CYCLE AND MOTOR NOTES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 31, 30 September 1912, Page 2

CYCLE AND MOTOR NOTES.

The American motoring press' have: in recent issues been drawing adoption 1 to the necessity of adopting nays and 1 means to minimise the risk to riders and spectators at the numerous speed motor dromes which have sprung up all over the United States. That their fears were not groundless isf borne out by the cabled particulars of the fearful accident that occurred a few days back on the new track ait Newark, New Jersey (U.S.A.), when six people were killed outright, and thirteen seriously injured. Two well-known American motor-cyclists in Eddie Hasha and J. Albright were amongst the killed, whilst four spectators met the same fate. The accident occurred through something going .wrong with Hasha's machine, probably the front tyre bursting, the result being that the machine and rider ran up the banking, and both were hurled amongst .the spectators.' At- the time/of the smash Hasha would probably be feeling off miles at the rate of ninety miles an hour, for that is the average pace of the cracks on the up-to-date A.m« r J c . an moto,r racing tracks, and considering that a 2001 b machine was hurled like a projectile into the massed spectators, the wonder is that, more people were not killed. Hasha was until a few weeks back i-he holder of the .World's flying start mile record, his time being 37 4-ssec, equal to a speed of 95 miles an hour. He has at different times hold most of the world's middle fiance motor cycle records, i and since the retirement of ; the American champion, Jake De Rosier, from the racing arena, through a bad smash-up, he has been hailed as the spe&l king !of America. The result of this fearful accident will certainly lead to restrictive measures being adopted in America to lessen the frightful risks both to spectators and. riders, that attaches to up-to-date, motor cycle racing in the United States. The probable result 'will be that the power of the engines will be reduced.-

From New York comes the report of a trial fun with r- little 20ft. singlestep hydroplane motor boat, which was timed to cover a measured' mile on the Mississippi river on July sth in 67 sees., or at a speed of statute miles per hour. The boat is fitted with a 12 cylinder motor of 230 irip., and belong to Commodore J. Stuart Blockton, of the Atlantic Yacht Club. It was stated that a 26ft boat based on the same designs was to .take part in, the American elimmajting trials ,for the British International, Trophy, hut if it did it failed to beat the British representative Maple Leaf, which last week carried off this event.

An English motoring expert recently made some interesting remarks anent fitting single seated bodies on chassis sprung and balanced to carry four seated bodies. As this practice is growing in this country his comments will be read with interest. He says:— Modern motoring is a thing of crazes, of sudden and transitory fashions, of almost hysterical moods. For a month,' perhaps you will hear that the only way to happiness lies in straight mud guards or eight plugs to four cylinders, and at the, end of five weeks, that only those lost to all sense of what is fit, use anything but leather hoods. Such phases come and go and leave no great harm behind them, beyond a possible slight waste of money, and time, which is probably counterbalanced by a proportionate amount of innocent amusement. There is one craze which deserves the severest cen_sure every sensible motorist, and that is the craze of the ' two-seated body. In the old days the difference in weight and wind-resistance between a four and five-seated tonneau .body and what, I think, we used to call a run-about body, was considerable, and undoubtedly did affect the liveliness of the car. But now-a-days this excuse for the ordinary two-seater, fitted to a long chassis does not hold water. The modern car is really very different from its predecessor. it is much lighter, power for power, it is better balanced, and it is lower geared. Take any typical 15 h.p. car of, say 1904 and 1912, and compare them in these points. The older car will bo heavier in every direction, she will be much .slower on hills, but generally faster on the level and down hill, specially the latter. Strip her of the after portion of her coach work, and she will gain immensely in liveliness under all conditions. Do the same by the new car ,and you will be grieviously disappointed. All the difference in, performance lies in. the increase- of jolting experienced over rough surfaces, and in the consequent loss of speed. It is here that the average

novice is most puzzled. Why should his car carry, a comparatively heavyj weight better and faster than a lighter ;one? It seems contrary to the laws of nature. ,If his excellent engine can convey 10 cwt along a given stretch of road at, say, 40' miles an hour, why is it that it can only convey half that burden along the same stretch, at either the same speed or, what is more probable, at an inferior one? The reason is, of course, that most cars now-a-days are sprung and balanced to take double bodies, and that by removing the weight from the back wheels you not only do not gain in speed but you lose in road-grip. The driving wheels do not ".sit" properly, and every small irregularity of surface throws them off, causing a considerable amount of slip between tyre and road. This conduces to reduce speed averages and increase tyre wear, Some Oars are of course specially designed to carry only two seated bodies. Againstthese I have naturally nothing 'to say. But against the ordinary long-chassis fitted with a two seated body, I have everything to say. It is ugly, useless, and extravagant. Ugly, because it is of obviously bad resign; useless because it does not attain the object sought—speed; and extravagant because it increases wear and tear on both tyres and mechanism, through the exaggerated bumping which is set up. Except for very low powered cars, and for those chassis which are , specially designed for them, two seatA ed bodies are a snare and a delusion., They make for rough riding, discomfort increased expense, and inconvenience. The only advantage that I can grant them over four-seated bodies is that there is less to wash. Apart from this there is little advantage in this pretentious production." As a means of exercise the bicycle is, according to 'Cycling" Eng., again finding increasing favour with Royalty and the aristocracy. Among the latest to return to the pastime is H.R.H. the Princess Royal, who has 4 given an order for three Humbers, two being intended for Princess Maud, and the Duchess of Fife.