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Cycling and Alotoring
Notes.
Francis Bit-ties, the well-known trans*
continental cyclist, lef t Fremantle, Western
Australia, on January 1, at 7.45 a.m., witb
the intention of endeavoring :o rep sun hi«
Fremantle to tfjdne}' record, which F.
White reduced to 86 days 13 hours 3
minutes last May. Birtie.-, who is riding
a Dunlop-shod Universal Cycle, is confident
that with decent weather conditions he can
cover the 3,077 miles in tbirtv davs. eoaul
to an average 100 miles a day. While on
the ride across Australia from west to east
Birtles will also endeavor to reduce bis own
figures to Adelaide (1,030 miles in 25 davs
8 hoars), and White's record of 31 davs 13
hours 40 minutes for tbe 2,609 miles to
Melbourne. Birtlea arrived at Coolgatdi*
(397 milsg). on January 4 ahead of record.
A party of South Australian motor cycl
ists drove from Adelaide to Melbourne aod
back dariog the Ohrietmtie and New ¥e»r
holidays, and from their experiences id
crossing the Coorong — the 80-milee sand
desert between Meningie and Kingston
\v.ol.j — iuey ao noi anticipate tout the
motor cycle despatch carriers in the forth -
coming Dunlop Relay Ride between cvcles,
motor Cfclee, and motors from Adelaide to
Sydney (1,149 miles) will average more
than 122 to 13 miles an hour across the
Coorong. According to tbi* estimate the
motcr cyclists are likely to lose ground on
the cycliete across this wild stretch of
country, for in tbe 1910 Relay Bide the
bicycle riders averaged 14£ miles an hour.
Arrangements for this iirereatin/ despatch
test are now being- pu«hed forward by the
Dunlop Company, aud the selection of
cyclists and motor cycliete for the respective
reiays will be made at an early date.
We are in receipt of en interesting and
artistic souvenir of the past Australasian
road. racing season from the fiaalop Itubber
Company. The souvenir takes the form of
a photographic folder' with illaetre'.ions o:
the winners of the premier road races of
Australasia during 1911.
The general opinion of th-3 nine motor
cyclists who scored full points in the recent
Motor Cycle Reliability Contest from
Sydney to Melbourne was ihst tbe condi
tions for tbe trial were too easy, bence
there was ao individual winner, the result
being that tbe trophies doonted had to be
split up amonget tbe nine successful con
testants. Whilst it might not be advisable
to make the condition of any future over*
land rides too stringent, thus perhaps
frightening intending contestants, etill an
efBciency eliminating test or ompetition
ebould be/ held at the conclusion of the
ride and tbu« hud h winner. In the ride
under notice, evidence, of breakage was
apparent io one inrtaoc', and jet the
^urchiije'^i!ei^awli''*j^^- las-ijiuch^itndda^Bi
WOTB%1fffittF^^SErO^^
The rider deserved every credit for bringing
his mount through, but from a reliability
point of view the machine was not justly
entitled to full points . This is one point
that should be provided for in future teMe;
let there be deductions for specified bre k
nge=i or frtultti — the nsechineu to undergo a
careful examination bj experts at the con
clusion of the ride.
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