Suzy V has Moved on

Suzy V has now gone to a good new home.

Young hot-shot Aaron Silvester will be using her as a 'spare' bike as he challenges for the NG Racing Minitwins title next year. I know Aaron from Dirttrack racing (where we've had a few battles :-) and this year, his first in road racing, he took the Novice Championship and a fantastic 4th in the Minitwins Championship.

All the best for next season Aaron.. and take care of her  - she's a goon 'un!

Suzy V for Sale

Plans are underway for next year. Unfortunately, Suzy V has to go :-(

She's been a faithful servant - a veteran of 5 Manx Grand Prix and earning 3 replicas for her efforts. Just one DNF with a faulty battery and a finishers medal after some plonker replaced the carb diaphragm cover the wrong way around before the race.

This year, outgunned and underpowered against the modern machinery, the 13 year old old carb-fed sweet-lookin' gal did a best lap of 109mph and finished 9th in her race. The first Suzuki home - she showed 'em what's what.

Original Suzuki front-end goes back on...

Frankenstein Aprilia front-end (with the help of Kawasaki bottom clamps, original stem and GSXR top clamp)...

...goes back in the box for the next bike.

Ay yes... all 'original' again.

She's been immense. I'm going to miss wringing her neck around the Isle of Man.

Isle of Man 2013 Thoughts and Pics

It's been more than a week since I got back from the Isle of Man. Been struggling a bit to get back to reality and normal life. Every afternoon I look out the window, check the weather and road surface. If it's dry, all I want to do is go out for practice. Lapping the TT Mountain Circuit on closed roads is like nothing else.

Ballacrye - a big jump at over 140mph - breathtaking!

 

Barregarrow - starting to get it right... 7 years of trying...

Sitting on a race bike on Glencrutchery Road, the eyes focus on that narrow, curb-lined, blue-grey strip of asphalt that disappears through St. Ninians traffic-lights and down Bray Hill. Throttle is opened as far as it will go, tacho needle kissing the red-line as the gears get hooked-up. First, second, third, past the grandstand and scoreboard, the low stone walls and trees are moving quickly. Fourth, the high hedges on the left of the road approach even faster. Fifth, hugging the left curb, brush past the green hedges and pull the bike to the right. Sixth, as you apex on the right of the St. Ninians traffic-lights. Revs rise momentarily as you hit the first jump at well over 100mph with the bike cranked over. In the air, the bike moves a few inches to the right, you land. The tyres bite into the asphalt and grip. You haul the bike to the right to hit the apex of the next curb...

Famous jump at Ballaugh Bridge

Duke through Lambfell

Skimming the walls between Waterworks and Gooseneck

All the time, expense, hassle, blood, sweat, tears and sacrifice suddenly melt away. It is you, your machine and the course. Single minded. Complete focus. Pure. It is the Supreme Ultimate, the Tai-Chi.

Threading your way along the oldest race track in the world as fast as your dare. Lined by trees, stone walls, gateposts, telephone poles, hedges, fences, homes, pubs and people come there to watch. A bit later on the brakes here, earlier off the brakes there. Everywhere counts. Need to go faster... everywhere.

Suzuki through Cronk y Mona

Suzuki bursts into the evening sunlight at Greeba Castle

 

Pushing through that blind corner just one or two mile per hour faster than you have before. You know you're on the right line, you've turned in and timed it perfectly. But you're not 100% sure your tyres will grip while leaned right over with that extra bit of speed at well over a ton. You've got to try. Take a breath and go for it.

Rain in the Supertwins race

Suzuki giving all she's got through Lambfell

Your brain is screaming "Too fast! Too fast!". That stone wall is approaching at warp speed. You're moving your weight off the bike and pushing hard with counter-steer. At that speed, the bike just want's to go straight. It reluctantly changes direction to the constant battle raging in your mind. The survival part of your brain screaming to roll the throttle, another part wanting to keep those cables stretched. When the latter wins and you hurtle through the corner faster than you ever have before... and survive... it's an incredible feeling.

Hustling the big Aprilia through the Bungalow

The old Duke booms through Kirkmichael

This is some of the allure of going as fast as you dare on the most challenging, best race circuit in the world.

The old Ducati worked hard

Post Manx Blues. Most of my Isle of Man race friends suffer from it. Withdrawal symptoms. Time to reflect.

Only got 4 practice laps in on the Aprilia... she felt better than ever and we went progressively faster



The 2013 Isle of Man campaign will go down as a vintage year in Speed Therapy history. 3 classes entered. 2 races started, 2 replicas earned. A TT Silver replica, finishing 3rd in class and my fastest lap ever on a 22 year old Ducati (that just didn't make sense for the Isle of Man) has to be the highlight. Then, bettering that personal best lap by 1.5 miles per hour average from a standing start on the big Aprilia in practice and the outgunned little Suzuki putting in a spirited performance in the harrowing, weather plagued final race would also be up there. The only blight on the fortnight was the cancelled Senior race - an anti-climax to a superb event. But... we mustn't be greedy. For the first time in my Isle of Man racing, there were no fatalities.

