Shane - Superlite (#43)

I'd been meaning to get down to the Sidecar's Have a Go Day for quite a while now but every year something else got in the way. This time though, Drew piped up with the offer to pick me up on their way through and as plans had changed I was actually free to go on the Sunday.

My alarm went off exactly when it should and I turned it off (not even hitting snooze) and rolled over. I was knackered. I'd had a fairly tiring 3 days and hadn't gotten to sleep anywhere near as early as I wanted to so I was extremely lethargic. After a few minutes oh grumbling I slowly rolled out of bed and got some clothes on.

The wonderful thing about living in an apartment is our proximity to eating establishments. At such a ridiculous time on a Sunday morning (8:00am) the only possible motivator is McDonalds. A Sausage and Egg McMuffin with a Hash Brown stuffed in the middle of it and then smothered with Tomato Sauce (usually Bacon improves anything but you can't have Tomato Sauce with Bacon cos it's just not done so I have to settle for the Sausage and Egg McMuffin). I think such a strange combination feels right on a Sunday morning because it's hang over food and the only reason to be awake this early is because you're still on your way home from the night before. I wasn't either, but my body seems to be programmed to feel like that early on Sunday mornings. Tis wierd.

Two minutes after getting my order I was back in our apartment. Nudged the wife and handed her a Bacon and Egg McMuffin Combo then sat down and tucked into mine. Hadn't heard from Drew yet so I messaged him to see where they were. Fifteen minutes later my phone rings and I find out they're just getting into Huntly, so they're going to be at least 30 minutes late, which is fine by me.

A bit later I get a call and Drew is almost at my place but not sure exactly how to get there so after him describing where he is and me scratching my head I get him on the right track, pick up my gear bag and wander downstairs in time to see him approaching.

The trip down was uneventful (always a good thing) and we talked and caught up on lots of stuff while the other two got over their hangovers.

Drew hadn't been to Taupo since the bypass went in so I pointed him in the right direction and made sure we didn't miss the entrance to the old pits.

It's been ages since I went anywhere near the old pits but it brought back a few memories of past track days and a couple of the associated parties.

We wandered around and said hi to various people, checking things out and getting the feel of things. I finally got my arse into gear and climbed into my riding gear. I left my boots in the gear bag, as well as my back protector. Felt very weird not wearing the back protector but with it under my leathers I can't bend anywhere near as much. Seeing as it was a publicity type day nobody was going to actually throw me off the side so I didn't worry too much about getting damaged. I was certain the riders would do their damnedest to make sure nobody got hurt.

Having a think about things I decided I wanted to have a go on each of the different types of outfit - a long chair, a short and a classic.

Talking to Warwick he suggested I try out the Lawrence brothers long chair. I saw Richie Lawrence running around like an idiot and a young fella had a list in his hand so I put my name on it and waited a bit. The was a bunch before me so Richie talked them all through being on the side as a group, then the first person jumped on and away they went. When their laps were done the passenger jumped off and the next person jumped straight on. The rider (wasn't Chris Lawrence so I'm not sure who it was) was still rolling through the whole process of swapping passengers so we had to be onto it. The others had their turn and when that group was finished it was time for the demo race for all of the outfits.

Richie didn't actually have his leathers so he had to run around and try and find some. Sidecar Bob had pissed off to have a ride on a two wheeler on Taupo Track 2 so Scrivy was short of a passenger. People had given Drew enough shit that he grudgingly borrowed some leathers from somewhere and was going to have a go on the side for a change. Scrivy grabbed him, stuck him on the side and said she'll be right and went out in the demo race. Drew's first ever sidecar race as a swinger and it was with that lunatic Scrivy. This was going to be bloody entertaining haha.

They did a rolling start and it was all very entertaining. Tracey on the pink chair only seemed to know one speed and that was to charge. Scrivy was flying around waving his arms and stuff while Drew just tried to hang on and looked very much like he wanted to go home. The Lawrences long chair overshot the corner at the end of the straight and I was thinking "crap, I'm out with that mad bastard in 5 minutes". At the end of it somebody won. No idea who. But it looked hilarious from the wall.

So they all cruised into the pits and took a much needed break. During this time Richie took me and a couple of others through being on the side and I climbed on to get a quick feel. It was immediately apparent that my legs are much too long for that set up as I couldn't get my left foot against the kick plate so I was going to have to use a different one, which really felt wrong but it'd be fine for slow laps.

One other dude had his helmet on so jumped on before me and they were away. I stood around with all my gear on just waiting. All of a sudden I got extremely nervous and thought "never done this before and I don't want to be the first to balls it up and jump off the side". Then the outfit appeared in pit lane and I immediately forgot I was nervous.

On I climbed and we cruised up pit lane. Out onto the track and I lean out the side a bit to see what it's like. Things weren't too bad and we did a nice slow lap so I could get a bit of a feeling for it. The right hander I had to have a couple of goes at finding the hand hold but I got it. Onto the straight and the driver looked around to see what I wanted to do so I gave the thumbs up, which meant go a bit quicker.

