Cycling And Motor Notes

Otago Witness, Issue 3111, 29 October 1913, Page 56

Cycling And Motor Notes

BI DEMOS,

neto people have turned their attention to the electric motor car self-starter, and have for some considerable time been developing a self-starter worthy of bearing their name. No details of the device have yet leaked out, but it is believed that the Bosch selfstarter will differ from most of those now obtainable, and, further, that it will probably bo marketed early next year. many manufacturers subject more than their chasses to road tests; in other words, to discover how many finished cars are actually “put through the mill” of acutal usage betore they are placed on the market. Whatever may be the case, it is certain that not a few manufacturers might profit exceedingly did they seek to discover first hand how their cars are affected when bodies are applied to them. As a rule testers are concerned chiefly with the proper operation of engines and other moving parts. What the finished car “feels like” is almost a foreign experience to them, and yet the bodily comfort of purchasers is so greatly affected for better or worse not merely by the design of the body but by the “feel” of it, the wonder is that road tests of finished cars are not more general. An unusual motor cycle test is being held this week by the Sydney Bicycle and Motor Cycle Club, which has organised a 24 hours’ endurance test. All the contestants will ride for 24 consecutive hours, excepting scheduled stops for food. The ride starts from Paramatta, and a moderate speed of 15 miles an hour will be maintained over the Blue Mountains up to Sofala, beyond Bathurst, where a halt will be called for breakfast. For the remainder of the 373 miles’ run a speed of 20 miles per hour has to be registered. This interesting test has attracted a good entry. -—-At this time of the year, when most of the English motor cycle manufacturers are deciding upon their next season’s policy, there is always considerable speculation regarding new models, new ideas, new types, and now prices, which this or that concern intend bringing out. This time last year, writes a well-known English motorist, it was the cycle car which apnea red to hold premier place in tho programmes of many firms —this year the popular fancy appears to be the twin motor cycle of about .500 to 600 o.c. capacity. Most of the large firms are reported to have experimental engines under test, which is probably a move in tho right direction since tho motor cycle is developing into a passenger-carry-ing machine pure and simple. Regarding the popularity of the passenger machine there is no doubt; hence the lack of enthusiasm for the simple cycle car is hard to explain, for there is certainly something which* is holding back tho genuine cycle oar so far as the largo manufacturers are concerned. There are over 100 makes of cycle car in England, yet it is almost certain that two or three of the makers have turned out more than all the others put together, which is a back-handed way of saying that the others have not made many, by which it is not inferred in any way that they are inefficient, but rather that the trade has been left to the few small firms who pioneered tho cycle car movement, to whom an output of even 1 00 a year would offer a stiff proposition. At tho English Olympia Motor Show last November the now Hudson cycle oar promised to fill a gap which is still vacant —a nice little car oa Cycle-car lines at a side-car price. The Rudge created quite a stir with its unique design, and is reputed to be the safest and fastest thing on four wheels in tho cycle-car class, and there were others; but, excepting tho Humber and Premier, none have been manufactured in quantities. The former has no doubt been while in extraordinarily largo quantities, while the latter has maintained a steady if not a largo output. Of the other motor cycle manufacturers who have produced cycle cars, the Swift, Singer, and Alldays concerns have marketed miniature cars, which is probably only natural, since they were car manufacturers also. It therefore appears that the manufacturing of * the simple type of cycle car is to be an entirely separate branch of the motor industry, which, although desirable from some points of view, has also its disadvantages, and is difficult to understand.

Undoubtedly one of the things which prevent the would-be motor cyclist from taking up the pasttime, either for pleasure or business purposes, is the impossibility of riding in bad weather without presenting a shocking appearance at the end of a run. The fact that almost motor cyclists appear to find it necessary to adopt a far from beautiful costume must do the pastime a considerable amount of harm. The opinion is expressed by Motor Cycling (England' that the time is now ripe for manufacturers to consider seriously the advisability of making their machines more weatherproof in 1914. Schneider, the one-time amateur champion of New South Wales, has been unable to strike form in Europe, and has in consequence joined forces with a troupe of stage cyclists who arc bound for Egypt. The practised motorist will cheerfully admit that, an occasional overhaul of the tool-kit is a desirable thing. The repacking of the many spanners, levers, wrenches, and the like, after an adjustment or a replacement has been effected, is usually a hurried proceeding, and if the tools have been used on the open road, or if one was anxious to get awav after working in a garage, the tools will almost certainly be found dirty and dusty afterwards. The enthusiastic owner-driver, and the careful, methodical chauffeur, will always take the first opportunity for an overhaul and oloa.n-un. You •should always know where te find any particular tool rcmiircd. Many drivers mvariably have an adjustable spanner and a medium-sized screwdriver at hand, perhaps beneath the cushion, or in a pocket or corner where they are easily accessible. It is a practice that saves time and trouble. reached in connection with the motor car

