MOTOR CYCLE NOTES.
BABY FRANCIS BARNETTS.
THE KOWLOON MC. CLUB.;
[BY CAMSHAFT]
I must confess myself intrigued by, the new baby Francis Barnetts, two
FEATHERWEIGHT
MOTORCYCLES.
THEIR CAPABILITIES AND
LIMITATIONS, #"}
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HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 1931
SPARKS
FROM THE PLUGS
With 150 0.c. motor-cycles becom ing so popular following the 158. tax concession, one might ask for
what sort of riding are they intend
MOTOR CAR TRADE
GRIEVANCE.
TOO EARLY DISPLAY OF NEW YEAR MODELS.
CAUSE OF PRICE WAR
AMONG DEALERS
Heavy Jones are being inflicted
early announcement of new models among them in order, if possible, to sell out the present year's stock
Such is the considered opinion
A NEW PETROL SUBSTITUTE.
·MOTOR FUEL FROM
GASEOUS OILS:
an valvos, pistons," and - cylinders
amount of carban mo exhaust gases" is mu with petrol; and the,, poisoning
commercial petrol and an unwash-30 per cent, creosote, proved so ed fraction of light oreosote, specif.auccessful that the proportion of fic,. between 0.990, contain-patrol was reduced, and tests with ing 20 per cent of tar acids, and creosote alone gave such satisfno- having a closed flash point of tory results that the Belfast Omni- 174dog Fahrenheit. The resulta bus Company immediately equip were not satisfactory,
and
they ped four ommnibuses for its use. proved no better when the creosote
Two Carburettors, as washed from from tar acids, engines must be started on
petrol, because of the high vaporizory ro
temperature of the creosote, and consequently two carburettors are provided. The omnibus te run
fold has become sufficiently hot to
duosd. The per omnibuses und
conditio
models of which nee now on show iod? What are their capabilities on retail motor-car traders by the and is giving every satisfaction, of far acids, to which was added on petrol until the exhaust ma at the garage of Messrs. Alox and their limitations. What JonThis leads to a price-cutting war to the gallon and cost of produc aphtha to hold the naphthalene ensure vaporization of the creosote galle Ross, Kowloon. The detailed specistitutes fair, treatment for the smallest type of motor-cycle 1 These and similar questions need to ba
fication of these machines is not to hand, but understand that the
kapaking;
consumption
alode worked out at of eight mi to the
an average of over 12 miles gallon of croonste is being fuel, it is said,
distance of about 50 yards being | to required, and thereafter the creamainte sote carburettor is brought inte can be marketed at about 48 per
makers have fitted a single port answered; otherwise owners may expressed by many of the dealersing a daily service between Bel-plied to gasify the oil before it use, the supply from the petrol cent of the price of commercial
expect more from auch models than they can perform indefinitely with impunity.
who have been longest in the
trade:
18
Villiers engine, with the usual type of cylindriend zilencer, which accom-
"In my view, said one of them the Society of Motor Manufactur panies this power, unit. The famous fywheel magneto has, of course,
When any new type of machineers and Traders should make a firm rule that any manufacturer or im- been retained, has the gingle comes on to the market "there are
publishes his, new pro Porter, who lever carburetter control. The always enthusiasts who are anxious gramme before October 1, should clutch lever, which is extremely to demonstrate publicly its maxi- be excluded from the Olympia
Motor Show » Tight in operation, is situated in the zum performance, a fact that may
Ameriena motor manufacturers customary position on the left have the unfortunats effect have already agreed upon a date handlebar, while the brake pedal, giving a false impression of its on which all their new cars are to controlling an efficient brake, is in normal capabilities," says or be announced to the public, and a very accessible position near the Cycling. A 150 cc. motor-dyain there appears to be no good reason right foot-rest. Withal, of course, will, for example, haul a very light why a similar agreement should not
be made by all British makers. one has the famous Francis Baractt sidecar; such outfits have been built
Other retail motor traders ex- built up frame and a saddle taak of and have achieved, in the hands of pressed the opinion that the early. models very neat design..
