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Ok, found it. and it looks like that was the problem. It has been stuck down with sticky foam pads in the past and it had come loose so its now getting new sticky foam pad (megastrength) and also its own tie wrap.
Hopefully that sorts it. :)
C
454697819
28-03-11, 02:04 PM
Ok, found it. and it looks like that was the problem. It has been stuck down with sticky foam pads in the past and it had come loose so its now getting new sticky foam pad (megastrength) and also its own tie wrap.
Hopefully that sorts it. :)
C
duck tape tot he rescue I hope?
Ber-loody Norah!
Look at the superb condition of the track I'll be racing on this coming weekend!
I think a Massey Fergusson would be a better option!!
D6qIInamU7s
lol, you'll need to lock wire your fillings in place.
Theres a similar track in Wales called Tonfanau, if you get to the track early enough you are expected to help shovel the sheep **** from the 'circuit' :-)
andrewsmith
28-03-11, 03:39 PM
how many sets of tires you got left?
You may need more
Ah, that is a hilariously bad surface. Good luck. :)
andrewsmith
28-03-11, 04:23 PM
re-looking at that vid and how Sunday went...
you looking to litterally shakedown the the bike
Teejayexc
29-03-11, 07:26 PM
Ok, found it. and it looks like that was the problem. It has been stuck down with sticky foam pads in the past and it had come loose so its now getting new sticky foam pad (megastrength) and also its own tie wrap.
Hopefully that sorts it. :)
C
Got a spare to take with you? By the look of that track you may need one ....or two :smt101
Okily Dokily! The van is packed and we'll be off this afternoon.
grand total of changes since last weekend:
Wiring stripped down, all connectors checked and WD40'd
Tip over sensor glued in place and then tie wrapped and then duck taped.. Just to be sure like. :)
Fuel pump relay cleaned and repositioned.
Transponder holder put on.
Extra numbers added to bike (226 this weekend)
and thats it :) easy peasy
I can't belive how little goes in the van this season compared to last. last year we "went prepared" for pretty much anything and i could have rebuilt a whole new bike in spare parts. Looking into the van this morning i bet we're down to 25% of what we took last season. Having the caravan helps as the spare tyres, tents and sleeping bags, airbeds etc (for the "fan club") and of course beer, go in there.
I've not raced at Elvington before but I've been to see the racing there and there's one bend that seems to get all the mishaps so i'll be taking it "easy" around that one onto the start finish straight. I'll save the madness fro Croft next weekend. :)
Full Blow by Blow account on Sunday night.
Groupies this weekend include YC. Mr Smith and (I'm quite scared about this) Davey O'Preston... and there will be alcohol involved! OMG! :) Hopefully we'll see My PExpress on Sunday too and whoever wants to show up and have a laugh.
The weather can't decide to be kind or cruel and its different on every website I've looked at. So I've gone with the one that tells me its actually doing what it's doing outside my window right now and that is currently saying its going to be kind ( :) ).
Ambitions for the weekend:
1) Don't crash
2) Get signature
and if possible,
3) Don't come last whist achieving the above.
Oh, and they race Supertwins with Auto 66 So it'll be interesting to see how we go.
C
Whoohoo! Just back! Quick cuppa them write up! :D
C
Right, Where to start? I suppose the phone call from Yorkie Chris saying "Can you pick us up from the pub" would be a good enough place. :)
I was late with the passes so they walked into the village from the track wich is no mean feat! It was miles rather than minutes. I had the passes in the van and the security guard wasn't playing. So we met at the pub and you can't meet at a pub and not have a pint.. so we did, which meant when we got to the track it was dark. No time for a walk around and the tents had to be pitched in the dark. Which meant half of them slept in the van :D
Nice to See Puny Express at the pub too! Unexpected surprise. Nice to meet new facs in for form of Grant too. And the teams first sponsorship too! Photos to follow! Dave, you need to use better stickers, I'm faster than the glue can stand :)
It was about then that the clock struck beer O'Clock again and merriment began in earnest. Yorkie Chris headed out for more liquid reinforncements and came back with more than enough on top of the two crates of Becks and half a crate of tennants that were already cooling in the van.
Andy arrived late after his satnav took him just about everywhere in Yorkshire except Elvington. :)
I bowed out at about 11 as there was serious racing business to be done next morning and last time I drank till 4am, I fell off.
... The next morning. I was up like a lark at 7 am and the kettle went on along with breakfast. The weather was cold but clear.
Now Auto 66 is not the smoothest running ship and when we eventually found someone who we thought might know what was going on he wasn't really any more clued up that we were and he was the Clerk of the course! :D
Anyhoot, brekkie and coffee downed it was time for some racing business to begin. The noise regs there state you can't start your engines till 10 am so how they were going to fit the practices in and 22 races we had no idea but we went with the flow... and my bike flew through the noise regs at 101 dB! How, I have no idea! One Er6 failed at 114db! mind you, it was putting oout 108 (yes 108) bhp through an Arrows can!
First practice was an eye opener and it turned out the grass growing on the racing line, in between the furrows and troughs in the track was indeed on the racing line and the 125 GP bikes were going to be used to clear it. Personally, I would have said sidecars would have been a better option, but I wasn't in charge.
So practice. had a but of a burble round, for 10 minutes trying a host of different lines, braking points, throttle points and things seemed to look of after about 8 laps. Came in to find the transponder system wasn't working so grid positions were handed out randomly for the first race, but as I hand't even made it onto the nice ladies list, I started from the back of the grid. Ho hum!
Race 1 - 4 laps.