and motor cycle records between Sydney and Melbourne, tor tne New South Wales police authorities have issued definite instructions that no further attempts on the inter-State records will be permitted in that State, and, furthermore, drastic steps are threatened should any moorist try to get through on a record run. Sensational happenings occurred on Saturday, October 11, at the motor sports meeting promoted by the Victorian Motor Cycle Club on the Melbourne Amateur Sports Ground. Owing to belt trouble, when travelling at a high rate of speed, H. M'Ooll and A. N. Maplestone, two wellknown and capable motor cyclists, lost control of their machines, and crashed into the fence which surrounds the track. The firstnamed rider was frightfully injured, and succumbed a, few hours afterwards. Maplestone escaped with a dislocated shoulder and other abrasions. These two regrettable smash-ups spoiled what promised to bo a most interesting afternoon’s sport. Light rain fell during the racing,- and as the asphalt track became slippery, the meeting was terminated, and most of the finals postjxmed. Both the above accidents occurred at the same spot, through the driving belts snapping or jumping the pulleys, - as the riders attempted to straighten up their machines entering the straight. Several other riders narrowly escaped accidents from the same cause. The fastest speed obtained during the preliminary heats decided was over 60 miles an hour, The Automobile Club of Victoria'srecent petrol consumption test was piarred through a somewhat unusual cause. Each contestant was supplied with a gallon of petrol in a special tin, which was connected up to the carburetter with a short length of rubber tubing. After some of the contestants had preweeded a few miles along the course, the rubber tubing softened under the action of the petrol, the result being that a number of drivers lost petrol the tubing either splitting- or leaking. The result was most unsatisfactory as a test, and it has been suggested that the event be rerun. In tests ot this description, it would be as well to let competitors supply a length of soft copper tubing, which could be attached/to tank and carburetter by means of rubber “ push on ” connections. This would obviate softening of rubber, which is always liable to occur when in contact with petrol. A 30 horse-power motor car, belonging to the Learmonth Motor and Engineering J.Vorks, while going through a long stretch of heavy sand near Dartmoor, “backfired,” and became ignited. An explosion occurred, and the car was totally destroyed. Mention was made in these columns a few weeks back of a special 12-cylinder 50 horse-power Sunbeam racing car which had been built in England with a view to capturing all the speed records on Brooklands Track (England). It is now cabled that M. Chaosagne, the crack French driver, attached to the Sunbeam .racing stable, has succeeded in accomplishmg the wonderful feat of cramming 108 miles into an hour on this car, the actual figures being 107 miles 1672 yards. The new record is nearly a mile and three-quarters better than the previous world’s best, which stood at 106 miles 387 yards to the credit of the Peugeot driver. J. Goux. Chassagne’s wonderful drive works out at the average time of 33 l-sscc for every mile covered, which is phenomenal travelling. The special features of the car are that the 12 cylinders are sot in two sets of six, “ V ” fash'on, at an angle of 60dcg, the bore and stroke of the cylinders being respectively 80 m.m. by 150 m.m. Two Claudel-Hobson carburetters are fitted, whilst no differential gearing is used in the back axle.- The wheels are 880 x 120, shod with grooved Dunlop-'Jyrcs, and the top speed is 2 to 1, so that" the engine revolutions heeded to give ICO miles an hour arc near 2000 a minute. The wheel base is 10ft 6in, very strong springs being fitted to withstand the terrific vibration that is set up when travelling at a “ hundred ” an hour on the cement track at Brooklands. Over the rear axle the last couple of feet of channelling of chassis is filled up With lead, so as to help to keep the axle down. The petrol tank is also kept well back for this purpose. The speed at times must have been terrific, probably well over two miles a minute, for there would certiinly be tyro changes for safety sake; also petrol replenishment. Chassagno, who has captured this much-coveted record for England, finished third in the last French Grand Prix on a six-cylinder Sunbeam. It might interest motor’sls to know tluf: an Act v/as passed in October, 1898, to authorise the first motor car to be driven :'n New Zealand. It was a private measure, and a preamble of the Act read: “Whereas William M‘Lcan, of Wellington, commission agent, acting for himself and others, lately arranged for introduction into the colony of motor cars; and whereas it is doubtful whether in the existing state of the law motor cars can be lawfully used on the public roads and streets, and it is expedient that power should be given to use motor cars on such roads and streets.” This Act was repealer! by the Motor Cars Regulation Act of 1902. 200,000 MOTOR CYCLES. NEW ROAD PROBLEM. Highway authorities in Great Britain who have successively dealt with the cyclist and the motorist are now perplexed by the problem of the motor cyclist. A traffic authority has computed that by the end of the present year as many as 200.000 of these machines will bo on the roads in the United Kingdom, and if the present rate of increase is maintained motor cycles will in the near future outnumber motor cars. At the end of 1912 no fewer than 132,245 motor cycles were in use, as against 175.247 motor cars. These gross figures are sufficiently notable, but their increases over previous years are still more significant. In the County of London they wore as follow : Year ending April, 1912 ... 3841 Year ending April, 1913 5514 This represented an increase of over 40 per cent. The first quarter of 1913—-not the best period for sales—w-is responsible for more- than 1600 registrations. All over England motor cycles are being registered in hundreds every month, while the manufacturers and dealers in every centre tel! of expanding sales and increased production. On a fine Sunday these machines arc os thick as flies upon the great roads that lead out of London. THE NEW MOTOR FUEL. The importance of the discovery of a now motor fuel can scarcely be over-estimated. This process, which wag found by the joint , committee appointed by the Royal Automobile Club of EungUad and T%ar

