Motor Cycling in West Australia By C. H. C.

The Motor Cycle, Dec 30th 1903

My first ride I shall never forget. I knew nothing about motors, and had not ridden fifty miles up' to that time on a motor cycle, and I started away from Menzies with a 350 miles trip in front of me. I was advised by my head office to carry a good kit of odds and ends .and plenty of naphtha; so I started. I had a spare tank over the back wheel holding 2 ½ gallons of naphtha, besides what was in the machine tank and carburetter, spare valves, springs, cotters, tremblers, and screws, and spare accumulator.

I might add here that the machine was a front-driven Werner. The first 10 miles on my trip I walked and pedalled alternately. The confounded thing would not go; but all of a sudden, just as I had made up my mind to turn back, the engine started, and till about fifty out when I was running down a hill, full gas on, lever as far advanced as I could get it, and in the best of spirits, when I struck a nasty little gutter running across the track, about a foot or more wide and the same in depth, with the consequence that I was nearly thrown off my machine.

A Halt for Repairs.

I stopped to view the damage, and found that I had knocked eight spokes out of the driving wheel. Well, I fixed it temporarily, and with forty miles between me and the nearest repair shop I proceeded along, driving very carefully.

The next check I received was a lake. These lakes are more often dry than otherwise, but this time there was nearly a foot of water, to say nothing of the mud. Well, off came boots and socks, and I commenced to push the machine across it, with the result that I got fairly bogged in the centre, about forty yards from the shore, and it took me just over two solid hours to get that machine out.

I journeyed back about five miles to a wayside inn and stopped for the night. Next morning, after going a mile, the driving rim fell off, the arms were broken, and I then had to pedal into Rookynie (twenty miles) with all my load up, and from there caught the train back to Menzies.

The West Australian Road.

We have no roads on the goldfield - they are just cleared tracks - but owing to the great number of camels engaged in the carrying trade they are kept in good order. A string of about thirty camels loaded up will make a good solid path over the heaviest sand; at the same time these paths usually too winding to allow of anything faster than about twenty miles an hour.

We use naphtha - here branded "stove naphtha" - but never yet have I been bothered with stale spirit as you seem to be at home. For instance, I had left the machine standing for a week, and then the spirit has exploded first revolution; have repeatedly ridden 120 miles on one gallon with the 1 ½ h.p. front-driven Werner.

I have no use for a sparking gap; never yet had I had reason to complain of dirty plugs, except after say, a 200 or 300 miles trip; never found the need of a starting lubricant for the engine either.

Liquid Fuel plentiful.

Naphtha can be bought all over the fields except in the remote places.

Just lately I fixed a 1 ½ h.p. front Werner engine on a lady and gentleman's Raleigh tandem, made a copy of the Werner carburetter, and it is a decided success. The wife and myself have some good rides occasionally. The machine will do about twenty miles an hour.

I am now riding a 2 h.p. rear-driven Werner. It is very fast; in fact, too fast for our paths, but when the road will allow it the pace is everything that can desired.

Both The Autocar and The Motor Cycle are very newsy, and the hints I have found very useful and not only that, they often cause me to smile, especially. when someone wants to know why some thing won't do its work. I remember my first ride!

Since writing you last I have added 480 miles to my total. I wish I had kept an exact tally of my mileage; it would have been more interesting.