Speedtherapy

Malcolm Smith for President

2012-02-10T09:32:00.001Z

This is a pearl...

Thanks to Travis and the guys at 747 for the link!

2011 AMA Flattrack Champs - Hartford 1/2 mile

2012-02-09T07:30:00.000Z

2011 Hartford 1/2 Mile AMA Pro Flat Track from TheFastandDirty.com on Vimeo.

Hopes, Dreams and Desires

2012-02-06T14:18:00.000Z

Wall of Death

2012-02-04T10:27:00.001Z

Saw this great Wall of Death movie on the Cafe Racer Culture blog...

THE WALL OF DEATH from benedict campbell on Vimeo.

Reminded me that I have a bunch of pics from when I saw them in 2010... What a show! I must post them soon...

Cafe Racer Yamaha

2012-02-03T07:00:00.000Z

Thanks to Cafe Racer Culture for the pics...

2011 AMA Flattrack Champs - Springfield Mile

2012-02-02T08:00:00.000Z

2011 Springfield Mile I AMA Pro Flat Track from TheFastandDirty.com on Vimeo.

Support grows for British Nürburgring

2012-01-31T16:45:00.002Z

I'll believe it when I see it... we can dream. Sign the petition.

A CAMPAIGN to build a British version of the Nürburgring is growing in support.

The campaign started off the back of an existing project which proposed to build a MotoGP circuit at Ebbw Vale in Wales. This proposal was dubbed "a real game-changer" for the area by local MP Nick Smith.

The group behind the petition cite the example set by the Nürburgring in Germany, where its prescence has created a wealth of opportunity for local businesses through a healthy tourism industry which has rejuvenated the area, helping it to build schools, hospitals and leisure facilities.

The group also say a British Nürburgring would: "..be a centre for the public to explore speed in a safe environment, instead of on public roads causing harm to themselves and others." A public circuit on which to explore your vehicle's potential could also cut the NIMBY approach most counties have to speeding.

The petition for a British Nürburgring currently has over 1,500 signatures. If you'd like to see it happen, you can sign the petition here.

Flattracker Runnin' Sweet

2012-01-31T06:29:00.000Z

Flattrack racer Steve Hazel helped me out and got the flattracker runnin' sweet. Now I don't have to race it with the choke on!

She still needs a bit of a spruce up for the first meeting on 1st April... bring it on!

Jurby Festival 1

2012-01-30T12:53:00.000Z

A few pics of some interesting machines at the Jurby Classic Festival held during last year's ManxGP...

Indian!

Love these old hand-shifts...

A couple of brutish Italian customs with S&S lumps in them turned up. Far too much polished aluminium bling for me... but some real tasty billet bits and interesting ideas.

Love the shock mounting and beam forks on this old beaut

Indian race transport. In the back is...

... an Indian of course!

2011 AMA Fattrack Champs - Daytona

2012-01-26T07:30:00.000Z

2011 Daytona Flat Track Round 1 & 2 Highlights from TheFastandDirty.com on Vimeo.

Blow away the Winter Blues

2012-01-23T22:00:00.000Z

Winter can be a bit dull... especially if you don't have the resources to be building the next project.

So here's something that's perked me up... just a taster of what I'm going to be posting over the next few weeks...

2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Season Highlight Video from TheFastandDirty.com on Vimeo.

Meeting a Legend

2012-01-21T05:54:00.000Z

Last weekend I got meet a flattrackin' legend: Jim Rice.

Jim Rice San Jose 1971

Jim stars in 'On Any Sunday'... he provided some spectacular footage by crashing through the bales and fence at the mile.

Jim was a BSA factory rider and won many National AMA Flattrack races... beating the likes of Mert Lawill, Dick Mann, Kenny Roberts and many, many more... on brit iron.

Jim at Alice's Restaurant - a local biker hangout

Inside Alice's... good beer, burgers and clientele...

Jim showed me around his backyard and took me up to Alice's Restaurant (made famous by Arlo Guthrie) where we shared beer and race stories. What a guy!

We like Nicky Hayden!

Sad News - Mika Ahola

2012-01-18T05:45:00.000Z

Read some sad news today - Mika Aloha passed away from injuries sustained during a training ride. I wasn't aware that he had also retired after winning his 5th straight World Enduro Championship in 2011. He also won 3 ISDE's outright.

Visordown article

Short Track UK - A Film

2012-01-15T06:42:00.000Z

Super-cool Short Track film, by Richard Dawson...

Short Track - UK from Richard Dawson on Vimeo.

Thanks Sideburn for the link

1978 Yamaha SR 500 - Cafe Racer

2012-01-13T06:14:00.001Z

Beautifully done by L.E.

More pics and specs.
Thanks Cafe Racer Culture for the link.

Ultra Cool Honda CB360

2012-01-12T06:51:00.000Z

Awesome little machine!

Thanks to BellaDonna Trackers for the pics!

Knucle

2012-01-05T08:30:00.000Z

Another super-cool machine from the Cafe Racer Culture blog

BMX Backflip

2011-12-30T11:55:00.001Z

Here's a couple of cool pics of my mate Dominic Herbertson whose speciality is a backflip...

Scorch

2011-12-28T09:00:00.000Z

A sweet lookin' Laverda from Serf Effrika...

Thanks to Cafe Racer Culture for the link and pics...

Yamaha Virago Cafe Racer

2011-12-24T21:53:00.000Z

Merry Cristmas everyone!

This is the sickest Yamaha Virago I have ever seen!

Thanks to the guys at Cafe Racer Culture.

Awesome Images

2011-12-23T07:30:00.000Z

... from Raffaele Paolucci on his Streettracker blog

Percebes - The Hard Way

2011-12-21T07:00:00.000Z

This is a hard way to earn a living...

Percebeiros (Sea Bites) 1920x1080 from enpiedeguerra on Vimeo.

...wish I could understand what he's saying... but it looks tough!

Thanks El Solitario M.C. for the link.

Miss Hyde

2011-12-19T07:00:00.000Z

Check out this bad-boy KTM 950...

From El Solitario M.C.

Manx Surprise

2011-12-16T18:07:00.003Z

Professional photographer Robin of Northline Photography sent me this complimentary shot from the Manx last week... one of the best pics I have of the fortnight.

This has spurred me on and now plans are now afoot for the 2012 season.

Thanks Robin!!

Dream Ride

2011-12-15T14:09:00.000Z

Big jumps and some breathtaking footage...

Cool Monster

2011-12-09T19:00:00.000Z

Another cool Monster from Cafe Racer Culture...

It's an S4RS. Been wanting to do something like this to mine. He's got to give it 'the chop' at the back though...

Roids

2011-12-07T21:29:00.001Z

This morning I got 3 injections to my shoulder. Two aneasthetic and a one steriod into the joint. Trying to help out my 'rotator-cuff impingement' that I sustained during the Rye House pile-up in September.

Shoulder has been giving me grief since then... sure hope the injections sort it... 'cause I hate injections...

Roof of Africa Pics

2011-12-06T19:13:00.001Z

Overall Winner of Roof of Africa 2011 - Graham Jarvis (GB)

Igor Baleta: ...

that was a true test of character and resolve. After 20 hours and 7 minutes of racing over two days, i just scraped in by under half an hour. And as if i needed more drama at the end of the last day, 12 hours in the saddle, the sun was setting, my fuel was on reserve, had no more drinking water then both my g.p.s's ran flat literaly half a km from the finish line and i ended up lost on the edge of a cliff across the valley from where i was suposed to be with hundreds of spectators cheering me on and trying to direct me in, talk about stress...!.Thanks ENDUROWORLD, NOMADIK, my brother Nic and all the spectators and competitors who helped out along the way.

A few pics from my brother Igor's Roof of Africa 2011 where Igor finished in the silver class...

2 bikes, 2 helmets, 2 pairs of boots... 2 of everything...

Day 1 is a time trial in the streets of Maseru . Brother Nic - photographer and crew extrodinaire looks on with camera slung over shoulder

The orange plastic barrier fence took a few casualties.

Look out for No. 275

Day 2 - First day of tough riding

Winner in 2010 and 2nd in 2011 - Chris Birch (NZ)

Igor and buddies

The Goon Squad.
Igor Baleta: Ja nee, these kerels were propper all weekend long. They had a big flatbed truck with couches, bar, braai sound system you name it on the back

Igor through an easy section

Igor Baleta: I waited all day at this crossing to get a pic of one of these humped zebras, but alas, no luck

Lesotho

Igor Baleta: Top of Bushmans, two days befor the race... Fire in the sky, was fire in the lungs a couple of days later...!!!

Local Hero, Jade Gudzeit (ZA) - 2nd in 2010, 3rd in 2011

Bushman's Pass - the Silver and Gold finish

Igor Baleta: Taking a moment at the finish of a weekend of almost 21 hours of riding....LOL, awesome what the human body can endure, if the race went on another day or two or five , most would have just delt with it. THATS ENDURO...!!! it rocks

Igor Baleta: LOL cant believe its actualy over, getting GPS confirmation...

Igor Baleta: ROOF OF AFRICA 2011...Well done Red Cherry Adventures, Mike ,Ian ,Seamus and all the rest of the crew, was an awesome event and a weekend i will remember for the rest of my days.

Big thanks to ENDUROWORLD, NOMADIK, my brother Nic and all the spectators and cometitors who helped push and pull me up those mountains. Training for 2012 starts today :-)

Well done Chiiiiieeeeeeef!!

Well Done Chief!

2011-11-27T20:00:00.001Z

My brother Igor finished the Roof of Africa yesterday... 60th out of 100 in the Silver Class. 11 hours and 32 minutes for the stage on Saturday... it was worth it! Brilliant achievement!

Bloody well done chief!!

My Brother - The Winner!

2011-11-22T19:40:00.001Z

A few weeks ago my brother Igor did the last of his 'training' events. He landed up winning his class! Well done Chief!

Here are a few pics...

Today he's travelling down to the Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho with his trusty KTM steed to take on one of the toughest enduro events in the world: Roof of Africa Extreme Enduro.
Look out for No. 275...

Good luck Chief!

Rollerburn

2011-11-21T18:34:00.001Z

Saturday we were at Rollerburn.

Roller-Derby: Girls in fishnets and hot-pants bashing each other around on roller-skates

Thanks Jason Ruffell for the pic.

The red team (forgotten their name) won by 1 point.
No.22 was their star, scoring most of their points... she also won the sprint races!
Thanks Jason Ruffell for the pic.

