ManxGP Envy

My mate and fellow ManxGP racer Mike Moulai is going to be at this year's ManxGP again. But this year he'll be on that most awesome sounding Jack Valentine MV Agusta F3.

Man, I am jealous!

Off the ManxGP Facebook page:

Michael Moulai Confirmed to ride Jack Valentine MV for Wilson/Collins at 2013 Manx Grand Prix

New Zealander Michael Moulai has been confirmed to ride the Jack Valentine prepared MV Agusta that Gary Johnson rode in this year's Supersport TT.... The New Zealander will ride the 600cc machine in both the Junior and Senior MGP Races, which are scheduled to take place on Wednesday 28th and Friday 30th August.

Moulai finished 9th in last year's Junior MGP Race and has a best placed 6th finish which he achieved in the Newcomers A race in 2009. He finished 13th in the Senior TT in his debut year on the Mountain Course and was running third in last year's Senior before running out of fuel at the Nook.

The 38 year old, now based in Lincolnshire, had an unusual history and was actually selected to represent New Zealand as a cyclist in the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games but broke his back in a hand gliding accident that not only ruled him out of the Games but effectively ended his cycling career in the process.

The Wilson/Collins outfit has four Senior Manx Grand Prix winners with Gary Carswell, Mark Parrett, Paul Duckett and Buddy Yeardsley all winning the blue riband race. The team has been participating in the Manx Grand Prix for over forty years and also holds the lap record for The Manx Grand Prix Senior Race - 122.208mph (18:31.45), which was set in 2005 by Alan Jackson, which he achieved from a standing start.

Commenting on the MV's participation, Des Collins said:
"Jack has been really helpful in supporting us with the project and I'm delighted that an MV will be appearing in the Manx Grand Prix. I'm also pleased to be backing a New Zealander as I have a huge affection for the place."

Michael Moulai commented:
"I am very pleased and excited about being asked to ride the Valmoto MV for Wilson/Collins racing as I have a very soft spot for Italian bikes having raced a Ducati in the 2009 and 2010 MGP. I have been very lucky to be given this opportunity to ride for a team which has vast experience in road racing."

Classic TT Build - Engine Parts

A box of engine parts arrived at the RedMax Speed Shop last week.

 

And Steve got out his box of shims to give make sure her top-end is sweet :-)

 

 

Top-end is now rebuilt. Balanced crank arrives tomorrow, then it can all go back together, cam timing done, engine installed and then set-up on the dyno :-)

 



KTM Superlight

A real nice little KTM streettracker/caf racer on the Café Racer Culture blog...

ManxGP Prep - RSV Factory

While the Ducati SP3's engine is being rebuilt... I've got going on prep for the other Manx GP bikes. I was going to say 'modern' class bikes... but although the Senior and Supertwin classes cater for modern bikes... mine are both pretty old.

First up the 10 year old Aprilia RSV Factory.

 

Ready to bomb down Bray Hill again!

I went a bit over-board on the side-number visibility this year. Every previous year I've had the aggro of changing the graphics because I haven't passed the 'artictic interpretation' guidelines. If you can't see she's #50, you're a blind-ass-mo-fo!

 

The old 'race tuned' engine put out 131 bhp at the back wheel on the dyno before last year's Manx. Not bad. She dropped a valve on the rear cylinder just after Ballaugh Bridge on lap 1 of the Senior Race last year. The head damage was 'uneconomical to repair', so I picked up a 10k mile engine off ebay (and got an extra £20 discount for making to journey in the snow...) and dropped it off with my mate and Aprilia RSV guru Don Plane at Southern Cross. He plugged it in, fitted my open air-area and popped it on the same dyno for a tune-up.

133bhp at the rear wheel. :-) She's a good 'un!

A bit of before and after carbon lovin'

Most of my lock-wiring was still in place and the Pirelli SuperCorsa tyres have only done 15 or so miles. Just the usual Manx inspection and checking of everything and a little bit refurbing/tarting up and she's good for another ManxGP :-)

Common Manx-fuel-overflow syndrome from last year...

... sand it down...

...mask it up...

...rattle-can primer...

...a bit of shiny black on top (I prefer satin black...)...

...and shazam. Looking good!

Big Betty on the bench.

Manx GP Exposure

On the back of all the exposure the Classic TT is getting, the Manx GP is also getting more than I've ever seen. Here's one from down under:

Warrnambool Racer

Go Rob!

Pike's Peak Hillclimb Star - Travis Newbold

Awesome job by Travis Newbold on the this year's Pikes Peak Hillclimb - 4th in class!

Check out his blog write-up on the event. In context... a brilliant result! Well done Dood!

Classic TT - Engine Strip Down

A few weeks ago I dropped the 851 off with RedMax Steve Hillary for the engine rebuild. Steve got straight to work and stripped it down to see what parts he needed for the rebuild. Steve does an awesome job of documenting everything and showing the builds he does. Here are a few pics from the RedMax Speedshop IOM 888 SP3 Ducati Flickr album ...

