tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78600544708423666782024-03-13T14:17:55.106+00:00Paul Green - HG Racing - Lambretta Group 4A blog documenting the trials and tribulations of building and racing a Group 4 200cc Race Lambretta scooter in the BSSO British Championship Race Series
2011 Sponsors - Replay Scooters - Lambretta Cottage Restorations
www.officex.co.ukUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger79125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7860054470842366678.post-554323650182178512014-10-26T18:11:00.000+00:002014-10-26T18:11:21.300+00:00Well.... thats been a long time.... since I last posted here .... gosh!<br />
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Perhaps I should pull my finger out and do a review for 2014, which was an amazing season of racing . <br />
Sadly I only managed two outings this year ....... but managed to get to most of the meetings, although being perfectly honest ... the personal attraction waned over the year!<br />
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So... I'll try and pull my finger out and get a review written!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7860054470842366678.post-54442168433587873402012-03-30T13:00:00.001+01:002012-03-30T13:00:21.226+01:002012 - Returning to the track!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last week saw most of the BSSO 2012 riders at Mallory Park for the Official pre-season test day.<br />
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I arrived myself all full of optimism and parked up next to my old mate Matthew Gooch who was out to play on his Street Class Jet 200.<br />
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It was great to see all the riders and catch up with a few for a chat. Some new faces this year as always and a few notable absences! With the riders meeting over it was a quick check over and fuel the bike then onto track.<br />
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Initially felt somewhat rusty as I have sold my road bike and the rebuild of a Jet200 has come to a stop, so I''d not ridden a scooter at all in 5 1/2 months so first lap out felt well odd ! I took my time but the scooter felt nicely quick down the straights so felt OK.<br />
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After about 4 laps though I really started to feel the pain from my broken ribs. ( result of a snowboarding accident a couple of weeks earlier! ) It seems that whilst the ribs were up to mountain biking they sure as hell weren't up to the braking forces into Edwinas and the hairpin!<br />
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I was pretty glad to be honest when the first session was over as it was pretty painful! I dosed myself up with painkillers and checked the bike over, and all too soon it was back out on track again! The sessions were coming round really quick. After lunch I did just one more session before admitting defeat to the pain as it was making me feel pretty ill and certainly unconfident! The last thing I needed was a spill and further injury!<br />
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In the last session the exhaust note had changed and inspection revealed that a mounting had come loose and also the muffler was breaking up. There was also some oil appearing under the engine from the mag housing that was so troublesome last year! A quick patch up and I let Matt go out to do 3-4 laps to see how he enjoyed a modern race scooter. He came back with a grin !<br />
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This week the engine was stripped and checked - the excess oil had been caused by an oilseal failure so I was glad to have found it before any damage was done.!<br />
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A new seal was fitted and the mag housing bearing re-greased and all cleaned up.<br />
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A new Gianelli muffler has now been fitted too, the old one is probably repairable though and can be relegated to spare. The new muffler is carbon and has a different design end can to the last one. i doubt theres any performance difference but they do look nice. If they are good enough for Charlie Edmonds then I am sure they will do for me! <br />
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This week sees the first round of the 2012 Championship when we visit the Croft Circuit in the north east for the first time in a few years at the invite of the NEMCRC.<br />
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The Lambretta Club GB have been supporting the meeting and we're expecting good numbers of spectators!<br />
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I will be doing up on pain killers, but Mallory had definitely put me very much backwards with my recovery for the broken ribs and have been in much pain again since! I shall just have to dose up on the painkillers for the weekend I think!<br />
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No pit crew this weekend.... :-(Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7860054470842366678.post-33168144007777817862012-02-26T21:19:00.000+00:002012-02-26T21:27:01.181+00:00Winter Racing - 2 wheels - No Engine!<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Towards the end of last year I had started to ride my mountain bike a bit, but after the seasons end this became more regular and in a weak moment my business partner talked me into doing a proper race at Thetford Forest!</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A couple of weeks before the Thetford race we went up to practice at Sherwood Pines Forest Park where there's a red route which would be a good test. I did the 8.5 mile lap there in my fastest time so was bouyed with confidence. I didnt have the energy for a second lap so whilst Lee went off to play I amused myself by doing a few runs down the very first section of the route against the clock to see what time I could set on the short section. Best I could do was 1 min 24 secs. Lee had just taken delivery of a new GT Mountain bike so whilst he was cooling down I took it off down the same route to see what the difference was...... I did just one route and despite fumbling gear changes and not being used to the set up of his bike against mine i straight away did 1 min 16 secs...... 8 seconds gain! You know what this means........................ yes a new bike needed!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A couple of days research and I narrowed the choice down to 2 specific bikes........ one of which I found for sale having been only ridden a handful of times up and down a lane........ and it was less than half the new price..... so after handing over lots of notes (!) there I was the proud owner of A Giant XTC3 XC Mountain Bike</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The Thetford Whyte Winter Series is a set of 4 Races held between November and February and attracts a full capacity of 500 riders to each race. Classes are split by age group with distance options from 2 laps to 4 hours (!) So somehow on the first weekend of November I found myself deep in the Thetford Forest lining up with 500 other loons to race bicycles around a cross country course about 6.5 miles long.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It was very much a baptism of fire and not even having been to a mountain bike race before! I had only been training a few weeks really at this point and had no idea what to expect really!...... My engine tuner Chalky White is a keen and regular cyclist and I had his advice ringing in my ears...... " Don't go off too fast and burn yourself out " .....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I found that on the downhill singletrack swoops I could make up a lot of time.... but then immediately lose it when we hit the open fire track roads and uphill stretches. I just didnt have the strength in my legs to keep up the same pace on those bits. I ended the 2 lap race in 19th place out of 34 starters so overall I wasn't unhappy!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I carried on regular training and entered again for Round 2 which was he;d at a different part of the forest. This time I did at least know roughly what to expect! The course for the second round included a bit more swooping single track and a few jumps and bombholes here and there which were a bit scary! I felt stronger for the second round as I was 4 weeks fitter! This time there were 29 entries and I managed to finish 12th.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">With a 7 week gap to Round three to allow for the Christmas period I carried on training. Round three was </span><a href="mailto:f@*#ing"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">f@*#ing</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> cold I can tell you! The race started in minus 4 and ended around zero! This time I knew a little more so paced myself .... but a little too much on the first lap and got stuck behind a few slower riders through some of the stretches of single track through the forest. This can be really frustrating as its virtually impossible to pass without forcing a way through. i ended this one in 12th place too . I checked my times against the winners and found that I was 110% of the winning time in Round 1 but was only 107% at Round 3 so I was definitely fitter and faster!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Round 4 saw a brilliantly sunny day - must be summer! - and unfortunately I was about to learn some important points! Normally training stops a few days before a race, but on the Saturday I felt pretty good and it was a nice day and after I had checked the bike over and cleaned and lubricated i decided to go out for a nice easy ride....... enthusiasm and boredom had the better of me and I ended up doing almost 16 miles! This would come back to haunt me!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I arrived at Thetford a little later than the previous races and signed on then set off for a short ride to warm my legs up. I set off from the race paddock following a couple of guys around the first part of the circuit. Once we crossed a fire road we turned off and headed down the fire road... I had only planned a short ride and assumed like me they were taking a short cut back..... then for some reason it struck me that they had no race numbers on their bikes.... ooops .... I was following some guys who were just out for a ride! Long story short.... I turned around to head back..... but must have missed a turn somewhere ( all trees look the same! ) and now I was plain lost and disorientated . </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Race start time was now only 15 mins away and after stopping a guy to to ask him found I was a good 2.5 miles from the race paddock! oops! I consulted his map and headed off in what I hoped was the right way ... flat out...... I could hear a loudspeaker then through the trees saw the red flag.... phew...... the first classes had all gone off and there was less than 3 minutes to the start...... and i was about knackered from riding back flat out! No time to top up drinks.....</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>Watch the left hand side coming towards camera... black / yellow clothing with red helmet</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I managed to shuffle ( push ) my way to the second row and was still getting my breath back as the horn went to start the race! I just went for it and pushed hard and after some elbow banging through the single track and a rather solid clash of handle bars I was in 10th place at the end of the first lap and had passed about 20 riders of the next class that had started 3 minutes earlier.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">On the second lap I got caught up in a couple of other peoples crashes including one going down through the fast sweeping single track when I was just lining up to pass a guy when he hit a tree root and binned it! As I was only about 12 " behind him I had nowhere to go and after running over him found myself in a heap on teh floor with my feet still attached to my pedals|!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">At about 75% race distance the previous days mileage and the 11 miles 'warm up' suddenly hit and my legs were shot! the two crashes and my jelly legs meant a couple of guys had snuck past and I just didnt have the strength to chase them back down..... All part of the learning curve though! Don't train too much! I ended the race 13th.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The final points totals for the race series are not published yet but I am 6 / 7th overall so was quite chuffed with that for my first foray into cycle racing at the grand old age of 48.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Getting so into Mountain Bike Racing over the last few months has been an absolute godsend really and I have really benefitted from being outdoors and away from all the stresses and shit in life. I am a stone and a half lighter than at the end of the scooter race season and a 34" waist for the first time since my late twenties! Which can only be a good thing.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7860054470842366678.post-63651077665383472652012-01-20T15:59:00.001+00:002012-01-20T15:59:41.133+00:00Detox over....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">After 9 days of Aloe Vera gel it was kinda nice to have a change! The whole Clean 9 program was not actually as hard as I expected it to be and I definitely felt stronger physically for it!