Got a lousy start after the flag lady took what seemed like an entire morning to drop the flag. We'd all dosed off by the time she did! :) From the back of the grip of 15 starters I managed to slot in a little way up from the back and with only 4 laps there wasn't really time to figure out what the plan was. So after being held up for two laps I took two people round the ouside at the haipin and managed to hold them off till the end and Just missed pipping someone before the line by about 6". Got him just after. But technically he'd overun the chicane and rejoined so I was "in front" of him anyway. I got a 9th place :) Technically an 8th :)
Well chuffed for a first saunter round. Oh, and I took two cones out with my knee :) Apex-mungus! :)
Lunch was called before the second race and it rained during the lunch hour which dried up in about 15 minutes. A dry race 2
Race 2 - 6 laps
I got bumped up the grid due to my finish in race one and was on the right side of row 4. Not ideal as I prefer the outside of the first corner but you get what you get.
I Got a *storming* start and decided at the beginning of the race to get passed everyone that had held me up in the first race. I managed to get up to an amazing 5th place on the first corner! :) Fab! As the field settled down I was passed twice and held on to that position for a good few laps. On lap 3 I caught my knee slider in what can only be described as a pothole on the final corner and it nearly had me off and bust my knee but I still held on for a 7th place. I was beaming ear to ear when I came in! :)
The rest of the racing carried on and about 10 minutes before the final race, a 10 lapper it started raining. People were leaving then and I banked on it stopping and drying up like it had earlier and left the SC pro's on. It kept raining. Sod it, we'll go out on them. Its wet but its stopped raining.
Well, it turned out that so many people had gone home I was in pole position! :) Now that was a surprise! Three other blokes turned up so there was four of us and I had the hole shot! Get in! But one bloke had showed up on wets, he could actually be aresed to change them.
The race was shortened to 6 laps due to the wet track and lack of riders.
And we're off! I got another belting start and despite a soaking track I outbraked the guy next to me for first place. I, yes, the Walrus of kneeslide was actually leading a race!... and I did so for two whole laps! In the soaking wet on SC pros! But then the inevitable happened and they cooled down and might as well have been made of wood. I had 4 slides in 4 corners and snicked it up three gears and toured till the end of the race. Better to bow out gracefully and have a bike to race on at croft. The SC Pros were even spinning up in third down the straight.
So I came in 4th (or last in other words ;) ) and was extremely happy with how the whole day had gone. if I'd put wets on for the last race I would have actually won! Blimey!
So I got my signature, which was actually the reason for the weekend and only need one more at croft on Sunday to lose my Bib, Didn't fall off, and got way higher than I'd expected in the results. A win all round.
Roll on Croft! I can't wait!
Pickies will be dribbling in from the various photographers and some official ones too. Should be good! :)
... off for a hot bath. Me knee is killing me! :)
Bluefish
03-04-11, 09:05 PM
Great write up, and better you live to race another day :D
andrewsmith
04-04-11, 07:09 AM
Haha
It got me there eventually, via:
Darlington, Yarm, Hambleton, Thirsk and York City centre (the last one was my fault I ran out of fuel).
Anyways the pics I've got are now up on: http://s1034.photobucket.com/albums/a426/andrewsmith1708/Elvington%20Auto%2066%203rd%20April%202011/
http://i1034.photobucket.com/albums/a426/andrewsmith1708/Elvington%20Auto%2066%203rd%20April%202011/S7303761.jpg
Well, we saw you, driving a van and caravan at 50mph, three times on the way back too so I'd bin that sat nav! :)
I'll write them into the plot as soon as I've fixed these viruses. First professional pics in too.
C
in action, trying not to ride down a hole big enough to swallow the bike! If you saw a road surface like this on the highway you'd slow down and avoid it, not try and get on the power with your knee down :)
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/elv1.jpg
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/elv2.jpg
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/elv3.jpg
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/elv4.jpg
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/elv5.jpg
andrewsmith
04-04-11, 11:51 AM
Well, we saw you, driving a van and caravan at 50mph, three times on the way back too so I'd bin that sat nav! :)
I'll write them into the plot as soon as I've fixed these viruses. First professional pics in too.
C
Well it was me phone :smt037
Cracking pics
what tyre pressure is that rear set to? looks a little squishier (is that a word?) than normal
31 front and 28.5 rear. if you look at the second photo its not squashed but the ones that are are over serious bumps (So bad I've cracked the rear seat unit!) hard on the power so maybe thats why? I usually run it 1psi higher in the rear but lowered it due to the track temp. Came in perfectly clean, no tearing.
C
andrewsmith
04-04-11, 07:05 PM
http://i1034.photobucket.com/albums/a426/andrewsmith1708/Elvington%20Auto%2066%203rd%20April%202011/03042011034.jpg
That's proper sponsorship that is! :sunny:
The only way is up! :)
Oooohhhhh! Shiny-Shiny R&G Thingumybobs have just arrived!
Quick trip to the post office and then they'll get a good fiddling with! :)
C
Now fitted...
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/RG1.jpg
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/RG2.jpg
and then with the fairing fitted! Perfect :)
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/RG3.jpg
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/RG4.jpg
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/RG5.jpg
I'm never going to use them of course! ;)
C
andrewsmith
05-04-11, 12:16 PM
Top buy at £40!
Whats the damage after elvington then?
Stone chips! Loads of the boogars! going down the start finish straight was like riding through a hailstorm of them.
Loads more stickers going on today though. :) take your eye off them.
Its all washed and ready to load. I'll fill the tank up before I do.
I was going to change the tyres but I'll use these for the test day then pop em up for sale. Still like new after Elvington!
Its nearly ready for a new rear sprocket too. I might chage ir round for Croft so its facing the other way.
C
Regs now in for East Fortune on the 16th and 17th :)
crisis95
06-04-11, 11:22 AM
Have you started robbing banks?! My bank manager is trying to suggest that I might "enjoy" a year off from racing :-(
Well, for the last three weeks I've been selling everything I own to go racing! :)
and I'm not joking! :)
C
All packed up and ready to go.
If you're intending joining in the debauchery this weekend bring food!... and beer!...
