A MiniTwin is Born

[toby_smith]

Sammy always goes well but surprisingly this weekend she ended up in the beans too!
C

See I heard that (i think your old man told us both didnt he?)

But I was reading her blog of the weekend and it doesnt mention it

[The Guru]

See I heard that (i think your old man told us both didnt he?)

But I was reading her blog of the weekend and it doesnt mention it


I'll try and find out. I work in the same place as her Dad.

[Berlin]

I don't think she fell off, just overshot railway bend a bit.

C

[Berlin]

More news!

I finished getting the van ready in plenty of time for its MOT yesterday so had some more tinker time to spend on the Wonderbucket.

I completely trashed the slicks in a day at Leeming so they came off and were binned and some nice Dunlop D209GP's (thanks Daz650sv) were fitted to the dry wheels. I now have a spare rear wheel so I put a scrubbed SC Diablo on that so if the GP's aren't up to the task I can quickly change the front and put the Metzeler Racetec/SC diablo combo back on. The 209's have a much more "sport tourer" profile to the rear but I'll see how they go on qualifying a the next round.

The handling is now absolutely beyond belief (two more clicks of rear rebound was all it needed) and during the day at Leeming I stopped braking completely at the end of the straight and just peeled into the left hander under engine breaking from two slow downshifts and was passing anything that had just passed me on the straight (much to their displeasure...)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs394.snc4/45754_10150273195015553_879760552_14347186_1711791 _n.jpg

There were two points on the circuit where the bike was dropping in so quickly that I hurt my knee from the slider hitting the tarmac a little too hard :)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs287.snc4/40707_10150273192050553_879760552_14347041_969708_ n.jpg

and the right left combo onto the start finish straight was taken flat out in 4th on the red line (I haven't actually for a red line but 10K anyway) no brakes at all through here, just pinned wide open and looking for even more.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs363.snc4/44615_10150273195445553_879760552_14347209_5023789 _n.jpg

I now completely get the Thunderbikes thing about using SV's! Before I didn't. I can carry sooooo much more corner speed on the SV than the 600 it makes lapping so much quicker. I'd love to have another 30bhp out of this engine (for the 5 minutes it would last! :) )! Maybe thats where I'll take the Bucket in the future?

The jetting was sorted out at Leeming and the bike is running a lot better but as always with these things, you're always double guessing and are never completely sure there's not more to come with an hour on the dyno doing it properly. The needles are now on notch 3 and the mains are now back up to 160's and I might even try 162.5's. Just in changing them from 157.5's to 160's saw 4 seconds come off the lap time at leeming.

I also had a chance to sort out the Oil leak issue that saw 1cm of oil dissapear from the engine window at Leeming during the day. The clutch cover was removed and the top hats removed from that. I took them down from 14 mm to 13.5 mm on the bench grinder and then rubbed the clutch cover down on 400 grade wet and dry (used dry) on a sheet of glass to take the high spots off.

Once I had a completely flat surface I bedded the O ring in special Silicone sealant used for fitting the sump pan to an Audi (very good stuff!), popped it back on and gendly nipped it up. Problem solved.

So thers not much left to do now. I missed a gear at Leeming which saw the revs go ... erm to 13,000! :smt120 and the bike has developed a slight ticking from the top end, but only when its hot so that will be something to sort out after the next race weekend when the engine will get a full stripdown and refresh. I'm not worried abouyt it at the moment.

So hopefully, when we hit East fortune in a couple of weeks time the bike will be all fettled and we wont have to strip it down between every race and get to watch some of the other racing.

Oh, and I cooked the Akrapovic can again so I'm on the hunt for a titanium one.

Bring it on! :)

C

[Berlin]

Scubs now fitted to the spare wheels and the bike is ready to go. Only real thing to look at now is the jetting on a dyno to make sure its exact. It feels a different bike now but I still might have to up the mains to 162.5 to see if thats the optimum. Its running on 160's now.

I'll post a list of what was done and costs for anyone interested tonight. It might take a while to work it all out :)

C

[Owenski]

Sounds like your loving it mate, looking good in the pics.

[Berlin]

So, you want to build a minitwin do Ya?

Here's what was done with cost (estimated where none available)

Buy a Knackered Bucket for £500 (actually don't! look for a good base bike! :) )
And have it delivered for £80

Strip bike to the core and start again!

This was the spec we ended up with:
One Bucket with added:

Sexy Akrapovic exhaust (bought for £250 and a set of tyres. Needed another £100 of parts to get it working, then it melted!)
Sexy Voodoo Forks (from sexy Yorkie Chris, Had to buy new ones as Bucket forks bent and full of sand. Wasted money on new bushes Total [estimated] £500+ but you could get racing with £150 worth of changes)
Penske rear shock (bought for £350 off Ebay)
Harris GSXR 600 K1-K3 rearsets (Swagged from my 600. Worth £150)
R&G bar ends and crash bungs (already on £70)
Modified Reg Reg ECU tray (Free. Bit of Stainless plate)
Modified rear subframe (free)
Harris front fairing bracket (hacked to bits should have been £60 second hand)
GSXR600 K1-3 tail unit. (from the 600. Budget £250 for fairing and seat uinit set)
Desnorkled K&N filter (free but worth about £40)
Rejetted carbs (a fiver per pair of mains! This can get expensive if you don't have a set to play with)
Sharkfin (free, made from a piece of alloy)
Supersprox rear sprocket (on the bike but worth £40)
Renthal front sprocket (£10)
Renthal grips (£10)
Irridium plugs (£20)
Harris filler cap. (frome the 600 but worth about £30)
Modified battery position Free but it'd cost you to have this made)
Racing loom (Free but again, work involved if you can't DIY)
Radiator protector (on the bike already, not necessary)
K&N oil filter (£10)
Magnetic Oil drain plug (free with filter)
Castrol T4 race oil (£40)
Braided hoses front and rear (swagged from the 600 but worth about £60)
(What's left of a) 675 fairing (Bought for £90 but not worth it. See above for proper fairing set)
Fender extener (only used for wet races) (On bike but worth £15)
Pyramid rear hugger (likewise) (£70 but not required)
Front pads Ferodo FDB2048(49)CP211 race pads (£75)
Rear Armstrong racing pads. (£20)
Braking wavy rear disc. (£40 but not required. Standard disc is fine)
Front tyre Racetec Interact 120/70 (£30 scrub)
Rear tyre Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa (£40 scrub)
Pirelli Wets (£60 Ebay, Scrubs)
Spare wheels (£100)
Spray paint (£60)
R6 throttle (£10)

