Classic TT Start

'All In' getting away at 6:25. Love the comment in teh background "You can hear that...". You sure can :-) More glorious Duke sounds at 10:10

IOM 2014 - Post Manx Blues

For a few weeks and even months after returning from the Isle of Man, I suffer 'Post Manx Blues'. Most of my friends who race out there get it too. Back to the hum-drum of everyday life - lightyears away from the focus, intensity, thrill, emotion, danger, sadness, hard work, concentration, frustration, adrenalin, celebration, relief and joy of racing on the Isle of Man. I get a feeling for what combat troops returning to civil life go through.

'Crosswind' by one of my favorite artists: Tom Fritz

With the Isle of Man experience fresh in my memory, it's the contrast to everyday life that leads me to sometimes think: "Why the hell am I doing this crap?". But I quickly remind myself: "So that I can go and have these incredible experiences.". I'm getting better at keeping the gap between the thought and the reminder as small as possible.

I think that this practice, and having achieved every goal that I set out for myself before I got on that ferry a month ago, has helped keep those 'Post Manx Blues' away. Right now, I have a deep sense of satisfaction.

I never take the decision about racing on the Isle of Man lightly - this is why I wait at least 2 weeks after returning before daring to think of returning. Let the emotions settle - like closing your eyes to the dust kicked up by a car speeding by on a dirt road. Hold your breath, let the dust settle.

IOM 2014 Day 13 - Final Prep

After the success of Wednesday's Supertwins race, we decided not to go out on the Aprilia for a final practice. I was happy with the bike and had nothing to test or learn. The final practice was cut short because of a civilian emergency and the riders didn't even get a full lap in anyway.

Thursday we spent going over everything on the Aprilia. Everything. And prepping her for the Senior race on Friday. We were all done by the afternoon and spent the rest of the day and evening chilling out.

IOM 2014 Vids - Ducati 888

Kevan got a few little vids of the Ducati 888 at this year's Classic TT...

First Practice:

Formula 1 race - the flying lap:


Julie-Ann, my landlord on Bray Hill also got this one:

I've got a few on-boards (big files!) that I'll get published soon.

IOM 2014 Day 11 - Race Day: Formula 1

On Tuesday, despite early morning rain, the sun came out, the wind was blowing and the track was drying out quickly. We were going racing!

The postponed schedule was all happening a little later in the day with the Formula 1 race around 14h00. Alex had to return to London for work so I dropped her at the airport for the early morning flight. We were both disappointed that she couldn't be there in the pits for the race. When I got back to the house, I went straight back to bed for a few hours - I had been fighting a cold since the weekend and my body needed all the rest it could get.

Kevan getting the old girl through skrootineering

Another old Duke at skrootineering

Later that morning, we load the Ducati and up to skrootineering before the roads closed at 11h30. She flies through skrootineering - as she's done all week. We get her on warmers in Parc Firme, last check of everything and then back down to the van to load up the trolley with fuel, tools and pit-stop bits, a bite to eat and to get ready for the shortened 3-lap race.

Ian Gardner getting his beautiful Kawa through

I watch the start of the Classic 350cc race. Unfortunately, Mark Herbertson retires on the first lap. I lose interest and get back to the van to focus my thoughts on the race. Physically, I'm not feeling great. I eat my usual race lunch and focus on the job ahead as I get into my leathers and check my helmet over. All set, we head up to Parc Firme 45 minutes before the race to organise the pit crew. Big thanks to Mike Dickenson who stepped in to help with the pit-stop in Alex's absence.

Cleaning the leathers - got some greenery in the air vents when I brushed the hedges through Handley's during practice

Pretty soon we have the bike warmed up, and are on Glencrutchery Road awaiting our start. I hear the first seeded riders hoon off down the road and pretty soon the start queue is moving forward. Last minute 'Good Lucks', handshakes and fist-shakes all around and soon I'm into the pen just before the start line. Just me and the machine. We're ready.

Glencrutchery Road start queue

Just to keep things interesting, I stall as I roll up to the start line. But the bike fires right up again on the starter. "Phew!". The starter puts his hand on my shoulder, I watch the man in front with the little start flag. I hold the revs at 6000 rpm. Seconds later, he flicks the flag and I ease the clutch out as the starter taps my shoulder. We're away.

Off the line well... almost a wheelie there :-)

Thanks Samantha Herbertson for the pic!