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Its hard to describe but you really do feel cleaner inside..... kind of like your pipes have been cleaned out!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">End result was 9 lbs weight loss, and as part of the program you take various body measurements.... all of which were between 20 and 40mm smaller by the end! The program 'encourages' your body to burn fat from all over it so you really do feel like you have lost the weight and physical size.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I really thought I could well feel weak during the process but once past day 5 it was quite the opposite. Going out for an evening 10 mile mountain bike ride, twice during the last few days of the detox I actually set new personal best times for a 10 mile distance, and no aching legs the following day!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Would I recommend it..... Yes definitely!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7860054470842366678.post-29395290232994195542012-01-10T21:33:00.001+00:002012-01-20T16:07:45.205+00:00Nine Days to Clean!<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.918); color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Last Thursday I started the Forever Clean 9 programme .</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.918); color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">This is a system which lasts 9 days and is designed to cleanse your system and lose some weight and burn away fat ! I have always been sceptical about this sort of thing but my business partner did the same system last year and benefitted from it so I thought I would give it a try, thinking also it would give me a focus after a stressful time .</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.918); color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">See the details here >> </span><a href="http://www.nutri-lean.net/step-2/clean-9.html">http://www.nutri-lean.net/step-2/clean-9.html</a><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.918); color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> So for the first two days the programme was the same ..... Drinking Aloe Vera gel, taking Bee Pollen, the natural appetite suppressant Garcinia, a powder shake, and plenty of water! Notice the absence of any food!!!! I enjoyed a chicken & mushroom pie and chips the night before. Felt like the last meal of a condemned man lol.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.918); color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The first day was pretty tough by the end. The Aloe Vera gel is certainly an acquired taste!!!! The vanilla shake was not bad and tasted like very weak custard! By evening time I had a spitting headache (which I had been warned about ) and a very disturbed nights sleep . </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.918); color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The second day was said by many to be the hardest to get through, but for me wasn't actually as bad as expected. I wasn't as hungry as I expected to be either. I did feel a lack of energy though which I guess is understandable.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.918); color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">On day three the same process of Aloe Vera Gel etc could be supplemented by a small meal in the evening of 600 calories, which ain't that much really! This was made harder by the fact that I was seeing my brother who had booked a meal at a traditional fish and chip restaurant! I just had a small dish of 2 homemade fish cakes and a few chips. </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.918); color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">By now I had actually got quite used to the process and whilst I felt hungry I wasn't ravenous and actually if it wasn't for being out for a meal I could actually have gone a full third day without a meal. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.918); color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Day 4 was the first time I got weighed - I had lost a full 6 lbs in weight! I went out for a short ride on my mountain bike and found energy ran out fast ! I measured waist hips and chest and had lost 15 - 25 mm in size. Thighs had lost 20mm too!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.918); color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Day 5 saw my energy levels returning to normal and I was quite into the pattern of everything now and it was getting easier with every day. The Aloe Vera Gel is still an acquired taste though! </span><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.918); color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.918); color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Today is day 6 and I was a little hungrier today so the small evening meal of turkey breast mince, pineapple and rice was most welcome! I felt energetic and fit so this evening went out for a ride on my mountain bike setting a new personal best time of 45 minutes to do 10 miles including going through town so I was quite chuffed with that ! at the end of the ride I felt strong and sure I could easily have done the same again!</span><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7860054470842366678.post-11228812319715958502011-11-03T08:08:00.002+00:002011-11-03T13:09:46.704+00:00Coast 2 Coast Challenge 2012<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This summer I have been doing quite a lot of cycling, and have been really enjoying it. Its helped a lot with fitness and played a big part in me losing almost a stone in weight since Easter!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I needed something to keep me going over the dark winter months - last year I cycled a bit in the autumn and stopped as soon as dark nights and cold came!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I have always fancied doing some sort of challenge and a conversation with my business partner Lee ( a semi pro BMX racer and 2009 British Champion !!) led to a discussion about riding the Coast2Coast Route from Workington to Tynemouth..... across the Lake District mountains and the Pennines......</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A bit of research reveals that there is a well established cycle route of 145 miles or so...... which most people attempting complete in 4 - 5 days or so. So...... seemed like a good idea..... however....... Lee has a young family and his BMX racing takes him away regularly on weekends so he doesnt have the flexibility really to be away for a week riding across mountains - especially after a 10 day trip this year to race mountain bikes in South Africa! </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.xplorebritain.co.uk/images/c2c-map.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="109" src="http://www.xplorebritain.co.uk/images/c2c-map.gif" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The route..... showing options at each end!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So..... a plan was hatched to do the ride in<b> 2 days!</b> There was no alcohol involved.... just enthusiasm! The 2 day challenge involves riding 75 miles a day with some very big climbs, one coming at the end of day 1! So this certainly ain't going to be an easy thing to achieve by any stretch of the imagination!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I decided if we were going to do such a challenge then we really should make it a charity ride and see if we can raise some serious money for a good cause. A few mentions and a few people want to join in..... crazy fools! So at the moment we will be joined by my son Miles and his friend Chas, racers Chris Geyton and Scott Chapman and top Tuner and keen road cyclist Chalky White.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So I have now begun a fairly serious training and riding regime. I have done 200 miles - predominantly off road miles - in October and the aim is to steadily increase this until the ride date in May / June 2012 ( exact dates not confirmed yet ). As we will have 75 off road miles to ride each day we are likely to be in the saddle for 7 hours a day if we averaged 7.5mph. Sounds easy speed to average but the very steep uphill sections are quite long so we will have large sections where we slow right down!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Heres a couple of videos to show the kind of thing we'll be doing!</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Xx0K13hL9PA" width="420"></iframe><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Y70iep6CLj8" width="480"></iframe><br />
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<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> I am probably now fitter ( and thinner!) than I have been for some time! But to really do this challenge I'll need to be building up to regular 6 hour rides by May, and of course start to try riding UP some serious long hills! </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Why couldn't I just 'Gofor a bike ride!' lol </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7860054470842366678.post-52650386907677260892011-10-30T17:39:00.001+00:002011-11-03T08:13:16.402+00:00Straight Lining It - Scooter Shootout<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JGCbGCG3H8E/Tq19VX2StlI/AAAAAAAABDA/TQ1RIJzduI8/s1600/339230_2067636207062_1129522935_31825119_1050662205_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JGCbGCG3H8E/Tq19VX2StlI/AAAAAAAABDA/TQ1RIJzduI8/s320/339230_2067636207062_1129522935_31825119_1050662205_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ocober 2nd saw the inaugural Scooter Shootout event at Elvington Airfield. The event was to be for scooters only and with a wide variety of classes .... there was something for everyone!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I hadn't actually made up my mind to go until the day before, so the scooter was untouched from Cadwell Park the week before! Arriving at Elvington about 9.30 there was a good number of people already there, and for me a nice mixture of old and new faces.!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Scrutineering done and checked.... it was nice to have Miles around for a change and he helped out pushing the scooter around to scrutineering ( Wayne Rooney!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pZPipse9bns/Tq1_oHDhWEI/AAAAAAAABDI/lDSvmm6PZQU/s1600/311073_268968309803449_100000708454766_924606_1130845512_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pZPipse9bns/Tq1_oHDhWEI/AAAAAAAABDI/lDSvmm6PZQU/s320/311073_268968309803449_100000708454766_924606_1130845512_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It seemed that the organiser were a little overwhelmed at the numbers to sign on and it took me almost an hour to get to the front of the queue! Once done however there was noise test (!!!) which recorded me at a whisper quiet 99db (!) I doubt the noise tester will go to heaven!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So...... as I lined up for my first straight line sprint since around 1989 it all seemed a bit strange and I really didnt know how it would go!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There were some familiar faces among the spectators as I shuffled forward to the starting position. The race organisers had told us that we were not running the 'pro' lights system, which meant that the lights would be;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">White - to show we were in the correct position.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yellow - Prepare to start</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Green - Go - in our own time.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wKkDzYvk4RY/Tq2K3KqBknI/AAAAAAAABDY/Q0ROZFVA53g/s1600/309387_10150841434580504_884900503_20958276_1419916213_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wKkDzYvk4RY/Tq2K3KqBknI/AAAAAAAABDY/Q0ROZFVA53g/s320/309387_10150841434580504_884900503_20958276_1419916213_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pK2LUYJmN8Q/Tq2K073dG8I/AAAAAAAABDQ/HLm6-PuhVcs/s1600/306365_10150406032215996_573640995_10686300_176091757_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pK2LUYJmN8Q/Tq2K073dG8I/AAAAAAAABDQ/HLm6-PuhVcs/s320/306365_10150406032215996_573640995_10686300_176091757_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This meant that you didn't actually have to try and anticipate the lights.... once green then the timing wouldn't start until we actually broke the beam. I don't think this info had made it as far as the spectators as there were several comments about various people ( me included) being slow off the mark.... but we were racing the clock not the other guy!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The first couple of runs went ok, but under full power i missed a gear - the selecter is a little worn really which didnt help! The first run felt flippin fast as I passed the finishing boards.... the runway was a bit bumpy in places and was different at speed compared to the smooth circuits we normally race on and somehow felt faster than road racing.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once the runs were done, we got a card which gave us the quarter mile time, or just past the 1/4 mile markers was second set of markers which was the 500metre terminal speed trap. I was 83 mph on this on the 2nd run. The 3rd run was after a break to let the engine cool....... this one seemed to hook up well and I was chuffed to see 86.2 mph on the timing card!