ManxGP 2012 - Day 11 - The Right Direction

Haven't had much time to blog... so a bit of a catch-up...

After Monday's washout, Tuesday was a beautiful, sunny day. Monday's cancelled programme was to be run, Junior Classic followed by the Junior and then a lap of practice in the evening. I wanted to get out on the wee bike seeing as I had only done 2 laps on it in dodgy conditions. But, with the race on Wednesday, the bike had to be ready and through skrootineering by 09h00 on Wednesday. That didn't give me enough time to get the tyres changed and prep it for the race.

This year I'm getting air over Ballaugh Bridge

 

So, with the help of my good friend Mike (MD Racing) and Dennis Booth, I made a load of changes to the big bike. I didn't have laps to test different changes, so the best practice of making one change at at time went out the window. I changed the front ride height, rear compression, rebound, gearing, wheelbase and tyre pressure.

 

Mike Minns giving it some down Bray Hill

 

The races went as per schedule on the dry, sunny circuit. My mate Mike Minns getting his second podium in the Junior race. Bloody well done Dood!

At 18h30 we lined up for a lap of practrice. Before I reached St Ninian's cross-roads, I sure felt the changes. The bike was trying to wheelie at every little bump and undulation on the road. Very nible through the turns, but also very flighty. I was off the pwer a lot just to try get her to keep the front wheel on the ground and to settle.

Prepping the wee bike... with a mind-boggling view of the Junior race just metres away.

With bike passing at over 130mph, this was a lucky shot!

She was turning in beutifully and holding a line. No more sliding either. So we are headed in the right direction - but mabe too far in that direction.

I got my head down and started really enjoying the lap. Besides a few sketchy places where there was water flowing across the track, it was all dry. At the end of Cronk Y Voddy straight I saw a shadow on the track to my right. I sat up early to let the rider through. It was Dennis Booth. He's got many years experience and is super-fast around the Isle.

A family effort - the Minns fanily celebrate Mike's second ManxGP podium

 



I hung onto the back of Dennis all the way to Ginger Hall. It felt fast! I kept the big bike pinned as much as I dared... she was wheelying and shaking her head everywhere. But with the new handling, she was awesome over the mountain. Huuuuge fun!

In the end I did a lap of 106mph - my fastest ever from a standing start. The bike was going well and I definitely got pulled along by Dennis. We're headed in the right diection and the bike can be improved :-)

Things are always falling off and breaking around the Isle - it's tough on machinery

I got back to the house grinning and carried on prepping the wee bike. By 23h00 It was done and  ready to race. I headed down to the ferry port to pickup Ian - my longstanding ManxGP pit Crew. Then hit the hay to rest the body for the Supertwins race on Wednesday.

Some new rubber for the wee bike. With variable conditions forecast, and not having a spare set of wheels or help to be able to change them fast, I went for the safe option of intermediates. They'll work in the dry and the wet. One less thing to think and hassle about.

ManxGP 2012 - Day 10 - Another Washout

Today's racing and practice after have been cancelled... it's pissin' doon again. Rescheduled for tomorrow.

Give me a chance to sort out some of the onboard footage I've shot... here's my first vid. It was the first lap of dry practice and my second on the big Aprilia. It was a 105mph lap but I only got to Kirkmichael before the battery conked out.

ManxGP 2012 - Day 7 - Qualification

One of the problems with the big bike on Thursday night was a vibration on the front wheel. First thing in the morning, I had a look. Didn't like the look of the balancing weights so whipped the wheel out to get it to the race-shop in the paddock for re-balancing (and get some footpegs). I had another look at the Suzuki but she was running worse than the day before. Bugger!

On the way to the paddock, I stopped by at Padgetts to see if they had time to have a look at the little SV. Finally, a bit of luck... they weren't busy. I got the bike to them as quickly as I could then set about prepping the big bike.

Suzy kindly lent Betty a footpeg

Around 2 o'clock, just as I finished prepping the big bike, I got a call from young Andy at Padgetts. The little bike was sorted! It was a rotten HT lead... the plugs weren't that great either. Turns out that not only is Andy a dab hand with the spanners, but is pretty clued up with  racing around here. He's been involved in the Padgetts TT effort for a few years now. We talked setup and came up with a plan to try sort the big bike's problems. Thanks Andy and Padgetts!

Skrootineering queue in the rain... if only it was like this every day!

I hauled little Suzy back to the house to get her clothes on and do final prep for practice. Now that she was fixed, I had to test her. It had been dry and sunny all day so was hoping to get the first dry laps in on the little bike.

The air-ambulances get going in the threatening conditions

Up to the paddock and skrootineering. Whilest in the queue it starts raining... and doesn't stop for an hour or so. But it dries quickly and the first practice session starts a little late - I'm in the second session. The first session is red flagged early and the riders returning are wet and say the course is still wet most of the way around and raining over the mountain. I decide not to go out. There's no way I will go faster than I did earlier in the week, neither would anyone else - so I would qualify. Also, I wouldn't learn anything and just be taking a risk. I start packing up when the Clerk of the Course announces that the session is cancelled due to an incident that they will not be able to clear for an hour or two.