On top of that you need race numbers, (I make my own) a generator, tyre warmers and paddock stands and some way of getting the bike to the meetings.You'll also need two gerry cans and an extension cable. And unless you're Gordon, a Toolkit :)

I also spent about £600 on fuel heading from Edinburgh to Halifax each weekend, to work on it.

So there you go. Total cost. About £3040 plus the fuel taking it up to £3640.

Good job its now competitive isn't it! :)

I could have bought a REALLY good minitwin for that :)

But now I HAVE a really good minitwin :) Just needs some fancy paint!

Going for a lie down! I had no idea it was that much! :-dd

and I'm now seriously looking for a sponsor so if you'd like your name on the fairing and your colour scheme on the bike let me know. I'm hoping to have this done before the 18th 19th meeting.

C

[yorkie_chris]

If you were doing it yourself then the penske shock should be budgeted to be rebuilt which is £100 ish, or if you bought a new one, £657 from official importer. (for 8983 model)

[andrewsmith]

3600 notes aint to bad to get racing Carl

but the condition of the base does make life easier.

U at East fortune Mid month, as am thinking about coming up to watch?

[yorkie_chris]

3600 notes aint to bad to get racing Carl


You telling him that, that is JUST for the bike. Then add entry fee, van, consumables, ACU license etc etc

[andrewsmith]

You telling him that, that is JUST for the bike. Then add entry fee, van, consumables, ACU license etc etc

I was looking at purely the bike YC

So first season cost 10k total?

[TazDaz]

...rubber alone costs a lot! :)

[yorkie_chris]

I was looking at purely the bike YC

So first season cost 10k total?

You read thread? Carl was already racing F600 with NEMCRC before he bought this

[andrewsmith]

i forgot mate, tis a while since a had a full look through the thread

[Berlin]

I already had the van but I suppose I bought it half for the racing and I've done 3 race meetings this year at £500 a pop all in. I got the other race stuff with a race bike and sold the bike (by stripping it and selling it as parts) for the amount that covered the bits making them technically free. I missed two race meetings becasue the bike wasn't ready.

Realistically you could pick up a reasonable Minitwin for £1500-£2000 on Ebay and spend another £2500 on van, warmers etc or you could just take the lights off a road bike, wire the sump plug, add a belly pan and go racing. for about £1500 and do the bike up over however many season you want to.

Next season it's alll a lot cheaper as I'll only be shelling out £500 all in per meeting (including petrol, food, diesel, entry fees, tyres etc) so for 5 meetings it'll be about £2500. You could do it cheaper by living closer to the track and not working 200 miles from where you live and another 160 from where the bike is kept. :)

I'd recon it'll be down to about £400 for the weekend next year (£220 entry fee and transponder hire. £50 for petrol for the bike. £60 in Diesel for the van. £40 for food and beer etc. and the rst for oil, scrubs and consumables) and for that I expect to be running in the top 10 and maybe, just maybe, if I lose enough weight, in the top 5!

Or the same as two track days a month.

I might also spend the money saved on travel in entering more races per weekend on it too. Maybe the minitwins and for an extra £75 enter the open class race on it too. £500 (all in) for 8 races (or more) in a weekend! (including extra tyres and fuel.)

But by far the biggest expense is TIME! I'd be pottering on the bike three nights a week if I were near it. I'd love to be able to pop into the garage each night to work on it bit by bit instead of putting in 36 hour weekends 200 milkes away once a month. Its in the plan.

Has it been worth it? HELL yes! There's nothing like it! I'm 40 and I can't believe I've wasted so much life not doing it! However, if I had I'd have been perpetually skint! :)

The best thing about Minitwins is the lack of expense. Once you have the bike sorted then there's no major cost unless you bin it. On the 600 I was looking at Slipper clutches, engine tuning and lighter wheels. I could have spent and spent and not had the same buzz as the minitwins.

And putting this into perspective, before anyone says "Hu, alright for him! He's got £500 a month to blow on it" I don't. I wheel and deal, I work my ****** off, I work 7 days a week 12 hour days. I don't go to the pub and I don't have an extravagant lifestyle. I don't buy new clothes and I eat as cheaply as possible (sardines on toast all week this week) It depends on how much you want to do it. If you really want to race, you'll find the money. Somehow! Twice this year I've missed paying my rent because I had to get the entry fees in. So don't tell me you can't afford it. You can if you want to ;)

... and its worth it :)

C

[andrewsmith]

That seriously put racing into prespective!!

So sponsorships is a bit of an essential add-on?

[yorkie_chris]

You see any sponsor stickers on mad tonys bike?

Sponsorship is not essential at all at this level

[Berlin]

Nope not essential at all. Just nice to have if you want to race on new tyres, refresh the engine, get the bike to 72bhp limit (legally) etc. Getting into the top 5 on second hand tyres and an engine thats done 50,000 miles is going to be a tough challenge (but I'm more than up for it!! :) )

And I'd like to work with a partner on the marketing side. I like that kind of stuff.

C

[Binky]

Any plans for a track day further south or maybe Cadwell?

