Manx Surprise

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!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

ManxGP 2011 - Day 7 - Up a Gear

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

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!