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A couple more BSSO group 4 bikes had now turned up so what was a bit of fun seemed more serious now! As the scooter had been untouched since Cadwell I had left the gearing as it was. Sprinting seems to be a black art as far as gearing goes and it feels like if you talk to 3 people you'll get 4 answers! So at lunchtime i figured I might try dropping the gearing by a tooth on the front.... thinking acceleration would be quicker........</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Trusty Martin Clarke was around to dive in and help with the gearing switch so it was compelted quickly during the lunch break.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the afternoon there were much longer queues as everyone was now signed on so the turnaround was a bit slower!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The runs completed on the lower gearing were not any faster though! All I was doing was revving out a bit too early and whilst I could match the top speed and did slightly drop the 1/4 mile times I couldn't go any faster.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Upon reflection I reckon I should have actually highered the gearing slightly with dropping a tooth on the clutch bell and concentrated on start technique! I could possibly have downjetted a little too...... I tend to run on the 'safe' side, so that could have made a difference. No matter...... despite this I did actually get the fastest speed of the BSSO Group 4 bikes , the fastest speed of any 200cc Lambretta, and was quicker than all of the fast road scooters! This was the bit that really surprised me as there were some very well prepped RB and TS engined scooters there including 230's and 250's so I was actually quite surprised that not one of them was close to the top speed of the Grp 4.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/boardfix/IMG00163-20111031-1954.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/boardfix/IMG00163-20111031-1954.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Coming away from the Scooter Shootout I have to say it was a top day and I thoroughly enjoyed this different form of scooter sport. The day had been a brilliant success for the organisers with over 100 people taking their scooters down the strip and over 600 people in attendance on the day! This is certainly enough to show the demand for the event and as a first effort it was great! in 2012 a weekend is on the cards and I fully expect Scooter Sprinting to be a big thing next year! There was a huge buzz about the day on the forums afterwards and I have been in touch with the organisers to co-ordinate dates for 2012 so theres no clash with any BSSO race dates.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was certainly buzzing myself and I must admit the event has made me rethink things. Chalky has some ideas for a new engine and I have bought a engine casing to start work on a sprint specific engine for 2012. I fully intend to do much of of this straight line stuff in 2012!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vk7mxn_Kurg/Tq2LYxjm-ZI/AAAAAAAABDg/PtttA8DbbOk/s1600/312714_10150413651331416_510406415_10457731_1336734488_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vk7mxn_Kurg/Tq2LYxjm-ZI/AAAAAAAABDg/PtttA8DbbOk/s320/312714_10150413651331416_510406415_10457731_1336734488_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The basis of a new 2012 Sprint Engine!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7860054470842366678.post-59133425848635711182011-10-08T21:27:00.000+01:002011-10-08T21:27:11.411+01:00Giving It A Miss...After the run of bad luck and non-finishes in the first half of the season, coupled with some health issues that weren't going away I took the decision to miss the remaining races.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0WFvw_twqvc/TpCxby1f_lI/AAAAAAAABCQ/faTSwjCJo2c/s1600/317760_10150827348615504_884900503_20864787_721301230_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0WFvw_twqvc/TpCxby1f_lI/AAAAAAAABCQ/faTSwjCJo2c/s320/317760_10150827348615504_884900503_20864787_721301230_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I also stepped down from my organisational roles with the BSSO and decided to concentrate on getting my health back to where it should be.<br />
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I had a huge amount of support from my fellow riders and had some wonderfully touching emails and messages. I went to Pembrey, Lydden and Mallory as a spectator and managed to spend a fair time stripping engines and gearboxes for Chris Geyton!<br />
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The engine casing was repaired and the bike checked over for any other issues. <br />
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I spent the summer trying to relax a bit and get better. I started cycling again and changed diet, and after some professional assistance started to feel much better by the end of September.<br />
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So half a stone lighter and feeling much better I decided to enter Cadwell as a last chance to be on track. Unfortunately I managed to find myself banned from the race by the BHR committee which was a bit of a shock and somewhat of a storm in a teacup. Its a whole subject on its own.... but lets just leave it that its now been sorted with a small apology from me and a big one back to me !<br />
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So I was allowed a race at Cadwell ahead of their committee meeting where I got the chance to put my side.....<br />
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I concentrated on just getting finishes. The tablets I have been taking mess around a bit with balance, and after a summer off and the lack of track time, I really struggled with corner speed but the engine felt strong with good straight line speed so hopefully the mag housing problems are now cured!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PmCNM0hEGw8/TpCxnqnjurI/AAAAAAAABCU/LnEXu-SVlsY/s1600/317357_10150827350185504_884900503_20864813_890351138_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PmCNM0hEGw8/TpCxnqnjurI/AAAAAAAABCU/LnEXu-SVlsY/s320/317357_10150827350185504_884900503_20864813_890351138_n.jpg" width="201" /></a></div>
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This was the final round of the 2011 Championship and was my worst year yet ! Oh well...... its behind me now and I have 7 months to concentrate on health and wellbeing for 2012.<br />
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6 times back to back Champion Charlie Edmonds has retired so Group 4 will be wide open next year!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7860054470842366678.post-51236897337463187112011-10-08T20:57:00.003+01:002011-10-09T22:00:53.943+01:00Cadwell Park....... only bad luck continues!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rw6cjSvlYBs/TpCqZeZv0FI/AAAAAAAABCI/5cg5Mxz4eYQ/s1600/257467_1846858967769_1129522935_31590705_3510059_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rw6cjSvlYBs/TpCqZeZv0FI/AAAAAAAABCI/5cg5Mxz4eYQ/s320/257467_1846858967769_1129522935_31590705_3510059_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Sorry to have been so long before another update ........ but I have had a couple of months scoot free!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So...... after rebuilding the engine after Donington I was hoping for a bit better luck... but alas... no!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We were racing on the full circuit and after a trouble free practice, we lined up for race 1. i was midfield on the grid of auto's and geared scooters at the right hand side of row 5..... in front of me was fellow Replay Rider Rob Sumner, in front of him was Tony Rudd who was also behind his teammate - James Campen.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">As the red lights went out I got a great start and went right at the edge of the track and was immediately past Rob Sumner and fast approaching Tony Rudd. As I did Tony suddenly slowed and then the next thing I knew he had slammed his brakes on...... Bang!!!!! nowhere for me to go but smack into him under almost flat out acceleration. I didn't have time to brake myself and Tony was just launched into the air!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Watch the video below to see more!</span><br />
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<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://2.gvt0.com/vi/3eaNeo_pZfo/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/3eaNeo_pZfo&fs=1&source=uds" />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I managed to stay upright after what felt like a pretty big impact but sadly Tony was headfirst into the track! i slowed and saw him get up which I must admit was a pretty big relief! I was now flat last but carried on and made up a bit of track space...... adrenalin was flowing for sure!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">As I came across the start line at the end of the first lap I saw Tony on his feet having moved his bike so i breathed a sigh of relief!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">As the last lap approached.... something didn't feel quite right. There was a vibration and then shortly after coming over The Mountain, and going through the left right left flicks of Halls Bends the back end stepped sideways and there was a screeching noise and I stopped rather suddenly... but managed to stay somehow upright!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I pulled off to the inside of the track where a check at the rear end revealed the rear wheel at a crazy angle to the bike! The rear hub had sheared and had an almost perfectly formed hole in the centre, leaving the nut attached to the layshaft!</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zdUvXRooGcQ/TpIJzab5WAI/AAAAAAAABCc/9svhHTXnXz4/s1600/IMG00912-20110626-1427.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zdUvXRooGcQ/TpIJzab5WAI/AAAAAAAABCc/9svhHTXnXz4/s320/IMG00912-20110626-1427.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">How about this for something that could really mess up your whole day!? >></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I had to push the stricken bike down to the start line and await recovery back to the paddock! Phil reaney obliged with the recovery van and after a lengthy delay I was back in the paddock!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The sheared hub was a source of amusement and interest to many people..... having such a failure certainly makes your bum tweak I can assure you that much!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Luckily Rayspeed had brought a couple of hubs for Chalky and I was able to borrow one of this in order to get out for race 2.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I went off to find Tony Rudd and make sure he was OK. He was a little battered and bruised as was his scooter - which had a smashed headset and damaged hydraulic disc. oops!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In the evening I did find a good use for the holey hub though!</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best use for a holey hub!?</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Race 2 - well...... a smooth start! If a little over cautious!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The scooter was still vibrating and didn't feel right at all....... on lap 2 down park straight a misfire started, so I nursed it around to the track exit by the mountain praying it would keep going as its a chuffing hard push back up there and I didn't want two recoveries in one day!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Pulling up by the van the motor popped spluttered and died!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Game over!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I dejectedly started to strip it to check it out. Sure enough the mag housing gasket was yet again blown out and the casing covered underneath in fuel...... i spun the flywheel off and sure enough, stair plate was hanging off! After removing all the nuts by hand(!) the maghousing just pulled straight off too! No need for extractors here!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The cause was now clear to see! There was a rather large crack in the crank casing on the transfer port behind the maghousing!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rather Large Crack That Really Shouldn't be there!</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I must have missed this crack on previous inspections, but at least it explained why I had been having the problem with the mag housing coming loose. Previous engine inspections had been carried out with the barrel off the engine, so there was no tension on the casing. With the barrel on the hairline crack opened right up ..... with it off you can hardly see it!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So.... bad luck continues - no race finishes!</span><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7860054470842366678.post-66338629942154248582011-07-14T21:17:00.000+01:002011-07-14T21:17:08.982+01:00Donington Park.... If It Wasn't For Bad Luck There'd Be No Luck! Part One<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tOPgCM4TrFc/Th9MszsZFhI/AAAAAAAABAQ/uiQ0hcuRL_Y/s1600/257382_1797175205706_1129522935_31572529_3422916_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tOPgCM4TrFc/Th9MszsZFhI/AAAAAAAABAQ/uiQ0hcuRL_Y/s640/257382_1797175205706_1129522935_31572529_3422916_o.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="564" /></a><br />