I´d like to see and possibly ride with the Bucket. Would be fun i think. :)

[Berlin]

Would be :) Plans for the rest of this year are two more meetings at East Fortune (18th/19th Sept and 9th/10th October) and then no idea after that. A track day at Cadwell would be good before the dark nights though.

C

[TC252]

Hi Everyone,
is this a great thread or what??
Just thought i'd add a few comments from the racers point of view.
This is my first season of racing, i'm 45 years old, never been on a trackday before starting, really liked the idea of a class which is supposed to be limited to a certain horsepower to reduce some of the "cheque book racing" costs!
Here goes with a costing from me.
I reckon it's cost me £1500 to get on track.
I have been very lucky in that i've worked in engineering for 20 years and have done every single manhour of work on the bike myself.
As everyone who sees it will soon see-my bike is still in a very standard sort of set up, and after 7 days of racing on road tyres, i've now got up to mid pack after getting some race scrub tyres.
I totally agree with Carls comment about time!! Racing is simply a huge time commitment. In this week alone i've spent over 30 hours in the garage-and now I have an almost ready, slightly dinted, bodge filled, "Phoenix" of a bike!! Actually I cant call it a phoenix cos' it didn't catch fire when I crashed!!
The thing is-and this is probably the hardest bit to explain, when you're out there giving it "six nowt" there's nothing else like it!! To be in amongst a bunch of bikes, where every rider is wringing the last ounce of everything out of there machine is simply stupendous!!
It's something everyone should try-if only once.
I'm so glad i've tried it more than once, because apart from the time on track, there's a great bunch of people who you get to meet when you're off track! They really are a great bunch who'll go to any lengths to help one another in the struggle to race.

That'll do for now!!

TC

PS 1, YC, did you manage to check if you had a "y" piece for a curvy exhaust? I've fixed my can and had bike running-it seems fine even though pipe is kinked-I just thought if you were coming to East Fortune could you bring it-cos if bike isn't pulling well when flat out then I could change it.

PS 2, Carl-would you happen to have a rear super corsa scrub for sale? I'm sure that the tyre I had on is "cattled".

[Berlin]

Hi Tony. Im not sure the rear i have is any better than yours to be honest. Im giving some GP209s a go for first practice and if i dont get on with them, your welcome to use them. Ive got a Michelin power race if thats any good to you?
C

[toby_smith]

Tony your Road Attacks are sat in my kitchen if you wanna re-live the dream!

[Berlin]

Word on the street is that he's got some fancy new SC Diablos! He'll be unstopable! :)

In an effort to counteract this, Lightning the Wonderbucket now has a one of those Double bubble doodas bolted to the top of the screen, made popular on 80's endurance racing bikes, which is bound to add at least 30 mph to the top end! It was found in the beans at Pates corner and I've rescued it! :)

I've just got my entry forms back and only 12 days to go!

C

[yorkie_chris]

I've just got my entry forms back and only 12 days to go!

C

Woohoo, see you tomorrow!

Oh... wait?

[Berlin]

:D

[TC252]

Hi everyone,
now let's not get carried away!!
I've only got some new SC Dragons!!
Apparently they're exactly the same compound as the Diablo's just a different tread pattern which makes them better if conditions get a bit damp-this is why they're still very popular with TT and Manx riders-perfect for East Fortune in 12 days!!
And yes-Carl is dead right-i'm going to be unstoppable-but that's only because of some dodgy brake pads I swopped some "infamous" tyres for!!

Hope to see LOTS and LOTS of you at East Fortune-come on-Carl and me need some encouragement to throw ourselves back into the carnage!!

Keep the power on!!

TC 252

[Berlin]

Hi everyone,
now let's not get carried away!!
I've only got some new SC Dragons!!


OH! Well in that case you don't stand a chance ;)

See you around 1.07 ;)

C

[Berlin]

More photos from East fortune...

Good ones this time! :)

The can suffering!

http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/Mini/EF1.jpg

http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/Mini/EF2.jpg

Now THAT'S a race face!! I think I need a bigger fairing! :)

http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/Mini/EF3.jpg

In the flowers (and thankfully not the beans)!

http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/Mini/EF4.jpg

120% conentration...

http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/Mini/EF5.jpg

Passing 120..

http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/Mini/EF6.jpg

Mad Tony in the Zone!

http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/Mini/EF7.jpg

and again!

http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/Mini/EF8.jpg

[andrewsmith]

Looking good mate.

Guessing that was the dry race.
Am going to take a bimble up next weekend to watch you all belt round

[Berlin]

And We're off again!

I'm heading south now to start packing the van. Expect a full update on Sunday Night, Monday depending on the reading on the Knackerdometer.

Whoohoo! :D

C

[martin15s]

:)the bucket looks great - good luck - enjoy

[Bibio]

whats the price at the gate for east fortune?

thinking of popping in for a looksee and can i get into the paddock area?

[Berlin]

You can get into the paddock, you don't have much choice, everything is in the paddock! :)

I've got an extra free pass I don't need. I'll try and leave it at the gate for you.
I'll PM you my mobile number. I think the gate price is £10 a day and £15 for thew weekend which is still a bargain!

C

[DarrenSV650S]

or do what I did. I just went to the railway corner and the marshals let me over

[dyzio]

My mate wants to buy a bike this weekend, if he does I'll probably end up riding it back here.

If not, see you Saturday :)

[dyzio]

Go Lightning! :)

Met up with team "Bucket" on Saturday morning, what a crew!


