IOM 2014 Day 7 - Faster, Faster!

With only 2 practice sessions remaining and only 2 laps done on the Ducati 888, it was critical we fix the fuel tank and get out for Friday's practice. So we were up early and stripped the fuel tank again and tested it again. That's when we found the leak. The boss on the bottom of the tank where the fuel pump wires come out was cracked. It was finer than a hair.

This twilight shot looks like it was taken at Cornk-y-Mona

First prize would be to get it welded properly. We went for it. A message on Facebook quickly brought us a few alluminium welders in the Douglas area. By 08h30 we were phoning around. One guy was recommended down on Peel Road and he could do it for us. We got the tank to him before 10h00. He had a look and said "No problem." The crack was in a tight corner so it needed to be cleaned up a bit - this would take an hour or two and he had another job on the go for the dairy. I suggested that I clean it up and bring it back in an hour. He said that would be great and that it would only take 15 to 20 minutes to weld.

Back at the garage, I got stuck in with my Dremel. I cleaned it up real good to make sure the guy had a good starting point for a proper weld. We drop the tank back off with the guy by 11h30 and return to the garage to prep the Suzuki. He'll call when done.

I impressed myself with the neat job.

By 13h30 I haven't heard anything. I start to worry and give the guy a call. He couldn't talk and would call me back in 5 mins. 10mins, 20 mins... no call. I call twice. The phone just gets hung up. So I drive down to the guys workshop. When I arrive, the tank is lying upside down on a bare metal workbench. Its still warm, the weld doesn't look great and when I turn it over, it is full of scratches and scrapes. The idiot that welded it just dumped it on a steel workbench and dragged it around upside down. I was pretty pissed off and explained to him in the nicest possible way that metal actually scratches paint and that he's a fucking idiot. They should stick to welding bits for udder pumps. Muppets!

And here's the job by the 'professional' welder....

To top that off... when we test the tank, it leaks even worse than before. The fuel just pisses out now. Great!

Thanks for fucking up my tank mate!

We swiftly try plan 'B'. Soap. I find some soap which just happens to be the perfect constituency and work it into and around the weld. The fuel leak stops! We re-assemble the tank, load the bikes and head up to the paddock where we are very late for skrootineering.

We are seeded in both practice sessions so luckily on this day, being late isn't too much of an issue. We get the Suzuki through skrootineering and I'm hooning down Glencrutchery Road on it while Kevan gets the Ducati through.

Ducati 888 - held together by Clinique!

The changes we made to the Suzuki are working and she is easier to ride. Easier to go fast on. I get Ballagary, the right-hander after the Hawthorn pub, end of Cronk-y-Voddy straight and Ballacrye bend absolutely flat-out in 6th. Something I couldn't do before. It feels great! What a rush! And what a difference it makes to my laptime - 107mph average on my second lap. 3mph faster than my previous best that I have been trying to better for the last 4 years!

Our hard-working trolley suffered a blow-out...

The two laps are over too soon and I'm back in Parc Firme feeling under the Duke's tank for a fuel leak with her brimmed tank. It's dry. Sweet! I swing my leg over her and open her up down Glencrutchery Road.

We have out best yet run out on the Suzuki...

I hit 10000 rpm in every gear... she flies. Between 8000 and 10000 she is soooo sweet. She just keeps on pulling. I'm loving it! We'd made some changes on the old girl too and she was feeling better. None of the big wobbles I was feeling on Monday through fast, bumpy, cranked-over sections. More stable but harder to turn in - I was working the bars hard. Something to improve for Monday's race.

... and on the old Duke

I missed a lot of apexes and ran wider than I'd like on a lot of fast turns. Everything felt just that little bit faster but just a little bit more in control. I land up doing my personal best on that bike on the second flying lap - just short of 110mph. Yeeeeeha!