Some girls play rough!

A first of it's kind event with custom bike show, stands selling things from tee-shirts and cupcakes to pin-striping and flattracker parts, roller-derby, roller drag-races, live bands, slalom skating, roller-girl sprint races, art exhibition...

My favourite bike on display - Sideburn Ben's Guzzi. This bike has supremo kudos... the way I like 'em:
Ridden - not polished.

A babe and one cool-lookin' BSA streettracker
(Saturday morning was the first time I've cleaned the old gal in the last 2 years!)

One of the many and rediculously detailed customs... makes the BSA look like the weekend hack that it is

Skateboard slalom competition - Skooterfarm Dave gets taken out big-time by a skater going the wrong way up the course! Ouch!

The ramp was a work of art!

The ramp was also used for the Roller-Girl sprint races

A couple of the lasses came a cropper...

Grim determination.
Thanks Jason Ruffell for the pic.

Roller Drag-Race: Nutters on flattrackers draggin' girls on roller-skates.
Thanks Jason Ruffell for the pic.

It was way cool and great to see many of my mates there! Thanks to the guys at Sideburn and all the others that put in all the graft to make it the success it was...

When's the next one?

Beta Love

2011-11-19T10:00:00.000Z

I've had the wee Beta trials bike for 3 years now. In that time, all I've done is: every 9 months fill her with premix and punish her for 2 days at a time in Scotland.

Time for some Beta Love!

On the last Scotland trip she couldn't do the big climbs in 4th with the others. She was feeling soggy and tired compared to the others' bikes and was spinning up in 3rd everywhere. Kinda spoiled the quarry day a bit.

The worst part was draining the coolant... down my sleeve... on the bench... on the floor...

Dinky carb

I've never done a carb cleanout or two-smoke top-end rebuild before. Was pretty straight-forward. Badda-bing, badda-boom... all back together... two kicks and she started then ran sweet as a nut! Result!

Tired and dirty

Shiny and new - these parts cost about 25% of the value of the bike - doh!

Also gave the brakes a service, fixed the exhaust, put on some big-ass bars and a few other bits 'n pieces. She scrubbed up real good and is feeling better than ever. Now she'll be buried in the garage for another nine months till the next Scotland trip.

Note: this is a 'Racing' bike

Rollerburn Tomorrow!

2011-11-18T11:41:00.001Z

ROLLERBURN

See you there!

Mountainbike Awesomeness

2011-11-16T22:00:00.000Z

Enduroland Training

2011-11-15T19:25:00.000Z

Got out to a local Enduroland event for a bit of training on Sunday. The course was short and slippy-slidey in places. We had great sunny weather - if it rained it would have been real tough going on the big ol' fourfiddy and not so much fun.

When there's grip, nothing can live with the fourfiddy!

Braaaap! Braaaap!

After two hours giving it big, I was knackered. The goal is to get fit enough to do a few hare-scrambles in the next months... without dying.

Salt

2011-11-14T08:41:00.001Z

Great pic from the guys at Cafe Racer Culture...

The Spectacular TT

2011-11-13T18:00:00.000Z

Moochos Cool Monster

2011-11-11T07:50:00.000Z

Thanks Cafe Racer Culture blog for the pic

Industrial Revolution

2011-11-10T09:05:00.000Z

Scotland Trials - Day 2

2011-11-09T09:02:00.003Z

On Saturday my friends and I were at the bing quarry with the trials bikes. Al showed us how it was done... taking on some big steps...

Al conquering one of many giant step-ups

Sizing up the challenge...

Attack!

Boom! He's up!

Cutting about the bing

Sunset

Mike and Ant having a chuckle

Not a boys-only event... Anita getting in on some trials malarkey

Al jumping onto a boulder...

... unsuccessful first try.

Second attempt

Victory!

In the sunshine with bikes and friends... awesome!

Thanks for another fantastic Scots weekend guys!

Scotland Trials - Day 1

2011-11-07T14:32:00.005Z

Mike, Ant, Clint, Jack and I went up to Scotland on Thursday night for a wee bit o ridin on the trials bikes. Al joined us and 6 trials bikes headed out for some free-riding...

Unloading and kitted up...

It started as a beautiful day... but the weather moved in at lunchtime...

The wee Beta in the forest

Clint had never ridden a trials bike and only had road-gear... he did brilliantly!

The most scenic gas station in the world

Lunchtime!

Jack launching it over the hills!

Aaaaah! That fresh country air

Knackered!

An awesome day's trail riding with mates... doesn't get much better than this!

Down the field

2011-10-31T18:28:00.000Z

Found this pic from last winter when the fourfiddy hub got smashed and wasn't going anywhere. It was a long way back so tried getting a push from Ant and Mike on either side. It ended in tears... of laughter!

Trail Riding... Africa style

2011-10-24T10:30:00.000+01:00

Some pics of my brother Igor's recent trail riding trip in Qwa-Qwa, South Africa...

It was a training trip for the upcoming Roof of Africa extreme enduro... preparations are going well!

Badd Ass BeeEm

2011-10-20T14:23:00.000+01:00

I spotted this badd-ass BeeEm GS in the paddock at ManxGP 2010 and meant to post it. I saw it again this year. It has to be the coolest BeeEm... ever!

This is a BeeEm I would own!

This year I found out the owner of the beast... none other than flattrack mate Alan Birtwhistle! It's a small, small world...

Alan's all action flattrack style wins him trophies!

Enduroland

2011-10-17T21:00:00.001+01:00

The fourfiddy has been moulding away in the garage for the last few months.

Got it out on Sunday morning to the Enduroland practice/training ground which is just a few miles away from me. They have a few events there every year.

I chose all the 'hard' routes...

...not so hard

It was sunny, dry, dusty and fast... the way I like it. Spent about an hour and forty-five shreddin'. I am soo unfit... it's hurtin today!

The technical forest section... not difficult when dry...

...but throw in some camoflage and a bit of rain and they'll have you!

Need to ride more and get fitter... fit enough for a 3 hour harescramble.

It was a great day on the dirt!

Bustin' Clays

2011-10-16T20:18:00.001+01:00

On Saturday Alex gave me the best birthday prezzie ever!

I got a voucher to the local clay shootin' club. It's been many years since I've done any shootin. It was awesome to get out in the sunshine and bust some clays in a civilised way (very different from the ferral shootin I did as a kid in Africa).

A lesson and 50 clays with Chief Instructor Geoff

Hope to do more of it over the winter :-)

Mountainbiking in Africa

2011-10-13T20:39:00.000+01:00

Mountainbiking in Africa can be dangerous!

Scunny Mud

2011-10-12T11:48:00.001+01:00

Some great muddy pics from Jon Pym on Sunday...

Dodging an errant hot-shoe, tear-off only half torn-off...

Twas a wee bit muddy out there on turn one

Flattrackin - Club Championship at Scunthorpe

2011-10-11T12:08:00.000+01:00

Sunday morning we hauled the flattracker up to Scunthorpe for the last flattrack races of the season in the Shorttrack UK Club Championship. Due to the torrential rain the night before, the track owner cancelled the event. Pete Boast eventually convinced him to pump the foot of water off the track and run the event. We got started with the heats an hour or so late - Thanks Pete!

Thanks Steve Baldock for the great photography!

It was muddy, slippy and slidey. Getting off the line was a problem... stone last into turn 1 in the first 2 heats. Despite trying hard to just roll the bike forward, the power of the LC4 just spun the rear up and I was standing still. Once off the line, I made good progress through the field to finish mid-pack.

Waterlogged track

Before the races, Guy Southerland told me he was trying a new strategy. The 'No Crashes' strategy. With my visits to the floor almost in double figures for the season, I agreed this would be a great strategy and adopted it.

Guy 'Bionic Man' Sutherland sporting knee braces

Through the heats for the 'Restricted' and 'Thunderbike' classes, I just took it steady. I didn't touch my rear brake and kept it as smooth as possible - one false move on this muck and you'd be on your arse.

Led by Co-Built Anthony Brown, followed by Wayne 'Snakeman' Drake on his last flattrack race in the UK
Thanks Steve Baldock for the pic

The track dried out nicely and by the time the heats were through, it was mostly fast and grippy with a wide line around the turns - good for passing. I made a lot of passes and bagged a couple of thirds with most of my finishes in the top 5.

Start 'em young! There was a pee-wee speedway track next door

Smooth and steady with no crashes... it pays off. I gathered enough points to get a 7th place start in the Thunderbikes final and a 3rd place start in the Restricted final :-)

We make both finals

Thunderbike final: I make as decent a start as I can from the still mucky inside of the track. Turn one and I get a face-full of muddy water from a cheeky inside move by Les Collins through a big puddle on the apex. I have work to do. Turn one is still slippy as hell with the water from the puddle... turn three and four are beautiful... wide open on the throttle!

Just about to drink the dirt from Les Collins (No 94)

I keep it pinned when I can and make a few passes on the outside of turn four where there's loads of grip. Turn one and into turn two, I just take it easy and two-wheel it through. I reach the chequered flag in 5th with Wayne Drake on my six... on a borrowed bike :-)

Wayne 'Snakeman' Drake was flying on a borrowed Co-Built Thunderbike. After a few offs, he finished 6th in the Thunderbike and 7th in the Pro Class Grand Final - well done mate! Wayne is off to New Zealand soon. We're gonna miss you!

Restricted final: A good start out of the rut in start gate 3 and I'm third into turn 1. A lap or so later and Steve Baldock gets me with a great inside move. Next turn he pulls another great move and is up to second. I'm hungry for a podium and start pushing Anthony Sutton in third.

It was filthy out there!
Thanks Steve Baldock for the pic

Anthony is good out of turn four so no outside moves there. A few laps sussing him out and I make my move. Turn three - with no brakes I run up his inside and lay the bike down hard... I feel the edge of the tyre scraping the grippy clay and I hold the bike up on my left leg... steel shoe earning it's keep all the way... I slip up his inside. Now that's the way to do it!

We finish both finals!

I finish 3rd in the Restricted final. Whooohooo!

I'm all gee'd up to collect a trophy. The final standings are a cumulation of points from all the heats and the final for that class. After the tally, Anthony Sutton pips me by one point and I get 4th for the day. Disappointed to not come home with some silverware... but well done to Anthony, Steve and Andy Riley who beat me to it.

Spy pic - Gary's project taking shape nicely!