Berlin heading out for practise:

http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/1610/027tz.jpg


Tony
http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/362/028ah.jpg


But once practise started, we've saw a red flag and no sign of Tony :( He came back in a van...

http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/7597/042hk.jpg


Luckily, "just" a sized front brake and everyone ok :)

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/3835/044uu.jpg


Team Tasker I've met them earlier this month in Alford.

http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/8689/064ye.jpg



Sidecars, Team MENTAL!! :D

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/1553/093q.jpg

http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/7002/105ph.jpg

http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/6159/182dp.jpg

http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/5081/183tc.jpg

http://img693.imageshack.us/img693/1982/111poh.jpg

http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/6303/145kj.jpg


Lightning:

http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/5499/159gi.jpg

[dyzio]

600's

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/8075/201hl.jpg

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/4871/202z.jpg

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/4871/202z.jpg

http://img816.imageshack.us/img816/238/203c.jpg

http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/6599/204h.jpg


Sidecars:

http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/1929/209n.jpg

http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/2058/211ey.jpg

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/4805/213ml.jpg

http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/2948/219gm.jpg

http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/8713/220h.jpg


Tony:

http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/1508/222wg.jpg

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/2272/235os.jpg

http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/455/243qe.jpg

[dyzio]

http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/2120/287j.jpg

Following a viffer

http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/4716/328f.jpg

Not any more :D

http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/3563/331xq.jpg


Race 1 finished

http://img816.imageshack.us/img816/5400/344y.jpg


Heading out for race 2

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/4445/364ba.jpg

http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/1166/376p.jpg

http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/679/381gl.jpg

http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/3336/434d.jpg

[dyzio]

Some incidents unfortunately:

http://img826.imageshack.us/img826/7231/258xz.jpg


Just managed to brake

http://img826.imageshack.us/img826/8887/272w.jpg

http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/4607/305qo.jpg

http://img837.imageshack.us/img837/6756/338y.jpg

http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/4622/416d.jpg

[barwel1992]

great photo's

[andrewsmith]

Dyzio cracking photos mate.

I'll let Berlin do the race update and I'll be dumping a load of pics and a handful of vid from the weekend :D

[andrewsmith]

Evening all (apologies to everyone whos getting the same update several times)

here is the photos I took from the days (tag away if on FB)

Saturday: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=98488&id=276700376&l=3af5d8fa9b

Sunday: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=98490&id=276700376&l=d2c67449ce

Last thing is to go through the vid I took be tomorrow now.

Andy

[toby_smith]

This minitwin stuff is old news now. Me and YC are going to buy a sidecar!

[Berlin]

Another Epic weekend!! :)

I'll be editing in the photos later today so if you read this now, come back and read it again with pics :)

Just back in Scotland and I think these weekends should be renamed Iron Man events not just racing. After a two hour drive to pick the bike up, a two hour drive back to the track, a full weekend of debauchery a two hour drive back and another two hour drive back to |Scotland in a little over 48 hours :)

The weekend went fantastically and all amitions realised again. The bucket continues to get faster along with the rider! :)

And I think we broke the weekend alcohol record by some margin too! :)

After arrving on Friday we got Base camp set up and Beer O clock happend a little earlier than expected. Now we'd just called off at ASDA on the way up and bought twice what we had for last time so we knew we'd be OK.

I've never laughed so much since the last time! :D Stories flowed along with the laughter all night and we have a belting first night.
5 cases of beer later it was time to turn in and we'd managed to drink our way to one case left for the weekend! How the hell did we manage that? :)

Race day!

The bucket was ready and had had minor alterations since the last meeting at Leeming. In fact it amounted to a tyre change and two clicks of rebound taken off the rear. We also drained 3 litres of extra fuel from the tank and he was ready to go.

http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/5499/159gi.jpg

Shod with Dunlops, I headed out with Mad Tony for first practice and gently got back into the swing of things. Bike worked well, rider worked well, things looked good for the weekend. Tony had brake issues and the session was red flagged on lap three meaning I'd just got my brakes up to temp and was just about to get a shift on when they paused the session. We got going again but again we only got three laps and the brakes were just coming up to temp when the session ended.

http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/1610/027tz.jpg

Came in quite happy but the Dunlops although giving more feel had dire stability down the straights and were twitchier than a turrets sufferer on Red bull! Two PSI was added to the rear and two clicks of rebound we re-added to the rear.

Qualifying.

Still twitchy but better and off we went. The Ferodo pads got up to temperature on lap three and from then on it was head down, aris up and a time was set.

http://img693.imageshack.us/img693/1982/111poh.jpg

Now I could have persisted with the Dunlops but it would have meant a whole lot of tinkering with the suspension front and rear and I knew I had a really good set up with the Racetec Interac and Pirelli rear combo so I put those back on for the racing. I qualified 13th on the Dunlops with a best time of 1.09.438 on lap 4 with an agerage speed of 80.878 mph.

The bike was running a litte wide on the corners and I couldn't hold as tight a line as I would have liked to so I added a click of compression damping and another two clicks of rear rebound to see it that helped..

Race 1.

Now even the marshals were nervouse about 41 Minitwins and 400's going into the first corner so you can imagine how we felt sitting there on the grid! I was on the 5th row, second from the left so I had a good chance of avoiding any carnage were it to happen. There was a distinct buzz in the air on the grid as we set off on the warm up lap.. Grid formations were taken up and it was race time. The vibe was incredible! You could feel the tensionan and everyone was hyper! The red flag dude and the start of the grid moved to the side and as he dropped his flag (so we look at the lights) the guy in front jump started and then stopped. As the red lights came ON half the grid jump started and then when the lights went out half of us sat there waiting for everyone to be brought back. It didn't happen! Race ON! SH*T! We've given them 3 seconds head start!

I was off with about the worst start it's possible to get! A bit like "after you, No please, after you" " No after you, I insist".