I'm there for 4 days and if you eat all my sausages on the first night I'll be cross!... and hungry. :)
Oh, and the Gameldansk is packed in celebration of the "losing of the vest". Good job we've got a late start Sunday :)
C
Just wanted to say this thread is one of the reasons I keep checking on the forum. Your approach to racing seems similar to mine and after I've been through roughly a year now I'm nearer to the front of the field.
I too have sold pretty much all my possessions and still occasionally wonder how much I could get for a kidney on the black market.
I wish I would have kept something like this thread as it will be absolute gold to look back on.
Best of luck for the weekend!
Cheers Wester, Hopefully we'll get to race together some day :)
OK, I've found a great hat to wear at the weekend. Instead of the bib!
for those coming, bring a great hat (stranger the better) and we'll be team "crazy headwear"! :)
grub update:
Big pan of Chilli and another of Corned beef hash coming for the weekend. If you eat what's left of it on Sunday morning to clear your hangover and get food poisoning, don't blame me! :)
C
Got here and all set up on a crackin corner pitch. Beer is open and im going for a chat with Mr. Hopkins about his lines! :) saved you a spot mike.
I will be down about 8ish tommorrow Carl. Not doing the test day tho just coming to watch peoples lines. ;)
andrewsmith
07-04-11, 07:05 PM
Carl I'll be about 10ish
May do a licence loser about durham
We're back! and Alive! (Which is always a good way to be back!). We're also sunburt and knackered!
Well it was another stonker and Team "Drink beer and Smoke tabs" did excess better than Norwich Union Tsunami insurance! But more of that later.
So I pitched up eary on Thursday afternoon like a right Eager beaver and if you're going to be any kind of beaver the Eager type definitely one of the better types to be. He gets the worm and all that. The other good type is just like the one I saw in Canada in 2004. He was great too!
Team "So I'm setting up by myself then am I"? found a suitable excellent pitch right next to the water and power and with easy access to the pit lane to watch the t'other riders trying their best to become supersonic on the main straight and the team HQ for the weekend was set...
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/croft/croft6.jpg
with things all ship-shape and racing fasion I took tike to mix with the "other" racers there, what with us just hangin' waiting for the next day. Oh, look, Its the new beast in the presence of mr Hoppy and his million quid race set up. It looks just like mine!.. if you squint... a lot...
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/croft/croft7.jpg
I wonder if he needs any of my scrubs? I've got loads! and the Postage and packing is very reasonable too! ;) After chatting about lines and powermaps for what seemed like hours (actually, thats not true, they wouldn't let me in. Too top secret and all that. So I told them they couldn't see mine and put a cover over Bucket II! So there!
Anyway. early to bed, early to rise and hocus-pocus its next day and Mr Punyxpress has arrived! Our official Pile cream Sponsor! And he brought a silly hat!
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/croft/croft8.jpg
Andy showed up about 10 am and we were all ready for a day of practice. Andy was official camera man again and here we have a very nice random shot of a Sidecar. Its a very nice sidecar and I'm sure they are very nice people and may have had something to do with the explosions going on in mr YC's head this morning so they deserve a mention..
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/croft/croft9.jpg
and some random 125 riders. They were very nice people too! except the ones that cut you up! They were Tw*ts! :D
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/croft/croft10.jpg
Any minute now he'll take a pick of someone we know...
Oh, found one! :)
Here we are in mid testing mode...
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/croft/croft11.jpg
That'll be toot chopped off on the left :P So thats from a race day as he wasn't testing so how it got in this section is anyone's guess!
Now it became obvious that this was a different bucket than had been doing so well at Elvington the week before and things were afoot (well, probably more of a leg) in the suspension department.
At the end of the day I had to call in my factory suspension professional who's embedded in our team and may well end up as an alcoholic in a few short meetings. :)
Where was a wobblyness and a squidgyness that shouldn't have been wobbly or squidgy so it was decide he should bring shims and tools and extra special voodoo and sort the Squidgy wobbly syndrome asap.
But after we got drunk.
So there we were, Dad, YC, Andy and Moi, in the situation of demolishing a large amount of amber whistleywhetter (again) There's a definite theme of these weekends! Its great!
So we wake up to not having made an suspension improvements and its time to go out and have a bit of a practice with the bike as is and with very clear plans to get around to probably doing something about it later on in the day.. maybe!
So Practice 1. Off we went for a wobble round and with a new set of scrubs on (oh the extravegance!) and things were definitely going on with the front voodoo. No matter, lets see whatw e can do in terms of circuit circumnavigation.
It was ok but the bike was struggling on the bunpy sections and was taking a long while to selle into the bends. This wasn't doing anything for the lap times.
Practice two was the times session and off we went to pioneer our team a place on the grid... and we got a time of 1.42.89 seconds which is hardly spectacular leading to being on the 9th row of the grid. Never mind, at least we're on the grid... in 30th place. Thats a whole lot of passing I'm going have to do if we're going to win! :)
We were set up as race 2 on the program and that meant we were going to get our race in before the lunch break. So the bike was filled and the practice scrubs had already been changed for the best tyres I had and we were as ready as we were going to be with squidgy forks.
Race 1!
We're on the grid and the red flag man walks of to the right and we wait for the lights! tension is high and right on queue, the red light come on and team Fatspanner, right in front of me, jumps his start! How many times has he heard that we go when the light go OFF? So he's now going to be a slow starter and he's right in front of me because if you jump a start, you are never ready a second later when the lights go off. An its true, I've got nowhere to go. and have to try and get passed him leading to a really poor start and the rest of the grid zooming off to a 20 meter lead. And thats on top of the 50 meter lead they've already go due to the length of the grid.
We all get to the first corner and start to peel in and someone comes a cropper in the Kitty litter. The pace is hot and oon the leaders are out of sight and there are 400's and GP125 bikes mixed in all over the place.
