Old Machines and Their Performances
HOW would you like to ride from Sydney to Melbourne on this iron steed - the 3½ h.p. Rover of 1913? Well, Eric ("Longy") Tyler (pictured above with the Rover) did it in Feb., 1913, and smashed the then existing Sydney-Melbourne record by 1 hr. 15½ min., his time being 24 hr. 39½ min.
The Sydney-Melb. record now stands to the credit of W. Ousley (Indian Super-Scout) at 13 hr. 41 min., while the Melbourne-Sydney record is held by Ces. Weatherby (A.J.S. Twin and sidecar) at 13 hr. 31 min.
The 3½ h.p. side-valve Rover, piloted by Tyler, was a very much different mount to the modern motor cycle. Its specifications indicated fixed engine, direct drive, 26 x 21 high pressure tyres, and band-shoe rear wheel brake. The oil feed was effected by hand pump, which had to be operated every two miles, while the flat out speed was 40 m.p.h.
Tyler's record ride was certainly an epic in human endurance. The roads between the two capital cities for most of the way were little better than bush tracks, and the trip gave Tyler a buffeting that he will never forget. The riding "comfort" was of such a nature that on arriving at Benalla Tyler had to rest for half an hour an account of his aching back. He later experienced partial engine seizure, and beneath the blazing sun had to take the engine down and reassemble it on the roadside. He pushed the machine up practically every rise which really could be called a hill. Just imagine what a time Tyler had on that blistering day in February - with the fixed engine!
The Rover, however, despite its now comparative bad points, was a gallant old stager in those days, for Tyler also rode it in the Sydney to Melbourne reliability trial, finishing with full points, and also piloted it to victory in several notable speed events.
Australian Cycling & Motor Cycling magazine, May 28th 1931. Trove NLA
The photograph is by Algernon Darge, using a glass-plate negative. Some 19,000 of his negatives are in the possession of the Australian War Memorial, and more are at the State Library of Victoria. Darge was a keen motorcyclist, and the quality of his photography was of a very high calibre. The clarity of the original (this is a copy of a copy of a copy) would show the man and machine in fine detail.
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