MOTOR AND CYCLE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11215, 22 October 1914, Page 7

MOTOR AND CYCLE.

ON TRACK AND ROAD. ALL THE WORLD OVER. (By SPARK.) FIXTURES. October 21-P.M.C. Beach RacoE. October 24—Timaru-Chriistchiireh Road Ka.ee Octobrir 24—N.C.M.0.C. Weok-ond Run Afcaroa. October 26-P.M.C. Sids-car KeliabibtyTnft.. November I—P.M.C. Itun to Ashley Gorge. November 15—P.M.C. Wishing Excursion, Port Levy. November 21—P.M.C. Week-end R<m» Han-

wcr. November 21—W.0.M.C.C. Br-.acli Races. November 20—N.C.M.C.0. Hud to Waim*kanri Gorge. - December 16—N.C.M.0.C. Side-car Trial*. January 1 and 2-N.C.M.C.O. Reliability Trials.

The Pioneer Club's run to Ashly (jorge, which was to hove taken place last Sunday, and had to be postponed on account of tho weather, will he held on Sunday, November 1. The fishing excursion set down for December 6 has boon altered to November 16. * » • <i * _ Some twenty members of the N.C.M.O.C. intend leaving Christchurch next Saturday afternoon cm a week-end run to Akaroa. Another batch will go over ou Sunday, when a fishing excursion .will take place. The return trip will bo made on Monday. • ' » • " "• «

Nest Saturday _ the _ P.M.C. first beach race meeting will take place with the following races:--Eight Mile Open Handicap, first prize £2 2s (Dunlop trophy), second 10s 6d; Four Mile Novice Handicap, first priiJO £2 2s (Dunlop trophy), second 12s Cd; Sixteen Mile Open Handicap, first prize £3 3s (Bar'nott glass trophy), second £1 Is (Dunlop trophy), third 12s 6 l d. The first race will start ai two o'clock sharp. ■ « * • » ..*•.■•.*

Much talk is going on regarding thfj £SO speed challenge to be held on tho New Brighton beach between Mr Scott's 20 h.p. Vauxhall motorcar and Mr Hinc/s 7 h.p. twin-cylin-der Indian motor-cycle, over three distances, one, three and six miles, from a flying Btart. This race will probably take place on November 21, and will be run in conjunction with tho N.C.M.G.C. race meeting. **, » » •

Over £!10 worth of trophies have been received by the P.M.C. as prizes for the club'e beach races. -

Tho following havo been, elected .to aot as officials for the Pioneer Club's raco meeting to bo held during tho. season ;•—Handicappers, Messrs . W. Benson and Sinclair; judges, Messrs B, English, H. W. Candy, and A. B. Merritt; starter, Mr E. James; timekeepers, Messrs Harper, Pevcrill, and Weir; attending stewards, Messrs A. B. L. Smith and E, Ballon. - • **•«

Tho Pioneer Motor Club will hold a reJiabilitoy trial for motor-cycles with side-cars, to Waikari and tack, on Labour Day, October 2G. The following are , the prizes: —First, Triumph* silver cup, valued at fivo guineas; second, trophy valued at £'i. and third trophy valued.at £2. All riders making non-stop runs will bo awarded a certificate of merit, and a hard-luck prize will also be awarded. The machines will leave tho club rooms at 9 a.m., and proceed via Papauui Road to Kaiapoi, turn to tho' left at Post Office and proceed via lino road to_ Rangiora, thence over the Ashly bridge, Sefton, Balcairn to Amberly; Waipara pridge, and direct to Waikari. Tho return journey williieonade. via_ Amberley, Leithfield, Woodend, Kaiapoi, and finish at Collins's, Oxford Terrace garage. The time a.lowed on the outward journey will be three honrSj and .tho inward trip two aid a half hours.

A slow leak caused by a pin-hole puncture in the tubo is rather difficult to find for the escaping air is hardly.-felt by the hand or faceJ If the tube is turned around in somd tine' dirt on the road the air escaping from the tubo will blow the dust slightly, and ono. can tell easily the approximate looation. Many carowners in summer mider-inflate their tyres, and consider that the heat generated in the tyre will bring tho sure to the normal point. Although correct in theory, in so far as the pressure will bo increased, it does not always prove successful. The temperature of tho air in the tyre rises; hence the rubber becomes hotter and wears more quickly. In a test inn made by a Chicago dealer, the rubber became so hot that the hand could not be held, upon- it for any length, of time comfortably. Under-inllatJon of tyres should not bo practised tinder any circumstance. If on hot days the tyres are pumped to the proper pressure, less heat will bo generated in the casing and loss wear will result. Then, again, when the car is standing ever night in tho cold air, the pressuro drops, and if under-inflatod originally, the morning will see a tyre which .may blow out after being stone-bruised or run against a curb. The proper tyro pressure varies with the different makes of tyres, and generally is from 181b to 201b a square inch of crosssection. Thus, a 4-inch tyre should bo inflated to 801b pressure. _ Have your tvro gauge checked agaiiißt.'a standard, for the one yon are using may bo as much as alb out for every 501b. • » * • o