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HHHmmmmmm .... the week before Donington had been rather manic getting riders passes mailed out, last minute queries, questions and getting trophies and prize bubbly sorted out.<br />
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The van seems to become fuller every time these days as I had marquee, trophies, champagne, tee shirts and of course all the race gear! <br />
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I was amongst the first to arrive....... to wind and rain of course! I set up camp and the marquee and during the afternoon a steady trickle of riders arrived. Saturday evening after cooking up tea inevitably the drinking started. I blame messrs Geyton Day and of course Captain Howe for the fact that bed wasn't until well after 1 am..... and you know it must have been a lively night (!) if you are chucked OUT of John Howes motorhome because its late!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VAwJzb33i9I/Th9NI3QALRI/AAAAAAAABAc/6iMAwaZMUGs/s1600/256898_1797181685868_1129522935_31572541_7322180_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="169" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VAwJzb33i9I/Th9NI3QALRI/AAAAAAAABAc/6iMAwaZMUGs/s640/256898_1797181685868_1129522935_31572541_7322180_o.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a><br />
First scooter session was a 20 minute practice at 9.05am ..... erm..... yeh.... righto...... we lined up in assembly and were first vehicles on track to sample the full GP circuit. Entering the circuit via the Melbourne loop and into the start straight I followed John Woods along the start straight into Redgate and bang..... in a cloud of dust and gravel John went down..... erm ! first bend! oops!<br />
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Practice couldn't end too quick as it was obvious pretty quickly that the gearing was wrong ( a lot of people were immediately changing gearing !) and above all ... a badly slipping clutch after a couple of laps!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wM1TU7q8fnU/Th9NDbCCXnI/AAAAAAAABAY/fn_fJz7kDAM/s1600/265706_1797200966350_1129522935_31572580_6899330_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wM1TU7q8fnU/Th9NDbCCXnI/AAAAAAAABAY/fn_fJz7kDAM/s400/265706_1797200966350_1129522935_31572580_6899330_o.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a><br />
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So..... great start..... engine apart before the first race! Dave Crampton had arrived and a nice leisurely engine strip somehow became a last minute rush as all of a sudden it was race time! The floorboards weren't even on as riders came past to line up... so i only Just managed to get there in time! But in the rush... the rebuilt clutch wasn't adjusted correctly and as soon as the race started it was slipping..... did my best but it had just about no drive by the end...... oops.... another set of begged stolen and borrowed plates was cobbled together over the lunch break for race 2 and this time Sticky assisted in the final bit with 5 minutes to spare......<br />
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I'd hardly even spoken to anyone or seen around the paddock yet - just had myself elbow deep in clutches!<br />
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Race 2 it was obvious that the engine felt wrong and underpowered but couldn't find anything obvious except for quite a bit of oil around the casing underneath,,....... hhhhmmm.....<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mzcqhVXo-lw/Th9M506b1hI/AAAAAAAABAU/l4PcAvbkjpQ/s1600/267124_1799233217155_1129522935_31575114_211207_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mzcqhVXo-lw/Th9M506b1hI/AAAAAAAABAU/l4PcAvbkjpQ/s400/267124_1799233217155_1129522935_31575114_211207_o.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a><br />
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Before our 3rd race - the last one of the day - we had a presentation of trophies and prizes for riders and officials... including the Unlucky Award for Charlie Edmonds after a very bizarre tumble just outside assembly where he fell off and somehow managed to break both the clutch lever and the brake lever and was unable to start a race!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paul and Carl look anxiously around............</td></tr>
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So after spraying some champagne it was soon time for race three. initially the engine felt ok, then on lap 1 it started to vibrate badly and start to misfire...... game over really so i pulled off and with the engine racing and sounding pretty poorly It was turned off and put back in the van....... after 3 years of finishes except for one fuel 'incident' and one accident I'd managed two non finishes out of three !<br />
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So all in all a pretty crap day for me! <br />
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I wasn't alone though as the 2.5 mile high speed circuit took its toll on a few engines, especially the Adrenalin team on their Zips..... who hardly had a working engine between them..... although they did have shiny new paint jobs .....<br />
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With only a week before the next race at Cadwell Park the engine was quickly stripped to find that the mag housing was loose, the stator plate loose, and the mag gasket had blown out, slightly out of shape crankshaft and damaged main bearings.......... but why had the mag housing come loose again? It had done this at Three Sisters last year!??<br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7860054470842366678.post-24983893241495078982011-06-17T16:13:00.000+01:002011-06-17T16:13:34.145+01:00Donington Park - Preview<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This weekend sees is one of the years biggies as scooters return to the legendary Donington Park circuit.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We will be providing support races to the fantastic Superstars International Series. This is an international series featuring some awesome machinery, and drivers including ex F1 start Johnny Herbert.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.donington-park.co.uk/images/news/superstars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="206" src="http://www.donington-park.co.uk/images/news/superstars.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am hoping to make a return to the track after having to miss the Pembrey race. I think racing around the full 2.5mm GP circuit on a scooter has to be an almost unique experience of a lifetime to follow in the wheeltracks of the likes of Ayrton Senna and Valentino Rossi.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have been fortunate to be able to put this event together after making contact with the organisers BARC two years ago. We raced then supporting British Truck Racing and the spectacle of scooters impressed them so much they were glad to have us back again after I'd contacted them.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As always putting together a race meeting is a tough job, with lots of ups and downs and seemingly endless hoops to jump through. But its all sorted now and the riders are most definitely well up for this one. Stuart Day and John Howe will be making their first appearances in 2011 and will be hunting down the front running bikes.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Guy Topper is on top form currently aboard his super quick DJ250 'Cooler' but at Pembrey and Mallory he was joined by stablemate Doug Turner also riding a heavily developed 250. Multiple champion Charlie Edmonds will be looking to keep them in check despite a cc and power disadvantage. No doubt the likes of James Campen and Chris Geyton will also have ideas on being the front running Group 4 scooters!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Meanwhile the auto's of Josh Brown, Craig Bewey and Joe Ravenscroft will be giving chase too and no doubt be looking very fast round Donington. The bigger cc auto's of Scott Chapman and Keith Terry will also no doubt be picking up their fierce on track rivalry as they also chase down the pack.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Its going to be a biggie!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pretty much everything is in place now, just missing one thing to make it perfect.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7860054470842366678.post-79860508715116236592011-06-12T16:58:00.002+01:002011-06-12T17:45:00.467+01:00Pembrey - May 20/21st Sitting It OutPembrey is a chufiing long way down to deepest South Wales.... 245 miles,<br />
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After Mallory I was still struggling health wise so decided to sit this one out from a racing point of view and just go watch.<br />
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I arrived Saturday Morning after a good journey down ( apart from a talking to by the constabulary for apparently using a bus lane to get into the supermarket )<br />
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The VMCC meeting was not well supported with many people opting to stay away. We still had 31 scooters across two grids though!<br />
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It must be 20 years since I went to Pembrey last, and I had forgotten just how crap it is for spectators. For the racers the main problem first off was the very blustery wind which seemed to be coming from all directions at the same time making things very inconsistent. Rain was in the air too.<br />
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I parked up with Chris Geyton who \i was going to help over the weekend. Chris had just taken his newly built engine down to Replay Scooters for some dyno testing and was puzzled by the results which showed a major drop in power from the regular dyno used by SRP to develop the engine. Its was even more puzzling as once on track Chris was just flying. He was right on it and was up with Charlie Edmonds for the first few laps and matching his lap times. Race 2 was wet and Chris was all over Charlie as they both tried in vain to chase down the super rapid Group 6 monster of Guy Topper.<br />
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The wet 2nd and 3rd races really made me wish I was out there as I always do so much better in the wet! Although watching race 1 in the wind gave me no such desires !<br />
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The auto races were great to watch with Scott Chapman and Keith Terry swapping places in a right old ding dong. Once Scott had his bike fully sorted though he was away in race 3 and mixing things with the fastest of the zips.<br />
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The changeover between races is really quick at Pembrey and with a lower entry more of the VMCC classes were combined, meaning less races overall. So we had negotiated an extra race on Saturday to give us a 3 race day. The races were 10 laps long so these were long races all weekend and some of the riders were looking a bit jaded come Saturday evening!<br />
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Saturday night was best described as wet and windy! I'd eaten my burgers and bacon so went down to the bar with a few of the other guys . A nice evening ensued with the usual scooter and racing chat and assorted garbage being spoken and worlds put to rights. Of course the heaviest wind and rain was as we came to leave the bar and walk back to the van...... so 10 minutes was spent waiting in the foyer for the wind and rain to die down before making a run for it!<br />
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A sleepless night ensued kept awake by wind and rain before Sunday broke to reduced wind ( well - a bit ) and a strange yellowy gold thing in the sky!<br />
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Sunday saw Guy Topper and Doug Turner flying away again on the Group 6 bikes, Charlie Edmonds again being the fastest of the Group 4 bikes, with Chris Geyton and John Woods both having a right old tousle...... but as I watched from the hairpin I heard the tell tale click from Chris's bike of another broken gearbox...... just like he did at Mallory as well!<br />
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Oh well.... overalls on and gloves on to help sort things out! Chris stripped the race bike whilst I stripped the spare engine to get the gearbox out of it. We ended up having to swap everything including the layshaft due to the damage.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/boardfix/IMG00794-20110522-1244.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/boardfix/IMG00794-20110522-1244.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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In the last race Chris's motor had gone right off...... 60 laps over the weekend had taken its toll I think.<br />
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This was the first time in 2 1/2 years that I had been a spectator and it was kind of nice not to have the pressures that a race weekend brings. The journey home continued my hate / hate campaign against Wales when I caught a speeding ticket. Nothing to do with Wales is ever good for me it seems..... bloody place!<br />
