A SPEED THRILL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16230, 3 January 1927, Page 7

A SPEED THRILL

EXCITEMENT FOR WATCHERS MOTOR CYCLE SOMERSAtfLTS Spectators at the Ngatapa Sports Club's meeting at the Park on New iear',6 Day were provided with one thrill had not been pre-announced in the programme, when a motor-cycle travelling at' 50 miles an hour wobbled, skidded; and turned a complete somersault in the air. The machine was extensively though superficially damaged, .and the rider escaped without serious injury., lite motor-cyclist, Mr. fe. Morrison, had undertaken to provide entertainment. for the public by a trial with a touring car in an acceleration test. Arrangements had been made between cars of different horfee-power, but orag to lack of entries this item had been cancelled, and the car v. cycle match inserted by way of compensation. The public got more than it had bargained for, for after having conclusively proved its ac- ' celeration capacity, the cycle struck a bump at high speed, and wobbled. Had it not been for the presence of a barrier oh the middle of the track near, the bend, the rider 'probably would have turned the corner safely, but, in an effort to avoid the obstacle, he turned the front wheel sharply towards the rail. What followed Was seen by many who had throughout the whole of the recent motor-cycle racing meeting feared might happen on the bend. The machine twisted completely round, pivoting _ on the front wheel, and throwing the rider clear; then it reared up vertically, and described a spectacular somersault in the air, rising off the back wheel and again alighting on its rear end. A gasp of apprehension ran through the stands, bnt all fears were allayed when Mr. Morrison quickly rose and ran to the machine, evidently unhurt. The cycle sustained damage to both wheels, the rear stand and the luggagecarrier, but the owjger after an examination stated that the more important parts of the machine were not damaged. "The cycle was a new P. and M. Panther, of a type which has gained much credit in Britain in racing and reliability trials.