The old Duke revs freely up to 10 000rpm in every gear. I hook 5th as I get to the turn-in point for St. Ninian's Crossroads - the tall hedge on the right side on the road. 6th just as I approach the crossroads - we're doing about 150mph as we hit the first jump across the crossroads. The old girl feels stable and planted as she lands and we hold her flat-out down Bray Hill. Through the bottom of Bray Hill - "Whump!" as she bottoms out and I keep her pinned with little wheelies over Ago's 1 and Ago's 2. What a rush!

Top of Barregarrow - one of my least liked corners on the course.

Thanks Keith Fothergill for the great pic!

The little tweaks we've made to the engine are working and we can run one tooth longer gearing, giving us a theoretical higher top speed of around 5mph more than last year. She also pulls well between 9000rpm and 10000rpm - she wants to just keep revving. I keep to the self imposed 10000rpm limit - reliability is key around the Isle of Man. Over-revving big twins is the kiss of death for the engine - I'm keen to see the finish line.

Down Bray Hill - Yep, that's how close up you can get to 150mph around here

Thanks Julie-Ann for the pic!

It's quite windy and blustery, but the sun is shining and the track is dry. The wind is tough to ride in. Headwinds slow the bike noticeably, tailwinds get her over-revving down some of the straights where I have to feather the throttle to try maintain reliability. The worst is getting blown off-line through corners - especially on the mountain where it is exposed and the wind buffets around. Tough conditions.

I try to relax and settle into the race. I achieve this for a few miles, then make one or two mistakes and have to make a conscious effort to get settled again. I am struggling a bit. I have to keep reminding myself how awesome it is to ride a Ducati 888 flat-out on the best race track in the world. I take it all in (as much of it as I can) and savour the experience.

After lap 1, I head into the pits for a refuel. It's a quick pit-stop to just brim the tank again to get to the finish line in 2 laps. Slow-down to under 60kmh, rumble down pit-lane at this speed, find my pits right near the end of pit-lane. Find my pits. Hmmm... where the hell is it? Shit, we're running out of pit-lane here. Where are the guys? Just then, Steve jumps out in front of me. I hit the brakes and pull in next to our fuel bowser. Hit the kill switch, Steve pops the bike on the rear stand (new rules for 2014), Mike unscrews the fuel cap, Kevan starts refuelling. Visor spray, drink, screen clean. The stop goes well and the newly acquainted team do a brilliant job.Thanks Team!!!

Pit-stop done, I flick the kill switch back on, she fires up straight away and I'm outta there! Back down Glencrutchery Road, St. Ninian's and Bray Hill. On a 37.7 mile lap, I'll normally make 2 or 3 mistakes. But I am making more like 10 to 15 mistakes every lap during this race. I'm missing apexes and running wide on some corners. I'm struggling to find a rhythm.

Top of Barregarrow again...

Thanks Keith Fothergill for the pic

I stick with it, consciously make an effort to relax and enjoy it... and try not to make so many mistakes. Lap 3 is my only flying lap - I want to make it a good, clean lap to try better my personal best on the old Duke. Flat out down Bray Hill on a flying lap is just that bit quicker than a standing start. It's exhilarating!

I struggle to get into it and find a rhythm as with the previous 2 laps. I also start to feel tired. I dig in, get my head down and try make it a good one. I think there were 3 things contributing to why I was struggling:
1) I was physically not feeling the best
2) Windy/blustery conditions made it more difficult and harder work
3) I was pushing harder than I have before and as a result hitting corners faster and arriving at the next one sooner

Some Manx wildlife

One that last lap, as I go through the flat-out, bumpy right kink just after the jump at Glen Auldyn Bridge (after Miltown). The old girl gets herself into a big tank-slapper. "Whooooaaaah!". I keep on the power, but it get's worse, a second later, I roll the throttle and she settles down. Shit. I stamp down a gear and get her going again... seconds lost there :-(

TT Legend - Bruce Anstey

I am relieved to see the chequered flag at the end of lap 3. Man, I had to work hard for that one! When I get back to Parc Firme, there are not too many other bikes there... it looks to be a good result. The crew meet me there and there are high-fives, hand shakes and "Well done"s all around. Mike then says: "You've been a naughty boy." and hands me my misdemeanor. Speeding in pit-lane. Damn! 30 second penalty. Shit! My pit-box was so far at the end of pit-lane on a downhill, I must have crept over the 60kmh limit while looking for it. Crap!