The old lady looking good for 22 years

Supertwins race

 

TT Mountain Course - no race track like it

 

Spending time with my brother Nic was awesome - Nic gave so much to come out from South Africa to be with me and help work on the bikes, prep, practice and the race - you're awesome Chief!

Also, the support of the Love of my life, Alex. Pit crew Ian, Steve and Mandy. I couldn't have done it without any of you. Also, to my sponsors RedMax Steve Hillary for building such a strong engine, Oronero Peter,  Southern Cross Don Plane,  MD-Racing Mike Dawson and all the support, encouragement and well wishes from friends, family and all the folks I don't know on the phone, forums, Facebook and blog. THANK YOU!

After the disappointment of 2011 and 2012 (we limped home to get just 1 finish from 4 races), 2013 has been brilliant. The support, help and people around me have made the difference. Thank you again.

It's been epic!

IOM 2013 - Day 14 - Supertwins and Senior Race

Up early on Friday to get the bikes loaded and up to the paddock to meet Steve and Ian and get them through skrootineering.

Bikes through (with a bit of sweet-talkin' from Steve) ok and set-up in Parc Ferme. All set for the race at 10h15. Then a delay is announced. And another. The weather is overcast and there is fog on the mountain. More delays and finally a race start at 12h30 or something like that. Too much waiting... but I keep focussed and am ready for it when we line up on Glencrutchery Road for the start of the Supertwins race.

 

I only managed to do 2 laps of Qualifying on the little Suzuki. The 'shake-down' first lap of 2013 and a second scrappy lap through heavy traffic. My other two laps didn't count for qualifying. Because we start in qualifying order this year, I wasn't as far forward in the queue as I'd have liked. No worries... 'catch and pass' would be the mantra.

The flag drops and I red-line the little Suzuki all the way down Glencrutchery Road. Flat out down Bray Hill, only off the gas and braking for Quarterbridge. I press on... I almost get Ballagary flat-out. I catch the rider that started 10 seconds ahead of me just before Ballacraine. Good work... keep going.

I'm going faster through sections than I have ever been on the little bike. The personal best laps from earlier in the week have pushed me forward. Flat-out. With a few more rpm due to the shorter gearing, the little bike is working hard, but going well. The lengthening of the wheelbase by 12mm in a effort to make her more stable hasn't worked. The bars continuously flick in my hands as I hit bumps while flat-out mid-corner. It's real hard work... but I can't get off the gas.

Pit crew - Steve and Ian

I get one or two big flicks that almost turn to tank-slappers. I'm riding that little bike to her limit. Just hold on tight and keep that throttle wound up!

I catch and pass another rider just before Ballacrye. Another two as I get into Ramsay. I struggle to get past them as they are on fast Kawasakis. They gap me over the long uphill drag up the mountain. Then they hold me up in the corners. As we get to we plunge into a white wall of fog. The visibility is about 50 yards. Okay in a car doing 30mph... but on a bike, in a race, on a mountain road... a bit disconcerting.

Running into traffic at the Gooseneck

We approach Brandywell - I know I'm strong around there so set him up for an outside pass on the fast kink before. I'm onto the 6 of the next fast Kawasaki and we get through the fog on the run down the Windy Corner. I tuck into his slipstream. A few times I try to pass on the run down from the mountain, but every time I dart out of his slipstream, it's like I hit a wall and he starts pulling away. With only 73bhp, the wee Suzuki doesn't have enough power.

Union Mills - Stephen Ault on No 48 made up this gap and passed me easily less than half a mile up the road.

We need more power Cap'n!

I eventually get past on the brakes into Signpost. Flat-out down Bray Hill and then the long flat-out section to Ballacraine. On the hill up to Ballahutchin, the Kawasaki easily comes past me. Through the turns he's holding me up. Frustrating!

We get to Glen Helen and I see a marshals waving red flags. We are directed off the track at Swiss Cottage. Race stopped. I have a chance to meet the Kawasaki rider. Stephen Ault - a Newcomer. He was going very well... I learn that his Slick Bass tuned motor is making around 97bhp!

Red flag at Swiss Cottage - time for a photo and a chat

The Travelling Marshals pick us up and we cruise back to the Grandstand in convoy. Race was red-flagged due to deteriorating weather. To be rerun at 14h00 as a two lap race. We get the little bike back on tyre warmers, gassed up, battery topped up and I have enough time to visit the Hailwood Centre for a sandwich. Re-focus.