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Hopefully I'll be on track for Donington Park next weekend........ My least favourite type of circuit but its an experience to ride the classic full GP circuit as ridden and driven by heroes like Rossi and Senna.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7860054470842366678.post-22065819441717140112011-06-10T22:18:00.001+01:002011-06-12T16:21:03.694+01:00Mallory Park - Easter 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u7Jq_6OhBz0/TfTY0XvPnqI/AAAAAAAAA90/0d3fyo8dZaI/s1600/229878_1702319754379_1129522935_31451808_2266521_n+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u7Jq_6OhBz0/TfTY0XvPnqI/AAAAAAAAA90/0d3fyo8dZaI/s320/229878_1702319754379_1129522935_31451808_2266521_n+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well..... Mallory Park at Easter seems a long while ago..... Maybe that's because it was !</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I havnt updated the blog for ages now..... Apologies..... But a few months of illness and other pressures have meant I have not really had the time nor inclination to update if I was brutally honest !</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We had a successful test day in early April, with the main changes to the scooter being the new paint job, a new Guy Topper designed and built exhaust, and a new Dellorto carb. A few other changes included a new Jahspeed race seat which looks great !</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So....... With gearing modified with what was learnt on test day it should be close to spot on..... Which it was. </span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">unfortunately in the run up to Mallory I had a very stressfulntime and was feeling pretty I'll really so was not in the best frame of mind for racing.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">First race I got a great start, but then after first couple of laps drifted back as fatigue quickly set in really. A good tousle with new rider James Lancaster was good fun.... James is also on a Replay tuned and prepared bike. His bike has a little more BHP on the dyne and James being young whippersnapper of course he only weighs 4 stone so he was carrying good straight line speed.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-okOj01Fhknw/TfTZHPM3KyI/AAAAAAAAA98/MNzJhQd6MNg/s1600/218902_10150211159326421_591801420_8761815_1683531_o+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-okOj01Fhknw/TfTZHPM3KyI/AAAAAAAAA98/MNzJhQd6MNg/s320/218902_10150211159326421_591801420_8761815_1683531_o+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mCDm4dzqVn4/TfTZMXGe8gI/AAAAAAAAA-A/gCOSKG2E1bA/s1600/219200_10150211160516421_591801420_8761836_2141774_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mCDm4dzqVn4/TfTZMXGe8gI/AAAAAAAAA-A/gCOSKG2E1bA/s320/219200_10150211160516421_591801420_8761836_2141774_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was parked up with Chris Geyton who will be riding under the Team Replay banner this year whilst SRP is in 'sabbatical '. We wholes away the time between our two races by stripping his engine to replace broken gears! Chris had actually managed to complete the race despite having Two broken gears. I stripped the spare engine to extract the gearbox whilst Chris stripped the race engine to allow us to swap them over and get him out in race two. The change went smoothly in the warm sun and of course as always attracted the interest of spectators keen to see the insides of a broken engine!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">in the second race I had a (thankfully rare) mechanical gremlin and the gear cable slipped and it lost me first gear as I tried to select it on the start line! I had to pull away in second as it wouldn't select so naturally I was eaten up off the line by the rest of the pack. Adrenalin kicked in and I put my head down and quickly caught the tail enders back up, and on lap 2 went back past James Lancaster through the Edwinas chicane. This was to be short-lived though as up to the hairpin I still could not properly select first gear and then as I progressed on even 4th was tricky as the slop in the cables just seemed to get worse.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There was no real option but to cruise round and just get a finish and collect some points.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The meeting proved pretty interesting for the spectators as some unusual faces were having superb days. Guy Topper was absolutely flying on the cooler 250 and was phenomenally quick leaving the rest of the field trailing by a country mile........ And Guy also had a major hand in preparing Doug Turners group 6 bike which was also going extremely well propelling Doug up to the front. Also notably fast was John Woods on the blue SS 90 which has really come on now John has it setup right.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So overall for me a disappointing start to the season really, illness and stressful times had conspired to mean that I was not really mentally in the right place for this racing malarky. :-(</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7860054470842366678.post-42214972130795389832011-04-22T18:35:00.001+01:002011-04-22T19:17:54.879+01:00Replay Scooters New Web Site<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Replay Scooters new web site.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rich Addison has created a new web site for Replay Scooters with a page for the Replay Race Team.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This year the Race Team will consist of myself, Rob Sumner, Dave Crampton and our new young rider James Lancaster. Hopefully we will be joined at some time during the year by returning Ed Hocking as he recovers from injury. Also running for this year as a Replay guest rider is Chris Geyton.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">check out the new site and team page at <a href="http://www.replayscooters.net/race-team.html">Replay Scooters</a></span><a href="http://www.replayscooters.net/race-team.html"></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7860054470842366678.post-8749400830804081012011-04-14T17:51:00.002+01:002011-06-14T15:53:23.673+01:002011 Race Bike Photo Shoot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/boardfix/2011%20Scooter%20Racing/web-PG13042011-1c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="421" src="http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/boardfix/2011%20Scooter%20Racing/web-PG13042011-1c.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Richard Addison of www.addo-pix.com has taken some pictures of the new paintjob. Rich offers Scooter Portraits as part of his photographic business..... ideal present for the scooterist !!?<br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7860054470842366678.post-65076908990861021412011-04-07T10:36:00.003+01:002011-04-07T11:29:36.269+01:00Stopping powerTo go with the fancy new paint i decided to go with a new coloured brake hose!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ei-NGqub4as/TZ2LCnoALBI/AAAAAAAAA84/YTvmKTZTobg/s1600/IMG00746-20110407-0946.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ei-NGqub4as/TZ2LCnoALBI/AAAAAAAAA84/YTvmKTZTobg/s320/IMG00746-20110407-0946.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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This year I have routed the hydraulic hose differently with a more direct route rather than the concealed route that is more popular on road bikes.<br />
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Chiggy Chambers at <a href="http://www.lambrettaupgrades.co.uk/">www.lambrettaupgrades.co.uk</a> has a great reputation for various specialist products including custom made HEL hydarulic hoses. Lambretta upgrades are the only Lambretta HEL specialist. Hel hoses are the official suppliers to the British Superbike series.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://helperformance.com/images/common/logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://helperformance.com/images/common/logo.png" /></a></div><br />
If you fancy a challenge try the HEL Braking reaction timer here <b><a href="http://helperformance.com/extra/reaction-timer.php"> >>> http://helperformance.com/extra/reaction-timer.php <<<</a></b><br />
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Thanks to Chiggy for sorting the coloured hose out pronto...... great quality products from a scooterist!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://lambrettaupgrades.co.uk/discbrakehoses.aspx"><img border="0" height="76" src="http://lambrettaupgrades.co.uk/images/my%20lambretta%20logo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Click the logo to visit the web site!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7860054470842366678.post-15898820058416602662011-03-30T18:02:00.001+01:002011-03-30T18:04:44.452+01:002011 Rebuild Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/boardfix/IMG00676-20110329-2208.jpg?t=1301499797" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/boardfix/IMG00676-20110329-2208.jpg?t=1301499797" width="320" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well... the last few weeks have been pretty manic both workwise and scooterwise!.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The new 2011 paintwork is about complete ( just toolbox door to re-do ) .</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Chalky at Replay completed the modifications needed to the exhaust to fit.... it looks awesome with a very long stinger ! ( more details and new pictures to follow!) . Chalky is currently working on a new inlet manifold to fit the DellOrto carb I will be running this year and that is sheduled to be fitted next Monday........ which is all a bit last minute for the Mallory Park Test day on Friday!</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This week is being spent reassembling everything. The forks have been totally stripped and rebuilt with mainly new internals.... there was always something amiss last year that we couldn't quite get to the bottom of..... so hopefully this rebuild into new forks will clear that up!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A new Jahspeed seat has been fitted..... all very streamlined!</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There'll probably be a rush of blog posts over the next few days to bring everything up to date.......</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the meantime, heres a couple of teasers for you! The Senna 'Double S ' is of course a tribute to the all time hero Ayrton Senna. June sees a cinema documentary being released which will surely add more to his legend!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/boardfix/IMG00676-20110329-2208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/boardfix/IMG00676-20110329-2208.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/boardfix/IMG00671-20110329-0745.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/boardfix/IMG00671-20110329-0745.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/boardfix/IMG00675-20110329-2204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q263/boardfix/IMG00675-20110329-2204.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://lambrettacottage.co.uk/images/advert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="http://lambrettacottage.co.uk/images/advert.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7860054470842366678.post-82694828615269380862011-02-09T15:13:00.002+00:002011-02-09T15:22:53.582+00:002011 Sponsorship from Lambretta Cottage<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am very pleased to be working again with Lambretta Cottage Restorations for 2011.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://lambrettacottage.co.uk/images/advert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="190" src="http://lambrettacottage.co.uk/images/advert.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">LCR are based near Doncaster and offer a mail order service as well as attending most of the major parts fairs.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.lambrettacottage.com/"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://www.lambrettacottage.com/images/LCR%20Logo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Julie and Zak own and run LCR and are a very rare thing in todays world - they give fantastic service and truly bend over backwards to help their customers. In addition to selling a full range of Lambretta spares and parts, they offer Rock Oil, Putoline, Schwalbe Tyres and can supply MB parts too.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Additionally Zak builds some of the very best full restorations around. He has very exacting standards and the restorations may take a while - he's booked up well into the future - but they are absolutely superb.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://lambrettacottage.co.uk/images/img00247-20110129-2000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://lambrettacottage.co.uk/images/img00247-20110129-2000.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As previously LCR will be helping out with non-specific race parts and spares, and of course the occasional moral support too!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Give them a try next time you need anything Lambretta related!