I made it back into the pack on the first corner and managed to ride around about 6 on the outside of Pates which was very risky with the expected carnage on the inside of pates but as it happened the jump start had meant we were spread out more than was expected and it was incident free. I them made it back up to the middle of the pack with some Kamikaze braking into Railway at the end of the straight becasue I forgot I had cold braked but still braked at my usual spot! :) So i was back in the running. I'd passed 15 or so guys in two corners!.

http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/2120/287j.jpg

As the laps ticked down the race got faster and faster and the pace was really hot. I was working under the thinking of "The sooner I get passed the guy in front, the sooner I can get passed the guy in front of him"! It worked and I was on fire. All my race moves worked and I managed to finish 12th! One up on qualifying despite being one of the last to leave the grid! Superb race and when we checked the times I'd put in a fastest lap of 1.07.48! My personal best!

Pushing really hard into Railway...
http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/4716/328f.jpg

I was buzzing!

http://img816.imageshack.us/img816/5400/344y.jpg

A little fiddle with things and it was time for race two. I got a fantastic start compared to the first race and was in the thick of the action from the first corner. I could actually see the leaders in the distance and intended to keep them there!

http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/1166/376p.jpg

http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/679/381gl.jpg

The rest is a bit of a blur but I passed people and some passed me back so I passed them again and all was good. It ended up where I ran out of people to pass and with about 150 yards to the guy in front and no realistic chance of catching them I settled into a fast pace and finished the race.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs680.snc4/62042_571367455648_276700376_3585537_4033679_n.jpg

I don't have the timing sheet for the second race but I know the pace was around 1.08.5 for me. Another great race! I'm not sure if I was 11th or not?

Racing over it was time for Apres Ski on the Parc Ferme and we did it again with Style! Andy kindly set off to the beer shop for more supplies and we ordered in a Chinese after the BBQ decided to be as feeble as the one the night before. The patter flowed, beer was demolished and it was soon time to head tentwards to the land of nod.

Day 2

RAIN! lots of it. So much in fact the practices had to be postponed. It was tipping it down. Wets!

Tyres were changed and we probably had the most well oiled (literally ;) ) paddock crew of anyone there! It would have made Rossi proud! Stodge for breakfast was the key I think! Maybe Rossi should look at doing Lorne sausage sarnies for breakfast! :)

I deceded, stupidly, to Duck tape up my helmet across my nose for the wet race to stop the breath misting up the visor. Off we set for the grid and if we thought 41 madmen going into Pates corner in the dry was worrying, you should have seen them in the wet, with hangovers! and quick warm up lap and I actually had more brakes than I thought I would!

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs314.ash2/59479_571369267018_276700376_3585660_8185530_n.jpg

Here we go!

First corner was incident free which was amazing as you couldn't see a thing! There was so much spray you had to guess where it was. Railway at the end of the straight was even worse. :) I guessed where the braking point was and managed to get round the corner. The race settled down after about a lap and then the piece of tape I had in my helmet came off on the right hand side and as I sat up for braking on the second lap at the end of the straight it flapped up and stuck to my left eye lashes! I managed to blink it off and that was even worse! It was now flapping against my eye and despite trying, I couldn't pull it off down the straights! Buggerance!

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs672.snc4/61282_571369351848_276700376_3585666_2070700_n.jpg

I was racing with one eye open, misted up visor, spray on the outside and a flapping piece of duck tape hitting me 5 times a second in the left eye.Then the bike started to splutter out of slow corners! JOY! It was clearing as I opened it up but it was coming in suddenly and causing the rear to skip so I had to feather the throttle coming out of the hairpin and Railway. This had the expected consequences and folks were getting past as I tried to feather in the power and out the misfire.

After what seemed like an eternity the chequed flag dropped and I came in having got my knee down in the wet, with a spluttering bike and racing with only one eye open. I got 16th with a lap time of 1.17. That's 5 seconds quicker than I've lapped in the wet beforte so all in all a great result. This afternoon I'll be buying a pinlock visor incert! :)

Have I told you how much I hate racing in the wet? :D

A quick lunch, a change of tyres and were were on dries on a drying and almost dry track for the second race.

Race 2
We set off and I got a cracking start but the bike seemed down on power. Whether it was or not I don't know but I seemed to be slower down the straight than the day before and guys I was catching on Saturday were pulling away on Sunday. Not a problem! Ride harder! and I did. and I rode harder... and harder and harder and I was so knackered on lap 5 it was ridiculous. I was giving it 140% :)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs607.snc4/58786_571369411728_276700376_3585671_8278823_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs649.snc4/60975_571369461628_276700376_3585675_6056365_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs642.snc4/60204_571369496558_276700376_3585678_6466159_n.jpg

I was passed by a guy on a bike with virtually the same colour scheme as the bucket and he was really trying too. He had his exhaust bottomed out in Railway leaving a spectactular trail of sparks for me to follow. I was on the ragged edge and lost the front for a fraction of a second in Esses 2 trying to catch him and picked it up with my knee. He made time on me on the straight but I caught him up in every corner but no matter what I tried I couldn't get passed him!

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs670.snc4/61031_571369516518_276700376_3585680_1565098_n.jpg

On the last three laps I lost the front and back both together coming around snake (flat out fourth gear corner onto the backl straight) on a wet patch and each time picked it up with my knee. I was going 20% faster than balls out :) Past the ragged edge. But I couldn't catch him. I came in 14th with a time of 1.08.569 with the guy in front managing 1.08.05 and the guy behing managing exactly the same time as me with a 1.08.569 . Very, very close racing which is what it's all about! :)

I got back into the pits beyond exhasuted. It took me three minutes with my head on the tank to recover enough to get off the bike!

We then watched the rest of the racing before trying to fit the weekend of mayhem back into the van for the drive home.

