CHAIN CHATTER, February 1951

CHAIN CHATTER

by “CARROZZINO” Tinext two months should see some interesting happenings among the record lists, for the German N.S.U. firm are hard at work with the flying kilometre two-way run as their objeetive. In other words they are out. for the “world’s fastest ” title, which, of course, is held by Germany at present, having been set at 173.5 m.p.h. by Ernst Benne in 1937 with his 493-c.c. B.MAV. At the .same time the recently announced supercharged Vincent being prepared by Reg. Dearden in this country should also be approaching the ” ready ” stage. While Dearden’s attempt will be in the 1,000-c.c, class, the N.S.U.s are in the 500-e.e. class and consequently the two will have no connection in . the official records. The motor-cycling world, however, will be viewing both attempts closely to see who is to be the first to improve on the “fastest ever:” If all goes well they should both, take the flying kilometre in their respective classes, the existing figure being the same, for Benne took the kilometre in the 500-e.c., 750-c.c. and 1,000-c.c. classes on the same run with the 500-cc. B.M.W. Of particular interest in these two approaching attempts is the technical side of the question, for the two projects are tackling the problem from very different angles. Both machines are superclunged and on paper both Should have enough power to deal with the situation, but the 500-c.c. N.S.U. will be aided by a streamlined shell, while the Vincent will he looking like an orthodox motor-cycle and is relying on the extra power that the 1,000-e.c. engine will ‘undoubtedly produce. The interest in this pair will also go fort her, for Dearden has the intention of Mt ing a sidecar after the solo attempts and tackling, among. other records, the late Erie Fernihough’s flying kilometre at 137 m.p.h. Knowing how well N.S.U.s supported the sidecar class in German racing last year it is more than likely that they too will join in Category 13 record breaking if the solo attempts prove successful. If, as is being planned at present, all this activity is to take plat* on German Autobahns, and one hears that they are busy preparing

a stretch of road for the at t enipts, then the immediate future holds giTitt promise of a battle royal. Also WI 111051. not lose sight of the fact that Moto Guzzi are keeping very quiet, and one cannot help feeling that they did not build their wind tunnel just to develop their 65-c.e. record breaker. * * * Now that it is Common knowledge that Goodwood is to be leaned for a motor-cycle meeting, we look forward to April 22nd with great interest, and once more we shall have an excellent opportunity for comparing cars and bikes Over the same circuit. While many followers Of each sport refuse to admit the existence of the opposite class, there are equally a great number of people to whomcars and bicycles hold the same interest and this opportunity to watch hikes On a car circuit will be Most welethoe. The premier road racing club, the British Motor Cycle Racing Club, has been given flu. honour of putting on the first Goodwood motor-cycle meeting and we sincerely hope that there will be more to follow. If the meeting is up to normal 11.M.C.R.C: standards then the Duke of

Richmond and Gordon,. who IIELS 8o kindly allowed this event to be run, cannot but help being Satisfied. * *

At the end of this month the wellknown Daytona Races will he held and over the past few .years British interest in these events has reached a great height. Not only have British machines’. done extremely Well, thereby causing some of our manufacturers to take more than a passing interest in the events, but many of our tuning experts have found it Werth while to make the trip over to Daytona to make sure the British nuichines go as they were intended. While the American Federation are not members of the F.I.M. it is not possible for any Of our riders to join in these races. Many people think that if our leading riders went over to America they could show the ” locals ” how to ride our machines, but when you remember that, the Daytona circuit consists or a four-mile straight running parallel with a four-mile stretch of Daytona Beach, the two being joined by loose sand hairpins, you realise that the ” stars ” of Daytona are specialists and perhaps it is a good thing that our men are unable to try their hand. Equally, we would not expect the American Daytona boys to out-ride Geoff. Intke round the 1.(3.M. Viewing the International Calendar for the coming season the first thing that strikes one is the enormous number of events. For April, May, June and July, to begin with, there is a road racing event every week-end, which will mean that those riders who are supporting the Continental Circus will have a full life and wear and tear on machines is going to be very high. Anyone who has the idea that Continental circuit racing is an easy life has only to view the calendar in conjunction with a map of Europe to appreciate hilly the magnitude of the work a ” regular ” competitor has to undertake. It is very pleasing to see three events for this country in the list of International C i reu it races. The A.C.U. have a date for a race meeting to celebrate the Festival of Britain; unfortunately it will in It he held round the streets of London, or even Richmond Park, while the new Thruxton Aerodrome, circuit has an International date and at long last Scarborough has been given permission for an International meeting in September. The last mentioned should appeal to it great number of the Continental riders, and if the Thruxton event takes place the week-end after, as is proposed, it would make a very worth

While trip fin anyone from the other side of the Channel. * * *

While the trials game is in a pretty healthy state, speaking generally, it is suffering from One very bad Vieitims circle. ‘This is the question of sidecars, for more and more one hears of organisers unwilling to provide special sections’ for sidecars and at the saute time the sidecar drivers are getting tired of riding the sante sections as tlie solos tackle and if they do not object then the solo riders complain about sections being cut-up and altered by sidecars using them. As with all vicious circles there appears to be no easy answer and the announcement that the Scottish Six Days Trial is to be for solos only, on the grounds that an entry of 14 sidecars does not warrant the extra work involved in providing special hills, can only tic taken as the “thin end of the wedge.” The only possible solution lies in more people joining the sidecar class in order that organisers will find it worth their while to Make an effort, if this is not done then we can foresee the disappearance of sidecars in just the same way that Morgans and B.S.A. threewheelers were levered out ill the midthirties. This problem is not confined to trials, but also applies to road racing, though at the moment it is not so serious. That, of Course, is no reason for the road racers to turn it blind eye to the matter..

A recent encounter with a young rider on a brand new 500-e.e. twin-cylinder machine brought about a very real problem. With motor-cycling becoming more popular and new machines being available there are scores of young chaps with new machines Which they know nothing at mhl about and if anything should go wrong they are stumped by the simplest thing, as was the case with the rider mentionecl. irowsing through two recent new editions in the Pitman’s Library series one could :tot help realising how invaluable these books are to the newcomer. Although the books were on the Triumph and the machines, each contained a useful amount of knowledge applicable to motor-cyeles in general. At 8s. fid. and 4s. tki. respectively, new owners of either of these machines could not do better than to invest in a copy. It has always been true that the average motor-eyelist knows far more about the mechanics of his machine than does the average car owner and the books in the Pitman series go a .very long Way towards maintaining the Standard.

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Mr, A, F. Walsham, who Is well known in motorcycle raring and cmnpaition circles, has been :ippolnted Competitions Manager for the Avon hatia Rubber Co., 1.W., of Melkstutm. “Bob” Walsimm will be lit charge of a Service Organisation attending all the principal Motor-cycle racing events which are trade supported, in this. country and on the Continent. This Service Ot, ganisation is expected to be available at the following events :—