Chasing down a 400...
I got him! :)
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/croft/croft12.jpg
The race pans out Ok and I come in after what seems a very long race in 26th place so at least I passed a few people :) Counting just the Minitwins I came in 9th and didn't get lapped! result! :) My fastest lap was 1.39.809 but I was turning purple and wringin the bikes neck to knock 3 seconds of qualifying pace to get that!
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/croft/croft13.jpg
We regrouped and got ready for the next race later in the afternoon.
it was a lovely hot day so we could safely bas in the fact we weren't going to need the wets! :)
Race 2!
It wasn't until 4.15 in the afternoon before we got going and I got a cracking start this time and everyone got through the first corner. The race pace was slightly down on the ealier race and I set up quite a buffer to the bloke behind me and settled into a good rythm but with the forks still complaining on the bumpy bits ...
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/croft/croft14.jpg
Accordingly The action up at the front with Dave bell being mobbed by a swarm of 125 GP bikes was the race of the weekend!
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/croft/croft15.jpg
I came in happy with an overall position of 27th and 11th in the minitwins with a time of 1.41.091.
It was time to do something about this pesky front end.
My Embedded Oh-Dear-lins technicial immediately dived onto the bike and ripped off the offending artcles to see what was wrong. Could it be that the Voodoo had turned critical in sympathy if Fookusheema?! ...
To be continued...
as fast as I can type! :)
Now this was my last day as a Orange vester (ever so slightly different to a Swan vesta) I decided to enter the open Novice race at the end of the day by way of celebrating the end of being a "noob". and I took Pole position at the front of the grid! Do it in Style! :)
GO!!!!!
and I beat them all into the first corner! 1000's and 600's and everything. But I only had by prestigious lead until the first straight where I was catagorically swamed and dropped back to about 5th for Tower.
I help my own for a good few laps and ended up in a fantastic tussle with another Minitwin and he WASN'T getting passed! The race was fantastic and the harder I pushed the harder he pushed and ... i won the minitwin section :)
The results are a but mixed up because the transponder system put people in the results that were clearly 1 not noviced and 2) already getting drunk somewhere, so they couldn't have been in the race.
My best time was 1.41.448 but that is to be confirmed when the bloomin result go up on Mylaps becasue the sheet I have here is nonsense! :)
Great race!
So then it was time to celebrate (any excuse) and fix the bike for the next day
The embedded Suspension Guru gets busy!..
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/croft/croft17.jpg
and it soon becomes obvious whats wrong!
Meanwhile, Vice president of Logistics Andy gets on his Sv velocipede and heads out for Beer and fags supplies (we can't be team Drink beer and smoke fage if we've ran out fo the entire weekends supply after only onge night and he dutifully carried out his logistical procurement program and arrived with stash!..
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/croft/croft18.jpg
and the Bucket II was legless as we were soon to be!
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/croft/croft19.jpg
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/croft/croft20.jpg
and in a moment of etrepeneurial genious we opened a free tyre changing service with Toot as out first customer..
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/croft/croft26.jpg
and there was much frivolity and aching cheeks as I used my wallrussness to get the bloody tyre on!!...
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/croft/croft27.jpg
Now things started to get a bit squiffleyfrom this point because the Celebratory gameldansk was opened and we may or may not have started using a different camera... but YC had a quick taste and decided the Voodoo Micture would be much improved if he added it to the brew! The measurement unit was "Gobfulls"
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/croft/croft28.jpg
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/croft/croft29.jpg
Finger break!!!
Suddenly it all became obvious what the suspension problem was!
Chris had used LOW SALT beans in the cartridges! They have to be the real deal Heinz standard beans for the settings to work!
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/croft/croft30.jpg
Once the problem had been recified (and this next but is TOP SECRET so don't tell anybody!) the forsk were rebuilt with all of the usually performance enhancements only usually found in top Superbike teams..
teabags with milk and two sugars!...
two per leg...
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/croft/croft31.jpg
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/croft/croft32.jpg
and then topped off allowing plenty of room for the Air/beans gap...
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/croft/croft33.jpg
and the forks were FIXED!
:)
Then we got very, very..... very drunk! :) There may or may not be pictures, Who the hell knows? Chris ended up with the East fortune Sidecar guys so you know there's going to be trouble!
I woke up at 7.40 the next morning like I'd been in a re-boot coma! Fresh as a daisy! (Which incidentally are called ganzeblumen in Germany. So I was fresh as a little Goosey flower!) sadly the same could not be said of Andy and Chris.
oh dear, they were bad! :)
Turns out I was still drunk and mine was yet to kick in :)
But the Gameldansk tradition had been upheld and the cork was gone and the bottle was empty! :0 There's a photograph somewhere I think. I dunno. :)
So, as some Crazy lawcourt imposed crappy noise restriction on Croft becasue the Judge was in the prosecutions pocket (joking me-lud! ) we couldn't race till the afternoon so we had a huge pile of bacon sarnies and a glimmer of hope was seen in andy and Chris' faces as theur monumental hangovers subsided. I believe Andy had to shower his away :)
So the Monting ticked by and we got ready to race. The new Teabag/Milk/Sugar/beans/gameldansk combo-forks were feeling good and we were looking to knock about 3 seconds off the lap times and then improve on that further during the day.
Lunchtime arrived and we were second race oout but as we sat in the holdinga rea there was a huge sidecar crash in the complex and the race was red flagged. we spend a long time in the holding area and tyres cooled right off.
We were given two warm up laps and got to the grid.
Race 3!!