I actually missed racing with Mad tony this weekend I seriously considered buying him some serious suspension so he can get on the pace and we can race together again! :D I'm not sure that that's how you're supposed to do it in racing? Buy the competition gear so they can go faster! :)

A HUGE thanks to the boys in the pits. Andy, Chris, Toby, Dysio, my Dad, Mad Tony and his Dad and family, John and his boys and to Flash Gordon and his crew across the pits for making it a fab weekend. Of all the muscles that ache, my cheeks are by far the worst from laughing!

Three weeks till the next one! I really, really can't wait!

C

[crisis95]

Very amusing report. Wasn't aware of some of those problems but taping up your eyes is a novel approach to racing. You continue to prove the doubters wrong and a 1.07 is a time I didn't think the bucket had in it. Good to see a good group of lads supporting you as well. You know you're having a good weekend when the racing just seems to get in the way! If you get in the 1.06's I think you should consider getting a more competitive bike as that would be worth a second maybe and that would put you in the 1.05's and up the front. That would be interesting! Just a thought. See you in October.

[toby_smith]

If he get's in the 1.06's the only thing standing in the way of a 1.05 is a couple of stone ey carl!

Was a really good weekend.

[crisis95]

I hear you but the way he talks about the bikes behaviour on track I think it's likely to be the limiting factor. Andy tasker broke the 600 lap record on sat and he's about 18 stone and phil Crowe seems to go well so being a big lad is no barrier to being at the front. Having a 11 year old bike might be though...

[toby_smith]

Having a 11 year old bike might be though...

Shhhhh, I have a 9 year old bike I plan on getting on the grid in two years! Don't p!ss on my chips now Gordon! :D

[toby_smith]

Shhhhh, I have a 9 year old bike I plan on getting on the grid in two years! Don't p!ss on my chips now Gordon! :D

This is of course unless I have been killed in an unfortunate yorkie chris driven sidecar accident before then

[Berlin]

Gordon, I hear you but I think there's a lot more to come from the bucket. Its still early days and every meeting its improving.

I still have no idea what's lurking below the tank and a dyno run will give some idea as to whether the jetting, which so far has been "Lets stick some of those in and see what happens" is even remotely near. My Seat-of-the-pants-ometer is gauged on how well we do on the straights against other bikes and I was down about 10mph easy on the railway straight during the qualiying session. I deliberately went out as one of the first so I could catch a tow round to improve my times but got left for dead by *all* of the 1.05 bikes. Even the ones claimed as completely standard! :)

Add to that the fact that despite both owners of the bucket being members here we still have no idea whether the engines done 35k or 50K miles and I can see piston rings and "stuff" being purchased in the near future. Maybe a set of later cams etc.

I could be running with 50, 60 or 71.9 bhp and have no idea. (and if it turns out I've got about 50 ponies going on, I'll be elated with those times!)

I'm also still learning the track, using very second hand tyres, using an unserviced shock, forks that haven't been adjusted since I put them on the bike and have lots of other stuff to improve too.

These aren't excuses! These are a "To do" list and a great challenge. I'll get imeasurably more satisfaction from getting a 1.05 on the bucket than if I did it on a newer bike. And if I don't ever get to the 1.05's with the bucket I don't really mind but it'll be an adventure to see exactly how far we can take it :) Its not about the destination, its about the journey! :)

Your mate with the green bike (sorry, can't remember his name) was up at the front on a curvy so its possible!

... and I do really need to lose another three stone. Mr Tasker might be a big lad but he's got 135 horses to whip. I've got a stable full of retired donkeys :)

C

[toby_smith]

I've got a stable full of retired donkeys

OI! We're called a "pit crew"!

[crisis95]

You don't need excuses mate, you're doing well. The way I see it the best way to enjoy a budget race series is to get a bike, get it up to the spec allowed then race it. Then once you're faced with the unvarnished truth of finishing where you deserve to finish cos everyone is on the same **** bike, you can get on with the business of improving your riding, which is the only thing you can do to get up the grid. Having a bike that's below spec in a budget race series is just a security blanket that's going to get in the way of riding better, cos you could always blame the bike. The people who beat me at the weekend beat me cos they rode better, not because they had an extra 2hp or had their shock serviced last winter and that motivates me to ride better rather than get my cheque book out because I've got everything you're allowed. If I wanted that sort of racing I'd be in the 600s. I'm not saying this is what you're doing but it's a risk that the longer you leave it below spec you'll look to improve the bike not your riding. And that would be a shame as mine has come on leaps and bounds since I left the bike alone and just rode the bloody thing. Well done anyway.

[Berlin]

Cheers Gordon :)

I'm viewing it as a hand in hand thing. Both myself and the bucket are improving together. Its only been two meetings since it was a bag of sh*te (and some may argue it still is :) )

Once its been on the dyno and its saying 65bhp or above it'll be left alone anyway. Thats more than enough. I doubt it'll happen before the end of the season anyway.

I've got a bit more clicking to do on the suspension before the last meeting and I think there's another half a second just in that and then the rest is up to the size of my Bravery Berries (TM).

The more weight I lose the more room there is in my leathers for my Bravery Berries (TM) to grow :D

I also need to find a 44 tooth rear sprocket from somewhere. That's going to be a big help in the way I want to ride East fortune too.

