THE SPORTS CLUB.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19833, 31 December 1927, Page 10 (Supplement)

THE SPORTS CLUB.

I PROGRAMME FOJi JANUARY. t Jan. 8. —Clnb run to Pigeon Bush; leave Harp of Erin a t 10 a.m. Jan. 15.—Club run to Orewa feeach in company with the North Shore i club; riders will catch the 9.45 a.m. vehicular terry. Jan. 22.—Club run to Clark's Beach, Waiau Pa; leave Harp of Erin 10 a.m. Jan. 28 —24 hotir* trial for sidecar riders only.

OFOTIKI RACES.

The Opotiki Motor-cycle Club held a Very successful race meeting last Monday, some exceptionally fast times being recorded. The lion's sharo of tho prize money was taken by the Auckland riders, W. Herbert (3i l\p. Indian) and W. Goodwin (2| h.p. 0.E.C.) J. Arnott, whose riding was so spectacular at Alexandra Park, was the star of the meeting, and he also secured a good sharo of tho programme. The fact that Arnott lowered the track record on his 7 h.p. Bitza indicated a keen race with Coleman on Takapuna in February. The Opotiki course js several seconds per lap slower than the Auckland time, and Arnott's time can he compared very favourably with the world's best Bpead. Herbert, Fletcher, Goodwin and Arnott will bo competing at Gisborne on Monday.

£4 HOUR TRIAL. * __

The Sports Motor-cycle Club will hold a 24 hour trial for motor-cycles and sidecars on January 28 and 29. Competitors will leave the city at 3 p.m. on the 28th. and will be required to drive for 24 hours over roads which, in most cases, will be strange to the riders. Stops will be allowed for meals and penalties will be imposed for speeding.

1928 MOTOR-OYCILE CALENDAR.

j The dates on which the principal motorI cycle fixtures in Great Britain and tho Continent will be held in 1928 are now announced. Almost every week-end there is one trial, or another but tho dates of the main fixtures are:—February 19 to 24, Stock machine test. May 5: Brooklands 200-miles side-car races. May 6: Austrian Tourist Trophy. May 19: Brooklands 200mile solo races. May 20: Hungarian Grand Prix. May 20: French Grand Prix. May 27: Italian Grand Prix. Juno 4 to 8; 'isle of Man Tourist Trophy. June 23: Dutch Tourist Trophy. July 15: Belgian Grand Prix. September 10 to 15: International Six-days Trial. September 16: Grand Prix of the Nations.

1100 c.c. AT 114 M.P.H.

Recently the F.N. Company was successful in breaking five vorld's records at Oostmalle, Belgium. Tho most notable performance w&s that of the 500 c.c. model which recorded 114.15 miles per hour. This is the fastest speed yet recorded for a 3£ h.p. motor-cycle.

NOTES.

The total number of people visiting the recent British motor-cycio show was 138,417. The Princess von Schaumburg-Lippe, who is 61 years of age, is reported to be vary fond of riding on the pillion seat cf her husband's motor-cycle. Two thousand six hundred and twenty fewer motor-cycles were exported from America during the first eight months of 1627 than during the corresponding period of 1926. The saddle tank is becoming very popular in overseas countries, and there were only twelve manufacturers who did not exhibit at least one model with this fitting at the recent British motor-cycle show. The saddle tank is the name given to the new type of wide, tapering tank which provides such a good grip for the knee 3. ■The interest created by the four-cylinder Brough Superior at the recent British Olympic was little short of amazing. On the last night of the show three policomen had to protect the case in which it was shown from being damaged by the dense crowd, while many people who had come especially to see it were unable to get near. There was a good deal of criticism about the ease or otherwise of tappet adjustment, but in reality this is a simple matter. The tappets are notadjusted in the ordinary way, but a system of thimbles and shims is employed. Without disturbing anything except the cover plates over the valves, all the tappets can be adjusted in five minutes. The following export figures reflect great credit upon the British motor-cycle industry : For the Month of October. 1925. 1920, •| ; )27. >■ 117,3£-i 94,970 92,553 Parts .. . 101.867 49.094 67.485 £219.251 £144.064 £ 1P0,038 For the Ten Months Ending October 31. 1925. 1929. 1927. Motor-cycle*. 1,548,590 1,552,155 1,85H,625 Parts .. 830.36.') 702,750 789,281 fj.4-28,953 -£2.254,905 £2.045.906 Number of Motor-cycles Exported. 3925. 1926. 1927, October . . ... 3,083 2,006 2,209 Ten. months ending October 81 . . 38,188 40,975 45,629