We're off! and I got a cracking start! But half way down the straight I missed a gear and blew the read downpipe off the exhaust! No matter, head down and caught up a few places in the second corner including my nemesis number 51 who i'd been trying to catch all weekend. o also got a couple of 125's in the move too! I was flying despite a very loud bike! Onto the back straight I held position and even passed more people into Tower bends. I was up about 8 places despite the FI light flashing wildly on the dash! I wasn't about to slow down and stop so kept pushing and all was going really well for several laps! No one was repassing me and after a quick glance I had built up a substantial lead on them. So much so that when the lagging for the rear pipe that was now hanging down under the bike went under the back tyre into the Complex and I had to run off the track (co-incidentally where cold tyres had claimed Mike and trigger on the first lap) that iw as able to check I didn't have a puncture, get off the grass, take the corner slowly and then the next and stiull hand't been passed! The forks were spectacular and I was taking advantage of them. one more lap and things were still looking good and I still had no idea what had casued the slide off the track earlier. As far as i was concerned whatever it was was gone. So with the last lap flag passed Iw as pushing hard when all of a sudden the engine cut with half a lap to go!! NOOOOO!!
It turned out that the exhaust coming off had upset the FI system and it had pumped about 9 litres of fuel through the bike and I'd ran out of petrol with half a lap to go! Gutted!.
and in a novel twist we got this one on video!..
prwYXs-kwVo
LautUsvorQs
nkAen5zUrS0
6JwjqUZ3tKk
I managed to tour back to the pits after the race and the bike was attacked with new lagging adn the whole exhasutw as lockwired so it couldn't happen again.
and it was soon time for race 4
Race 4!
Carnage! :)
We set off and were all into the first corner when I saw gav get pushed into the kitty litter and then come back onto the track! This started a chain recxtion that saw several bikes clash and Mike and trigger go harse over teet for the second time in a day! it wa a bad crash and I just cruided presuming it would instantly be red flagged. There was no way that they'd get it cleaned up in a lap mand having seen Mike as I went passed Iw as sure an ambulance would be required. But it was good news and all were thanktully OK but the race wasn't red flagged until we had done another half a lap.
We reformed and again I got a crappy start. but off we went and I had a good first two laps with thinsk looking good. But on lap 3 as I upped the pace the rear tyre started to squirm and I was kicking myself for not changing to another one. Croft was proving VERY hard on tyres this weekend. I had to back off in the very places I could now make up time with the sexy suspension working a trat becasue I had no rear grip! Boogar!
So I raced on and finished in 6th place with a time of 1.40.063 as a fastest lap. Not too bad but not the 1.38 I was looking for.
It turns out my knee is still playing up from last march's crash at east Fortune on the 600. The long right handers were really making it painful to keep my knee on the deck for the 150 odd yards of the two longest corners and the vibration was giving me water on the knee (I'm an old maid! :) )
It was straight down to see how gav and Mike were after the race and then a slow pack up and a cuppa and a bit of celebration as the guy next door got his first first place on his Blade! Well done Mr West!
Actually wel done to every single rider and pit crew member and attendee. I've decided that if i ever put on the lottery and win, there's no finer way to spend it than to take team "we drink too much" to ebery single Minitwin round in the UK. It would be a great life to just go racing every weekend.! But Melville still have the best parties :)
I'm off to bed and I'll correct the several thousand spelling mistakes in the morning!
Another fantastic weekend and only 4 dasy to the next one! WHOOHOO!!
Get well soon to all of the fallers and get those bikes fixed!
C
andrewsmith
11-04-11, 10:19 AM
and help job B's memory, as the camera has been retired after dying on Saturday (prior to the drinking started). Damm u Gammel Dansk
here is a job lot of pics and more to come :D
Friday
http://s1034.photobucket.com/albums/a426/andrewsmith1708/Croft%20Test%20day%208th%20April%202011/
Saturday
http://s1034.photobucket.com/albums/a426/andrewsmith1708/Croft%209th%20April%202011/
Sunday
http://s1034.photobucket.com/albums/a426/andrewsmith1708/Croft%2010th%20April%202011/
andrewsmith
11-04-11, 11:24 AM
Sunday Morning
and the only person who's fresh after a night on Gammel Dansk
http://i1034.photobucket.com/albums/a426/andrewsmith1708/Croft%2010th%20April%202011/S7303988.jpg
and the way to properly break an exhaust
http://i1034.photobucket.com/albums/a426/andrewsmith1708/Croft%2010th%20April%202011/S7304024.jpg
Blimey I'm knackered today. I need a week off to recover! :) But then Iw as up till 2.30 am writing all that so its not surprising.
OK, so jobs this week include lockwiring the whole exhaust and pretty much everything else that ahs the slichtest chance of coming loose.
The seat foam glue is pretty ropey despite being sold as the best on Ebay and it all has to come off and get replaced. I'll use the same stuff as I used for the Stompgrips.
And the seat unit is looking worse for wear from my wallrussness so it'll be getting some internal strengthening to stop it flexing. Oh for the want of an ali welder to add a spar to the subframe.
... and thats about it. Gloves will be getting a going over, My Sidi boots are about ready for renewal and the caravan is now clean as s whistle.
3 days to go to East Fortune and running on a proper track that I know.
C
andrewsmith
11-04-11, 07:02 PM
and sadly I shan't be in attendance for East Fortune :(
Chance of a job has change me plans
Sorry Carl
Not a problem at all mate. I hope you get it. If not, with your experience you should bung your CV off to Crescent Suzuki or even TAS! :D
and tell the truth! you thought I had another bottle of Gameldansk stashed away didn't you ;)
C
andrewsmith
11-04-11, 07:22 PM
haha
Cheers mate hopefully means I dodge the dole que
C you should invite Mr Preston to the Gammel Challenge, could do it again if i had a 10 pack of Cobra
Ok, jobs list done today includes:
New(er) rear tyre fitted.
Rear sprocket reversed to spread the wear.
Seat foam removed and glue replaced. The original peel and stick stuff was rubbish.
Prototype wheel alignment plates tried.