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> - <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;">Lambretta Cottage sell their parts from their web site -<a href="http://www.lambrettacottage.com/" style="color: #6699cc;">www.lambrettacottage.com</a></span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">.... and also from their Ebay shop -<a href="http://stores.ebay.co.uk/LAMBRETTA-COTTAGE-RESTORATIONS" style="color: #6699cc;">http://stores.ebay.co.uk/LAMBRETTA-COTTAGE-RESTORATIONS</a></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Or give Ju a call on <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #000055;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #000055;">01302 350404</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And I even have my own page on the LCR site! <a href="http://lambrettacottage.co.uk/PaulGreen.aspx">http://lambrettacottage.co.uk/PaulGreen.aspx</a></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7860054470842366678.post-70448555751093211062011-01-08T17:34:00.000+00:002011-01-08T17:34:06.046+00:00Race Bike Winter Rebuild<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well...... 2010 is over so lets move swiftly on to 2011!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Plans for this winter are a full strip and rebuild of the scooter and a new paint job for 2011. Dave Cramptons Group 6 is also paying a visit to the workshop for a new paint job too - so it's going to be a busy winter as i also have the special Jet200 on the go too! More on that one later!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So...... between Christmas and new year I took the scooter down to Chalky's workshop at Replay Scooters - well its any excuse to play scooters at Christmas eh?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The engine had run pretty badly at the last round at Three Sisters with an air leak making the engine revs rise and basically scream with the throttle closed - which round Three Sisters ain't fun I can assure you! So we'll pass over that one!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So first job was to try and track down the leak..... stripping off the barrel head and piston revealed nothing too obvious, but once the flywheel was off the problem revealed itself.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The exhaust mount on the left hand side is straight off the engine bolt and could do with a bit more rubber mounting really, which will be changed for 2011. The extra vibration induced had loosened a mag housing nut allowing it to come slightly loose, and around that bolt the gasket had been blown out, so the air leak was indeed pretty big!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Further inspection showed that the mag bearing was also well worn so needed replacement, alongwith the piston and rings which were ready only for the bin lol.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So a pleasant afternoon was spent stripping, cleaning and replacing everything. Luckily Ciro was on hand with a new Suzuki Piston which was a result as they are now getting increasingly hard to find. Amazingly the barrel wear is still minimal - testament to the <b>Rock Oil </b>supplied by sponsors <b>Lambretta Cottage.</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Once everything was back together and checked over we had some time to do some base runs on the Dyno.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Its important to do this to get a base graph to work from for some winter developments that are planned.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">First off is a new Carburettor. The Mikuni TMX35 has been trouble free but the Dell Orto VHSB has more flexibility in fine tuning and is likely to produce a little more power. Chalky is modifying the carb to give some improved results ( ssshhhhhhh secret! ) and a new inlet manifold is likely.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The exhaust system is likely to be changed too. The plan is to try a few exhausts and test on the dyno over the next month in order to experiment with what works best with the motor. This whole exhaust malarky can be quite a black art and is not always the most logical science!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With a base run over it was back to base - leaving Chalky to play with some more exhausts. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A couple of days later a Guy Topper designed pipe was fitted and tried on the dyno. It showed a good result with + 1.5HP, but most importantly it allowed the engine to rev on higher and was actually a whole 10mph faster on a 3rd gear run.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So..... a couple more exhausts to try over the next few weeks</span><br />
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</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7860054470842366678.post-63381723122593276062010-11-09T11:19:00.000+00:002010-11-09T11:19:39.694+00:00Cadwell Sunday 26th..... Oil, Rain, Cold!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs010.ash2/33850_483144671415_510406415_7214717_957561_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs010.ash2/33850_483144671415_510406415_7214717_957561_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs010.ash2/33850_483144676415_510406415_7214718_6295578_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs010.ash2/33850_483144676415_510406415_7214718_6295578_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">You can see how wet it was from the spray and the wash ahead of the front tyre!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs010.ash2/33850_483144681415_510406415_7214719_1671509_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs010.ash2/33850_483144681415_510406415_7214719_1671509_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">All very close with Tony Rudd!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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Sunday dawned wet and bloody cold! My neck and back were really stiff now after yesterday's off..... But in the rain, I should feel confident! So ...... wet tyres on and ready to get out for practice...... as I rode down I could hear a clonking noise..... clutch ? Gearbox? something was definitely amiss!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs024.snc4/33569_1544524167248_1059316801_31533866_198827_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs024.snc4/33569_1544524167248_1059316801_31533866_198827_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Doh! Unwelcome Gearbox Noises</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So.... practice missed yet again......... Fortunately chief Mechanic Johnny Gilbert arrived in his waterproofs having ridden up from Grantham in the rain.... no time to waste he was set straight on dismantling things! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs653.snc4/61348_1544528487356_1059316801_31533909_6544173_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs653.snc4/61348_1544528487356_1059316801_31533909_6544173_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Transmission apart!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Immediately we found a gear tooth floating around and a very obvious gap on the first gear where it had come from! So Jonny set about cleaning everything whilst I ran around begging and borrowing! Fellow Lincolnshire rider Tony Rudd came to the rescue with an Li150 box to borrow.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So with everything replaced it was time for our first race. We sat forming up in the holding area for an age , only to find a marshall walking amongst us with a sign saying oil! It was raining....... heavy...... and in the previous race a bike had managed to dump pretty much a whole tank of fuel ALL around the circuit and it was all over the racing line... with fallers going straight off on it.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The rain continued to fall as the circuit staff and marshalls applied cleaning agents and swept, washed, brushed the whole circuit. It became apparent pretty quickly that the whole circuit was affected. At one point we felt the meeting could actually be cancelled. It was very grim..... very cold..... very wet.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">After 3 1/2 hours waiting we had the call that a few test dummies would be offered a few test laps around to approve as safe. So representatives from each class went out on circuit and broadly passed it as safe - (ish!)</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So..... we lined up as the rain continued to fall...... the sighting lap gave us the chance to at least see where the problems were - there was a lot of chalk down at various parts of the circuit.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">From the start I immediately passed a few people including Rob Sumner..... game on....... as we lapped in the rain i was loving it! Bizarre I know.... but these conditions are when I ride best! </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The grip from the Sava Monsum tyres is just awesome in these conditions and you can ride with such confidence. I soon caught and passed Doug Turner and Dan Lewis so this was new territory for me...... along with Tony Rudd too .</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">On lap 3 the rain came down heavier and I was sideways through Mansfield with the rear sliding out, but just rolled off and got it straight then whacked the throttle open again .... no doubt grinning like a Cheshire cat!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">On the 4th lap i went a little wide allowing Tony Rudd to get back past me. I reeled him back in but ran out of time really to get back past him. My visor was steamed up, hands were wet and leather soaking but i was absolutely loving these conditions!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">My best race of the year by far!.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">As we came into the paddock Dave Crampton and I were just grinning ear to ear. A few people came over telling us how awesome it had looked with 35 or so scooters in those conditions. They also said we were F%*&ing crazy too - but hey - tell us something new!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So it was time to get everything packed away and head nack to base with just teh one race today after the delays.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">But spirits were high in the van driving back!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Dave and I had both finished and really enjoyed the wet race!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It was a brilliant day for us! And yes - I think we must be a bit crazy!</span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7860054470842366678.post-71235865679167555722010-11-09T10:39:00.001+00:002010-11-09T10:44:26.059+00:00Cadwell Park - September 25th / 26th - Where Did That Tyrewall Come From?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs689.snc4/62893_428196019190_361137559190_5051905_3338676_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs689.snc4/62893_428196019190_361137559190_5051905_3338676_n.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Everything forward over the Mountain!</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well....... hasn't 2010 flown! It really doesn't seem like a year since we were here on the brilliant full Cadwell circuit.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was still feeling under the weather in the runup to Cadwell with a lot going on and very busy work wise.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The good news was that Dave Crampton was to be back on track on the super tidy Group 6 bike. He'd managed to somewhat comprehensively destroy the engine on the Cadwell club circuit earlier in the year, which had looked like it would be ending his year ! But good old Chalky White at Replay Scooters stepped in to rescue things and build Dave a brilliant new RB250 motor to borrow for the weekend. There was a bit of last minute rushing around for him, but the motor sounded crisp and sweet....... and it was great to see such a beautiful bike back on track - albeit much modified now from the winter when I painted it!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs004.ash2/33586_428706754190_361137559190_5060700_3257731_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="284" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs004.ash2/33586_428706754190_361137559190_5060700_3257731_n.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dave Crampton readies the Gp 6 on Sunday</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Saturday dawned cold! So with the two scooters loaded it was off on the familiar roads to Cadwell, where things were misty and like something from the arctic!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Being Cadwell everyone had to be noise tested again - which is a bit tedious! I was a bit concerned as I'd only just scraped through in previous tests earlier in the year. John Howe had sent me an emergency special muffler just in case of difficulties ;-)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With a bit of choke applied ( sssshhhh one of the secrets to quietening the things down!) I was 104 decibels ! 1 under the limit...... Good to go!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now the fun starts! Heading down to practice whilst sitting in the holding area the throttle cable snapped whilst sat stationary! Damn and blast....... as i started the long and hard push back up the hill - the scooters went out on track! </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After just about needing an iron lung by the time I'd pushed back up to the paddock, it was handlebars apart, and new inner cable to fit and adjust up. Trouble is - I didn't have too long to do it as i needed to get out to do a practice with the bikes now that i had missed the scooter session.