The 'No Crash' strategy certainly worked with my best flattrack results to date. 5th in Thunderbikes and 4th in Restricted. Thanks Guy! (also thanks to Steve Coles with words of wisdom).

A great day 'in' the clay!

(now to clean all this shit off the bike and gear... )

Tomorrow - Scunthorpe

2011-10-08T20:32:00.002+01:00

This week I got busy repairing the flattracker for tomorrows racing at Scunthorpe. It's the last round of the ShorttrackUK Club championship - I've missed most rounds so am way out of the points... I'll just be riding for the day... :-)

Whipped the jets out and gave 'em a good clean... seems to have fixed the problems of Rye House... I hope...

Before Rye House, the right side of the bike was mint... now it's trashed!

Dirt can hurt

Raided the Wee Monster's spares box for a modified gear lever - how long will it last?

Somehow the bolt on the top clamp came out - the impact mullered the top clamp

Co-Built... a bit of heat, a pry-bar, a five pound hammer and whole lot of persuasion got things right!

Ouch!

2011-10-05T13:29:00.004+01:00

Just one of the many reasons even Moto2 racing is so expensive...

Bruce Brown Interview

2011-10-03T08:35:00.001+01:00

A short interview with Bruce Brown and a bit about On Any Sunday...

Streettracker

2011-10-01T11:07:00.000+01:00

More fantastic flattrack photography from Raffaele Paolucci on his Streettracker blog...

Keep making those beautiful images Raffaele!

Harley Davidson Soars

2011-09-29T20:35:00.000+01:00

A great article on Harleys...

Harley Davidson Soars

Mick Phillips on the monsters from Milwaukee…

Rain. Lots of rain. At night. Soaked through, 50-odd miles from my destination and on a lonely road in the middle of bleak West Country moorland. My headlamp was pointing anywhere but at the road, mainly because it was off another bike and had been hastily lashed between the yokes with bungees, because three hours earlier the Harley-Davidson Sportster I was riding had vibrated its own bulb to pieces just as I’d left home. As road trips go, this was bad and I was proper fed up.

Then came the electric shocks…

That was over 20 years ago, but my first decent ride on a Harley-Davidson is still painfully fresh in my memory. It coloured the way I thought about all Harleys for more than a decade. OK, so I loved the look of some of the old models, and I still reckon that one of the most handsome engines ever made is a Knucklehead, like a motor turned inside out, all tubes and bosses and chunks of sculpted alloy. And of course having seen On Any Sunday I, like millions of others, couldn’t help being struck by the brutal beauty of a bucking, sliding XR750 flat tracker (below) in the hands of the majestic Mert Lawwill. But XR750s, even today, are rare beasts in Britain.

As for the stuff I rode though the ’90s – and I rode most of the then current models – well, it was like climbing onto a fairground ride in a provincial town. Waltzer-gaudy behemoths that shook the money from your pockets and wouldn’t stop when you felt sick and wanted to get off. Massive heavy things, under-powered and under-braked that made the dodgems feel like finely honed sports cars. Harley fans told me I didn’t get it. No I didn’t, and I didn’t want to either.

Then in 2002 something extraordinary happened. The Harley From Mars landed on Earth. The VRSCA V-Rod (above) dropped among us like a spaceship. Here was proof that the blokes in Milwaukee had not only heard of liquid cooling, overhead camshafts and effective braking, but had engineered it into one of their bikes. The V-Rod managed to mix contemporary with custom with tradition with performance. And it does perform. I took an early one out for a blast in 2001 and when I gave it a fistful and felt 115bhp through my low-slung backside I laughed out loud, tickled to be so surprised.

Then 2008 finally brought something that echoed Mert Lawwill’s XR750. In the XR1200 (above), Milwaukee has given us a Harley suited to roads with those pesky things called bends. The styling reflects the dirt oval’s most successful race bike and has helped to boost an already growing interest in all things flat track. It’s a bike that combines the rorty chug of the old-style air-cooled pushrod V– twin with a feel that’s sportier than any street Harley before it.

Oh Mr Davidson, you’re spoiling us.

So do I get Harleys now? Well, I suppose I do, but then there’s more to get these days. But also, and you might call this age, I do find something comforting about, in the case of almost the whole Harley-Davidson range, a relatively basic motorcycle shamelessly showcasing proven old technology. Living history, you might call it. But then so is Bruce Forsyth, though I know what I’d rather be riding.

Manx Knobs

2011-09-26T09:42:00.000+01:00

Capt. Fletcher Casement's
Fairly Famous
MANX KNOBS
Humbugs of distinction - to inspire and sustain pioneers
of the commercial world, scholastic institutions and the
hard-working public generally
A gift to enhance domestic harmony and promote
excellence of temper
May be eaten day or night, in all weathers

Flattrackin - GNC Final at Rye House

2011-09-19T21:41:00.000+01:00

The last round of the ShorttrackUK Grand National Championship was held at Rye House on Saturday night.

Things didn't start out too well when the bike refused to idle in the assembly area before practice. I got her going and out onto the track... bimbled up to and into the first turn. She revved suddenly mid turn, spinning the back around and forcing me to lay her down. WTF?

Wicked action pic from Steve Baldock - Thanks Steve!

The meeting was already running late and by the time I'd checked things back in the paddock, practice was over. Great!

Managed to get the bike kinda idling by running her on the choke. Not ideal, but she seemed to rev cleanly. Must be some dirt (or some garage floor garbage... ahem!) in the jets of the carb. The gear lever was bent about 2 inches out of place... of course I forgot my spares box again. Made the gear-change tricky... but maneagable. Soon it was time for my first heat of the evening in the Shorttrack class. I'm drawn on the front row... with zero laps practice... in a race... perhaps not a good scenario.

Soon to be Thunderbike Champ Anthony Brown tells how it's done

Onto the grid, revs rise, the start-tape shoots up and I get off the line. I get out of turn 2 okay and gun it down to turn 3 with Ade Collins just ahead. Lightly on the rear brake... get slide on... all going swimmingly. Hmmmm... mabe a bit too fast... shouldda mabe done a lap out here before trying to keep up with the Shorttrack National Champ... "Clunk!" I tag his back wheel. I almost go down, but save it by picking the bike up and running wide into the thick stuff towards boards.

First heat turn 1 action

Thanks Steve Baldock for the pic

I'm headed for the boards and try get the bike turned. Too late.. I lay the bike down and slide to a halt on my side. My left leg trapped between the front wheel and the engine. I scramble out from under the bike, pick it up and restart as the pack pelts me in its roost. I check over my shoulder for oncoming bikes when I see two other bikes down behind me. Alan Birtwhistle is one of them and he's stuck under the bikes, half-under the boards.

Guto Llywellan and Geoff Cain in the Co-Built garage

I kill the bike, lean it up against the fence and help the marshal and others get Alan out from under the boards. He's okay, his bike is okay. He must have been on my outside when I went straight on. Haven't even done a lap yet and I've already bitten the dust twice! What a muppet!

We go around for the restart. As I approach the grid, I'm shown to the penalty start box "You didn't think you'd get away with that one!" I'm told. Doh! Sorry guys...

Guto's Husaberg engine was having it's last race meeting

We restart. Without the first lap congestion I'm up to the man at the back within a lap and I pick off a few places as I get some practice in. Despite the offs I'm feeling fast... but I'm a bit raggedy. Shorttrack heat 1 done and not in last place :-) Into the paddock for a quick drink and I'm out one race later in the first Thunderbike heat.

I make a good start but struggle a bit to find consistency going into the corners as I explore just how fast one can go. I make some passes and get up to 3rd before going way too deep on turn 3 and losing a whole bunch of places. I make up one or two of these places before the chequered flag. I take a short rest and calm myself down before the next Shorttrack heat. I'm drawn at the back so I use it as practice to get my speed and consistency right. I still manage to not finish last.

Guy Southerland gives us his race face

Next Thunderbike heat and I'm drawn on the front row. I get to the front but soon the Italian ace (great cook and stand-up guy) Jacopi Monti blasts past me. I go to school. In the last few laps I hang onto the back of Jacopo and learn a lot. Points in the bag.

I do quite well in the next Shorttrack heat, mixing it with a few of the lads on the lighter Shorttrack bikes. In the last Thunderbike heat I make a good start and grab some places. Lap 2 and I'm behind RedMax Steve on his beautifully turned out single speed Norton. I draw level him down the back straight and slide on though at the entry of turn 3. I get my sights on the bike in 2nd place just ahead. Red flags. Darn! I was having a good run.

Rider's briefing: "We all know what we are doing..." I was too busy taking a pic!

I slow down and see three bikes and riders on the ground at turn 3... Steve is stuck under his bike and struggling. "Shit!" - thinking that I might have been the cause of the crash. I stop and prop the bike up, hoping that I can help in some way. Steve is in a lot pain. Another rider is flat on his back with a face full of dirt. Steve has hurt his left arm and ankle bady and has to leave the track in an ambulance. That sucks.

The race is restarted. I get another great start and work my way up to 4th. I think of going for 3rd, but after the 2 offs and Steve's crash I decide just to hang back and make sure of reaching the final.

Wayne Drake's podium finishing thunderbike is for sale...

I got enough points Shorttrack to start 10th in one of the Shorttrack Semi-finals - only the second time I've made the semis :-) There are 4 of us Thunderbikes on the back row. It's a good, fun race and we're all pretty close at the back - I'm working on consistency and conserving my energy for the Thunderbike final.

I qualify 6th for the Thunderbike final and slot into the middle row with Steve Coles on my right and Pete Wilky on my right. For the first time that night I don't get a good start. It's okay... but not good. Steve has drawn clear and Wilky is a foot ahead by the time we get to turn 1. As I'm about to get a little slide on and turn her in, Pete vere's accross from my left... completely the opposite way I expected him to go. We touch and our handle-bars clatter together. Next thing I'm half-off the bike... and just along for the ride...

In between heat dinner at Trattoria Monti! Jacopo is a great cook!

I see night sky, lights, feel myself hitting the dirt and being hit by a bike (or two!)... not necessarily in that order. I feel my body grinding into the dirt in a mess of bikes, wheels and handle-bars... feels like a bike hits me and then something big and soft like another rider. It seems to last about ten times longer than it actually did but I eventually stop tumbling with all that hardware and there is silence.