He really was going slow that first lap cos that bloody thing took off.

Things were definitely happening quite a bit faster and I just concerntrated on getting the holds right and making sure I'm vaguely in the right place. Next time through the right hander I scrambled across, had another couple of goes at finding the hand hold and eventually got my finger tips on it. Luckily I have this weird ability to hang on with out clenching my hand so the muscles stay relaxed. I can literally hang from the rafters by my fingertips, my fingers kind of locking up so the muscles don't do a thing. That was coming in very handy right then because I really was hanging on by the tips of my fingers.

Around we go a couple more times and I'm knackered. Not from arm pump like everyone else, but because my breathing rate more than tripled in the 1st half a lap and didn't come down until I got of the thing.

Now that was fun. Three laps at medium-ish pace and I felt like an elephant had used me as a trampolene.

I pulled my gear off and went and had a chat. Seems most were struggling with how difficult it is to hold on and one guy came off the track and couldn't talk. He was breathing so fast he just couldn't get any words out. It's definitely hard work.

Chilled out a bit I went looking for my next ride. After wandering around I found the Triumph Classic outfit was sitting there nice and quiet so I started chatting and Will and Julie showed me how to get around on it. The platform was much more my style cos it was the size of a small bed compared to the tiny little perch on the long chair. The only problem I had was that my legs are somewhat longer than Julies so I couldn't actually squeeze in between the chair wheel etc, so I was going to have to sit further forward down the straights. I could definitely use holds that Julie couldn't though simply because I was so much taller with longer arms and legs so after a bit of trying different holds we geared up and headed out.

I have to say, it was a shitload of fun. The long chair was too cramped for me so I had lots of difficulties but the Triumph had lots of room. More importantly, it liked to lift the chair wheel and Will quickly figured out that getting air didn't faze me a bit so by the third lap he would get the wheel in the air at the apex and drift the remaining two wheels sideways, all the way out to the edge of the track and then put it down nice and gently. On the right hander he put the thing into lovely long 3 wheel drift.

That was too much fun. Sounds like Will went quite hard with me on the right hander because he said there were small chunks of rubber coming off the front tyre and that usually only happens when he's pushing it a bit. Being more than 30kgs heavier than Julie I rather think it was my arse that was working the tyre harder.

I wandered off and grabbed Jen, dragging her over to have a go on the Triumph. Initially she hadn't wanted to try a Classic but after lots of prodding she thought she'd give it a go. I showed her the pics on the board that Will and Julie had made up and that definitely made her mind up. She wanted to be lying horizontal off the side of the thing with her head 2 inches from the ground, just like in those pictures.

She bloody well did too. On the last lap she got right out the side in the sweeper. It looked awesome.

More chilling out and I had another chat to Warwick. I told him I was having trouble because I was much taller than the usual passengers so he suggested I have a go on #77 because Kracker is 6'2 so the platform will be much more suited to me.

Wandering over I grabbed a very bemused looking Kracker who took me through holding onto the thing. While I pulled my helmet etc on he went to look for his driver and, not finding him, grabbed his gear cos he was going to have to take me out. Not a problem I thought, except he said he'd never driven that outfit so things could be interesting.

In the pits I'd decided against using the left hand hold that's way out on the side, but before we'd even gotten to the first turn I'd found it was actually much more comfortable now that we were moving. First corner and this outfit feels extremely comfortable. I've got my arse off the side and head down by the wheel gaurd, right leg planted solidly against the foot rest and I'm perfectly comfortable.

Two corners later and something is wrong. The engines spluttering and sounding very much like we're running out of fuel. I actually have to push it for 50m, making my sidecar experience 100% authentic hahaha.

Turns out the fuel pump hadn't been switched on so that got sorted and Karl turned her over a couple of times and we were away again.

Really the only problem I had was getting from left to right because I still had the armour in the knees of my suit and I was also aware that I had to be careful not to sit on Karl's foot cos that would slam the brakes on and bad things would happen. It was very, very comfortable and it felt awesome when he pushed it a little through a couple of the corners. I could feel the g's building against my right leg, my head getting lower and further out until all I could see was grass.

That was easily the best fit for me and as we pulled in a tall young lady who must've had the same advice I had was lined up ready to go.

Leaning against the wall I was very happy. Although I noticed the Triumph had a bit of smoke coming out of it and pointed it out to Julie. She said that didn't look good and when Will came past the next time it was definitely smoking more so we both frantically waved. Will saw us, looked down and hit the kill switch straight away. Seems it may have eaten a ring but they won't know until they get it apart.

All in all a great day. I'd always wanted to have a go and now I had I was definitely going to be back in 12 months to have another go. Now I knew what to look for I'd probably do multiple rides on certain machines. The Triumph for the giggles and #77 cos it fits so well.