Bad news :-(

The 30 second penalty drops me from 14th place to 16th place and from 6th Privateer to 8th Privateer. Oh well... I'm still super happy with the finish. More important, my race average was 109mph - 3mph up from last year and my last lap was a whisker off 112mph. Very happy with that. The competition was stronger this year with Bruce Anstey winning the race on the Padgett's 500cc Grand Prix bike and smashing the two-stroke lap record in the process. There were even more big teams with fancy (and very expensive) ex-factory race bikes ridden by TT pros this year. Very chuffed with our finish and personal bests on the stock, completely period, converted road bike that we only managed 5 practice laps on.

Home! Always awesome to to see the finish on the Isle of Man :-)

We also find that the steering damper has snapped the boss that it is bolted to clean off the frame. This would either have been the result of the tank slapper on the last lap, or the cause of it. I think it was the cause of it and that is had snapped off over the previous very bumpy miles from Ginger Hall. This place is hard on machinery.

Steering damper snapped off

My objectives were to: make the start of practice - done. Qualify - done. Finish the race - done. Up my fastest lap from 109 to 112mph - done. Get a TT silver replica - done! A great start to the racing for the IOM 2014 Campaign.

Receiving the TT Silver Replica from the legend himself - John McGuinness

A special mention for Stafford Evans, Stuart Rayner and the Celeres Racing Team who built the other Ducati 888 that was in the race - they finished too! Read all about it: Celeres Racing blog.

The bike worked flawlessly. We could have got her handling a bit better given time, but we rode her best we could. Big Thanks to Steve Hillary at Redmax Ducati for building such a strong, reliable engine. Who would have thought a stock SP would conquer the TT Mountain Course... twice!  Peter Oronero for those beautiful carbon bits and perfect race loom - we were 12 kg lighter than last year! Mark Lumb at MADASL Racing for the exhausts, vernier pullies, belly-pan and loan of the slipper-clutch. Steve Bailey of BBB Fabrications for the subframe and custom exhaust link pipes. Steve Mann at MTS Classics for helping me with all those little bits n pieces, teaching me stuff and fabrication. And big thanks to Clinique for the soap that stopped the fuel tank leak!

With Brett, the best landlord on the Isle!

Thanks Kevan!

Besides my speeding, the pit-stop was also flawless. Big thanks to Kevan Flanagan for refuelling, spannering and generally helping out for the fortnight - a massive help! Steve Mann for operating the paddock stand and drinks and to Mike Dickenson for the slick fuel-cap operation and visor/screen cleaning and help with setup during practice. Thanks to Brett and Julie-Ann, my Isle of Man landlords. Thanks to Alan Birtwhistle for bringing the toolbox over that we forgot. And... thank you to my beautiful wife for your love and support. Couldn't have done it without any of you!

We had another cart blow-out after the F1 race...

...National Tyre to the rescue!

Hard-working!

They think we're barmy!

One race done, two to go...

IOM 2014 Day 6 - When in Doubt - Don't

Thursday morning we tackled the Ducati fuel leak again. We were getting pretty good at stripping the fuel tank out by then. We also looked into solving another problem we had - the Aprilia forks bottoming out and causing the rear to lift and sway all over the place under heavy braking.

Over the mountain in the morning things didn't look too promising

Dave Hagon of Evomoto in Ramsay is a K-Tech/Ohlins dealer and also super helpful. We were in luck, he happened to have a set of 10Nm K-Tech springs on the shelf. I loaded the Aprilia and headed across the mountain for Dave to fit the new springs.

With the fork-tops off, we found out that my forks are pretty old and have longer springs than the later, more common ones. But Dave is a top bloke and quickly machined up a custom set of spacers so we could fit the shorter new springs. My fork oil was also hanging - this is only after about 15 laps of the TT Mountain Course. I didn't want to change too much and didn't have time for a fork service, so Dave just topped up the oil by 5mm.

I got back to the garage and we prepped the Aprilia and Suzuki because there was no Formula 1 practice for the Ducati on Thursday evening, besides... we had a fuel leak that I wasn't happy with. Just before we load the bikes and head to the paddock, the heavens opened up. Great! I was really looking forward to testing the new springs and some other changes we had made to the Suzuki.

Norton Rotary ready for pratice

We waited the rainstorm out then loaded and got the bikes up the paddock and skrootineering. The roads dry pretty quickly on the Isle of Man, but with the heavy rainstorm and cool temperatures it would stay damp under the trees that cover much of the course. With 3 good practice days already behind us, the practice session was declared untimed and most riders elected not to go out.

