MOTOR – CYCLING

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18959, 3 January 1930, Page 4

MOTOR - CYCLING

BT

“MAGNETO”

FIXTURES. January 12—Inter-club rally, Ashburton Pioneer Club. January 18—Beach races. Pioneer Club. February I—Hill climb. Pioneer Club. February 15—Scott scramble. Pioneer Club. March I—Reliability Trial. Pioneer Club. March 22—Track races. Pioneer Club. April s—Social pillion trial. Pioneer Club.

1930 DESIGN. No Sign of “Multis ” For years dreamers have been prophesying engines of many cylinders fo/ motor-cycles. Practical designers, to mention George .Brough and Co. and Tinkler, that constructor of many “multis,” have evolved what may be called really usable “fours.” Two-strokes and four-strokes have had their advocates as the ideal - medium for the future two-wheeler four-cylinder engine. But despite the prophecies of years the marketable product is the same, the single reigns supreme. Even that famous manufacturer of two-stroke twins, the Scott concern, has come out with a single model for 1930. The Sloping Cylinder. Another thing worth remarking is the sloping cylinder vogue. The P. and M. Panther, the 8.5. A., the Calthorpe, the Zenith, Dunelt, to mention but a few, have sloping cylinder engines this year, and now the famous A.J.S. concern is turning out some of its 1930 models with the sloping cylinder. There * S L n ° doubt that this position improves the appearance of the machine, and makes it symmetrical. It was stated when the B.S.A. adopted the vogue that the sloping cylinder unbalanced the machine and made it buck when on rough stuff. Time has proved the contrary is the fact, and evidence of this is the number of manufacturers that are adopting the idea. A Useful Accessory. A particular gadget which can be described as a small step in the march of progress is the Ariel innovation of fitting a car "type oil pressure indicator in the tank. This adjunct will do away with the fear of the possible breakdown of the dry-sump lubrication without the rider knowing of the fact. Even those machines which are fitted with a plunger indicator are not exactly satisfactory. A small plunger hidden away down by the oil pump is liable to be forgotten, but a proper gauge, mounted alongside the speedometer, can hardly be missed. Coil Ignition. Coil ignition is becoming increasingly popular, and it is worthy of notice that the Velocette manufacturers are bringing out models with coil ignition. The American machines, Harley Davidson and Indian, have long fitted coil ignition, and it is a fact that in electrical equipment generally the Americans have outclassed the Englishmen. There are many arguments that can be brought against the coil and battery type, but most of these can be satisfactorily answered in these days of efficient batteries and reliable generators. English manufacturers have religiously adhered to the magneto since the days when a plain battery and a coil with its peculiar make-and-break system were abandoned. New Ideas From U.S.A. A noticeable feature of the new Harley-Davidson models is the pretty panel tanks and the substantial 3i h.p. model frames take the eye. The American job is a much better looking affair than it used to be, but here is where the English designer scores. Summing up, however, one must admit that the machine from the land of the Stars and Stripes can show points in comfort and rideability which the English manufacturer can be well occupied in striving to attain. Times are improving at Monica Park and soon it may be hoped that speeds approaching those established in Australia and in England may be reached. It is worthy of notice that the times in England were very poor at the start of the sport. In fact “Magneto” has it on good authority that the Australian riders who went to England could not be described as the cream of the dirt-track men. With a few exceptions the nlen were mostly second grade exponents. jj j.j W. Kilmister smashed up his Douglas on Saturday night at Kilbirnie and as a result he did not do himself justice. Spinks, the Australian rider, won the Big §ix Handicap at Kilbirnie. We are looking forward to seeing this cinder-shifter down here. 55 So far as spectacular riders go the writer is still of the opinion that Arthur Mann was the best. Scipiwich was a pretty rider and was exceedingly fast, but he had not that spectacular abandon that Mann put into his broadsiding. Mangham ran Mann very clo.se and in . some minds he may be considered the . more thrilling to watch. Now we have L had Perkins showing his peculiar, but effective, style of riding and he is impressive. As a matter of fact a certain 1 local authority considers Perkins the • best rider from all points of view. With t «s is Perabo, the latest arrival from Sydney, who is still something of a dark horse. His performances so far have not been too good, but “Mag- . neto” can never forget that brief but i thrilling episode at practice. In that , short space, including only two broadsides. this popular rider revealed his ; true worth. Notes. ; The first half of the 1929-30 season . has slipped by, and has proved to be quite a successful term. A variety of events have been held, including trade , races, a championship beach meeting and a fifty-miles beach event. The out- . standing success has been the mixture . events variously named flexibility, • hurly burly and mystery competition*-. These have unfailingly drawn a godd iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiii

