stationed along the route were Messrs Spragg, Blake, Armstrong, Hone: andi Glennie, each having an assistant. The number, of respective machines arriving in Te Kuiti was nine HarleyDavidsons, eight Indians, four Nortons, two Douglasses, one Scott; one 8.5. A., ' one Overseas, and one Royal Ruby. The results of the trial-, will not be known for a. few days until, all checks are in. The competitors who “dug’’ their way through the mud are to be congratulated on their success, as this trial has. been the most-severe ever- ' experienced by the club. : :