I must say that m tlio past I have been prejudiced against dynamo lighting, writes a, writer in a Homo paper, its I imagined it meant additional complieationr This was u mistake duo to ignorance. A dynamo is the simplest form of lighting i>osK.iblo and also the dicapedt. My outfit consists--of a tiny litt-lo dynamo, not nearly' so .large ass a magneto. Tlii« may bo driven in many ivays according, to the rna-ko of machine to which it is-to be fitted. The usual, way is'to'fix a- sin all'belt rim on the back wheel «nd drire ih& dynamo i'folii this- by means 01 a wire spring belt', but in my eafcc a- small leather wheel is in contact with the rim of the side-ear wlieel, and thus the power is transmitted. One advnntago of this, method is thai, thn dynamo is neatly tucked away between the. sidecar bodv and fbo mudguard, and is practically invisible. A double-way sivitcb, conveniently placed, euablos ono to .witch on the current from the dyliciteo when rutmiu«:, or from a small accumulator when tho machine is .stuii tionarv. H.H. » * »

This system I'find in practice porfocilv HMtiiTac'.ory. hut .f «m told that tho "makers uvo' likol.v so to arrange mattm* in future thai an aoommihtor will bo elutrtrod from tho dynamo, and, of course, it will not tln-n bo nocosfeary io Hwitrli ovor from ono to the oilier when .-.tunning, tho. carroiit being always taken Trolu tho accumulator. Tl'ip -hirrip it-solt' is ii-'vory bandNotno ouo of the : ' strofMiiliijo " pattern, and tho light is amnio ovon for fast driving ou. country roads. Naturally, the higher thi-y iposd ;it/'which' tlio iiia'ehi'uq ifc driven tho brighter glows tho. light, but at twenty miles por hour it is qnito good enough- -:Thft comfort _of having sWivlv t<>"toni*.h' a switch instead of having to tumble for mutches and probably being compelled to recharge generators Las to Ira experienced to be appreciated. With electric Ikhting ono libvor hesitates to take one's maohino out in tho evening, oven if ono is goiiif only a few yards to pay a call, whcroiu: in tho sumo cireumstancea ono would fool roluotaiit to go to tho tremble of lighting up _ and so would probably leave the machine at home. # /■ * V «

Tho very latest idea in motor assis*

tiince for cyclists is a, little engine one horse-pover, together with, magnate, carburettor"and tank, balanced over the front wheel, the engine platform being supported by two rods, which give additional strength to the front forks of the bicycle. This auxiliary power unit differs from others, inasmuch as the transmission is effected without tho aid of cither belt or chain, a small pulloy connected with the engine driving on to the tyre of the front/ wheel, A handle attached to the centre of the handle bar is connected wii.lt the friction pulley, and by turning it to left or right the rid or can it will either dopress the pulley on to or disengage'it from the tyre. Moroiver, infinite grades of contact can be '.H-ought about, these various pressures corresponding to diiferent gears. _ The threat merit of the invoution lies iu the fact that the greatest novice Can at once, without any previous mechanical knowledge, ride a machiuo fitted with one of these tiny engines. With pulley disengaged, the cyclist mounts and 'pedals away, gradually bringing the pulley into contact with the front tyre. Directly contact is made the engine starts up. The magneto and carburetter being automatic, the cyclist has no cause to think about them. If lie finds-that the_ engine begins to slow down when climbing a slope, the cyclist releases the pressure of the pulley, thus causing the tiny engine to "'rev." more freely. Tho pulley is made of _ a special composition, so that there is practically no wear on tho tyre of the tread, the pulley wearing out instead. A spare pulley may bo obtained at a very small cost', and tho worn one detached in a few seconds by the manipulation of a. single screw. Any pattern of handle bar can bo supplied at the Option of the purchaser. The engine will give Bpeods ranging from six up to about twenty-five miles per hour, and should anything go \vron£ tho cyclist has but to release the friction pulley from contact with the front tyro, and pedal home in hte ordinary way. This highly efficient little power unit, which can be fitted quickly to any' typo of bicycle, will run ab«nt 17b nv'"s to n p'allon of petrol. The price in England is £lB.