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It felt strange lining up to practice with 40 vintage bikes but once on track the fun started as I started passing a few of them! then coming down into Mansfield under braking the engine faultered and stopped so I coasted to a halt behind the cones by the temporary chicane. Looking down I could see the problem - in the rush to get the new cable in, the outer can't have been home properly so it had popped out of its housing. I was able to push it back in, and then bumpstarted the engine again and managed to get another lap in! Brilliant - job done..... now I can race.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So...... onto the first race and it was a really full grid - 39 bike I think, including Stoffi and co from Austria with a trio of Vespas.. Theres a resurgence of Vespa small frames at the moment and unbeliably we had of them out with the 3 from Austria.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So as we lined up after the sighting lap - we waited..... and waited ..... and waited.... until the signal came from the startline officials to cut the engines! A medical emergency had taken the doctor off to the paddock.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So we stood around on the start line waiting anxiously - these are exactly the sort of things that get the nerves jangling!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Eric popped up and we managed to get the riders all posing on the start line for a very rare chance for a group picture - the Class of 2010!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs731.snc4/65153_445926627887_766662887_5182893_1263568_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="175" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs731.snc4/65153_445926627887_766662887_5182893_1263568_n.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The class of 2010!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After quite a lengthy delay - another sighting lap and we were away...... I got a good start - getting past a few bikes off the line and up the left hander. The pack howled down the Park Straight and round to the Gooseneck where a huge accident happened with 4 riders going down. It has been a chain reaction really but was pretty nasty. Ed Hocking came off worst suffering a broken collarbone and wrist . Subsequent hospitalisation and operations mean sadly he is likely to be out for most of 2011 - Get well soon Ed and come back fighting!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So after a lengthy delay whilst Ed received treatment we had yet another sighting lap.... this time I didn't get such a good start, and wherever I went I seemed to be blocked. As the race went on I drifted back a bit -0 it was only to be a 3 lap race after all the delays! On the last lap Adam on one of those pesky Vespa's came by after I drifted a bit wide and up through the woodlands I was determined to make up the gap and repass him. I managed to make all the distance back again and going around Barn I opted to go round the outside and go for it in a last bend of the last lap all or nothing move!.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well...... it came to Nothing!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Adam went into Barn a little hot and had to stand the scooter up a little, which pushed me wide and onto the damp part of the circuit under the trees where I speared straight off track!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As soon as I hit the wet grass it was like ice and I was immediately down and sliding to the tyrewall. I kept hold of the bike as long as possible until it dug into the soft ground and spun me around so I was now heading backwards towards the wall . These things happen in slow motion and I remember thinking the wall looked soft..... big mistake...... the rubber tracking was pretty damn solid as I crumpled into it followed by the scooter hitting me - which was kind of handy as I managed to use myself as a cushion to prevent damage.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I came to a rest on my side in the mud, dazed and winded. The marshalls picked me up and moved the scooter off the racing line and surrounded it with bales of straw. I was to be there for the best part of an hour before being recovered back to the pits where I could set about bending the legshields back into shape and straightening things out!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I felt shaky and started to feel stiffness in my neck and back pretty much straight away, although after a trip to teh medical centre was signed off as fit to race ! ( More like fit to drop really!) </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So I was to make it out for Race 2 later on!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Race 2 was altogether less eventful! I just concentrated on riding round in 1 piece and getting the points. I had worked out that missing Pembrey race meeting and now a DNF in race 1 had lost me enough points that I would drop to 8th in the championship, and unless Replay team mate Rob Sumner had a non finish realistically I wouldn't score enough points to over take him.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs445.ash2/71835_10150108513597907_764737906_7598498_3725834_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs445.ash2/71835_10150108513597907_764737906_7598498_3725834_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Chasing Roland Davis through the Woodlands!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So...... onto Sunday......... rain forecast!</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7860054470842366678.post-57248935056876950002010-10-09T18:55:00.001+01:002010-10-09T18:59:39.603+01:00Belated Updates ! Lydden & Pembrey<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs091.ash2/37871_408695664190_361137559190_4585170_1674403_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs091.ash2/37871_408695664190_361137559190_4585170_1674403_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Crikey...... how time has flown.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lydden Hill meeting was July 31st / August 1st.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This was in part probably one of my worst ever meetings if I'm honest. i had been feeling unwell prior to it and had a lot going on, culminating in being up all night the night before so with absolutely no sleep Saturday was always going to be a nightmare!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And nightmare it was - i was all over the place, so the less said about it the better. My lap times were about 4 seconds slower than last year on Saturday... so you can see the extent of teh problem as the scooter simply felt it was all over the place!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I completed the two races, basically just riding around to collect points really. There was an extra scratch race at the end of the day and i asked Ed Hocking to take out the scooter and see what he thought..... almost unrideable was the reply - and too much brake! hhhhmmmmmmm!!!!!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Further investigation revealed a loose front axle..... alllowing the front wheel to twist! That explained a lot! Also Ed felt that the front brake was actually too good! I have been using EBC HH compound brake pads.... these have the benefit of being VERY efficient and give incredible stopping power. The trouble is after talking to Ed I could totally see his point that what they also did was work too efficiently if you just wanted a 'dab' on them you actually scrubbed off too much speed as they are really either on or off! They are brilliant for example for late breaking into a hairpin, but if you just want a confidence check, they actually take off too much speed.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At Lydden Hill, saturday evening is a very social affair with a free BBQ and drinks to enjoy so I decided to leave the scooter till Sunday morning and enjoy the food and drink and try and get some sleep!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sunday at Lydden is also unique as the local church has services in the morning so there is no racing until after 12.00 so plenty of time for maintenance and adjustments! So I stripped the brakes and removed the HH pads, and after further discussion with John Howe of Jahspeed I fitted some spare standard ScootRS road pads, after first removing about 20% of the brake pad surface.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The idea here being to actually remove some of the immediate 'grabbing' efficiency of the pads. the theory being with a little less initial 'bite' you could just confidence dab the brake and actually not scrub off too much corner speed.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Race 1 on Sunday saw me put this to the test and yes! much better! ( having a tight front wheel undoubtedly helped too!) Lap times was immediately about 4 seconds faster and similar to last years! It was particularly noticeable at the end of the start straight into the 'bombhole' bend that I could just dab the break and carry a lot more corner speed through the bend, leaving a much greater exit speed for the run down to the Devils Elbow left hander.</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs281.snc4/40381_468774072288_584672288_6382053_1239455_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs281.snc4/40381_468774072288_584672288_6382053_1239455_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ready to Bumpstart - downhill!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Feeling much better, especially after another brief power nap in the van, Race 2 saw me in a much stronger position, swapping places with Gary Biddle who had been 30 seconds up the road the day before! Also i was well in front of Replay team mate Rob Sumner who I had been nowhere near in the first 3 races. Lap times were another 2 seconds quicker and overall nearly 6 secs faster than the saturday ( with laps time just over a minute thats a big chunk! )</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs091.ash2/37871_408695664190_361137559190_4585170_1674403_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs091.ash2/37871_408695664190_361137559190_4585170_1674403_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">looking and feeling way quicker on Sunday!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs104.ash2/38546_408694874190_361137559190_4585095_7735538_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs104.ash2/38546_408694874190_361137559190_4585095_7735538_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Gary Biddle having to chase hard!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was not planning to race at the Next Meeting at Pembrey in South Wales, which was just as well as a few weeks of illness followed Lydden, and I wouldn't have been up to it anyway! Unfortunately though, it proved costly as far as the Championship goes as an extra race was added at Pembrey on the Saturday making it a 5 race weekend..... so a whole 5 no pointers for me would drop me from 6th to 8th in Group 4!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Next Race will be Cadwell Park at the end of September</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7860054470842366678.post-79384460783600155512010-07-14T13:02:00.000+01:002010-07-14T13:02:04.854+01:00Cadwell Park Race Pictures<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Many Thanks to Paul Thomas for these pictures of the BSSO round at Cadwell Park</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs138.snc4/37241_436867241420_591801420_6211261_2595477_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs138.snc4/37241_436867241420_591801420_6211261_2595477_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>British Champion - Charlie Edmonds - Performance Tuning</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs158.snc4/37241_436867081420_591801420_6211229_7401178_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs158.snc4/37241_436867081420_591801420_6211229_7401178_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Jon Davis</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs158.snc4/37241_436867191420_591801420_6211251_1972660_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs158.snc4/37241_436867191420_591801420_6211251_1972660_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Steve Wright with Guy Topper Chasing</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br />
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</b></span><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs078.ash2/37241_436867351420_591801420_6211281_3472748_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs078.ash2/37241_436867351420_591801420_6211281_3472748_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Mike Bonnett - Kegra</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs138.snc4/37241_436867391420_591801420_6211289_6623838_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs138.snc4/37241_436867391420_591801420_6211289_6623838_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Jon Uffindell and James Campen had a race long tousle!</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs158.snc4/37241_436867631420_591801420_6211337_1377196_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs158.snc4/37241_436867631420_591801420_6211337_1377196_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Dave Crampton</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br />