We got both bike through skrootineering and ready to go. I was uncertain. The forecast for Friday and Saturday were good. Would I learn anything on the damp track? Would I be able to push hard enough and brake hard enough to test if the new springs were a step in the right direction? I had my doubts. I remembered something I'd say to myself in my helmet during first few years here while learning the course: "If in doubt - Don't". I elected to not go out.

More camera artistry from Kevan

We went up to pit-lane to retrieve the bike as the bikes were being warmed up for evening practice. The ground shakes with the sound of 50 classic bikes and Supertwins warming up. The tension, nervousness and excitement is real and felt so strongly in pit-lane and Parc-Firme just before the bikes go out. The smell, the sounds. Fantastic!

Mark Herbertson getting ready for a ride around

Because there were so few riders out there, Kevan had managed to get the little Suzuki positioned behind Bruce Anstey, Nick Jefferies and Lee Johnson... and in front of Michael and William Dunlop. "Damn!" I thought... "I might have learned something tonight". It was then that I had a strong urge to get my leathers on and not be a spectator. It was tough, but quelled that emotion and knew I had to stick with my gut feeling and decision not to go out.

Bruce Anstey with the MacIntosh Norton

Michael Dunlop

Nick Jefferies

William Dunlop

Michael Rutter

Most riders that went out only did 1 lap, the few that needed qualifying laps did 2. Reports back were that the conditions were poor all around the circuit. In the end I am glad I was a spectator :-) We loaded the bikes up, dropped them at the garage and headed to Jacks on the Promenade for a steak with Warren and his crew. After a good meal and some track banter, we tried something else to fix the Duke tank back at the garage. At 23h30 it we were knackered, my eyes sandy and the tank was still leaking... now worse than before...

Dinner at Jacks

Stripping the tank is like doing open-heart surgery

IOM 2014 - Day 4 - All Qualified

Been absolutely flat-out with the bike for the last week so a bit behind in the posts. Yesterday was out first scheduled race, but it has been postponed till this afternoon because of poor weather - give us a chance to catch up a bit... roll-back to Tuesday last week...

Parc Firme and Glencrutchery Road

With my first laps under my belt on Monday and both the Aprilia and Suzuki prepped and ready to go, Tuesday wasn't too busy. Kevan and I had a look at the Ducati and started prepping it for the next session.
Because we had time, we decided to fix the minor fuel weep at the back of the tank where the fuel pump wires go in and the reserve warning float is. We stripped the tank out and tried a few things. We only made it worse. A job for tomorrow as we got the Aprilia and Suzuki up to the Paddock and scrootineering.

Kevan on the wee Suzuki

Massive queues again and a long wait. We got the Suzuki through and Kevan just got the Aprilia through by the time I was up in pit-lane and just about to head out for a few laps on Suzy V - the wee Suzuki.

Conditions were dry and sunny... but a bit cold and still quite windy. Not as bad as Monday night though. I head off down Glencrutchery Road and take it easy - I let the course come to me. By the time I'm up at Ballacraine I'm more comfortable and getting into it.

The 3 or so more bhp that Gary Smith found in the carbie are definitely there on the track. I'm doing 9800rpm down past the Highander. Sweet! Time for longer gearing :-) But the little bike is hard work. She' s flicking her head a bit and is a bit of a handful. I'm knackered by the time I get back from 2 laps. We need to make changes.

I take 10 minutes rest, have a drink and a banana and hop on big Betty. The first time I wind the Aprilia's throttle to the stop and hit 10 000rpm in every gear is always a bit of a shock to the system. I get forced backwards in the seat and hang onto the bars for dear life. Bray Hill seems so much faster on the big Vee Twin.

The Aprilia is a big bike and takes some muscling around. I feel like she's not turning in as well as I'd like and pushing the bars to steer through quarry bends and other fast corners is like having a gym work out.  But on the whole, she feels good... just where we were in the last practice before last year's cancelled race.

Home safely

On the second lap, I start running through some sections a little quicker than the lap before, get on the gas earlier and generally pick up the pace. She feels good, but is still bottoming out in the forks heavily and is very unstable under heavy braking, with the rear wheel in the air and swinging all over the place. Something to improve.