We're going for a stock engine that is setup right. Reliability, reliability, reliability. Got some nice ally vernier pullys from Mark Lumb at MADASL Racing. Crank will be balanced and gearbox 'rumbled'. Four new rockers and other parts for the rebuild are on their way - hopefully arrive next week and Steve can get the engine back together. It will be put together and setup as good as it can be with what time and money we have. Reliability is key - 130bhp is no use when you're parked up on the side of the track.

 

Still not finished, but in place for the dyno setup... a sneak peek at the Oronero carbon air runner and dash... more on these lovelies when the engine is done.

 

What's in a Number?

Got my race numbers for the ManxGP and Classic TT:

Manx GP Senior: #50 (Aprilia RSV)
ManxGP SuperTwin: #31 (Suzuki SV650)
Classic TT Formula 1: #46 (Ducati 851 SP3)

#46 on a Ducati ... don't quite know how to take that...

The number allocation is some kind of kocka-mamy seeding. Apparently it's your qualifying time from two years before - who knows.

This year they have realised there are things called compooters and now we will start the race in order of qualifying times... except the first 10 'seeded' numbers (guess they had to get those seeding shenanigans in somewhere). This is great for me, because almost every year I have had to start according to my 'seeding' which was way below my qualification, this meant loads of overtaking on lap 1. Not the easiest way to get a fast lap.

In years past I have started with #94 in Senior and #106 in UltraLightweight (original Supertwins class)... so I'm happy with the numbers this year. Although the Classic TT Formula 1 number seems bit low considering there are only 50 or 60 entrants accepted... guess they don't fancy my chances on the old Duke...

...we'll just have to show 'em what it's capable of ;-)

Classic TT Build - Air-box

HRC spend millions every year developing cutting-edge race bikes. The best air-filter they can come up with is steel mesh - just a something stop stones, birds and other object being swallowed by the engine. I like this simplicity. For years I've raced my Aprilia RSV completely open with no air-box or filters with problems (thankfully I never put her in the gravel). Vee twins like to breathe. The less you put between the velocity stacks and cool air, the better.

HRC Air-filters as used in WSBK

With input from my mate Steve Hillary at Redmax Speed Shop (my engine man), I decided to go for a completely open airbox. 'Box' wouldn't describe it... too restrictive. It would be an 'air-area'. I didn't want to risk anything getting into the engine that shouldn't be there, so got some HRC air-filters. With the trick Oronero carbon air-runner supplying cool air, I reckon it'll work.

Onto the job of making something to attach the air-filters to. Needed to do 2 things:
1) secure the air-filters
2) shield the air going into the velocity stacks from the hot air coming off the engine.

This is where they'll go

 

Heat-shield cloth - NASA stuff!

Measure it up, cut and mark it...

Resin the air-filter bases

Cut some holes...

Fit

Resin in place to get the right shape...

... once set, trim to shape and get going on the tricky front cylinder...

Riv-nut the filters - no possibility of anything coming loose then getting sucked into the engine

Fabricate some ally brackets

After a whole lot of fitting, adjusting, fiddling and a lot of swearing, we're just about done...

I didn't have time to tart it up before I dropped the bike off at Steve for the engine rebuild. A splash of paint over the pink resin would make it look less home-grown - any ideas on color? I was thinking a plain matt grey or black.

I also fitted the Oronero air-runner and other carbon deliciousness... more of that later. Steve has been working on the engine and I'll get pics of that up soon as well. We're getting there!

DTRA Flattrackin Round 4 - Tir Prince, Rhyl

On Friday, I spent 7 hours doing almost 400 miles on the trip up to North Wales and back for round 4 of the DTRA National Championship at Tir Prince, Rhyl.

 

The weather held an it was dry until 20 miles from the track where it hammered it down. I arrived in the paddock and hunkered down in the van. Made some space in the back, got the bike up on to a stand and cut my tyres.

Yes, this is wales...

Been looking forward to this round for a while now. It's the biggest, fastest track in the UK... the best. Last time we were here (2011) I almost got into the Grand Final on my heavy old Thunderbike that was running out of revs down the straights. I was looking forward for good results in both Thunderbike and Pro class this year.

It wasn't to be. The rain stopped and we mulled around for a while, but the track was water-logged and the meeting called off. Big disappointment to all, especially the organisers and all that had been out there for the last day or two setting it all up - thanks for all the effort that went into this. Hope we'll be back soon.

Improvised mud-guard

Whooooo-hoooo!

Got an email on my Classic TT entry:

 

 

...my neighbors heard those victory whoops!

 

Further down the email:

 

 

Just have to qualify in the top 50 in Formula 1 and the race is on! Shouldn't be a problem on that awesome Duke that's being built.

:-)

 

It's gonna be a busy fortnight with 3 bikes... bring it on!



Goin Flattrack Racing...

... tomorrow night at UKs biggest, fastest track.
It's gonna be EPIC!