Next thing I know I've scrambled to my feet and am on my haunches, about to stand up. Fight or flight! I see the clay moving beneath my feet and my vision is dancing with a thousand sparkles. I know if I stand up I'll just fall over again. I can't hear anymore bikes - I must be safe... so I just haunch there on one knee watching the sparkles on the clay and breathe.

Welted and skinned!

I move my toes, feet, legs, fingers, hands, arms, torso. It's all working. But there is pain. I see pairs of boots around me. A paramedic fills my vision as I look up. "Are you hurt?", "I don't think I'm hurt... but I'm fuckin' hurting!". "Where does it hurt?" I go through the movements again... "My left leg, lower and upper, my right knee, left elbow..." I raise my right hand and show him my graunched glove, "...and my pinkie". I dare not tell him about the stars... I want to get back on the bike and do this race...

My mouth tastes of puke... I almost threw up some great pasta from Monti's Trattoria during the impact. That's a first for me. I just stay there on my haunches for a minute or two. Breathing, feeling. The body parts all seem to be working and the stars I was seeing fade. I slowly stand up, helped out by another rider. I move about. Fuck! That hurts! I look around: there is a huge puddle of petrol a few metres away and I see Dave Arnold limping, being helped to his bike... other riders trying to start it. "How's my bike?" I ask.

Plum colored Popeye!

"Gear lever is off." Shit. I couldn't really move about so wouldn't have been much good in the race anyway. They manage to get Dave's bike started and he makes the restart as I wheel my bike off the clay. Turns out Wilky was rammed into me, his bike got a hole through the tank and he couldn't restart either. He was a bit bashed up too... but okay. We watch Jacopo win the race and Anthony Brown finish 4th to take the 2011 GNC Thunderbike Championship on his Co-Built. Well done Anthony!

Another great action shot from the lens of Steve Baldock

A disappointing finish to the season, but I scraped enough points together to finish okay in the final standings. Today I feel like I've been run over by a herd of big, mean and angry Cape buffalo. But thankfully just bruises and contusions. RedMax Steve fared far worse with 4 breaks just below the shoulder joint and a broken leg just above the ankle. He was rear ended after I went past. Get well soon Steve!

Steve in the wars again having just recovered from 2 broken collarbones in the last year

Here's a great vid of the evening's racing... my silly second off is in there...

Choking, Garbage, Soup and Rye House

2011-09-15T19:28:00.000+01:00

The other night I prepped the flattracker for the final round of the ShorttrackUK Grand National Championship at Rye House. I struggled to start the beast up. When idling, she just choked and died with any throttle... black, fuel smelling smoke coming out the exhaust. "Shit, she's drowning." Check this, check that... troubleshoot. Next thing to check is the carb. Not too keen on taking it apart as I wouldn't know a carb's ass from it's elbow.

Air-cleaner off... "Aha!" "You little bastard."

I had forgotten the plastic garbage I had stuffed down the inlet pipe to stop water when cleaning her last. Must be this soup of post-Manx depression I've been swimming in lately. Doh! Garbage gone and she started and ran sweet! :-)

Looking forward to saturday night's racing. There are 3 of us currently tied in 6th in the Thunderbike Championship. It's pretty crowded mid-table so it's all to play for!

Looking for a good result to drag me out of this depressed state of mind...

ManxGP 2011 - Day 14 - The Big One - Senior Race

2011-09-03T19:30:00.001+01:00

Woke up to rain, got our shit together and headed to the garage to pick up the bike, fuel, tools etc. We were in the Day Paddock by 08h00 when it stopped raining. Candy through skrootineering, into Parc Firme, under a cover and tyres warmers on. The 10h15 start is delayed 30 mins... this flies by and pretty soon were doing final checks and warming the bike up in Parc Firme.

Lap 1 into the Cregg Ny Baa

Wet an damp roads all round the Isle... not quite what we'd hoped for... but at least it wasn't raining. We wait for the first rider on the road to scream down to St Ninians before wheeling Candy up onto Glencrutchery Road and taking our place in the start line. Focus. There is a gap in the numbers ahead of me (a few not making the start line) and I have to wait 40 seconds after the rider in front has set off. Great... a good clear road.

Parc Firme fuel top-up

I get the 10 second signal. Starters hand on my shoulder. Revs rise. The flag drops at the same time as he taps my shoulder and I get away cleanly with a little wheelie. After getting the 'flat out till the left after Ago's right in practice, I'm disappointed that I have to roll the throttle through St Ninians and down Bray Hill because of the wet. Tip-toe through Quarterbridge, Braddan Bridge and Union Mills where it's not as wet and then flat-out.

Ale, Me and the old war horse Candy... She was the oldest bike out in the Senior and in her 4th Manx GP

I take it cautiously through the wet sections and nailing it as if in the dry through the damp sections. I'd only managed 3 laps of practice on Candy and hadn't ridden her in nearly ten days. But with the great work done by Dave at Evo Moto, she pulls like she's never done before. I think part of my lack of top speed on her in previous years was the clutch slip. The run onto Sulby straight was wet and taken real easy, despite this she knocks out her fastest yet through the speed trap - 157mph.

View up pit-lane... pit crews filling the fuel bowsers

She's handling well too - the chopper/razor compromise is spot-on. She shakes her head when she weelies over the big bumps and get's air over the fast jumps. Nothing major... I make a mental note to wind the steering damper in a few clicks during the pit stop. It's wet and a bit hairy over the mountain... but we take it smooth and steady... already catching riders that started a minute ahead of us.

Lining up on Glencrutchery Road

The driest part of the track is the last section, the usually slimy Governor's Dip. Back onto Glencrutchery Road and down Bray Hill again for lap 2. Feeling comfortable in the poor conditions, I pick up the pace as dry patches and lines start appearing. Still very wet through Glen Helen... but mostly dry all the way through to Quarry Bends. We get the hammer down where we can and Candy is singing in her Vee Twin barritone "Brrraaaaaaaaaap" all the way.

Hammering past the pits and grandstand into lap 2

Onto the mountain and I catch my mate Neil Vicars who started ahead of me. He's not enjoying the conditions as I fly past on one of the fast, wet bends. I just "make a rhythm" and concentrate on being smooth. Faster as the conditions improve. Pretty soon I'm slowing up and hurrying down pit lane at 30mph (speed limit in pit-lane with time penalties for infringement) for the pit-stop. I see Graham, and stop infornt of him, hit the kill switch and sit up so he can get the fuel cap.

Defuelling and packing up while the race is still being run

"There's no fuel cap!" He exclaims. I look down at the tank and see a big hole where the fuel cap should be. I get that sinking feeling just as my visor goes dark as the visor cleaner foam Alex has just sprayed on is doing it's work on the bug carcases. I just open my arms to show I don't have it... Graham looks around the bike but it's somewhere on the 37.7 miles of TT Moutain Course. Probably close to the pit because I couldn't smell petrol and don't have any on my leathers. By then the skrootineer is onto us and tells us "I can't let you out without one".

Lap 2 into the Cregg... Neil behind me

I think. I'm sure I saw a gas cap of the same fitting in one of the race shops. Vaughan who is helping out to heads off to the paddock to try find one. One after another of the riders I have passed start coming in to pit... get refuelled, visor and screen cleaned, a drink and are off down to St Ninians. That sinking feeling gets deeper. We try bargain with the skrootineer and come up with McGuyver solutions. He's not having any of it. I just want to finish the race...

Candy into Signpost Corner during practice week

A few minutes laterVaughan appears with a few gas caps complete with fittings from the race shop... but none of them will fit a 12 year old Italian bike. We run out of time. Our race is over. I push the bike out the pit area to Parc Firme... it's no way to finish a race.

Suzy V from the inside of the Cregg Ny Baa on Wednesday

Suzy V around Cronk Na Mona on Wednesday

ManxGP 2011 - Day 13 - Prep and Some Thoughts

2011-09-01T17:26:00.002+01:00

Spent the day prepping Candy for the Senior race tomorrow morning... and swallowing the bitter pill of yesterday's disappointment.

In yesterday's Supertwin race: After lap 1 I was lying in 12th place and did a 102mph lap... from a standing start, traffic and rain on the mountain. The rain got worse at the race went on - I fancied my chances. 4 of the riders ahead of me on lap 1 failed to finish... despite this, a top ten finish was still on the cards... on probably the oldest bike in the Supertwins race. Couldda, shouldda, wouldda.

Perhaps the gods were saving me from something that could have happened later in the race. At least the bike didn't blow up... it won't cost me anything to have her racing again.

Candy's paint is now a mess. I ran out of brake cleaner... so went to the race shop. The guy didn't have any so sold me some carb cleaner, telling me it's the same stuff. No it ain't. It took Candy's paint off! But at least it's run over some of the stone damage...

Anyway... the big bike is ready to race now. I've only done 3 laps on her... the last one 105mph more than a week ago. Would have been nice to get more practice in on her... but, that's the Manx! All we have to do is hurry up and wait... and hope the great weather we've had today holds. But the forecast isn't good.

The view out the garage. Camera is just about level... check out the angle of Bray Hill...

Looking forward to tomorrow... also looking forward to picking up Alex from the airport later... haven't seen her for more than 2 weeks now! In the pits tomorrow I'll have Ian on the fuel hose, Alex on the visor and screen and Graham (a local that does the pit stop for Ian Lougher at the TT) on the kill switch and fuel cap. It's gonna be a hum-dinger!

Bring it on!

ManxGP 2011 - Day 12 - Supertwins Race

2011-09-01T09:57:00.000+01:00

My pit crew, Ian's ferry only got in at 1 a.m so I didn't get as much sleep as hoped. But, we were still up early to get our shit together and get to the Day Paddock before the roads closed. The Classic 500 race went of first after an hour delay. It was overcast and cold with showers expected.

This is my friend Mark Herbertson's sixteenth Manx GP on classic machinery. After not even getting down Glencrutchery Road on Monday's Classic 350 race, Mark started the Senior Classic 6th on the road. He chipped away for the four laps and eventually knicked 3rd from Steve Linsdel on the last lap when coming over the mountain. A fantastic result! Well done Mark on a brilliant ride and Alan for the immaculately prepared Matchless G50!

Classic 500
Winner: Ryan Farquar (centre), Second: Chris Palmer (left), Third: Mark Herbertson (right)

At 14:30 we line up on Glencrutchery road for the start. We start the bike and while it warms up we plug in the charger to top up the battery and make sure we have enough juice for the 4 lap race. Relaxed, I focus on the race... get my mind in the right gear to go fast and do well. Learning from John McGuinness, you got to go out hard and fast from the off... it sets the precedence for the rest of the race. I'm ready for it.