C

[Berlin]

Photos edited into the race report and I've just ordered the stuff for the Buckets new and very sexy colour scheme ;)

He'll have new Pyjamas for the next meeting! :)

C

[andrewsmith]

Evening minitwin fans the video clips i've taken are on my youtube channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/asmith1708
)

[TC252]

Hey everybody,
i've finally managed to gather some strength in my arms and switch the computah on!!
I've spent the last two days hobbling round like a very very old man, i'm covered with bruises of all shape and sizes, but like Carl-the bits aching most are my laughing muscles!!
Well for me the weekend was very much another huge learning curve!!
I didn't think it was possible to "tick so many boxes" in two days!!
List of weekend ticks.....
1. First breakdown.
2. 1st sidecar ride.
3. 1st time under 1.10 at EF-1.09.5
4. 1st prize win-yes we won £25 in sidecars!
5. 1st time to give an autograph!! Not joking either!!!
6. 1st time on proper wet tyres-and getting both knees down in process!!
7. 1st time hitting tyre wall-see item 1!!
8. 1st experience of bike repair by committee!! Really really overwhelmed by the eagerness of people to help get Bullseye and me back out on track!!
For me the weekend was a very hectic one, there were many times when I thought i'd bitten off much more than I could chew by entering both solo and sidecar events!! It would be interesting to know when was the last time anyone has tried doing this!!
I think that the amount of effort I put into hanging on a sidecar probably didn't do my solo performance a great deal of good, but I really enjoyed both events!!
Thanks again to everyone who helped make this yet another superb weekend of racing!!
Cant wait for the next one-Gordon-never mind wets-i've ordered a set of Mud and Snow tyres for the October meeting!! If you need to know what pressures to run them at, just let me know!!;)
Great race report Carl-just let me know when you've bought my new shock and i'll PM you my address for posting!!
As a member of the MZ riders club, I use there philosophy on bike performance and set up-it goes something like this....
" If I manage to get past anyone on another bike, it means that i'm riding like a demon!! If anyone manages to get past me-then it means my bike is simply not good enough!!
Hope to see you all in October-dont want hear of people crying off 'cos it's cold and wet!!

Keep The Power ON-it doesn't matter if it's two or three wheels!!

TC

[dyzio]

http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/1716/692842createagif.gif

:D

[Berlin]

Expect a big update later in the week!

There may or may not be censored pics of the fork internals too! :shock: They're getting a tweaking!

The Bucket is presently spread liberally around the house and garage awaiting me getting stuck into it on Tuesday/Wednesday.

His new underpants should be going on around thursday!

The we're goin' racin'! Whoohoo! I'm looking for a 1.06 this time! I've been on a diet and ordered some bigger Bravery Berries! and I'll be strapping a bungee to Flash Gordon :D

C

[Berlin]

Phew! What a day!

I started with the wet and dry last night at about 4.30 pm and sanded till my arm fell off about 9.30 last night. I needed a hot bath to get over 5 hours if sitting in wet pants in the garden and then into bed.

Back at it at 8am this morning and had to go for even more Wet and dry... and it was absolutely tipping down. This saved dipping the wet and dry into the bucket and I just had to sand. :)

About 11 ish and the sun came out and by 12 noon it was finally dry enough to spart spraying although the conditions were less than ideal. But I've got so much carp in the garage there was no chance of doing it indoors. The air was damp and a breeze was starting to blow but in between gusys I managed to get a few licks of paint on here and there.

As usual there always seems to be something that comes along just as I've got a perfect finish on the last coat and today it was a gust of wind that brought some tiny black flies and some little airborne seeds! ********!

Anyway, we got something resembling this...

http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/racing170.jpg

and...

http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/racing171.jpg

and the mudguard and tail unit...

http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/racing172.jpg

The Bucket was back to looking like it used to and in in need of a damn good wash which he'll be getting first thing tomorrow morning. He's filthy from the last wet weekend racing. Sadly no time to wash him sooner.

http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/racing173.jpg

So, to give you a stater of what he'll be looking like at the weekend the base coats for the new scheme are on and he look slike this now...

http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/racing174.jpg

and his better side...


http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/racing175.jpg

and just to titilate your delectations, heres a hint on where we're going with it tomorrow...


http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/racing176.jpg

If it doesn't rain; there isn't a plague of greenfly and halfrauds have the rest of the apint I need! :0

More pics tomorrow when he's finished.

I also had a chance to fiddle with the suspension today and cut the spacers in the forks to alllow another 20mm of static sag which I then reduced to 10mm more than I had before in an attempt to put some more weight on the nose so I can hold an even tighter line. Rear end tomorrow.

Off for a bath to warm up!

C

[andrewsmith]

C we thinking about a gordon style bike. Will I need me sun glasses on friday?

[crisis95]

I was going to give you a tow round in practice but just not possible as we'll clash horribly darling. Toodleoo.

[toby_smith]

I was going to give you a tow round in practice but just not possible as we'll clash horribly darling. Toodleoo.

I hope to got he doesnt turn up in flourescant yellow leathers and helmet gordon. If so, we're going to have to park up at opposite ends of the paddock! I'm prone to migraines!

[Berlin]

Spraying complete!

Just have to wash the bike now and get the new clothes on! You'll be able to spot the bike a mile off now, even if its' over the horizon! There'll be a solar glare from it :)

Pics in about an hour :)

C

[barwel1992]

thats going to look epic when its done.

[yorkie_chris]

Spraying complete!

Just have to wash the bike now and get the new clothes on! You'll be able to spot the bike a mile off now, even if its' over the horizon! There'll be a solar glare from it :)

Pics in about an hour :)

C

You going to need black visor even in the R now then Carl?

[Berlin]

Just waiting for the petrol proof laquer to dry on the tank.

And spraying something this colour outside means its inevitable you are going to have at least 20 green fly stuck in the last coat of laquer!! Little buggers!

Its actually too bright to look at the bike in direct sunlight now. it hurts your eyes :)

Just what I was going for :smt040

[Owenski]

You hoping to dazzle the competition? ;)

[Berlin]

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you....


... Eye Strain!

:)


http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/racing178.jpg


http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/racing179.jpg


http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/racing180.jpg


http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/racing181.jpg


http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/racing182.jpg


http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/racing183.jpg

These don't do it justice and my camera has given up!

Bright enough for ya? :)

C

[dyzio]

:thumleft:

[Owenski]

TAKE A BOW SON!

That looks stunning!

[toby_smith]

Cool as ****!

Am I allowed to say **** on here?

[TamSV]

AAAARRRGGGHH! MY EYES!