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</b></span><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs078.ash2/37241_436867666420_591801420_6211344_6425150_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs078.ash2/37241_436867666420_591801420_6211344_6425150_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Ed Hocking Team Replay - Head down Trying hard! </b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Phil Bevis in close </b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>proximity!</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b></b></span><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs158.snc4/37241_436867656420_591801420_6211342_4160741_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs158.snc4/37241_436867656420_591801420_6211342_4160741_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Double Race Winner Guy Topper</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Thanks again to Paul Thomas for pictures</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br />
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</b></span></div><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/QeVqeOvZjCE&hl=en_GB&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/QeVqeOvZjCE&hl=en_GB&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7860054470842366678.post-34371015241225867352010-07-09T22:19:00.000+01:002010-07-09T22:19:27.000+01:00Cadwell Park June - What - No Brake!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs078.ash2/37241_436867321420_591801420_6211276_78481_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs078.ash2/37241_436867321420_591801420_6211276_78481_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
I got to the circuit at teatime - just as the classic cars had finished........ some great machines there!<br />
<br />
My good mate Matthew arrived for his second race in 20 years! His new motorhome and trailer was pretty nifty! Chalky White arrived too with his new retirement vehicle..... mega !<br />
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Saturday night saw noise testing out the way - scraped through!.....<br />
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<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Flippin' eck it was cold the night before!!!!!</div><br />
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The van was bloody freezing...... is it really summer? So up and cooked some bacon to warm up!<br />
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Dave Crampton and Mars Bar Jonny arrived and soon the paddock was filling up.<br />
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Practice.............. hhhhhmmmmmm gearing is a bit high maybe........... still experimenting really as the engine characteristics are different to last year. I was running and Li150 Pacemaker box and had opted for 17/46........ just that bit out really. Cadwell is always a bit of a compromise gearing wise, but i was not really far enough out to have the hassle of changing the sprockets........ which is what Chalky told me during his motivational talk!<br />
<br />
So...... stick with it and just try and go faster!<br />
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Race 1 - got a decent start and had a good tousle with Rob sumner and Tim Simpson for a few laps. What I was finding was that I was struggling with speed up the hill from the hairpin and over the hill, where the gearing could have been a little lower, but by the end of the straight I was maybe 4-5 mph quicker so was able to outbrake a few at the end of the straight. The Gooseneck as always is a challenge and on teh last lap Steve Wright went off line coming out of it and so very nearly managed to stay upright - eventually succumbing to a slow speed tumble almost down at the next bend on the grass. Thankfully Steve was fine and suffered no injury. Guy Topper won from the front row being chased hard by Charlie Edmonds coming through from well down the grid.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs084.snc4/35547_1321288908846_1129522935_30756195_7472539_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs084.snc4/35547_1321288908846_1129522935_30756195_7472539_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Race 2 - not such a good start, and was quickly in a tousle with Rob and Tim again, but this time joined by Dave Crampton too. The three of them went round the outside entering the main straight , but once down the dip and rising uphill and back onto the flat I reeled them all back in and passed them under braking for the right hander........... however........ trying to scrub off speed I went for the rear brake..... ermmmmm .... the pedals not there! OOps.... looking down the pedal was flapping around.... looking back up ...... erm...... I'm all out of track!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs078.ash2/37241_436867651420_591801420_6211341_1490667_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs078.ash2/37241_436867651420_591801420_6211341_1490667_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Fighting with Rob Sumner in front, Dave Crampton alongside, Tim Simpson Chasing ...... then it all went wrong!</span></span></div><br />
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Dave C was about to tip into the bend - only to find me going straight on trying to slow down! Oops........ he has no choice but to be straight on heading towards the tyre wall! he managed to stay upright fortunately and makes it back on track.<br />
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If the brake pedal had actually come right off it would have been better...... but it was hanging by its cable and flapping around in the breeze. It seemed no matter where I went to put my foot the loose pedal was under it! It was such a distraction. I let Rob and Tim go and just concentrated on getting round to a finish and collect the points!<br />
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Dave C had stopped on track after his motor appeared to nip up..... later inspection would reveal total destruction! Poor dave has really not had the luck in his debut season! If it can go wrong it has done...... No wonder he calls himself Unlucky Alf!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs138.snc4/37241_436867706420_591801420_6211352_6835591_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs138.snc4/37241_436867706420_591801420_6211352_6835591_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
So its another long lay off till Lydden Hill. The intention is to do a track day or Mallory test in the gap and get some valuable track time as I'm not feeling so comfortable this year - the 3 race meeting so far have been nothing to write home about.... more speed and confidence badly needed!<br />
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Lydden Hill is the next race meeting on July 31st ....... Another small circuit - but one where corner speed is so important. Fingers crossed for a better weekend there.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7860054470842366678.post-20688790830286314412010-06-27T13:15:00.005+01:002010-06-27T16:57:28.580+01:00Three Sisters May 2010<a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs547.snc3/29943_445467277906_764737906_5784337_3098661_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs547.snc3/29943_445467277906_764737906_5784337_3098661_n.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee113/tonyobri/three%20sisters%202010/three%20sisters%202010%20800dpi/_TOB4708.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee113/tonyobri/three%20sisters%202010/three%20sisters%202010%20800dpi/_TOB4708.jpg" width="202" /></a><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs507.ash1/29943_445466742906_764737906_5784278_3735257_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs507.ash1/29943_445466742906_764737906_5784278_3735257_n.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
The last few weeks has been manic busy with one thing or another - and Three Sisters seems like a long time ago!<br />
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Round 2 of the BSOO 2010 Championship was originally scheduled to be at Anglesey on the full circuit there. I had not actually planned to enter that race, so when it was cancelled due to lack of entries for the motorcycle club ( ironically scooters outnumbered bikes on the entry !) we spoke to the VMCC who we normally race with and were very pleased to reschedule our round back to the Three Sisters Circuit near Wigan.<br />
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So ahead of the meeting I had a lot of things to change and experiment with for Three Sisters. The new 2010 exhaust needed shortening and was quickly despatched off to Jahspeed for modification to allow higher revs and a little more clearance to the rear tyre to facilitate easier tyre changes.<br />
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I also paid a visit to Charlie Edmonds for a little help and advice with suspension set up. This resulted in a new Chiselspeed rear shock which gives much more adjustability in the setup. Additionally I stripped the front forks and went with a completely different setup.<br />
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http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee113/tonyobri/three%20sisters%202010/three%20sisters%202010%20800dpi/_TOB4708.jpg<br />
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So..... Friday night I arrived at the circuit and put together the new marquee before wandering over to the Jahspeed Funbus for a half of shandy ;-) Those essex boys know how to relax at the end of the week!<br />
Saturday morning Dave C and Mars Bar Johnny arrived to spectate and later on the pit crew of choice arrived. All was set.....<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs547.snc3/29943_445466932906_764737906_5784303_7563857_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs547.snc3/29943_445466932906_764737906_5784303_7563857_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
So..... looking forward to the 'old favorite' Three Sisters circuit I ventured out on track for first practice - eager to try the new suspension set up...... first lap coming off the hill I applied the front brake for the 90 degree right hander and the front end was just all over the place,........ and again at the paddock right hand and going into the heavy braking zone into the left hand the front end was just locking up and skipping around like crazy.<br />
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Back into the paddock there was much head scratching as to what was occuring. Charlie came over and described the scooter as 'looking like a dancing kangaroo!' which actually felt an apt description. it was simple horrid to ride.<br />
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We wound up the front dampers and also the rear shock to stiffen them up - all we could really in readiness for race 1. Unfortunately whilst the changes had helped it was still wild and locking up solid under braking. I tussle with Biddle initially and the super fast Group 6 of returning Jigsy was fun - if a little frustrating !<br />
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Race 2 was more of the same.!<br />
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On Saturday we also were to have a 3rd scratch race just for fun..... so I thought I mat as well have a go despite the handling problems. On the second lap there was banging and clattering under acceleration and initial loss of drive..... so i pulled in and we set about stripping the motor with my trusty pit crew. The problem revealed itself in a damaged front sprocket which was spinning on the shaft and not allowing drive. In the rebuild I'd accidentally used a crappy Indian sprocket - so this was replaced with a good Innocenti one and we were good to go again on Sunday.....<br />
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Sunday...........<br />
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I had some breakfast then decided to strip and rebuild the forks back to their original set up - not the easiest of jobs to do in the paddock and not one you would do for fun! I decided to try putting the front suspension back to its original setup.<br />
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This was finished with Chalkies help literally as an extra unexpected practice was called......... with some rushing around i missed the first lap but could get some valuable testing of things..... it was better - but still locking up under heavy braking.<br />
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Chalkie who was watching closely from track side identified that the BGM dampers were bottoming out under braking .....<br />
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Further examination and measurement revealed that I had 15-20mm less distance between the damper mountings than others.... so consequently i had insufficient travel..... meaning that the dampers were bottoming out on their rubber bushes to easily.<br />
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A little scouting around found me some trusty escort standard dampers to use for the rest of the day - to at least prevent the locking up.<br />
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So overall a really disappointing weekend which had knocked my confidence in the bike under braking and resulted in a lower than expected result ......Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1