Bikes being warmed up in Prac Firme

With qualifying now over, here are the results of the practice week:

Saturday - Cancelled
Monday - Little Suzy - Fog/rain on the mountain. Red flagged. 93mph
Tuesday - Little Suzy - Damp/wet. 94mph. Big Betty - Damp/wet. 94mph
Wednesday - Big Betty - Dry but red flagged. 52mph
Thursday - Big Betty - Dry! 105mph and 107mph
Friday - Cancelled

Suzy finds a new friend in Parc Firme - takes me a bit of time to haul all the equipment back down to teh van and get changed

 

Despite the fog and wet laps - I still managed to qualify Suzy. So far all I've been able to do is give the bikes a shake-down and do just enough to qualify. Two laps on each with times good enough and a total of five laps. No chance to test anything or improve the bikes. Final qualification is 39th of 88 for Big Betty and 36 of 47 for Little Suzy. Thankfully this doesn't determine the start position - so I'll be alright for the race.

ManxGP 2012 - Day 6 - Betty Gets Going

Not enough time earlier to blog about yesterday... so here goes...

Hussling the big girl through Greeba Bridge

Spent 3 hours in the morning trying to sort the wee bike. Cleaned all the fuel lines and doo-dabs after I found some old paint in the tank. Had a look at the carbs as well. Fired her up. She was better... but not right. I got to work prepping the big Aprilia.

Little Suzy V is not well...

Got everything loaded and to the day paddock in good time... determined to be at the front of the queue. Offload and ready to get the bike up to skrootineering 15 minutes before it opens. Getting my overalls on, behind me I hear "Clunk!". I spin around and the bike has fallen over... not on the sofy mushy grass side, but on the hardcore road side. "Fuck!".

Monster throttle-bodies and factory carbon

I haul the bike up and get her on the stand again. Check for damage. Clutch lever and footpeg broken. "Tree-fuckin-mendous!". My spares are back at the house. I didn't have time to be pissed off or laugh. Un-hitch trailer, breakin' the law back to the house, spares box. Clutch lever. Got it. Footpeg. Hmmm... a mingy one that they won't like in skrootineering. Got the same footpegs on the wee bike... she gladly donates one.

Leaking fuel does cosmetic damage... now sorted 

Back to day-paddock. Fix big bike and get her up to skrootineering. Join the long queue. Get through skrootineering okay. The good news is that I was four yards futher towards the front than yesterday. Yeah! Little victories... little victories.

15 minutes after skroot opens and we queue down the tarmac...

Practice starts on time and despite the dire forecast, although overcast, it didn't rain all day. Dry roads, tyre-warmers done their job, I edge to the front and open her up down Glencrutchery Road. The guy on the 600 next to me gets a great start and I follow him down Bray Hill. He holds me up, so I outbrake him into Quarterbridge. I pass quite a few slower bikes, but none hold me up too much. It's a good lap.

There is nothing like lapping the Isle of Man on closed roads... it's fast... so fast. I immerse myself in the moment - pure concentration and focus. It's other-worldly... hard to describe.

A nice Hailwood replica on display

I blast through onto lap two and catch more traffic down Glencrutchery Road. I still haven't got a clear run down Bray Hill this year. I'll get it on Wednesday's Supertwin race. I catch more traffic - a line of 5 bikes just after Greeba Bridge. The freight-train looks cool - but holds me up - I pick them off and finally get past them all somewhere after Handley's. One of them is my mate Neil Vicars on his SV... the big bike flies past the little one down Cronk Y Voddy... I'm holding on so tight I can't even wave.

Old skool

I bring her home safely from my first dry run. But there were some problems. Through the medium speed corners, the back of the bike was sliding... a lot. Especially places like Ginger Hall where the track goes off-camber. Another problem... the bike is hard, hard work to get turned when at speed.  I'm forcing the bars with all my might through the fast, flat-out turns. She's running wide. She was also shaking here head around a bit. Some things to work on. Not many practices left to work on them.

Ready for a few laps on dry roads... at last!

First lap was 105mph from a standing start. That's the same as I did in lap 1 of last year's race. My second lap was 107mph. Only 1 mph off my best. This bike is certainly better than the old RSV. It's faster and handles sweeter. I'm happy :-)

My hosts are brilliant... I came back to the house to some scruptious BLTs :-)

 

ManxGP 2012 - Pic

Last night wasn't totally wasted... besides some onboard footage that came out ok... we get a good pic from the mountain ...

... looks like the left just after the Mountain Mile.

2010 TT Mountain Course Licence

After the palavah of getting my TT Mountain Course Licance last year I was relieved to receive my licence for this year.



Ferry - booked
Accomodation - booked
Race entries - accepted
Licence - granted
Senior bike - not ridden it in 10 months, modified since and untested
Ultralightweight bike - never ridden it
:-0

Test/track day - BOOKED!

Worse News

Got a letter from the ACU today. I have to do 3 more meetings before the 30 June... that's on Tuesday!

Tried to call them. Only the receptionist is there... the whole of the ACU have gone to Donnington Park for World Superbikes. Good to see the licence money they are given by riders and clubs is being used constructively.

Running out of options here...