private owner entry, which alone will qualify them for inclusion in the programmes of the future. The pillion trial, the first event of its kind to be held locally, proved an immensely popular competition, and the fact that the fair sex contributed in no small measure to the complement of passengers vouches for the popularity of the pastime. Altogether, it has been a happy old year; may the new one bring as much pleasure. 5* 55 35 Christchurch is not the only place where mechanics construct “Bitzas”. An Englishman constructed an old Indian machine which an enthusiast has converted and tuned for riding in gymkhana events. The basis of the model is a 1915 Indian Powerplus machine, which nowadays can be picked up for £lO or under. In this case the machine was stripped, the bars altered and turned down and every exposed part either cellulosed white or bound with white surgical tape. The machine has a spring frame and it has created quite a sensation among riders of more expensive models when it has appeared with its owner dressed in white boiler suit and crash helmet to match. :: sc & Good Prospects. The prospects for 1930 look exceedingly bright and with the exceedingly attractive and large range of models produced by all manufacturers, agents locally look forward to good sales. One local salesman stated to the writer that never had things looked so bright. A NEW SAFETY DEVICE. Blue I«&xnps for the Police? During the course of inquest proceedings on a man who was killed in a road accident it was shown that an important fact in the occurrence was the use of a white light by a constable operating a police control, states “Motor-Cycling.” The foreman of the jury remarked that he and his colleagues considered that a red lamp would be better for the police to use, because a white light was confusing. The coroner remarked that a red lamp was an indication of danger and inferred that for stopping motorists and motor-cyclists on the road at night it would be better for police use than a white light. A police inspector re- : marked that the question was under review and that red lamps are at ■ present being tried. We think that the attention of the police authorities should be called to 1 the desirability of introducing a definite and distinctive coloured police signal for use after dark. As we have mentioned before, red lamps in these days of crowded highways do not mean “ stop,” as they did in the past, but rather, because so many thousands of 1 them are in use as rear lamps, infer that they should be passed on the off side. The meaning of a white light is equally likely to be construed as indicating the need for passing it on the | near side. Times change, and our ! customs change with them. A red ■ lamp ahead no longer means “ stop.” ’ and a white light is no longer con- [ sidered a beacon. Blue is the colour : associated with the police force. Why should not blue lamps, which have as yet no other special significance, be used by constables for stopping riders on the road at night? CINDER SIFTINGS. Items from the Speedways. The dirt track racing on Saturday t night provided some of the most thril!- . ing cinder shifting that has been witnessed at Monica Park. The local ; were riding well, and Syd Perkins alone was a thrill. Perabo was not bleesed ; with a perfect engine, and this contributed to his defeat. Perkins put up the fastest time for . the evening on his A.J.S. special. He covered the mile in lmin 31sec, tVc same time as the track record, held by i W. Stipcwich, the Australian. Perkins's machine is another of the Bitza type; . it has a Harley frame with a 3i h.p. ; A.J.S. o.h.v. engine. ; The writer likes Perabo’s style of ■ riding, and is of the opinion that the [ Australian will be a much faster man • when he gets that twin engine going > right. Perkins just managed to got - the better of his countryman, bv.t Perabo can do a lot better yet. E. Marsh came to light with some l fast work on Saturday night. The Sur- ■ beam special has plenty of “ pep,” and suits the muscular rider. 55 55 35 ! The team mates, N. R. Gray and P. ; Lunn, were well up to form, and their > A.J.S.’s seem to be the real thing for fast cinder shifting. Gray's is the better of the two. : K t: 55 J. Carter and F. Sharman are still 5 riding well, but do not seem to im- , prove much. Sharman’s record at- - tempt was a second outside Stipcwhich’s • time. This time, however, is the near--1 est approach to the record that a local 2 man has made. ; K « K t Information has been received that • at the motor and aerial pageant to be 1 held at Ninety Mile Beach. Northland. 2 on January 15, by the Kaitaia Aero • and Automobile Racing Club, “ Wizi ard ” Smith, holder of Australasian re--1 cords, will attack the world’s records r (beach presumably) for one and ten - miles. The meeting will be recorded t by the Fox Movietone News. One of t the features of the pageant will be a • race between a Moth and a motor--3 cycle. ♦* y E. Pyke is now riding a Norton hybrid constructed by E. Marsh. He t has taken the Norton engine out of his r own machine and inserted it in the [ new one. The machine was until re- : cently ridden by J. Hore. 55 25 25 The Russell brothers. Bob and Stan, s have given up the game now. Bob , has big business interests now, and Stan, since he injured his foot, seems l to have lost interest in the sport. limillllllflIlll!t!l!l!ill!l!lltll!!li:i!llIIII!II!iiminillUillllUiinilUllinunilUliUIIIHII)l»