MOTOR-CYCLING

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18465, 17 May 1928, Page 3

MOTOR-CYCLING

By

“MAGNETO.”

Ashburton M.C.C. Trial. The long distance reliability trial to be held by the Ashburton Motor-cycle Club on Saturday promises to be a great success judging by the entry received. The distance covered will be 215 miles and the course will be laid through Rakaia. Mcthven. Geraldine, Fa : rlie and Timaru and thence back to Ashburton. The two Christchurch clubs arc represented and also the South Canterbury Club. The entries arc:—C. G. Green, B.S.A. (Christchurch); W. A. Lewis. B.S.A. (Timaru > ; T. King. B.S.A. (Timaru); A. 11. Iladen, Indian (Ashburton) : G. Hefford, TriuiViph (Ashburton); F. C. Thompson, B.S.A. (Timaru) : F. Hughes, Indian (Ashburton) : R. H. Alexander, Triumph (Christchurch) ; S. C. Forrester, Triumph (Christchurch) ; R. G. Slade, B.S.A. (Timaru) ; A. J. Blackmore, B.S.A. (Timaru) ; L. E- Evans, Indian (Christchurch) ;L. F. Poore. B.S.A. (Christchurch) ; .1. A. Crowe. B.S.A. (Ashburton) ; C. Weiby, Indian (Ashburton); X. M'Oausland. Ariel (Christchurch* ; E. M. Clark, Indian (Ashburton): F. B. Scott, A.J.S. (Ashburton); T. R. M’Oleary, B.S.A. (Christchurch); E. S. Velvin. Ariel (Christchurch*: K. Vincent. A.J.S. (Timaru) ; G. Henderson, Ariel (Ashburton). x Southern Activities. On Saturday next the Otago Motorcycle Club will hold a shorter trial. The route, which is 24* miles long, is rcbrought out, and as 60 points are awardnature and covering every type of condition likely to be met in a day’s run. Checks will be established at three sections so that riding ability can be brought out, and as 60 points are a.warded each section a rider performing poorly in one section will have an opportunity of making up on another. A maximum time will be put on the circuit. On June 4 the Southland Motor-cycle Club will hold their first reliability trial. The trial is being held on the Monday, which will enable northern competitors to go down to Invercargill during the week-end. Everyone is required to be on the mark by S.lO a.m., and the first rider will leave the Crescent at 8.35 a.m. Others follow at one minute intervals at a speed of 22 m.p.h. The first man should check in at Gore at 1(3.39 a.m., and is timed to leave at 11.4. The route then lies up the Waimea Plains* to Balfour, which is reached at 12.27 p.m. This is the dinner check, and an hour and a half is allowed. Over the next section solo machines must average 28 m.p.h., while sidecars are required to travel at 16 m.p.h. This should bring the leading man into Dipton at 2.58 p.m. He leaves at 3.48, and has then to average 25 m.p.h. to Invercargill. where he is due at 5.22 p.m. The total distance is 132.6 miles. Intending Christchurch competitors should communicate with the secretary of -the Southland Club (Box 253. Invercargill, where he is due at 5.22 p.m. p.m. Three handsome cups have been placed upon this trial, one trophy to be held by the winner in each class, so that competition should be keen. Teams of three may also be made up to compete for the team prize. Petrol Imports. Petrol imports into Xew Zealand during 1927 exceeded 53,000.000 gallons, a big increase on the quantity for 1926. The import value of the fuel was £2.005.984, or about lOid a gallon. Following are details of the four grades of fuel imported into the Dominion during the last two years:— 1926 ‘ 1927 Gals. Gais. Motor spirit .... 40,955,053 46.418,022 Benzine 1.838.976 1.022.815 Gasoline 1,995,363 6.000,541 Benzoline 28,620 21,264 44,515,012 53,162.642 Imports for January. 1928, were heavy, the total being 1,430,363 gallons. The petrol tax of 4d a gallon on this amounted to about £73,800. v There will be deductions from this for refunds to launch owners. Notes. The new model overhead camshaft A.J.S. has now made its appearance n

i hristchurch. The machine is a sturdy well turned out job. The overhead camshaft mechanism is operated by a chain, differing from the shaft and bevel drive used by the new Norton o.h.c. machine. Both have their merits and it would be hard to sav at this juncture which system will prove suitable to New Zealand conditions. It is a pity that there are no beach competitions to test out this new addition to the ranks of the motorcycles. G. Hockley, who may regarded as Canterbury’s champion motor-cyclist, has won the Bonmngtofl Cup for the second season in succession. E. Burmeister, his team-mate, „was runnerup. The cup is awarded to the rider scoring most points in the Pioneer Club competitions, irrespective of class.

The Pioneer Club will hold its annual social and dance in the \\ inter Garden in July. The event should prove, as in other years, successful.

A proposal to form a nefw motorcycle club in Auckland has been mooted. It is suggested that the club shall be formed more on the English pattern. The reasons for the movement are given in a report from the provisional committee, as follow: “No avenue exists for the competition of every-day riders in events which would assist in the furthering of the sport aside from racing and hill climbs, and these latter events are held only once or twice a year. There is a big opening for reliability trials, petrol consumption trials and novelty events such as hidden check runs and sealed handicap events.” The motor-cycle clubs of Great Britain are very concerned at the growing popularity of dirt track racing. The events at Crystal Palace are drawing huge crowds, and other tracks are being constructed in various centres. This racing, which is of a very spectacular nature, is being conducted by private companies, on which the amateur clubs naturally look with disfavour. It has been proved, however, that private enterprise can conduct this class of sport in a more satisfactory manner thaji is possible under the organisation of an ordinary club. With the possibility of a dirt track at Mangere in the near future, the commercialisation of motor racing is probable. Moreover, it is the only means of developing and maintaining this branch of sport. The two B.S.A. world tourists, Messrs Castley and Cathrick, who visited New Zealand last year on their way round the world, have completed their itinerary. Their speedometers registered 20,500 miles. This, in addition to sea mileage, makes a distance approximating two and a half times round the world. At a meeting of the Gompetition Committee of the American MotorCycle Association, a motion to reintroduce 1000 c.c. twins into dirt track racing in sidecar events was defeated. It was stated that even 750 c.c. machines were really too fast, and that there might come a day when 250 c.c. models would be used exclusively for dirt track racing in the States. Sparks. During 1927, 6189 foreign motorcycles were imported into Germany, as against 38S1 in 1926. There are now 1312 more motor-cycles in Denmark than there were four years ago. The exact figures arc 19,878 and 21,190. Captain Malcolm Campion was a pioneer motor-cyclist and founder of the Bromley Motor-Cycle Club. Ilis firstmachine was a two-horse-power Rex. Motorcycling is steadily- increasing in popularity in Sweden. Last year 6234 machines were imported into the country', compared with 3843 in 1926. A really good steering damper will make for general comfort and stability. Large tyres, good forks and spring-top i saddles are all desirable for long-distance i work.