clubs in the United Kingdom to find an efficient substitute for dear fuel, it is claimed, produce 40,000,000 gallons of British motor spirit yearly, without in any way depleting Britams mineral resources. It is expected that this process will revolutionise the motor-spirit industry, and render Great Britain partly independent of foreign supplies. The chief trouble of the motor industry to-day is the exorbitant price charged for petrol—at present Is 9d a gallon for the best quality, and Is 7d for ‘‘seconds.” A by-product of coal hitherto unsuitable for motor fuel was utilised. The new fuel will bo sold in England at not more than Is 2d a gallon to the consumer. CYCLING ROAD RACE. TIMARU TO CHRISTCHURCH. WON BY R. O'SHEA. TIMARU, October 25. The road race, Timaru to Christchurch, was started this morning in fine weather, with a fairly strong westerly wind. Sixtysix riders started, getting away well. With the exception of part of the Maronan road, which has been newly shingled, the route is reported to be in splendid order. Very » complete arrangements have been made to ensure the success of the race. CHRISTCHURCH, October 26. The following is the result of the race: P. O’Shea (Christchurch) v scratch, shrs 14min sSscc 1 F. Shalders (Oamaru), 14min, shrs 28min 58 2-Sscc 2 . W. T. Kerr (Hornby), lOmin, shrs 24min 59sec 3 G. Wallace (Mataura), lOmin, Shrs 25min, 4; A. Gilling (Kaiapoi), lOmin, Shrs 25min Iscc, 5; T. Booth (Christchurch), 32min, shrs’47min 2sec, 6; H. J. Sutton (Timaru), S4min, shrs 49min 3sec, 7; G- White (Belfast), 23min, Shrs. 38min ssec, 8; P. Huram (Ilalswell), Bmin, Shrs 25m:n ssec, 9; J. M. Smith (Christchurch), 17min. Shrs 34min 51sec, 10 ;H. H. Gibson (Christchurch), Bmin, shrs 42min 20sec, 11; B. Martin (Christchurch), 9min, Shrs 44min Bscc, 12; W. E. Arnst (Belfast), lOmin, Shrs 54min 47sec, 13; A. Bonis (Christchurch), lOmin, Shrs 47min 54scc,'l4; W. F. Griffon (Addington), 24min. 6hrs I2min SOsoc, 15. W. T. Kerr obtained second fastest time. O'Shea, on being interviewed, said: “It was a hard ride all right. From Timaru to Rangitata we had the wind against us. It grew stronger rapidly, and, until we turned to come along down to Ashburton, it was pretty rough going. From Rangitata on things improved, and wo made fast time, the wind then being well to one side, and a little behind, if anything. I pushed on on my own for a good part of the way, and made the pace fairly hot. I soon caught Humm, Wilson, and Henderson. I picked up the limit men at Burnham, and then felt more comfortable, as I thought that, barring accidents, I had a chance to pull the race off. I had absolutely no troubles with either my tyres or my machine. The first stood up wonderfully well, and the cycle ran as sweet as possible.” The record, which O’Shea easily broke to-day, was established last year by 11. Henderson (Palmerston North), who took Shrs 22min. Henderson started from scratch today, and did not finish. (From Our Own Correspondent.) CHRISTCHURCH, October 26. After the crowd had finished carrying O’Shea about shoulder-high and was tired of holding the plucky winner up in front of the photographers, a representative of the Evening News managed to wedge himeclf near the hero of the day, and had a hurried chat about the strenuous ride. Barring the dust and the dirt, O’Shea seemed none the worse fox his exploit, and ho rof 3 . - U_ A ' V,-- 4.1, „ ,„I,_ *-3 JI - w*4 V. j 4*... -J " offered to nib him down and groom him. He contentedly sat on the etcjis of the judge's box, and watched a few of the competitors come in, and received the congratulations of friends and admirers with considerable calm. After all, O’Shea must bo getting fairly well used to such scenes, for ho has won dozens of races, and has made the fastest time in no fewer than 18 events in which he has been entered.

