Donington Pics

Finally got round to ordering some pictures from the Donington trackday, here are a couple of the good ones.

Nice shot at Coppice:


And at the Melbourne Loop:

Farewell

The XL should be going home tomorrow, so I thought I'd better take some pics (as previously promised), before it goes.




There are already plans afoot to fill the space it will leave in the garage, but thats another story....

Donington

Did a Focused Events track day last Saturday, at Donington.
I've done quite a few laps around Donno in cars and a handful on a bike (RH race school).
That said I was a bit scared, havening previously only done track days at Mallory.

To be honest I didn't really enjoy it, it was just to cold for me.
Track leathers are designed to keep you cool not keep you warm.
By the time I got to the circuit (about a 20 mile ride) wearing every jumper, fleece and piece of waterproof clothing I own, I was so cold I wanted to cry.

The first track session was okay, took it very steady and avoided the ice on the Hanger Straight (which was right where I was braking for the Foggy Esses (EEK!)).

Started to get more confident and a little faster in the second session, putting together some nice lines through Redgate and Coppice, and even some knee scraping though the Melbourne loop.
A big front end "moment" (well it felt big to me) at Gerrards put paid to my confidence and I wobbled round for the rest of the session even slower than normal.

I quick feel of the front tyre after the session revealed it to be stone cold.
A decrease of a few PSI's at both ends and things where looking and feeling a bit better, until another front end scare at Coppice, which once again reduced me to bimmbling round at snails pace.

By the forth session I was so paranoid about losing the front and binning it I was just all over the place. Went home in a sulk with two sessions still to go.

XL - ent

I'm currently looking after my brother's 1979 XL250.
Ian (being the car masochist he is) has bought an old Hillman Imp which is taking up all garage space whilst he constantly and repeatedly has to mend it.
So his bikes have been fostered out.
Mum gets the Hornet, Rob gets the CCM flat tracker and I get the XL.

I've had it for a few months now, I went for a ride on it as soon as he dropped it off.
I've ridden it a few times before (Hill climbs, Enduros etc) and I always assumed that it handled like that because it was on dirt. Nope, it just handles like that !!.

So it went in the garage under a sheet until yesterday.
The MOT had expired so I said I would take it to get tested.
It failed.
After a trip to MTS to get the back tyre put on the right way (I think Ian had done this deliberately to even up the wear on the trials tyres) it passed.

Once I got used to the "features" of the old girl (knackered transmission, dodgy handling, crap brakes etc) I rather started to enjoy riding it.

I even washed it today as a congratulation for passing its MOT.
I'm even a little bit sad at the thought of it going home soon.

I'll post some pics tomorrow if I remember.

A quick round up.......

.....of the last 9 or so months since I last posted on here (shame on me).

Sadly I haven't actually done that much biking, hence the lack of posts. (thats my excuse and I'm sticking to it!).

So in summary:

Moved house.
Sold the Hongdou, chap rode it back to Swindon or somewhere, brave man on a 50 mile tank range !
Bought a new car.
Ordered some new Hyperpro suspension for the SV.
Got a bollocking at work for swearing at Demon Tweeks over the phone after they delivered the wrong part after a two month wait, and then refused to give me a full refund.
Ordered some new Hyperpro suspension for the SV. (Sold the stuff the DT sent me on eBay).
Fitted suspension to SV.

Which pretty much brings us up to date.

Trackday

Did a Focused Events "Chequered Flag Day" on Saturday at Mallory Park.
In the morning you go out as a group of 4 or 5 with an instructor, with a debrief after each session.
The afternoon is normal ability sessioned trackday.
This is my third excursion onto the track and I think I'm starting to get the hang of it.

I think I'm also perhaps ready for a sportsbike now.
The SV is great but I don't think I can ride it much faster without things getting a bit scary.

You are supposed to pass on the brakes and leave at least 6 feet. A couple of times I was following sportsbikes and carrying much more mid corner speed but couldn't get past because I was having to brake 50ft earlier on the entry

One of the instructors looked at my bike and after checking the suspension commented "I'm surprised you're going as fast as you are on this bike"

Despite my boingy suspension I think I was still one of the fastest in the slow group.
Got some cracking pictures on CD from the professional photographer too.


Just need to do the next one at a track with more left handers so I can scuff my left slider up to match the right one !

Sunday Ride

Had a lttle blast out to Cadwell Park on Sunday.
A friend was marshaling and had some free tickets.

I was going to go in the car as the weather forecast looked shite. Plus the fact the poor old car hasn't turned a wheel for some time now.
Anyway the sun was trying to break through the clouds as I looked out of the window first thing, so I thought I'd take a chance an go on me bike. It would be such a shame to waste all those lovely roads between here and Cadwell (sorry car).

Unfortunately all the good roads where clogged up with cars, vans, horseboxes and horses (not in boxes, with people on them). Every time I picked my through the traffic so I had a clear road ahead, the road was 12 miles of straight dual carriageway :-(

I cheered up slightly just as I entered Wragby. For a second I thought I was seeing double.
Out of a side road at some traffic lights pulled two identical R1s. With riders wearing identical gear, boots, helmets leathers, the lot.

I followed my identical chums through Wragby expecting then to disappear off into the distance.
They didn't, obviously didn't want their shiny new kit to get all splattered with flies and crap, they pootled along 59 mph. Fair play, every one has the right to ride how they want, so I whipped by them with a little wave.

Joy of joys ! the best bit of road on the journey and not a another vehicle in sight.
The two R1s now two tiny identical specs in my mirrors.
So I proceed to ride it as poorly as I can. Bollocks :-(
Maybe it was the frustration of all the traffic.

Never mind. I still had an afternoon of (free) historic racing. Cars rather than bikes but still some cracking racing.

A quick chat with Rob at lunchtime and a thoroughly entertaining afternoons racing.

The ride home was much better. The road to Wragby was empty again and this time I made a much better job of it.
Not mega fast (I am cautious road rider at the best of times) just nice and relaxed, concentrating on my steering inputs and my lines. Super.

As a bonus the road from Southwell to Burton Joyce was also (apart from one easily dispatched horse box) beautifully clear too.

Dealers

I wonder sometimes how some dealers ever manage to sell a bike.
I popped up to my local Honda dealer to have a look at the new CBR 600 RR.

The RR has had some cracking write ups, especially in the is months TWO, who rate it as the best 600 for both road and track.

The salesman was less than enthusiastic (to say the least). Contrast this to the chap at the Yamaha dealer earlier (where I had taken my SV for its MOT) who was itching to sell me an R6 or even the second hand CBR he had in the showroom.

Shame I don't really want an R6, although out of all the supersport 600s the R6 is easily the looker of the bunch. The new Honda on the other hand leaves me a bit cold in the looks department.

In the new bike stakes the Gixxer (600 or 750) is still a firm favorite. I shall have to see how much money I have left after SprocketTowers has been upgraded.

The SV650 passed by the way.