experts, remarkable results. At the announcement same time, for normal use by ordi. severely injured the secondhand used car market. Values were re
Altogether an excellent light weight, and the models should acmary people, a combination of this quit themselves well.
power would not be satisfactory,
We have noticed a slight ten- An old Topic. Contemplation of these tiny yet deney of Interto stunt with 150s, 1500, serviceable machines tempts me to and even with machines having yet again broach the subject of the smaller engines, Such demonstra- most suitable machine for the tions can be quite interesting-hut Colony. There are, after all, but let it be remembered that they are one or two spots where speeds. In stunts and nothing more.. excess of sixty miles per hour are The capabilities of the 150 and attainable, and none where high its even smaller brothe, are very speeds can be maintained for any considerable. It will do practical. length of time. Hot-stuff 500s are,ly anything that a full-size motor. of course, a joy to ride anywhere cycle will accomplishi, provided that and at practically any speeds, yet it is given time. High averages, it is hard to get away from the however, should not be asked of it, fact that after all they are designed for fast riding, and it is the knots nor should its frame be punished that one really pays for Why pay indefinitely by fast riding over £100 for 100 miles per hour when freak surfaces,"
you can use only fifty of them, and
when £80 will give you a machine
as good as the best, apart from Norton. It appears that some time. question of sheer speed before the recent reliability thal
the
of.
་
BOW:
duced by adding another season to their age at a time of year when "used" cars make good sales.
Price-Cutting. Price cutting in new cars becomes worse every year according to a prominent wholesale and retail ngent.
When the motor show opens at Olympia on October 15, he stated" the publin will no cars marked down to a price at which it is prac tically impossible to allow an ade- quate profit to the maker.
It is time British manufacturers
this price, war," he added. “My camo together and agreed to stop.
contention is that no fully equipped hp, saloon should be sold at less than £160; a 10 h.p. at £925, and any aix-cylindar, car over 19 h.p at not less than £275.”:
As these retail prices makera could sell to the dealers and dealers
to the public at a reasonable profit.
At such fixed minimum price levels, moreover, the value of
The Brough' "Superior", Pending this rider was out for a run on thecond hand ears, would be greatly model, with its guaranteed speed of New Territory Road and
was
enhanced, and the public then not
110 miles per hour, is without doubt travelling fast, when big enging suffer for the severe depreciation on the finest motor cycle in the world, dried up, On, examination it was their cars us is the case at present. and to ride one on roads where found that the aluminium-piston
such speeds are not impossible of hud very neatly spread itself round
HOLDER.
CHALLENGE OF A GERMAN.
attainment is the most thrilling and, the piston rings Later on, at the 200 MPH. BID BY RECORD- joyous censation that thrilling and garage, repairs woro executed with joyous aport has to offer. Yet: to the aid of a file, and the piston bring such a machine to Hong Kong whole story is that the piston sur
was replaced. The point of the Bavours to me of putting a thorough-
vived the reliability trial without bred race-horse between the shafts.
Three machines capable of reach giving the slightest trouble. Ofing 180 miles an hour will take of a street scavenging cart it simply would not be able to give of course, we all know how adaptable
that, what results in a temporary held at Arpajohn (France) shortly. modern aluminium pistons are, and speed meeting of the year, to be part in the greatest motorcycle
seizure nowadaye would have meant
hopelessly wrecked engine in the It is hoped to tune und of them days of cast iron pistons, neverthe-
is best, or anything upproaching
I believe there is at least one S.S.100 in Hong Kong, and the ex
periences of the rider should be less, the fact that matched up very interesting to his less fortunate piston, is capable of surviving brethen. If these notes catch his arduous trial is of considerable in- oye, perhaps, he will take pen interest. hand" and tell, us how the big
twins handle on the local rondt
The Kowloon Motor Cycle Club,
Anti-climax 1
Something of an anti-climax to the story is provided by the fact
later to reach 500 miles an hour.
J.
