Deano
17th May 2010, 13:01
A mate of mine who is a very good bike mechanic suggested that we do the shims and clean up the valves a couple of weeks ago. I'm very glad that we did the work now because the bike seemed to be slightly more responsive and revved freely into the redline, instead of running out of puff 500rpm short of it.
I did go to the test day but arrived about 11.30am and spent the next hour or so changing fork oil on my bike and a mates SV as well.
Robert Taylor had bounced on the front end and recommend some heavier weight fork oil.
This made a huge improvement and the front end is not quite bottoming out under hard braking. I could still do with some heavier springs but will have to wait until the budget allows it. (The same goes for a full race exhaust)
Anyway, just after I signed on, Dee took me aside and bestowed upon me the honour of checking out how slippery the track was. A bike had dumped quite a lot of oil on the test day and with some rain on Saturday morning, the officials wanted to see what the track was like.
I was on cold 'dry' tyres so took it pretty easy, although not easy enough for the Spur Winged Plover who decided to take me on down the back straight. The bike suffered a bit of paint damage, hopefully the bird didn't suffer at all during its demise.
The track was a little slippery but no worse than just being wet.
Qualifying went ok - I got past Daniel Kempthorne who seemed to be cruising on the first two laps. He came back past a couple more later and as we were exiting turn 1, he looks over his shoulder at me and promptly runs off the track. WTF ??!!
He told me later he had mashed the gears and looked over to see where I was. He had unfortunately damaged his bike quite badly so that was one less battle I had on my hands.
I qualified 6th overall and 3rd pro twin (although 1st was Daniel who was now out for the day). His omission had left a nice gap in the front row, right in front of me. My plan was to jump into that gap and get a good start.
Race 1
Got a good start and was in about 4th or 5th place when Dillon and Geoff went off the track after the hairpin. Red flag.
Retart
I got another good start but Rob Berrington-Smith got an even better one. He gradually pulled away and won the first race. I had a bit of a battle before getting past Zane Brookes - he went off the track at the sweeper soon after and I took 2nd place.
Race 2
I was pleased to see the track drying out and got an excellent start, slottign into 2nd behind Geoff. I was determined to stick with him and to my surprise I found I was all over him and looking for places to get past. The bike was going great and kept up with his really well, whereas last year I could not even slip stream him.
On about lap 2 I slipstreamed down the front straight and popped out to block pass him under brakes into turn 1. This totally blew my mind - I was leading the race and had just overtaken the National pro Twin Champ !!
I told myself to stay focussed as he would not take that lying down. Sure enough, he got me back with the same move a lap later. Then Leigh Tidman came past and the three of us were lined up like a freight train, with no one making a break. Then on the last lap, Leigh ran a little deep into Higgins and I snuck up the inside to chase Geoff across the finish line for 2nd.
I reckon this has easily been my best race to date.
Race 3
Another great start and chasing Geoff, Leigh and Zane Brooks. We stayed like this until the white flag came out, so I decided to try and take Zane at turn 1. I outbraked him looking to block pass, only to find he had the same idea and was moving across in front of me to try and take Leigh.
I don't know who was suprised the most but I ended up drifting the rear end into the corner past both of them !!
I think it must have stuffed them and myself up a bit because as I was apexing splash, Rob came out of know where up the inside and I had to stand the bike up to avoid him. (Well I think I had to )
It was pretty close and he asked me after the race if it was an ok pass (it was his first time at Manfeild !!), to which I replied of course......I have pulled that move off myself a few times, maybe not quite as close but....rubbings racing eh !!
This pass relegated me back to third for the day.
I was a little disappointed to have relinquished 2nd place to Rob, but nothing was going to take away from the buzz I got in race 2.
Hopefully I can continue to give Geoff a good battle this year, and with Daniel returning for Round 2, and maybe Rob also, it looks like it will be good close, hard racing for the rest of the season.
Thanks heaps to the club volunteers etc and especially my sponsors, without whose support I would not be able to continue this year.
Deano #180
I did go to the test day but arrived about 11.30am and spent the next hour or so changing fork oil on my bike and a mates SV as well.
Robert Taylor had bounced on the front end and recommend some heavier weight fork oil.
This made a huge improvement and the front end is not quite bottoming out under hard braking. I could still do with some heavier springs but will have to wait until the budget allows it. (The same goes for a full race exhaust)
Anyway, just after I signed on, Dee took me aside and bestowed upon me the honour of checking out how slippery the track was. A bike had dumped quite a lot of oil on the test day and with some rain on Saturday morning, the officials wanted to see what the track was like.
I was on cold 'dry' tyres so took it pretty easy, although not easy enough for the Spur Winged Plover who decided to take me on down the back straight. The bike suffered a bit of paint damage, hopefully the bird didn't suffer at all during its demise.
The track was a little slippery but no worse than just being wet.
Qualifying went ok - I got past Daniel Kempthorne who seemed to be cruising on the first two laps. He came back past a couple more later and as we were exiting turn 1, he looks over his shoulder at me and promptly runs off the track. WTF ??!!
He told me later he had mashed the gears and looked over to see where I was. He had unfortunately damaged his bike quite badly so that was one less battle I had on my hands.
I qualified 6th overall and 3rd pro twin (although 1st was Daniel who was now out for the day). His omission had left a nice gap in the front row, right in front of me. My plan was to jump into that gap and get a good start.
Race 1
Got a good start and was in about 4th or 5th place when Dillon and Geoff went off the track after the hairpin. Red flag.
Retart
I got another good start but Rob Berrington-Smith got an even better one. He gradually pulled away and won the first race. I had a bit of a battle before getting past Zane Brookes - he went off the track at the sweeper soon after and I took 2nd place.
Race 2
I was pleased to see the track drying out and got an excellent start, slottign into 2nd behind Geoff. I was determined to stick with him and to my surprise I found I was all over him and looking for places to get past. The bike was going great and kept up with his really well, whereas last year I could not even slip stream him.
On about lap 2 I slipstreamed down the front straight and popped out to block pass him under brakes into turn 1. This totally blew my mind - I was leading the race and had just overtaken the National pro Twin Champ !!
I told myself to stay focussed as he would not take that lying down. Sure enough, he got me back with the same move a lap later. Then Leigh Tidman came past and the three of us were lined up like a freight train, with no one making a break. Then on the last lap, Leigh ran a little deep into Higgins and I snuck up the inside to chase Geoff across the finish line for 2nd.
I reckon this has easily been my best race to date.
Race 3
Another great start and chasing Geoff, Leigh and Zane Brooks. We stayed like this until the white flag came out, so I decided to try and take Zane at turn 1. I outbraked him looking to block pass, only to find he had the same idea and was moving across in front of me to try and take Leigh.
I don't know who was suprised the most but I ended up drifting the rear end into the corner past both of them !!
I think it must have stuffed them and myself up a bit because as I was apexing splash, Rob came out of know where up the inside and I had to stand the bike up to avoid him. (Well I think I had to )
It was pretty close and he asked me after the race if it was an ok pass (it was his first time at Manfeild !!), to which I replied of course......I have pulled that move off myself a few times, maybe not quite as close but....rubbings racing eh !!
This pass relegated me back to third for the day.
I was a little disappointed to have relinquished 2nd place to Rob, but nothing was going to take away from the buzz I got in race 2.
Hopefully I can continue to give Geoff a good battle this year, and with Daniel returning for Round 2, and maybe Rob also, it looks like it will be good close, hard racing for the rest of the season.
Thanks heaps to the club volunteers etc and especially my sponsors, without whose support I would not be able to continue this year.
Deano #180