It's nice that.:D

[Reeder]

Each to their own Berlin ;)

[Berlin]

Better pic out of the blinding sun :0

The paint on the tank is reacting :( Not good. Hopefully it'll go back as the solvents come off.

http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/racingcolours.jpg

[toby_smith]

With that paint work you can't tell how gash the fairing actually is! Nice work!

[The Guru]

Looks decent.

Are there not rules regarding the style and background of your race number though?

[toby_smith]

Looks decent.

Are there not rules regarding the style and background of your race number though?

Suppsed to be black numbers on a yellow background, but a few ignore that. It's black on a yellowish bike!

[The Guru]

Suppsed to be black numbers on a yellow background, but a few ignore that. It's black on a yellowish bike!

Looks green to me.. :smt017

[Berlin]

Thats the camera. Its fluoro yellow and matte where the black ACU sized numbers are, so it ticks all the boxes.

[Geodude]

Looking good :D

[Bibio]

hahahaaaaaaa, loving the minimoto bubble, its a real double bubble now :D

loving the colours to.

[Berlin]

Oops!

[punyXpress]

Wot ya dun, Carl ?
Hope bikes as OK as poss.
Do tell . . .

[Geodude]

Oops!
How much of an oops?

[danf1234]

Oops!


You binned it?

[Berlin]

Flat out in 5th and lost the front. Hes up and running again but i wasted a lot of paint! ;-)

[danf1234]

Any Pictures - Hope it's not too bad, after all the effort you have put in!

[Berlin]

Dropping like flies all weekend! Full update in a couple of hours when were home.

[andrewsmith]

well I'll have what pics I have up very soon

[barwel1992]

Flat out in 5th and lost the front

:eek: bout 110 then ?

[andrewsmith]

around 100mph mate

one off on that corner was above 110 mph and the bike may never reappear on a track

[barwel1992]

around 100mph mate

one off on that corner was above 110 mph and the bike may never reappear on a track

nasty :(

[andrewsmith]

well on the lighter note!!

here is the handful of pics form the meet http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=99350&id=276700376&l=dd4edbd91d

TC252 may have a lot better set up soon!
Like me totally OTT overtake mate?

[Berlin]

I don't ****ing belive it! I've just spend TWO HOURS writing the full weekend update and its just dissapeared!

Gutted and going for a bath!

[Berlin]

I've only got about 15 minutes so here's the poted version.

1) We had a spectactularly great weekend again! there is no finer way to spend your time :)

2) We were going well and set to break the 1.07 barrier until I lost it just about here...

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs680.snc4/62042_571367455648_276700376_3585537_4033679_n.jpg

My fault. I should have backed off the front rebound damping like I said I was going to :)

3) After running to the medical centre then back to the Pits to wait for the bike arriving 9 people decended on it and each fixed a bit (pics edited in later) and within about 45 minutes it was ready to go back out. We missed getting it re-scritineered by seconds and had to go out in the thunderbike quallies. Three laps before the rad boiled saw a time of 1.12 and we were at least on the grid :)

4) People in racing are some of the nicest you'd wish to meet and a whole Suzuki back catalogue of parts was offered to get the bike back up and running.

5) Rather than a blow by blow account of each race it's easier to do a blow mby blow account of things that fell off, came loose, or stopped me passing as many people as I'd have liked to.
these included:
A) The replacement can fluffing up the jetting and losing about 5mph on the straights.
B) Loose Handlebar coming back to the tank, prevening turning.
C) loose fork bolts twisting the forks in the yokes
D) Remote reservoir falling down and going between the peg and the gear change
E) front brake hoses hooking around front fairing mounts when steering
F) Foot peg coming loose
G) Throttle comming loose
H) Boiling rad
I) Seat coming loose
J) Changed suspension settings
K) steamed up visor from the rad :)

etc. Basically, if you have a big off, every bloody bolt on the entire bike whether its locktighted or not comes loose! I didn't know that :)

But we battled on and had some fantasctic racing including an 8th in the novice race behind Callum and lapping about 2 seconds off my usual pace with a Clown bike with bits falling off in every race :)

And I finally have a reason to bin the crappy 675 fairling and get one that isn't see through :)

I'm proud to have ahd such a dedicated bunch of bike fixers, tea makers and helpers join in. A club racing paddock has some of the finest people on the planet in it :)

It wasn't just me that came off and a get well soon goes out to all those that fell off including Maxx, Chris, Gav (twice) and all the others. Hope nothing is too sore this morning.

Mahoosive thanks to the pit crew Andy, Toby, Chris and my Dad, Earnie, and anyone else that helped in any way. Also to the other minitwinners who have made it the best class to be in by far! Thanks to Toot, Gordon, Chrisz and Maxx for the help on lines etc.

A special thanks too to Mad Tony who has made this such a spectacularly great season... and making sure we kept the power on.

I'm going to discgourge the van now and set about making Lightning and even better tool for next year. :)

Back online tonight with more :)

Now where are those Ibuprofens ?? :)

C

[dyzio]

Good to see no change in the attitude :D

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs891.snc4/72397_572657480428_276700376_3631502_5642539_n.jpg

What's that on Toby's back?

[Tim in Belgium]

Hope you and the bike fix up nicely.

[yorkie_chris]

Let me jog your memory of something you said back in july...

That'll be "Phase 2". He'll be getting some yellow fablon and Black Electrician's tape numbers for the next meet.

Full paint job to follow straight after.

... Becasue my track record with brand new paint on race bikes isn't good :)

C

Not any better after this meet either!!
:smt082:

[andrewsmith]

Friday afternoon

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs795.snc4/67536_572657235918_276700376_3631491_5548822_n.jpg

Saturday Morning

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs794.snc4/67479_572657255878_276700376_3631493_3925547_n.jpg