The motorcycles most commonly seen in the East are the Indian, Harley-Davidson and the Excel-
Victor H. Page, az, in his book on Motoreycles, 1914 edition, which should be in the hands of every would-be motorcyclist, said that the Indian Hendee special was the highest developed form of. motorcycle ever offered. For many years the Indian was the leader and perhaps has to this day the widest use and is perhaps most familiar to the traveller.
One of the Indian's strongest selling points is its celebrated cradle spring. It is the only type known to the rider that has a hinged frame. Other models have the same type of leaf spring for the front fork, but the Indian is unique in its hinged frame and rear fork cradle springs. The special design is intended to obviate or absorb the road shocks, so that the wheel may, when striking an obstruction, bounce up into the frame without communicating the shock to the rider. The Indian handle bar, wide and high. with extra long rubber grips, makes for easy riding. It is a question, however. if the Indian has maintained its lead.
The Harley-Davidson has an entirely different type of spring. While it is not pretended that either is better than the other, the Harley-Davidson front fork will certainly stay loneer on the muddy roads than any other. Other trpes of spring have an inverted U-fork that comes un inside the mudguards and although this is widened out at the point where the tyre rung through it still remains as the first point where mud_ will accumulate and stop the machine. This, however, is a point of. doubtful value, for when any machine picks up mud enough to stop it the roads have long been dangerous for riding.
Té muss he remembered this connexion that, the motorcycle is tha easiest vehicle in the world to skid and the most hopeless to A motorcar with four n slide all over the rond y doing any damage. but when a cycle skids it comes to earth instanter. if there is any more hopeless feeling than w both front and rear wheels ekid—and that in different directions—knows not of it.
alley-Davidson relics on two entirely independent springs for the saddle assem! has cull springs under the saddle and the saddle post, itself floats on spiral. spring in the tubing of the frame. In its rear the arrangement is practi ical the same as in the Excelsior.
is rether a matter of wonder to the writer that the excellencies of the Excelsior motorcycle have not been appreciated more fully in, the East, for in some respects it is a
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.