AERO NOTES. At last Dunedin has drawn itself in lino with the larger cities of the world. In matters aeronautic Dunedin has been notoriously behind the times; but slowly, though surely, she is coming into her own. _ A little band of pioneers has been struggling against great odds in order to regain for Dunedin her lost prestige as a city of leaders. For some time past these enthusiastic students have been working on the construction of an improved man-carrying glider. This work calls for great patience and not a little mechanical skill, and it speaks well for the constructors that they made such a workmanlike job of the machine. In the design it somewhat resembles the famous Valkyrie monoplane on which Mr H. Barber made such splendid flights across England last year. Theoretically, its design is as perfect as it is possible, according to present lights; but to date no one has succeeded in making a successful machine on those linos. So it is seen that our pioneers are doing a scientific work in our midst which has not yet received the recognition it deserves. Under the nom do guerre of “The Dunedin Aero Club,” this little band meets as often as four and five times a week for study and work. Hampered by lack of funds, they have to scheme and invent make-shifts that are almost astounding. The individual members are for the greater part hard-working young men who lack the necessary capital to bring their brilliant schemes to a successful ending.

On certain occasions this club holds a “field day,” and such a one was held on Saturday at Corstorphinc. A start was made in the early hours of the morning for the rendezvous, where extreme difficulty was experienced in assembling the glider, owing to the high wind which prevailed. As soon as everything tvas ready a start was made with the practical work of the day. Mr 0. Wood, who was elected pilot by common consent, climbed into the seat, waggled the control levers, and declared everything O.K. A short run was made, and the glider shot up into the air at an alarming angle. The pilot had extreme difficulty in keeping the glider on an even keel, but after a short time a gust got under one wing and tilted the side up until the machine commenced to side-slip through the air. At this stage the pilot decided to try the nose-dive as a cure for this trouble, but for some unaccountable reason ho almost succeeded in accomplishing an amateur edition of Peugoud’s famous “looping the loop” trick. • It ended rather disastrously for the machine, which was rather mixed, as it landed wrong side up, and the intrepid pilot narrowly escaped a sudden death. After some trouble ho was extricated from the wreckage and found to be unhurt. Undaunted, they got the ’plane under “jury rig” and essayed onco more to “conquer the air.” Unfortunately, this attempt ended more completely than the first, still, however, without serious consequences to the pilot, who escaped with a nasty shaking. The pieces wore reverently gathered together, and, after a, very fine display of kite-flying by Mr W. Thomas, the little party had perforce to return home disappointed, but not discouraged. Foremost amongst the workers are Messrs B Bennett, A. M'Carthy, and O. Wood.