Ian (taking pic), Mark and his son Dominic helped out on the start and were in the pits for me

We used to set off in pairs, this year for the first time we set off one at a time as in the TT. The rider ahead of me sets off. I hook 1st gear and pull up to the start line. The starter puts his hand on my shoulder, I bring the revvs up, tunnel vision down the road. He taps my shoulder, I ease the clutch out. I get off the line but can feel the bike bogging down... need more revs to get away with this long gearing. Before she bogs, I nail the throttle. The front wheel lifts and I tear off down Glencrutchery road like a scalded cat.

1000 yard stare down Glencrutchery Road - Focus

Flat out through St. Ninians, down Bray Hill and for the first time I don't roll the throttle through the dip. The G-Force flattens me against the tank and smacks my helmet on the pads I've fitted to teh tank and steering damper. "Whump!". We're through and Ago's leap opens up in front. Flat out and for the first time the wee bike gets some air over the crest. Full tank of gas and cool tyres - we take it easy through Quarterbridge and Braddan Bridge and then it's full steam ahead.

Approaching Guthries on the run up the mountain

I catch the first rider through Greeba Bridge, hussle my way past and push on. It's damp under the trees around Glen Helen where I catch another rider. I back it off a little. Up the steep hill to Sarah's Cottage. In late, square it off and on the gas as soon as possible... as I'm cranked over I hear a sickening grinding sound and the rear of the bike slides around. I dig my knee into the tar and pick the bike up, back on the throttle in an instant so we don't lose drive up the hill onto Cronk Y Voddy. There's not time to be gained through Sarah's... I say to myself: "Whooooah boy! Take it easy. That would be a fuckin stoopid place to go flying through the hedges!"

Up, up the hill, through Lambfell where I later learned that seasoned campaigner Adam Easton lost his life in the earlier race. Adam had only missed one ManxGP since 1983.

Gettin' through traffic...

It's difficult to get into a rhythm as I'm catching a rider every few miles. At Ballaugh Bridge I catch a slower rider... I'm 20 yards behind him by the time we're hard on the brakes, slowing from about 130mph to 40mph. Near the end of the braking zone I get off the brakes early and squeeze through the 2 foot gap between him and the curb, drawing alongside as he turns in. I turn in later, and give Suzy gas over the hump-backed bridge. It's probably the best air I've got over there as I fly past him over the crest. What a pic that would have made! We land and I'm straight back on the gas, turning it tight against the wall of the pub, under the dangling feet of the spectators. My most memorable passing move ever... awesome!

Pushing hard and grinding out the belly-pan - risky!

I take Ballacrye flat out and get good speed through Quarry Bends and down Sulby. I get held up through the long, bumpy Kerrow Moar section but eventually get past the slower rider into Parliament Square. Up to Ramsay Hairpin - I get past another few riders where it's damp all the way up to Guthrie's. At Guthrie's raindrops start beading across my visor... halfway down the Mountain Mile and the rain is streaking across my visor and screen. I push on, carefully, but confident knowing that the other racers dislike wet conditions more than I do.

Pit crew Ian catching some Zzzzzzs

Rain all the way over the mountain - not fun at all. At Kate's Cottage it's dry and I'm back on it. Through the Cregg and Suzy splutters. "Fuck!" - it feels like it did last week. "Not now baby... not now..." Down through Brandish and my untested gearing is spot-on. Suzy feels good so I hammer on. Tip-toe through a wet Governor's dip and it's flat out down Gleancrutchery Road to complete lap one. In thinking: "Another 3 laps just like that one and we'll be in the money...".

As I fly past my waiting pit crew, Suzy half-dies. Running on one cylinder all the way down Bray Hill. "Fuck, no!". Tootling through the bottom of Bray and she clears and pulls up Ago's. "C'mon baby..." Down to Quarterbridge and she starts missing again... we limp up to Braddan Bridge and I pull off the course. I know my race is run. In denial, I try find a lose wire or something... but I know it's the battery and it's over.

Shit, fuck and bollocks!

ManxGP 2011 - Day 11 - Suzy V Prepped

2011-08-30T20:25:00.000+01:00

Continued getting Suzy V ready for the race tomorrow. Went over everything... cleaned, checked, tightened, tweaked, checked again... news tires fitted and scrubbed in... even repaired a lot of the stone-chips on the fairing.

Scrubbing in new tyres

Also got positive news on Candy - the part was dispatched express from the mainland this morning... should be here to morrow morning and fitted by the afternoon. Also dropped off new tires for her this morning that were fitted today. So she should be ready for Friday's race.

Alan Harmiston's immaculately prepared AJS G50 - Mark will be riding it in tomorrow's Senior Classic

Tomorrow at 13h15 Suvy V and I will do 4 laps of the TT Mountain Course faster than we ever have before...
Bring it on!

Suzy V Ready to Race!

ManxGP 2011 - Day 10 - Last Practice

2011-08-30T09:09:00.001+01:00

The Junior Classic (350cc old-timers) and Junior (up to 600cc modern machines) races are now run on Monday with a practice session after that - scheduled at 15h15. Tired or working on the bikes for a week... I took a break on Sunday and didn't even look at them. Figured I had time on Monday to prep Suzy V and do a gearing change. Candy is still in hospital.

Tootling through Parliament Square

At 09h00 I decide to check the road closures just to make sure I won't get caught out - the house I'm staying in is inside the course... and the garage on Bray Hill. Not accessible after the roads close. Road's close 09h30. I read it again. 09h30. Of course! They will run the 2 races and practice in succession. Doh! Eeeedeeeeyote!

I dash out the house grabbing all I need on the way. Back to the garage and pickup all I need from there. I get to the day paddock at 09h25. Phew! Of course, I forget something... the sprocket I need for the gearing change. But luckily I can get back to the garage by foot to retrieve it - I have the bike and all the heavy hardware in the paddock.

Paddock fettling

The Junior Classsic race gets away on time. My mate Mark Herbertson is starting No 8 on a 350cc Matchless owned and prepped by Alan Hermiston. I watch for him on Bray Hill, but there is no Mark between rider No 7 and 9. Afterwards I find out that on Saturday's practice he blew the engine up - they had some spares and spent till 03h00 Monday morning rebuilding it. It seemed ok, but when Mark got off the line wasn't running right so he pulled in immediately. Bummer.

Neil Vicars in the start queue

As the Junior Classic race finishes, the rain comes down. It pours for about half an hour and the start of the Junior race is delayed. Eventually the Junior race is started on wet roads. Mike Minns got it sideways at the first corner (St Ninians) and pulled out of the race immediately. About 12 riders pulled out the race after one lap. the conditions improved and by the last lap it was mostly dry but still a lot of damp and puddles. Not fun.

There was a lot of wheel changing going on before the race

My mate Neil Vicars was having a steady run until Braddan Bridge on the third lap where he lost the front and lowsided into the tree in the middle of the roundabout. Luckily he got away with just bumps and bruises and the bike isn't too bad - hope he can get it fixed for Friday's Senior race. Mike Moulai, the 'Flying Kiwi', had a storming race, riding a 4 cylinder bike for the first time he came home in 14th. Mike normally rides a Ducati 999, but it gave him problems early on in practice week so he parked it up and focused on the 600.

Neil's pitstop

Eventually, the practice session gets away at 16h00 on damp roads. My plan was just to test the gearing - if I was having fun and learning, I'd do two laps, if not, just one. The conditions weren't great, so I cautiously do one lap... only giving it beans on the run past the Highlander, Sulby straight and the run down to Brandish - to test the gearing.

Suzy V's race prep starts

I've gone 2 teeth longer on the back sprocket. My speed through the trap was almost identical to my run on Saturday. The wee gurl just doesn't have the power to pull a longer gearing. I'm stuck at 141mph. Back in the paddock at one of the race shops, I manage to find a compromise sprocket between the two - I'm gonna take a chance and run it in the race.

I get Suzy V back to the garage and begin to strip 'n clean. Race prep begins...

ManxGP 2011 - Day 9 - Day of Rest

2011-08-28T21:35:00.003+01:00

Sunday is always a day of rest on the Isle. The Jurby festival was on... kazillions of great bikes...

When the races are done I'll post some pics of interesting bikes I spotted there. Also visited the beach near Ballaugh...

Next practice: tomorrow after the Junior race.

ManxGP 2011 - Day 8 - Another Good Un

2011-08-28T02:00:00.000+01:00

Up early (for a Saturday) and straight to work. Got to get the new race clutch fitted. Need an air wrench for the job so hauled Candy down to Dave at EvoMoto in Ramsay who kindly made space in his mad ManxGP schedule. Was hoping to get it done by 15h00 so we can do a lap on her tonight after the Newcomers race which was at 18h00.

$100 express shipping... and I still had to pay £30 duty... AND it didn't solve my problem... Bah!

I head back to the garage and prep Suzy V. All's good from last night... so she just needed a good clean, a check and a holed belly-pan repaired. The whole of last year teh belly-pan never touched the track... it was last night's hoon down Bray Hill that did it. At least I know I'm faster through there!

Oh Candy, Candy, Candy...

At 14h00 I get a call from Dave. Bad news... the spider spring on the slipper clutch has disintegrated. No parts on the island, the importers in the mainland are away racing this weekend and of course Monday is a Bank Holiday... and I didn't happen to bring the standard clutch as spare. I wasn't going out on Candy. Will be lucky to get a lap in on her before the race on Friday. Shit and bollocks!

Today is the start of the Manx 2-Day Trials, loads of trials bikes buzzing around the Isle

On the bright side... I have one bike that's working a treat. I pack Suzy V up and head over to skrootineering and through to Parc Ferme. This year is different from previous years and the Newcomers race is on the Saturday... after which is a short practice. I watch the Newcomers race in the sunshine on the grandstand. Well done to Wayne Hamilton who took the Newcomers A and Gavin Lupton who took the Newcomers B. The guy who crashed on his sighting lap on Monday managed to get his shit together and finish a credible 8th in the Newcomers B.

Look carefully at the name on the frame... "Moriwaki" Someone with deep pockets!

After the race has finished and all riders are home, we get out for a 1 lapper at 19h30. I use tyre warmers on Suzy V for the first time so that I can get on the pace quickly. I give Suzy V all she's got down Glencrutchery road and take the jump at St Ninians flat out... a simulation of the race start.