Chain oiled and adjusted (too loose at Croft)
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/twin1.jpg
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/twin2.jpg
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/twin3.jpg
and a whole lot of work on race HQ including
New pan and plates set, Water pump system fixed.
Drain unit removed and refitted in toilet.
Feet greased, Plug added to Kitchen sink. Waste drain fixed.
Electrical gremlins found and fixed.
Its palatial now :)
Must get Gas tomorrow!
And finally I got my novice card ready to go off to the ACU! :)
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/twin4.jpg
C
Today I have mainly been making my own headstock stand. I'm pleased to report its a complete success but remember folks... Don't weld in a fleece! :)
C
454697819
14-04-11, 02:29 PM
Today I have mainly been making my own headstock stand. I'm pleased to report its a complete success but remember folks... Don't weld in a fleece! :)
C
lol... classic, now either you didn't notice until the end or you wondered while you were welding why this metal smelt of melting plastic?
Not so wind resistant now I imagine?
remember folks... Don't weld in a fleece! :)
C
and dont point the sparks from a 9'' grinder towards your legs while cutting steel plate ;)
yorkie_chris
14-04-11, 04:27 PM
I think all my fleeces have loads of little pinholes in them, thought they were supposed to be like that?
The van is almost packed, YC is on its way and team "Here we go again" is nearly ready to head North.
The team HQ caravan is fully functioning now with running water and even a jakuzzi! (We wish! :) ) However, we're very likely to run out of gas this weekend so we may well be eating frozen Mini Pizzas Sushi style.
My search for Pit Girls of Ebay was sadly fruitless. I did get the Umbrella though so we're half way there :)
Just got to fill the Jerry Cans on the way and we're all set.
Here we go again. :)
Paul the 6th
15-04-11, 07:50 AM
I think all my fleeces have loads of little pinholes in them, thought they were supposed to be like that?
I thought they were boulder burns? :smt028
Paul the 6th
15-04-11, 07:53 AM
I found yee some pit girls carl:
oooooh honey....
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4082/4751046273_349842a94c.jpg
missyburd
16-04-11, 05:35 PM
My search for Pit Girls of Ebay was sadly fruitless. I did get the Umbrella though so we're half way there :)
Ooooo I think I qualify, well just the being a girl bit. I could do that next season? LOL
Oh, Go on! Volunteer now! You should have been doing it for a year :)
Just back, quick bath and a sausage sarnie and its Update time! What a weekend! :)
C
Oh, Go on! Volunteer now! You should have been doing it for a year :)
Can we have an online volunteer register with pictures including umbrella? Obviously umbrella holding skills are paramount... :)
OK, Update time.
Now please don't expect a lot of photos in this photo blog this time because I only went and left my camera at home. :) However, there were a lot of professional photographers there so I'm hoping to raid their free samples to put something together.
So we pitched up early on Friday knowing how busy the paddock gets at this meeting. Its a biggun! and even getting there two hours earlier than usual saw us just get out usual pitch in the paddock. (what is it about having your usual pitch?) It was going to be a very busy weekend and by 5 pm the pits were full and folks were setting up on the overflow areas. by 10pm the overflow areas were full.
We signed on and had the scrutineer round for a beer and an inspection in the usual Melville way (If Carlsberg did race meetings meetings they'd be like this!) and we were ready to go. Frivolity, chat, pi** taking and banter ensued along with a crate of Becks until about 11pm where YC thought it would be a good idea to join the party of the sidecar team we met at Croft. But he should know by now that that's never a good idea and he was heading for a bad head. :) He managed to cadge a comfy Caravan to sleep in this time (thanks to Mad Maxx!).
We had a little emergency when something got on to my (new for Croft) front SC pro and started melting the rubber (literally) and I ended off having to do an emergency scrubs search round the paddock and change it. I ended up on a Racetec Pre-Interac K2 compound front (which really suits the SV). The source of the dissolving tyre was found to be synthetic fork oil. don't get this on your tyres! We cleaned it of and managed to get it reasonable free and it'll be fine as a road tyre.
So saturday morning came and the weather looked to be kind. if was cold with an icy wind but the sun had his hat on, Hip, Hip Hip, hooray! :)
Bikes were prepped, tyre warmers fitted and we were scheduled for race 6, at the end so we had a comfortable morning and were last out in practice.
1ST practice.
Off we go! Now this just highlights that no matter how well you prepare and how well you plan for racing you never know whats going to happen. After about two easy laps the inside of the chin guard detached itself and flapped back against me mouth meaning I had to breath with all sorts of strange mouth shapes for the remainder of the session. and on lap 4 I got a big juicy bumble bee in the visor which reduced visibility down to looking through a haze of mush :) No matter, the bike performed well and nothing fell off or came loose. Times weren't spectacular but then they never are in first practice.
We came in and a few adjustments were made to my helmet with the handy tube of superglue that goes everywhere with me.
The bee was unceramoniously washed off with a bit of squeezee.
Practice 2
OK, time to go out and set a qualifying time. It was still bitterly cold so the pressures in the tyres were dropped by a PSI to try and get the tyres a little warmer on track. They were hardly warm to the touch with the wind blowing through the wheels with the warmers on.
Off we went and I tried to get into a nice flow and push later in the session. All was going well but the forks we'd set up so well with harder compression damping were struggling with the cold temperature. they really needed an 8th turn less but without adjustment we had to make do. They'd coem on song if the weekend warmed up.
After what seemed no time at all we were back in and none of us had no idea of what times we'd done. First time out on a track for the year we were rushing for timing sheets.
And I'd qualified 12th on the grid (of 21 minitwins and full grid of 40 mixed minitwins and 400s) with a time of 1.09.363 and ended up on the 4th row! best qualifying ever :) Something always goes wrong with my qualifying at EF and I'm usually on the back of the grid. Max Qualified next to me so it was all set for a great weekend. (Max was sandbagging! :) ) Now usually I can't even see the 4th row from where I start so I was chuffed. Time to play with the big boys. Fastest Minitwin time was 1.06.48 so times were not fast due to it being cool.