Re-start and I'm on it. As I hammer down Bray Hill, I see rain flags and droplets splatter on my screen. Easy on the brakes into Quarterbridge. Easy on the gas coming out. Into Braddan. Waved yellow flags. Slow down. Stephen Ault started 20 seconds in front of me - the long scrape-marks on the tar lead to his bike in the fences. I get through okay and get the hammer down. Into Snugborough... fast, flat-out left-hander. The rain is streaming across my screen. Track getting wet... will there be enough grip to be cranked over flat-out?

Signpost

Let's try. Nerve-wracking. You push as hard as you dare. Feeling for grip, hoping the tyres find it. It's more in the mind than anything else. Your brain screams that the track is wet and there is no grip and you'll land up in the flint wall at 120mph. You have to push through that. Silence the screams. Focus on what you're doing. Feel what the bike and tyres are doing.

Again, I catch the next rider as we get to Ballacraine. An easy pass using corner-speed on the exit - timed perfectly. On the dry sections I am pashing harder and faster than I have before on the little bike. Flat-out where I used to roll... end of Cronk-y-Voddy... Ballacrye. Man, that feels good!

Back on the mountain and there is rain and more fog to feel one's way through. Back down to Douglas and it's raining as we come through the Grandstand for the second and final lap. I think of the section ahead: flat-out Bray Hill... in the wet! I figure if I get though the St Ninian's jump okay, the rest of Bray Hill will be fine.

Bottoming out through Begarrow

I keep the cables stretched through St Ninians and wince as I go through and hit the jump. She lands perfectly so I keep her pinned all the way to Quarterbridge. More rain patches all the way to Ballacraine. On the dry side of the course I am going faster... but still fighting the bars. I am tiring. Top of my back, neck and shoulders are starting to ache. Down Sulby Straight I have a chance to think of the Senior race scheduled for an hour or so later... I'll be knackered. Crap!

There yet more rain and fog over the mountain... but I press on. This is a race. Everyone is pressing on. Got - to - go - faster.

Back down to Glencrutchery Road and I am relieved to pass the chequered flag. I normally don't mind wet racing conditions... but around here it is wet one mile, bone dry the next, then damp patches and then the fog. Not much fun and mega stressful.

I get back to Parc Ferme to hear that the Senior race has been cancelled and this is the end of Manx GP 2013. I am so knackered from holding onto that flighty little Suzuki that I'm relieved. But, that feeling is soon replaced with disappointment. I was so looking forward to getting out on the Aprilia and bettering Wednesday's fastest lap.

Most vans are packed to the rafters... spot the 3 bikes.

Of course, as soon as the decision to cancel the rest of the meeting was announced, the weather cleared up and we had a beautiful afternoon... the sun even shone. If we had started the Supertwins on time, we would have finished before the crap weather and the Senior would have started after the weather (with maybe a 1 hour delay). There was a 'standby' session scheduled for the evening and one for Saturday morning. Apparently these could not be used because there would not have been enough marshals. They go to the trouble to get extra road closure permission, but cannot organise the marshals. They didn't even make a call for more marshals. Silly.

It's a shame... I think decisions are made with the weight and fear of litigation hanging over them. It's like there is a lawyer who knows nothing about motorcycle racing on the Isle of Man sitting over the shoulder or the clerk of the course. Some hasty and poor decisions. So the whole event just kinda fizzled out. Everyone was feeling quite deflated.

We like prizes!

Oh well... my efforts in the Supertwins race were enough to get 19th place out of 66 entrants... and a coveted replica :-) My overall laptimes were rubbish, but some of the dry sector times were fast :-)
So that's it for another year. Gonna get the van and bikes packed now for my ferry early tomorrow morning. We're going home in my van on the ferry... and that's always a good thing!

Only my third Manx GP replica in 7 campaigns :-)

Racing on the Isle is tough

IOM 2013 - Day 13 - Final Prep

Spent today getting new tyres fitted and doing final prep on the bikes for tomorrows races. Check, check and check everything. Then check again. Also made a few small changes to the bikes. Going about half a tooth shorter gearing on the Suzuki... mainly to get 11mm more wheelbase to try stabilize her a bit. I've been easy on her during practice... tomorrow she'll have to work a little harder. Also added 2mm of pre-load to the Aprilia to try stop the forks bottoming out.

 
Weather forecast is iffy. I have inters fitted to the Suzuki that I can run in the dry and a set of inters on rims ready for the Aprilia in case we need them.

Need to be up early to load the bikes solo and get them through skrootineering. Man, I'm missing having Nic around to help. In the paddock, Ian and Steve will help out and be in the pits for tomorrow's two stops. Will certainly need the help if I am to change the Aprilia wheels between races.

 

 

Time to get some rest... going to be a busy day tomorrow!

Follow the races live

Supertwins: 10h15-12h00 #31 'Suzy V'
Senior: 13h15-15h00 #50 'Betty'