Mark Parrett helping to get one of the Newcomers going whose bike cut out on the line - they didn't allow him to rejoin the race. That sucks.

I'm on the pace right away and put in a good, fast lap. I caught quite a few 600s which are difficult to pass because of the power difference and was held up a bit through the twisty sections. Despite this, it was a cracking lap... Suzy V was faultless.

He got 4 Jerries... but 4 of what?

Another 103mph lap... but this time from a standing start. Happy with that! :-) I was being slip-streamed down Sulby straight so lost a few mph off my top speed. Feeling quite tired after the long week... tomorrow is a day off so it's beer o'clock time!

Manx Tip

2011-08-27T15:47:00.000+01:00

Manx Tip: Lockwire the throttle cable sleeve to the cable retainer at both ends if you can. If you hit a jump or big bumps hard, the cable sleeve can pop out of the retainer and normally gets hooked on the edge of the retainer, effectively stretching your throttle cable. Which means when you let go of the throttle... it stays open. Not good. Happened twice to me on my old KTM dirtbike - led to me lockwiring all my racebikes. This could have been what happened to Brian Purdy on Tuesday night - apparently the throttle stuck open as he went into Schoolhouse corner. Definitely not a good thing.

ManxGP 2011 - Day 7 - Up a Gear

2011-08-27T04:00:00.000+01:00

Got straight to the bikes to try sort Suzy V's one-cylinder running issue. I think it's just because of low voltage. Been cranking the bike many time since getting here and done 2 3/4 laps on a total loss system. Initial Voltage was 13.3v... now down to 12.7v. I didn't charge the battery to see how long it would last... I expected it to give notice with slow cranking... but now we know.

Suzy V at the Gooseneck

With bikes both prepped and gearing changed on Suzy, I got back to the house in the late morning and had a few presents waiting for me. 2 sets of tyres from Mike at MD Racing and calling cards for me to go pickup Candy's new race clutch (thanks to the guys at AF1racing) and a new tacho/dash for Suzy V. Spent the rest of the day running around and fitting Suzy's dash.

A good cuppa and fantastic homemade chocolate brownies.... mmmmmm-mmmmmm

Suzy V's tacho went on the blink so I was just guessing what rpm we were pulling in top. Gotta be more scientific and get the gearing right. This new unit is from the You-Ess-of-Aye is tiny and does everything. Tacho, speedo, engine hours, air temp, engine temp, time, trip metres, two shift lights and a whole bunch of other stuff. I wired it in for the tacho and engine temp. Best part... it was cheaper than replacing my old-skool dial tacho!

Wiring the dash in

I got to skrootineerting quite late, but that was okay because the classic boys were out first tonight. I get Suzy V through and go get Candy as a backup - intention is to get 2 good laps in on Suzy. I start Candy up: "Phrrrrrt-phrrrrt-phrrrrrt". What the hell? Sounds like a hole in the exhaust. I have a look and turns out the grub screw on the exhaust header has been blown out. Great! I remember her unusually back-firing on the way into Governer's Dip on Wednesday night... must have been why. Bollocks! I leave candy on the trailer for the session.

Despite afternoon showers, it's dry and sunny all round the Isle - just a few damp patches under the trees in the usual places. At about 20h20 I have Suzy V pinned all the way down Bray Hill. I normally roll through St Ninians... but tonight I was determined to do it flat the fook out! "Brrrrraaaaaaaaaappppp...."

Super-tiny dash saves mega weight!

"Whooo-hoooo!" - I try make the yoop but no sound comes out because of the crushing g forces at the bottomm of the hill. Now that was fun! Slow and easy into Quarterbridge and Braddan on cold tyres and full load of fuel. Now... flat out through the ultra-fast left hander just before The Crosby. Yeah! First time I've been able to do that through there this week. Now... try another first... flat out over Wagon and Horse leap... "Wheee-heeee!" - the little bike sails over the crest and drives down the hill. My wee tacho is working a treat and I'm pulling 9250rpm past the Highlander. Gearing is good.

Kapoing!

Fast... and smooth. Doing a lot of sections absolutely flat-out for the first time this year. Behind a newcomer on a 600... approaching the super-fast, blind and scary (there are a whole lot of those here...) corners through Bishops Court. I just know he's going to roll. I position my self on his outside and keep the throttle on the stops. He rolls. I shoot past him like he's in reverse and sweep through on the right line. I remember this being done to me many times when I was a Newcomer shitting myself around the course. I frightens the bejeesus out of one. Because he has a lot more power, if I lose momentum, it'll take another mile before I can get close enough to pass him again. Got to keep it lit!

Not amused

Too soon, lap 1 turns to lap 2. I have never done Bray Hill flat-out on a flying lap. Since the Cregg, for last 3 miles I've been goading myself into it. After the race last year Ken Minns (father of one of my mates here: Mike) said to me in his thick Geordie accent: "We thought you had a fookin problem with the bike... why the fook did you roll through St Ninians!". Not today!

A cool green machine in the Classic Superbike class

From Governer's dip, the throttle hits the stops and stays there. I get butterflies all the way down Glencrutchery Road... brush the hedge on the right and tip her in. Flat out. Cranked over we blast through the crossroads, doing a jump over the change in camber. I keep it pinned. Now the descent down Bray Hill is just soooo much faster. Absolutely exhilarating! Hell yeah!

Suzy V at the Gooseneck - Catching the sunshine as we turn up the mountain

I learn a lot and things click. I almost get the end of Cronk Y Voddy flat out too. With a fully charged battery, Suzy V is as good as gold and for most of the lap I don't see another rider. Just me, the bike, the hedges, walls and the track. Many times during that lap, I think how privileged I am to be able to do this. It is a surreal experience.

Lap time 101 and 103 mph. Speed through Sulby Speed trap 141mph - Suzy has never been faster! Science works.

ManxGP 2011 - Day 6 - Half-wet Qualification

2011-08-26T22:44:00.001+01:00

Up on Thursday morning and prep the bikes for the evening practice. Check everything... check everything again. As I was getting Suzy V up to skrootineering... it started to rain.

It's not often I wear a clear visor

Once in skrootineering, we had our first skrootineering failure! When I dropped the bike earlier in the week, the knob on the end of the clutch lever broke off. I filed the edge round and got through skrootineering so far lik ethat. But the rulebook says 'ball' ends and I was picked up on it this time. Suzy V was sent to the 'sin bin'.

Suzy V forlorn in the 'sin bin'... waiting for a new lever. At least she had company...

I visited the race shops in the paddock and scrounged a Yamaha lever that was exactly the same. Must be a Yamaha clutch lever/cable setup on her. I replaced the lever and she was released to pit lane. Only then did the rain stop... and we were way at the back of the queue.

Suzy was soaked by the time we got her into pit lane - no point in a cover

I didn't have too much time till the session started, so decided on leaving Candy at the van. She was playing backup today anyway as I intended to only use the wee bike.

How to break a bead... Mark and Alan do it the old-skool way

It was declared a wet session and got away on time. It was pretty wet in places, but good that it had stopped raining. I just kept out of the other bikes' spray and visibility was good. I tentatively picked my way past a number of slower riders until the Cronk Y Voddy straight where it was dry. We let Suzy V go... and she went!

By chance, this rider's moniker is 'Bullet'... them stones are vicious!

Bone dry all the way to Ramsay... where it was wet again.. so I just picked around over the mountain. I only needed onelap on Suzy V to qualify and only intended one lap... unless I was having fun and learning something. The section from Cronk Y Voddy to Ramsay was great fun... and I was learning. So I set off on another flying lap

Governor's Dip - first time through and she stalled... it was the only time I got through there...

I thought nothing of the stall at Governers Dip... thought it was just because of going carefull in too high a gear. But she spluttered a few times during the lap. Nothing much, just a hiccup. Through the fun dry section in to a wet Parliament Square (Ramsay). And she starts running on one cylinder. I rev her and she evens out. She crackles up May hill and then almost stalls as she goes into 1 cylinder through the Hairpin. Somethings not right.. I rev her nuts off... but it doesn't clear and I'm getting no drive.

Brollies up for the Classic boys skroot queue

I wasn't a good day to get stuck on the mountain. it would be at least an hour's wait before the roads opened again, so I pulled off at Tower Bends. I had a look for anything obvious... fuel... loose wire... oil... nothing all looked good. I asked the marshals not to call me in as a retirement and I got back on the course to pull off at the Gooseneck. There is an access lane there that leads back to the A2 which takes one back to Douglas along the coast road.

Local Islander Roger Jones with his classic Suzuki 250

It's extremely dangerous to tour on the circuit when live... so I got off so I could tour back on the normal roads. We get special insurance here to be able to ride a race bike for 1 hour before and 3 hours after a practice or race on normal roads :-).

Pretty scenery on the way home

I took Suzy V down the access lane and joined the coast road to Douglas. It was a long old ride back... nursing Suzy on one cylinder most of the way back. And chilly too! My vented race suit isn't good for touring. About 45 minutes later, as the session was ending, I pulled into the day paddock, slung Suzy onto the trailer, retrieved my trolley and headed back to the house.

A wee jump over Ballaugh...

I have a hunch that the problem is electrical and something to do with the 'total loss' system I'm running her with. But, despite the conditions I went out to get the last qualifying lap in the bank... I have now qualified with both Suzy V and Candy. Yeah!

ManxGP 2011 - Day 5 - A Sad Day

2011-08-25T15:33:00.000+01:00

Woke yesterday to pouring rain. But by 12 it had cleared and was sunny. Everyone was keen to get out and get those qualification laps in... so the queue for skrootineering was all the way down into the paddock! Eventually got both bikes through with nae bother.

Traffic on the mountain

Candy in pit lane with tyre-warmers on and a full tank of gas - I wanted to get two laps in on her. Suzy V parked up in Parc Ferme as backup - if I wasn't happy about anything on Candy I'd come in after a lap and jump on Suzy V.

A soggy morning

Uncharacteristically, the session started on time... 18:20. By 18:25 I was caning Candy all the way down Bray Hill... through the traffic lights "Whump!"... and on over Ago's Leap. By the time we got into Appledean, I had caught the two riders ahead of me - one was my mate Neil Vicars. We were both Newcomers the same year. He's a bit quicker than me on his 600 so I thought if I stuck with him it'd be a good lap.