We refuelled and this bike bike is burning an extra litre per 10 lap race compared to the bucket, taking 4 litres to bring up to the mark now.
Race 1
Both myself and max got a *cracking* start and hit the first corner really well with all of the major competitors behind us! But sadly (for us) the race was red flagged half way through the first lap and we had to reform on the grid.
Start two and we got a really good start again and we were cleanely through pates and on our way to railway. Max managed to nip through but I got caught behind three bikes that were all qualified in front of me on the grid. No matter! head down and push. I was actually faster than all three of them but with all three of them trying to pass each other I was stuck frustratingly behind them for about 4 laps. Every time I made a move to pass, one of them would fill the space I was aiming for. Eventually I got passed the tiny guy on the Blue 400 and went after 65 on the black SV he was on std rear suspension but hellishly good on the brakes so I was catching him but unwilling to take him on the outside in case it all went a bit squirrely. Coming up to the line I would have *just* pipped him for the place but he pulled across me and we went over the line together. Fantastic first race and I came in 12 with a time of 1.09.220. No places lost from qualifying!
A quick fill up, some post race banter and we were ready for race 2
Race 2
OK, plan for this one, get in the top 10! and don't fall off :)
We all got odd the line well so we all ended up in the first corner together but I got good drive and was actually ahead of tiny max as we went into railway for the first time. We were *really* hard on the brakes and I was just about to tip in when max appeared in the spot I was about to tip into :) I had to run around the outside but still got good drive out of railway into Snake and was in a great dice with the shrew on the 400 again! It was epic! I would pass him on the straights and brake as hard as the bike would possible manage (to the point of locking the front wheel) and he would just sail past again with 4 yards to the corner! Sometimes it crap being a racing walrus! We must have changed places 20 times during the race with me beating him and him beating me. I Juts pipped him into the last hairpin on the brakes and headed over the line in front. fantastic race but when I turned round and gave him the post race thumbs up for a great battle he wasn't best pleased :) OK, so we'll beat him again for being a sore loser :)
I came in thinking I'd done badly in this race and about 5 places down on where I actually came :) Just goes to show.
I got 10th with a time of 1.09.032. getting faster again! :) Chuffed.
I'd chewed up the rear tyre due to the cold condition but couldn't understand it as I'm usually bang on with the tyres and never get cold tear. I put it down to the cold conditions. It was to turn out later I was using an digital tyre gauge instead of my trusty dial type and the digital one was reading 5 psi too high! No wonder they were chewing up.
I decided to change the gearing for the Sunday and even though I was gaining on just about everyone on the straights i thought I could do slightly better by lowering ti slightly so went from a 15/45 to a 14/44 combo. Id have to relearn all my gearing points again on the Sunday but it might be worth it.
Beer followed and in true form team "Drink beer and smoke tabs" ran out of both beer and fags.! Chris went off to find an party and ended up with the Irish side car racers! OMG! and other letters that mean things! He's brave! :)
Day 2:
Being last on the race schedule meant and very civilised morning and we didn't get our first race till late morning. Can you imagine getting up after a heavy night on the tonsil wash and going straight out and throwing the bike on its ear first corner? The later the start the better :)
Race 1:
I got a grand start and we were all through the first two corners quickly but again we were red flagged on the first lap. Refomed and off we went again.
a great race ensued and all of a sudden a red SV I didn't recognise pulled past me and the battle was on. I don't do getting passed very well :) We had a fantastic battle and I pipped him on the last lap and held on for the place. I have no idea who he was and can't find him on the program and didn't see him for the rest of the weekend as he wasn't in any other races but it was an epic battle. My rear tyre was starting to slide and a post race check showed it was still tearing (I was still on the digital dodge guage).
I got a 9th! with a time of 1.08.761 and both the guys I beat behind me were running faster times. Getting faster! :)
I changed the rear tyre to my last scrub. (still from 2007! :) )
and after lunch it was time for race 2. Things had been delayed in the morning due to a big crash in the Licorice Allsorts race (get well soon!)
The day was warming up now and it was now about 12 degrees. Still any icy wind but getting less Baltic.
Race 2:
Max had decided he liked my place on the grid better than his and i had to move over and sit behind the guy in front instead of the nice gap that I'd previously had so my start was poor but we were soon in the action. a 400 went off on the first left hander and went end over end through the field and we had to ride blind through the cloud of dust. Daunting flat out in 4th fully over to the left on cold tyres but we got through. races were now down to 8 lappers due to the earlier crash so it was head down and push. Again, I had a great tussle and was now taking pates corner flat out and getting great drive down the straight. I also got a tip from Flash Gordon for the esses which worked a treat too. I manged to get ahead of my group and lead the group to the flag with a few noses shown from time to time bu no one getting passed.
Over the line and I got a 9th with a time of 1.08.358 We were heading for the 1.07's! :)
I'd had a couple of slides in Pates which was now a flat out corner. Nothing major but the rear was moving so I went out and found my trusty tyre gauge and actually got the tyres down to what the were supposed to be!.