A good night's work with 4 laps under our belt - 2 on each bike now and we're all qualified. On the Suzuki I did 103 and 105mph - my fastest ever on the wee bike. On the Aprilia I did 107 and 110mph, just a few seconds off my personal best! :-)

Later that night we learned that Stephen McIlvenna lost his life on the Mountain Mile that evening. Stephen was a Newcomer the same year I was and went on to win the MGP Junior race in 2009. Very fast and experienced - he will be missed. Condolences to Stephen's friends and family.

Stephen McIlvenna - RIP

IOM 2014 - Day 3 - A Good Start

The whole day was sunny and dry but with a cold wind. Temp hovered around 13 degrees all day. All looked good for first practice. Unfortunately, all three of my classes were in the same practice session - we should be able to get 2 laps per session. Kevan and I got the old Duke and Aprilia through skrootineering with the plan to get one lap in on each.

Up to pit-lane for the start... a little nervous and just keen to get the first lap under our belt. This year the first 16 seeded bike go first, followed by the next seeded group of 17 to 40. With the Ducati and Suzuki I'm in the second seeded group. This is a big help - I get to start with riders that will run similar lap-times. Less traffic which equates to faster laptimes :-)

We start 10 minutes late after they do the Newcomers speed controlled lap for Newcomers that missed Saturday's lap. This leaves it too tight to do lap on the Duke, come in after 1 lap and then head out on the Aprilia for another lap. We decide to get 2 laps in on the Duke. Tank brimmed, engine warmed up, we stare down Glencrutchery road eager the get going. Revvs up to five and a half grand... tap on the shoulder and I ease her away. As the clutch grabs, she does a little six inch hovering wheelie and in seconds we're hammering through the gears toward St. Ninians traffic lights.

The old girl is feeling sweet. Revving up really quickly and pulling like a train from 8000 rpm. I found myself revving her over the imposed 10 000rpm limit  2 or 3 times during the lap, much easier to do with the lightened engine components. Something to watch. Down past the Highlander pub she's pulling just over 10 000rpm... this is on the longer gearing we used for last year's practice to try give the engine an easier time. She's definitely got a few more ponies at the top end - she was a few hundred rpm short of this last year.

I wore my new wedding ring on a chain around my neck. Lying on the tank, it dug into my sternum nicely. Yeouch! I tried to keep my chest off the tank, but every big bump would hammer the sharp edges of the ring into my bone. A bit uncomfortable!

I did away with my usual Pin-lock on the inside of my visor and tried an anti-fog coating. The Pin-lock restricts my vision a bit. Around Glen Helen it seemed as if my visor was steaming up. I tried to direct my breath downwards, but continued to have this fogging. I had to slow down some sections just because I couldn't see properly. During teh laps, my eyes were stinging and started watering. I screwed my eyes up to try clear my vision. So, not sure it my vision was blurred because of a fogging visor or because my eyes were watering.

I managed to open my visor vents going over mountain and that seemed to help. Warren Verwey also had stinging/watering eyes... was it something in the air? Was it the anti-fog coating? Was it fogging up? I'll go back to the Pink-lock for next practice and see... yeah... hopefully we'll see ;-)

On the second lap there are lack of adhesion flags and then rain flags around Appledean. The track is wet all the way through to Ballacraine. I ease off and keep the bike upright. Up through Doran's bend and it's dry again and I get the hammer down.

The handling is a bit off. She turns in okay and is stable-ish. Hitting bumps with teh bike cranked over, she feels like she's wallowing around the center. It's a bit unsettling, but I can ride around it. She also does it when I'm heavy on the brakes. Brakes by the way are fantastic... serious bite and hold teh bike up quickly. All the lightness I've added will help a lot with this as well.

Twice I hit false neutral when going from 6th down to 5th. Heart-in-the-mouth moment when this happens at 140mph... I manage to stomp her down into gear as I'm tipping her in through the turn. Happened at Hilberry and on the mountain. Need to be more positive with my gear-change.

On lap two, there is an incident at the sharp left-hander just after Ginger Hall. Waved yellow flags and a group of 6 riders on Supersport and Supertwins are bunched up. Green flags are waved on the corner after and I fight my way through this pack all the way till Ramsay Hairpin.

I have a good run over the mountain, catching a Supersport machine that sailed past me down Sulby straight. He holds me up a bit but I bring the old girl home safely. Back in Parc Firme and I'm buzzing. I soak up the feeling and the privilege of being able to lap the best race track in the world. There is simply nothing like the TT Mountain Course on closed roads. Fuckin' awesome!

Laptimes: 102 and 105mph. Super happy with that start :-)