How NOT to be organised - this is the Newcomer that crashed on his sighting lap's paddock area

Three corners later and there were marshals on the track waving yellow flags and a big incident at Greeba Bridge. I learned this morning that Neil Kent had lost his life there. Neil was well-known, much loved and respected Manx campaigner of 25 years. He worked in one of the race shops in the paddock and just that morning I had chatted to him. He was out there doing something he loved. He will be missed.

Candy took some hits

We picked our way through the bits of bike and debris. There is always the temptation to rubber-neck a bit to see who was involved... but I just keep focus and watch the road for any debris. Two years ago I was fresh on the scene of an incident on the Mountain when Ryan Farquar hit the embankment... I rode over some debris that gave me a puncture... I didn't know I had a puncture until I was sliding sideways around the Verandah. Eye's on the road boy!

Looks like she's been hit with a 12 gauge!

The rest of the lap was stop start as Neil and I kept hitting traffic. Clumps of 2 or 3 riders normally held up by a Newcomer. Got absolutely peppered with stones. More damage to my lid and fairing. The screens I use are plexi-glass (as used on fighter jets). Twice the price as normal screens, but most bikes in the paddocks now have holes and cracks through the screens. Some have bullet holes through the fairings. The stones are very bad this year.

Bray Hill and Begarrow damage on the belly-pan

Neil and I swapped places on the road a few times... more bad traffic and stones. Finally getting a clear run from Ramsey over the mountain.

A bit concerned about tyre wear on the big girl... this is after one leisurely and 2 good laps... race pace is higher and will be 4 laps. Trying a harder compound next.

Despite a few yellow flags and the traffic, they were a good few laps. I had steepened the fork angle by 0.7 degrees to try get her to turn in easier. This worked well, but of course compromised her rock-solid stability from Monday night. So we'll bring that back a bit. Also holed the belly-pan at the bottom of Bray Hill - looks like fibre-glass repair-job is going to be needed after every lap.

Lap 1: 103mph, Lap 2: 105.7 mph - heading in the right direction.

Schoolhouse fire

2011-08-24T08:31:00.000+01:00

The incident yesterday resulted in a classic machine on fire. The rider is in a stable condition in Nobles.

ManxGP 2011 - Day 4 - That's the Manx

2011-08-23T22:43:00.000+01:00

Got the bikes cleaned up and prepped this morning. I have a new race clutch for Candy on it's way from Texas and some new Rock Oil oil for her at cost price from Padgetts.

Candy and Suzy V prepped and ready to rock 'n roll

I was an hour early to skrootineering. With two bikes to sort I always need to get there early... but this time they played it by the schedule and didn't let us through early. So I hauled the other bike and my trolley up... and stood around waiting. Both bikes through skrootineering no problemo... except a nit-picking skroot who when he realized he was wrong about my lockwiring made up some kak story about how it should be... he tried to save face and has given me more work for tomorrow. Twit.

Modern classes waiting around for skrootineering... where's Suzy V?

Anyways... still through with plenty of time to have a relax, eat and drink. Suited and booted and a new clear visor fitted (it's been dull and overcast the whole day... but dry!) and I headed up to Parc firme.

A bit of pre-skroot banter with the Minns family

There was a 20 minute delay while they shuffled marshals around... then the Newcomers who didn't manage an escorted lap yesterday went out for their escorted lap. One of the Newcomers yesterday, a local lad from Douglas, crashed on his sighting lap... at Ballaugh Bridge! I asked him about it and he said "I was just being a dick...". I guess he's been over Ballaugh at the legal 30mph lap a kazillion times... and yesterday he was free from the legal shackles, gave it welly and launched it skywards. He was ok... but the bike mullered. That's the Manx.

Some stone damage on Michael Moulai's bike - the stones were bad yesterday... shoot up like bullets and nail you at over 130mph. Many bikes had holes right through their screens

15 minutes later the session 1 lads tore off down Bray Hill. It would be at least half an hour before we got going. I warmed up the bike... chatted a bit and worked at keeping focused. Fifteen minutes after the last of session 1 riders got going we heard that the session had been red flagged due to an incident approaching Ramsey. Approaching Ramsey is fast... hey... it's all fast...except Ballaugh Bridge!

I didn't escape the bullets - a glancing blow was enough to chip my brand new lid... this is the Manx

We waited and waited. Then the session 1 boys came back under yellow flags in drips and drabs. It took a while to clear the incident and we were losing light... the session was eventually cancelled. Ho-hum and bollocks! A lot of waiting around. Hope whoever was involved in the incident are ok.

Classics and Post Classics warming up... with those megaphone exhausts the earth shakes!

Disappointing because the forecast for the rest of the week is dire and today was the day to get those qualification laps in the bag. But we're all in the same boat... and that's the Manx!

Candy waits patiently for me to retrieve her from Parc Ferme... we did a lot of waiting around today

ManxGP 2011 - Day 3 - First Practice

2011-08-23T08:51:00.000+01:00

Warm and sunny... I shit you not. The whole day? Yessssiree!

Sorted Suzy V's footpeg in the morning and had time to go to Douglas for a wee bit o shopping. Loaded my katunga and the bikes after lunch and stopped by Padgett's on the way to the Day Paddock. I needed to change Suzy V's gearing and the front sprocket nut was on as tight as a bastard. Half a minute of rattle-gun action was needed to sort that out.

Bikes lined up in pit lane before practice

Into the paddock to change the gearing, then up to skrootineering. Both bikes sail through.The Day Paddock is as far as one can get from the skrootineering... down a steep hill. Every Manx I get worn out on the first few days just from hauling bikes around and going up the hill, then down the hill, going up the hill, then down the hill... my body's just not used to it. The riding is the easy bit!

Back of the Chevy needed a sort out!

I go down the hill again and haul up the top-up fuel, some tools, paddock stands and other bits and bobs in my wee cart. I realize the most stressful thing for me is getting the bikes through skrootineering and ready to rock. All sorted... so I can now relax, take on some liquids and get some food down my gullet.

The queue for skrootineering

Because today is the first practice, the Newcomers go off first on a sighting lap. Then the modern classes are up, followed by the classics. Last year was a boon with great weather and Suzy V was in the Ultralightweight class which practices with the classics. This meant that most days I got two laps in on each bike. This year Suzy V is in her own class - the 'Supertwins'. The Supertwins is in the same practice session as Candy's class, the Senior. This cuts my track time in half - I'll be happy to get two laps a day :-(

Candy gives a fuel sample to the nurse...

Pretty soon I got Candy pointed down Bray Hill... the starter taps my shoulder and I ease her off the line. It's been a year since I got her off the line, so I don't too too well and land up following a slow-going Minitwin down the hill. Easily past him over Ago's Leap and onward to Quarterbridge. Nice and slow... new, cold tyres, different suspension setup and a full tank of fuel. She pulls well and sounds great... "Brrrraaap, brrrraaaaaap, brrrrraaaaaaaapppppp..." Down to Braddan Bridge.

Candy catches some rays while waiting in pit lane

I keep on reminding myself to take it easy... this is first practice. I remember all the corner's but find myself in the wrong part of the track a few times. Silly boy. I slow myself down. She's handling the bumps better than she ever has, but she's become a pig to turn in. I've set her up like a chopper... need to ease that a bit. Clutch is slipping too. Bugger! Thought I'd fixed that.

A bit more pasta before getting suited 'n booted

We bang out a 102.7mph lap with a speed of 148.5 mph through Sulby Straight speed trap. I think our fastest last year was 150mph. So there's more to come!

Candy through Ballacraine

I pull in after 1 lap and hop on Suzy V who has been warmed up by friends in the paddock. I blast off down Bray Hill... but she feels feeble after the rocket-ride on Candy. No worries... I just keep he pinned. She loves it! The tacho goes on the blink again and show's 17 000rpm past the Highlander Pub... so I can't be scientific about the gearing.. But it doesn't feel too long. Over the bad bumps she shakes her head around a bit... nearly getting a tank slapper through Glen Duff. Need to check that... I haven't changed a thing on the suspension from last year the damper was brand new.

Suzy V through Ballacraine

A lap of 97.8mph and a Sulby speed of 136.7mph. Not a bad start. Last year we couldn't beat 139mph through the trap. With more power I've geared he a bit longer... so am hoping for more speed. We'll see... this is a good starting point :-)

Laps on closed roads of the TT Mountain Course - nothing like it!

Qualification times this year are a percentage of the fastest qualifier. Based on last year's times, 97mph is needed in the Supertwins... and 104mph in the Senior. So we still got work to do.

Ah - it's great to be back!

ManxGP 2011 - Day 2 - I, Tourist... and a Story

2011-08-21T22:37:00.000+01:00

Hard to believe, but after many trips to the IOM there is still so much of this beautiful island I haven't seen. So today I left the bikes and went and did a bit of tourism...

Train driver and conductor at Laxey station

Electric railway up to Snaefell Mountain

View from the top of Snaefell - TT Mountain Course in foreground

Of course... on the way down the weather cleared up...

A bit o scran in laxey

Stashoon?

Stream near the Laxey wheel

Went through a small part of what was once the biggest Zinc mine in europe

Laxey wheel - 150 year old water power for the mines

It's restored and fully functional... I love the Manx view of Health and Safety!

A giant on a steam-train snatched some kids...

Always cool olden day things around the Isle

I decided to get the BSA streettracker out for a spin. At first she didn't want to get out of the Chevy (been in the back since Thursday...). But a bit of elbow grease, jeans grease and tee-shirt grease get her out in the sunshine.

First stop for the old gal was the paddock where ManxGP Legends Alan and Mark helped with a bit of fettling. They know a lot more about my bike than I do...

After a lap we visited the Fairies

Down to Port Erin... dark clouds movin in...

Up the coast road to Peel and I found this guy brilliantly flying helicopters

On the way back home I stopped by the Hawthorn pub for dinner. Here's a story:

The Hawthorn is on the TT Course and in 2005 I was out for Thursday evening practice at my first ManxGP. The bike started misfiring through Appledean. Just after Greeba Bridge she cut out. I coasted to a stop at the Hawthorn and parked the bike up in the parking lot.

"Stoopid bike!" I gave her a kick. Took off helmet and gloves and realized I was in the parking of pub. "What luck!" as I thought of that ice-cold pint.

The pub was closed. Darn. Turns out that the hawthorn is also a marshal post. That night there was 1 marshal on duty. He let's race control know that I'm broken down via a little red 1930s telephone in a little box on the telephone pole... he has to crank a handle to wind it up!