Final race and were off. Again, straight into a great tussle but by lap three I was really pushing the limits. The tyre was letting me know and I was riding at the edge. Then 38, the Fatspanner 400 came past and I wasn't having that so wound it up even more. That's the furthest I've been over on the new Bucket and I really was having to feather the throttle out of the rights for the rear tyre. It didn't help that one of the 400's in front was pouring coolant from his bike and we had several "interesting moments". I managed to get him on the last lap on the brakes (having nearly gone over the handlebars on the previous lap I braked so hard !:) ) and came in 9th again (top marks for consistency! :) ) but didn't manage the elusive 1.07's with a time of 1.08.842. With a newer rear (that I couldn't afford) I could have grabbed it but hey, the racing was spectacular! ... And I didn't die! :)
It was great to see Alex, Gordon and everyone else there supporting and spectating. I fantastic weekend all round.
and sadly the last for a while as I'm heading to Canada for 6 months. I'm gutted I'll not be doing the rest of the season but who knows, you may see the Bucket II racing in a Canadian series in the near future :)
I'd just like to say a MASSIVE thanks to absolutely everyone thats been involved, donated bits, shared hangovers, given advice, fixed things, lent me fags and generally made racing the best thing I've ever done in my life (and that's saying something! My list is long and varied!)
and also thanks to the clubs that do such a fantastic job of hosting the meetings. Without them, none of us would have had the pleasure of knowing each other.
I also can't belive there's been over 37 THOUSAND views of this thread! Its truly humbling to think that many people would be interested in watching us spend all of our money, get hangovers and risk death. Morbid curiosity is a strange thing! :)
Thanks all! :)
To be continued!
alastairb
18-04-11, 09:45 AM
Last night I read all the way to the end of the thread, and reading your post today I am amazed at everything you have done and think its an amazing attitude towards racing!
Ah sh!t, I was hoping to join you at EF again in the next few weeks.
Good write up though :)
454697819
18-04-11, 10:15 AM
top draw mate...
Will be disappointed with nothing to read about on a Monday morning now,
what you doing in Canada?
Canada is 6 months prospecting for a future out there.
OK, first shots of EF coming on and a couple of others from Croft.
Dicing with a 125 and Crazy Gav at Sunny Out...
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/crofta.jpg
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/croftb.jpg
and EF..
Dicing with boys that are usually way in front of me...
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/finalEF.jpg
Ok, a bit of a resurrection on this.
The Plan:
Break the world record on changing one bike to another bike with a road legal frame :-)
Easy! Rules? Coffee breaks not included
Ready.. Steady...
GO!
8.25 am...
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/MT001.jpg
8.45 am
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/MT002.jpg
9.00 am
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/MT003.jpg
Coffee :-)
The Guru
11-11-11, 10:17 AM
Quality.
:notworthy:
Carry on.
We're drinking a LOT of coffee! :-)
11.15...
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/MT004.jpg
11.45...
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/MT005.jpg
Makes you wonder what garages are doing when you ask for something fixed! :-)
Now for the rebuild! :-)
C
... and that's half way!
12.15
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/MT006.jpg
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/MT007.jpg
Coffee Time!
:)
Well done. I'd have stretched that work out over about a fortnight. :grin:
maviczap
11-11-11, 12:19 PM
... and that's half way!
12.15
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/MT006.jpg
:)
Do I spy a nice Guzzi V50 Monza in the background?
What other gems do you have, or is it your helpers?
DarrenSV650S
11-11-11, 12:51 PM
Wow good work. Please give more details on how you got the engine out please :p
Lunch then..
1.30...
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/MT008.jpg
2.30...
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/MT009.jpg
Engine details later when we're done...
Coffee!
:-)
4.15.. Running
and back to his previous best with that rasp back on the exhaust now the lagging has gone. I really don't want to sell it! :-)
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/MT010.jpg
Just the bodywork left to go..
STOP THE CLOCK! :-)
16.50...
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/MT011.jpg
Time for a nice cup of coffee I think! :-)
And now you'll notice that you've put the engine into the wrong frame ;)
Great update :)
Right all done and he's growling like a tiger
... and you can now take it on the road! :-)
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/MT012.jpg
The end of an era! We've built the perfect bike.. Now Buy it! :-) (http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=172471)
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/MT013.jpg
andrewsmith
11-11-11, 09:21 PM
Do I spy a nice Guzzi V50 Monza in the background?
What other gems do you have, or is it your helpers?
Haha
Twins breed in the garage- transverse and in frame :lol:
My rate is a bed, as much coffee and beer that I can consume and £10 p/h
Wow good work. Please give more details on how you got the engine out please :p
3 sets of hands make it easier going in and out
B will clarify if this is wrong:
Stip off all the bodywork (it makes it easier)
Drop the radiator off and drain
Trolley jack under the sump
Chain off
Trottle bodies off
Tag up the loom and stip off the motor
Remove all the engine bolts, except the main centre and rear mounts (Rear lower right is the main position bolt)
Back off the suzuki special bolts so they're clear of the motor
Get your helpers to support the motor and remove the centre then rear
Slowly lower the motor
Get the motor off the jack or jack the frame up off the motor
Voila 45kg of motor out
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/MT008.jpg
Getting it back in:
Give everything a clean down while the frames bare
Get two willing helpers to assist
Walk the motor into the frame
Lift the motor (two man job) and get the jack under
Keep one person to keep the motor balanced
Jack up the motor and line up the rear
Get the rear engine mount in (Lower R/H Side one)
Line up the main centre bolt in
Jack not required
Get the rest back in and its now the reverse of the start
Voila
http://www.corporateflyfishing.com/images/minitwin/MT009.jpg
Darren HTH
You will need several special tools (http://www.vstrom.info/vsri-gallery/gallery/d/88057-3/Suzuki+Engine+Locknut+Tool.jpg) to remove the engine. If you've got a decent workshop and lots of spare sockets, you can make them. There's two different sizes of castlated sockets (http://viewitem.eim.ebay.eu/SUZUKI-ENGINE-SOCKET-TOOL-LOCK-NUT-SV650-SV-650-SPECIAL-TOOL-STREETFIGHTER----sa/260872760823/item) required but these can be made by grinding out the excess of the correct size sockets. You'll also need a 19mm 6 sided socket to back off the engine centralising adjusters.
C
DarrenSV650S
12-11-11, 01:15 PM
Cheers for that guys. I've got the special tool. Might have to invest in a trolley jack. And might need some extra hands :)
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