Motoring and Cycling Notes

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 3, 5 September 1923, Page 3

Motoring and Cycling Notes

The notion of the Sports Committee of the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria in deciding to alter the conditions of the fuel test section oi the 1000 miles Alpine contest has given cause lor comment in cei tain directions. In the writer's opinion the change of conditions will certainly meet with the approval of the motoring public and potential motorists. It must be conceded that the mileages generally recorded in fuel contests promoted by the various Australian Automobile Clubs have been farcical inasmuch as tho mileages attained have, owing to coasting on level and hills, been in the neighbourhood of double, what even a first-cl: s driver wou'd obtain when driving i 'er normal renditions./The figures, whilst actually established,' are, not a true reflex of a car's capabilities, and. therefore, really misleading. No motorist of any experience places any value on the wonder-

ful fuel figures recorded in , such tests, then why perpetuate su<di a farce. In the case of the potential motorist, harm is certainly done, tor fuel consumption mfif be an important factor in selecting a certain make of car, only to realise later on that the figures accredited by an Afs< cation of s auding—an Automobile. Club—to the car he or she seleried are misleading. This is harmful all round. Ts it no preferable to discard such tests, and institute a fuel trial which will determine that certain makes of cars will over a.s-evere and mountainous route put up mileage per gallon that reasonably approximates to what any experienced driver or owner could obtain over the same route. It's genuine fuel figures that count, and not sensational mileages that are of no. use to anyone. The R.A.C.V. conditions that are t-> govern the fuel section of :J »he next 1000 miles trial provide for allowances, of fuel in accordant© with horse power, number of cylinders, and weight of err with passengers, based on figures probably approximat'ng closely to the mileages supplied hy the maker's catalogues or representa-

ives. If Trade entrants, nominate

gtheir car s to do so many miles to the gallon, knowing the conditions, governing the fuel test, and nature oi course, and such figures are made public, then if in the test' itself, cars t act up to the fuel claims of the makers or sellers, then they have done all that the prospective buyer asks for,, .which is' infinitely better than ■putting -up freak figures that, the average owner could neyer approach. It is' not sensational' fuel mileage that is wanted from a contest of this description; but data that will be of value to motorists and potential I motorists and this is what the R.A.C.A\ is aiming at. A sterling performance was registered by the Victorian racing cy list, J. J. Beasley, on the ■'MelboarneOeelong road, recently. In a 50 miles handicap road race thp scratch division set out with the object of endeavouring to lower the long standing. 50 miles record ride of G. Bell who in 1913 covered the distance in 2hrs 14mins 35secs. By good team work Ben.sley negotiated the 50 miles in 2hrs Bmin s ssecs over an out and home course of 12i miles each way, which called for three ease-ups and turns. This is easily an Australian record. Beasley rode a'"Lily" cycle with 6J inch cranks geared to 86 inches and shod wiiji Dunlop tyres. His cu-markers, T. J. Carey. F. King, J. Bagot and L. K. Smith (W.A.) all got under •Bell's old record.

There is at present a noticeable tendency towards . development in frama design says "Motor Cycling" (England). The principal evidence of, tliis ig at present to be found in manufacturers' experimental i\orkshops. but there can be no question tihat the London motor cycle exhibition in October will show a marked tendency towards a break-awayi from the conventional diamond frame which has been a standard feature of British motor-cycles for so long. On the score of reliability there can be no criticism of the diamond frame, for, in. the ord nary rider's experience a broken fiame is nowadays unheard of. Nevertheless, reliability, although the first, i s not the only desideratum of the ideal frame, and the recent Tourist Trophy laces have focused attention on the importance of frame design in its relation to the, steering properties ' of a motor-cycle.

For h|gh powered machines Uie frame with dapWk times extending from tho rear-wheel shindle to .or-

ward of the engine, and carrying tho power unit cradle fashion, is already commonplace. This desiga, however, while providing an excellent means of taking the driving and reaction loads incidental to a powerful engine, does not deal with tho very important question of the torsional stability of the steering head, and it is on this point that attention is now being concentrated. If, »s seems likely at the moment, there is no useful alternative to tno tubular frame, the use of tubes of pprtpideiably larger diameter than those at present employed is to be commended, sine© the torsional stiffcommended, since tho torsional stiff - an increase in its diameter. We confess, however, that wo still have hopes that pressed steel will ultimately become the standard form of construction, because it lends itself so well to the incorporation of wea-ther-proofing devices and the enclosure of the mechanism.