We sat on those tables outside the pub to watch the rest of the lads practice. From Greeba Bridge to Ballacrain is supposed to be flat-out... past the Hawthorn is easily over 100mph. As I sat down the first bike came past. "EEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYOOOOOooooooowwwwwwww...."

Fuck me! This was my first TT Mountain Course spectator experience. It took my breath away. 3 feet from some nutter revving the nuts of a race bike at over 100mph.

After watching in awe for a few minutes, the marshal asked "So, do you think you'll come back?". Up to a few minutes before my first ManxGP had been pure survival for me. I was in way over my head. My ignorance was astounding and had race office known how I was floundering, they would have sent me packing. I wasn't enjoying it at all. Riding the TT Course for the first time had been terrifying. I was just surviving. Bike issues, personal issues... events of the past few days had been frazzling me... I was ready to chuck it in and go home.

But when I sat on that table and those bikes tore past just feet away... the agression, the control, the power, the energy, the rawness of it all... something happened. Suddenly I wanted to do this more than anything. I wanted to come hooning out of Greeba Bridge as fast as fuck and keep it lit all the way to Ballacraine. I wanted to go fast! FAST!

I just smiled at the marshal and said something like "I don't kno..." as another bike howling past broke my sentence. He looked me in eye, smiled and nodded. "You'll be back. It's got you."

Since then I have always wanted to visit the Hawthorn again... and go FAST!

Dinner at the Hawthorn

Dinner at the Hawthorn was pretty good.
I visited again... but I've still got to go FAST!

ManxGP 2011 Day 1 - Welcome Back!

2011-08-20T22:05:00.000+01:00

Left work early yesterday afternoon for a scenic drive across the Peak District to Liverpool for teh evening sailing to the Isle of Man.

Trusty Chev-Dawg and the gurls...

Due to poor conditions, and a broken engine, the ferry departed an hour late and the 2.5 hour journey took 4 hours. Lovely 70mph winds and a big swell greeted us once we were out in open sea.

Views from the van...

Bobbing like a cork on the Irish Sea wasn't too good for me... or my £6.99 dinner. Two hours into the trip and I chundered, puked, vomited, barfed, blew chunks and spewed until I was retching and the occasional gob of Valentino-yellow bile came up. Fuck me1 That was a long 24 hours. was I glad to get off that boat!A few months ago, I'd organised and payed for the house on Bray Hill that I'd rented last year. The owner called last week... they're going through a rough time and have more than one family tragedy... could I find other accommodation?

All calm down the Mersey mouth...

I'm one lucky sonofagun and within a few hours I managed to find another house just a few minutes down the road in Braddan. It has no garage, but my original landlord generously offered me his garage. The gods smile on me :-)So... I'm signed-on, riders briefing done, technical briefing done, a bit of grocery and fuel shopping done... I'm catching up with my mates over a cup 'o tea and it starts to rain. Piss and bollocks!

Getting kit skrootineered is part of signing on...

The forecast isn't good for the week either with Monday and Tuesday looking to be the best days toi get qualification times in. Not going to get caught out like I did in 2009."Bing-bong!" Paddock tannoy announcement; "This evening's practice session has been cancelled due to averse weather conditions. Thank you.". You're welcome. And I was wearing a tee shirt in teh sunshine just an hour ago. Bah! Fucking IOM weather!

Candy gets a new paint-job.. and new wheels, brakes, forks, swing-arm... ;-)

So... I sit out the worst of the rain... then load the bikes back onto the trailer. They're wet and slippery... so I drop Suzy V on her side. Nice one! Plonker.Bikes back on the trailer and I head back to the garage on Bray Hill to offload all my crap and setup a wee bike prep workshop. While maneuvering Candy off the trailer, she too goes down with a sickening crunch of fiberglass splintering. Tremendous!

Offload the bikes... load the bikes... offload the bikes...

Once in the garage and organised but wet, I dry off the bikes and check them out. Broken clutch lever on Suzy V. Just the tip so nothing a file can't sort out. Footpeg took impact too... hmmm... peg's a bit loose... let's get it off and tighten it. So I go and strip the footpeg bracket bolt. Great!

Setting up base camp for the fortnight

Candy just suffered a bit of concrete rash and small split in the fairing. Duct tape sorts that. It's been lasing it down for a few hours now and the ground is all waterlogged - I hope the forecast of a good Monday and Tuesday is right... but then... I hope it's wrong and we have fantastic weather so we can get some practice in.Welcome back to the Isil-of-pizzle!

Manx Poetry

2011-08-19T10:01:00.000+01:00

Tonight I sail for the Isle of Man for teh manx Grand Prix 2011... my brother Nic sent me some well wishes peotry:

"On the eve before you disembark on yet another adventure.
I wish you all the best and well.
You know of the cunning and guile the wee Isle can turn up for one.
But you cana be put out by that.
Visit the fairies.
Have a great ride, and enjoy.
Would be great to be there, but alas. I'll pop round next year for a
cuppu tea.
Anyhoo,webe in touch. You have inte net on the Isle. I send mail."
Thanks Chief!

Tir Prince Pic

2011-08-15T19:33:00.001+01:00

A cool pic of some of the sideeways action at Tir Prince in Rhyl a few weekends ago... sssssshhhhhrrrrrred!

Thanks Co-Built Anthony for the link and akita10 for the pic!

Manx GP Prep

2011-08-14T21:35:00.001+01:00

This weekend I did the final prep on the Manx machines... Candy lookin' fine in her new fairing... Suzy V lookin just as good...

Friday evening we're on the ferry bound for the Isle... :-)

We got Oh-leens!

2011-08-12T10:59:00.000+01:00

Alongside all the flattrackin, preparations for Manx 2011 continue...

A few weeks ago I got the BAMF's suspension back from K-tech... resprung and serviced forks... serviced rear shocker... they also set them up for the TT Mountain Course. Their experience has won many TTs... looking forward to testing these beauts out!

Flattrackin - All Stars at Rhyl

2011-08-09T22:57:00.002+01:00

The 'All Stars' meeting was a one-off event held at a trotting track near the holiday town of Rhyl, North Wales on Staurday evening. The big-ass track is next to a gypsy Funfair and surrounded by trailer-parks... there was £500 prize money up for grabs and betting between races. The lineups were an occasion and the starts had one row of twelve bikes... the mayor was even involved in drawing balls for the start line positions.

Racing under lights has something special about it...

This is the biggest, fastest track we race on in the UK - I geared the KTM to the max with the sprockets I had. We did a few practice laps before the heats began. It was drying from the afternoon showers and fast alright!

First heat and I'm drawn last... on the far outside. With a one row start, this isn't too much of a disadvantage. The start lights go out and the KTM is unleashed on the half-mile oval. I get off the line ok and straight into the middle of the first turn fracas. Only 4 laps... not much time to pass... I got speed and make a few passes... I finish in 5th. Yeah!

Thanks Ian and Karen for coming along and supporting

Depite my longer gearing, half way down the straights she crackles and valves bounce. I toy with the idea of changing gear... but decide against it... not being used to changing gear on an oval, there's too much chance of me cocking that up. So I keep it pinned despite her complaints. Next heat and I'm drawn somewhere in the middle of the 12 bike row.

In the middle...

I make a decent start and am running 4th. As the bike crackles and pops down the last half of the straight on lap 2, I get relegated to 5th. On the last lap, I can hear another machine on my 6. The finish line is quite near turn 1... I keep him behind me through turn 3 and 4 and pin it for the line. I can just see his front wheel creeping up in my peripheral vision... but about 20 yards from the line he fades as the big KTM kicks and I take another 5th. Ah yeah!

Faster than a speeding bullet!

And then the rain came down. Heat 3 and I'm in 'pole' in the far inside. I make on ok start and slither around the first two turns. There is a surprising amount of grip, but the water-logged dirt kicked up by the bikes in front covers everything in a tan colored spray-paint. I go hard, but struggle mid-turn in the wet and slippery conditions. I use a tear-off for each lap and land up finishing 8th. I qualify for my first Shorttrack (the open class) semi-final... 12th out of 24!

KayTeeEm

A splash of water on the front number-boards, clean tear-offs and a fuel top-up and we're ready for the semi-final. The top 5 go through to the final. The next 6 fight it out in the 'last-chance'... the last rider packs up or watches.

I make a poor start from the middle of the start line but get swallowed by the pack of angry, growling bikes. I manage to claw back a few places going into turn 1 just by hooking third and keeping on the gas... I exit turn 2 near the back of the pack. Lap 3 and I have a lap-long side-by-side battle with Andy Riley. I'm 8th again. Should have got a better start.

Grabbin places into turn 1

Barely enough time to fit a few few more tear-offs and I'm out for the 'Last-chance'. The top two riders go through to the final.

We go through the le-Mans fanfare of the start ceremony and I line up mid-grid again. Under starters orders... lights on... "Brrrrraaaaaap-paaap-paaap-paaap"... lights go out and we're away!

Took me an hour to jetwash the bike clean...

Another mediocre start and I'm at the back... but again I make a handful of places by barreling sideways through the pack into turn 1. Nice wide track and plenty of space for all! I get good drive out of thurn 4 and make another pass down the front straight. I'm running 5th in a wheel-to-wheel train of bikes.

The track is so wide and has such a good surface that you could pick just about any line around each turn. The four in front of me a swapping places on every turn. I have the seat of the house, but would rather be fighting it out with them in the front. I push hard, the battle in front rages and the pace is furious. From the ShotrtrackUK website: "The Last Chance race was a right royal battle between Tim Greig,Dave Holman,Steve Coles,Neil Martin and Paul Baleta..." I reality, all I could do was watch the spectacle and wait for a mistake.

No mistakes are made and the battle goes to the line - Steve Coles and Neil Martin on his Thunderbike make the Grand Final. Reigning champ Ade Collins takes the final in fine style.

A great one-off event at an awesome track. I was faster in the dry but still went well on the wet... my Thunderbike not having as much of a disadvantage against the shorttrack bikes on the big half-mile track. Got to get better starts though. Thanks to Pete Boast and all involved in organising it. I hope we can do it again next year!

A great night at the funfair!
Thanks Co-Built Anthony for the pic

Flattrackin' Tonight!

2011-08-06T12:53:00.003+01:00

Flattrackin' tonight in North Wales... might be some big names out there... bring it on!