The Biker Place

A bit of a nothing weekend this one, we knew we wouldn’t be on for any stunning results as we know we can’t run with the top Aprillia 125’s, but hey ho we thought we would do the days testing on Friday and perhaps we would get a couple of signatures towards Rowan’s National licence. We were expecting to see quite a few friends this weekend as this circuit is so close to home.

The practice day was spent err…. practicing, Row got down to 1:00s round the circuit, some 4 seconds a lap faster than last time around here (although it was one of those wet/dry days) we also had another exhaust break so I had to shoot out and get it welded up during dinner time (thanks for the lift Dave B)

Row mentions to me that the bike feels vague at the front, He had mentioned this before causing me to fiddle around with the front forks, I couldn’t find anything wrong so I had put it down to the steering damper and or front tyre. We seem to have the gearing about right, part of the mission today was to get Row used to the different rubber we have to run with the MRO, We went down and had the bike scruteneered after the day was finished and after speaking to Mike Dommett and the technical guys (well both myself and some of the other Metrakit owners) we manage to get the tyre rule changed so that we can run the same rubber as we use with every other club, which is a bit of a result, shame Row has been learning the track on the other stuff.

Saturday

Row goes out and does his practice/qualifying with a fastest time of 59.070 putting him on 11th place on the grid, Jason Douglas is flying and puts in a 58.4 taking 10th on the grid.

Race 1

They line up revs rise - and go - Row gets a good start I see him in about 6-7th into paddock for the first time, as they go up the hill to druids I can see him getting pushed out of the way, end of lap 1 and he comes through on 8th, then he gets caught again and drops two places and so on for the rest of the race running out in 16th place…….

Row comes back into the pits NOT HAPPY, I ask “what went wrong?” ” I dunno I was doing everything I could, they just kept getting past me, nothing I could do, the front end feels vague, I wasn’t sure how much grip I had” he storms off to the van, I am left standing in the garage wondering what to do, I give it a couple of minutes and then go over to the van, Row is slumped head in hands, then Dave (Robbie Britchfords Dad) comes over and tells me that from where he was watching it was pretty clear that the bike wouldn’t pull out of clearways and the boys were queuing up to get past there (much the same as I had seen up the hill to druids).

I take a walk up to have a word with Mark Dent (Dynapro man) and he says to bring the bike over so that he can do a dyno run, I go back and jump on the bike to ride it over to Marks truck, when I try to ride the bike I find out the problem of the vague steering, the Steering Bearings are shot!!! no wonder Row has been complaining of a lack of confidence in it, anyway I get over to the truck Mark runs the bike to find that it is far to rich through the rev range and tells me what I need to do (cheers Mark) so its quickly back to the garage to do a carb setting change and see what I can do with the steering head (not a lot because I don’t have much time now), I tell Row what we have found and do my best to restore some confidence in him.

Race 2

Row gets another good start, and this time manages to hold his ground far better this time managing an 11th place best time of 59.040, he’s still not that happy though saying that traffic was slowing him up, I tell him that’s hard lines and he needs to get past quickly (he tends to wait and suss out an opportunity, the problem is in these sprint races you just haven’t got time to muck about!)

Saturday evening

I strip out the front end of the bike clean out the rusty mound which should be the bottom steering bearing, rub as many of the grooves out of the bearing race and slap it all back together with loads of grease and not too much torque on the locknut, the steering feels much better (although a bit clunky and not smooth!) I then wander down to the Kentagon for a couple of beers and the usual chat about how to get another couple of horses out of the old girl.

Sunday morning, I have been given an idea about how to get a bit more torque out of the bike so that is duly put into practice, Row goes out and does his 5 mins practice and comes back saying that the bike feels a lot better in the steering, he can’t notice any difference in the engine performance though.

Race 1

Row gets a flyer and nabs 6th place down paddock for the first time, he drops one place but comes though a clear 7th, 2nd lap and Row extends his gap to 8th - 3rd lap and they stop the race!!!, back to the start line (Row shaking his head!)
Go! Row goes up the inside, but has to chop the throttle as everyone sweeps across, he comes through in
a gaggle of bikes at the end of the lap, Row gradually gets shuffled to the back of the gaggle and brings the bike home in 11th place - lap time has now dropped to a 58.033, but Jason is still top Mk man with a 57.165!! we just cannot get to him this weekend!

Race 2

Err well much the same as race 1 really although Row is really in the thick of it with 4 others all finishing within a second of one another, it was quite a fight although the lap time dropped because of all the squabbling!

So that’s it, we both felt a bit deflated after the weekend (perhaps our expectations have been overly inflated), but you have to take it on the chin and move on, the bike now has nice new steering bearing’s (another thing to add to my post race check list, that list is getting quite long now)

Thanks to all those who came along to meet and watch Row
Chris H and his son for the photo’s
Steve H - good to meet you at last! its only taken three years!
The Metrakit boys and Dads (you know who you are)
Now its a nice weekend off ( whilst everyone is off to Cadwell for another MRO round) then off to Pembrey for three days with the NG lot.

Gary Miller

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