S. Wright (British), A. Bimcook (British), and Herr Hanne (Gér- man).
The machines will be driven by
The record at present stands at 150 m.p.h, and 'is hold by Wright. The machine which did the record at Cork last year is being stream- The Kowloon Motor Cyclo Clob that when this rider finally scrap lined on new methods, and Wright held their weekly social run on ped the old piston and purchased is confident that it will average 175 funday, their objectivo again being a new one and a gudgeon pin, he miles an hour on a
two ways. Cafetiara Beach, Castle Peak found that the new gudgeon pin If successful, he plans later in the Whilst discussing this and other would not-by-any-morna ft the old year to make an attempt in Vienna motor cycling matters with the piston, let alone the new one. The on a motor cycle.
puan sa buhang war to be the first to reach 500 m,p.h. etary of the Club I was inform} job was finally completed with the Bimoock has a completely stream
run.
T
erformance aid of a reamer an instrument of also been taken to minimiza
lined machine, and measurem Marriot'■ docarnot. uko
fate with the wind resistance of his body when fitting of gudgeon pins at any timer travelling:
piston fitted; to (Vontinued on port Column)
The new non-inflamable: sub stitute for patrol, which has been evolved at the Belfast Corporation appoximately 40 per cent of Gas Works by Mr.-Orr, ebief, of naphthalene settled out. Experi-ing the chemical department, has now ments were then made with an off been submitted to exhaustive teste, convaining at least 18 per cent
from the point of view of mileage 10 per cent, of water white solvent tion. The Belfast Omnibus Com test with the mixture was not alto
in solution. The rat practical. pany have adapted eight of their gether successful, but it led to the omnibuses to the use of this fuel, conclusion that better results would and several of these are maintain- be obtained if more heat, were sup fast and Portaferry, a distance of entered the engine cylinders 30 miles. The company are also Accordingly the Belfast Ommibus cut off. The patrol carburettor su Experiments with creosote aru converting a number of lorries for Company, upon whose engine this tamatienlly comes into operation Arms. about £50, but it is calculated that Solax Carburettors, Limited, and service, but in the case of stops first, of producing a fuel with The cost of conversion is test was carried out, consulted when he creosote pedal, is out of being continued with the object, fow that Arm ultimately produced an for picking up or setting down which the engine can be started this sum will be saved in months in the Tower cost of fuel inlet and exhaust manifold cast passengers the vehicle can be driven from cold, without the assistance and increased mileage
integrally, in which the fuel enter off each time on the creosote car of petrol, and, secondly, of in- Best experiments for the ins the cylinders is drawn through burettor Corensing production. The authori production from coal tar cile of pipes on which the hot exhaust One engine using crrosote comes at the Befist gasworks a motor fuel suitable for use in gases impinge so that it is brought pleted 15,000 miles without show making no secret of the new; fuel. the ordinary type of internal com to the temperature at which la ing any need for decarbonizing, and would like to see its produc bustion engine using magusto igui- vapour is produced. The first trialThere is no increase over petrol tion developed as a profitable ad tion were made in March, 1929, with this manifold, made with a in the rate of fuel dilution of thejunot of all the gasworks in th with a mixture of equal parts of mixture of 60 per cont, petrol and crank caso, oil, And in such parts kingdors.
carburettor being automatically. petrol.
FORESHADOWING
For Service :
FIAT GARAGES
Hennessy Road,
MOTORDOM'S
GREATEST
YEAR!
FIAT 522C
6-Cylinders.
A fast car, a brilliant hill climber, and with its marked acceleration capable of keeping up high average speed. Separate hydraulic brakes for front and rear wheels. The four speed gear box is fitted with a silent Third", thus eliminating one of the most annoying noises.
On the open road the silent third speed affords the most pleasant possibility of driving on hills, curves and when overtaking.
Will Arrive Next Month
AGENTS:
A. GOEKE & CO.
SPATE PAFT DEPARTMENT
CHENA BUILDING,
Showrooms
HAT GARAGE
50% Henne