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Two Smoker
20th February 2006, 15:01
Hey everyone,

As most of you know I am now riding a new bike (K4 GSX-R600). So with a bit of talking to the Clerk of the race I managed to change my entry from F3 to F2.

I've had the bike for a bit under 2 weeks now, and have managed to do one track day on it getting into the low 63's and high 62's around Pukekohe. I've never raced at Paeroa so was really jumping in the deep end with it being my first race on a 600 as well!!!

I didnt have any expectations for my results at Paeroa but I didnt want to go touring around the track either.

Because i have never been to Paeroa so i qualifyed to do some sighting laps. I was waiting on the grid for ages, focusing on learning the track and getting on the zone, and I forgot all about watching the temperature!!! Fucking idiot!!! I boiled the bike over and had to pull out of the sighting laps. After alot of work from Shaun and Milky, they got the bike cooled down and I was ready for Qualifying 1. Since these were basically my sighting laps, i did more of learning the track than putting down blistering lap times. AND WHAT A CIRCUIT IT IS!!! The front straight is like a tunnel and your speed is so high, into turn one and over the hill with turn 2 and 3 is wicked, where you can really crank the bike over. The back straight is just crazy with the front coming up off the first hump, and the bike getting airborne of the second hump, before touching the brakes for the kink crank it over and then brake hard for the hairpin. Out of the hairpin the rear is spinning up from the off camber then when it hooks up the front is coming off the ground again!!! WICKED CIRCUIT!!!

Qualifying 2: Was aiming to go alot faster, but still coming to grips with the circuit. Went out and felt alot faster than the first session, but had problems with the second hump and the esses. Plenty more to learn and heaps more speed to come.

Race 1: I was on the second row of the start, and was a bit nervous being around some of the big names and being my first race on a 600. The flag dropped and i got away with an average start which I was happy with. I settled in behind Darron Wheeler and Karl Morgan. Sticking with the tail of the front pack. Still learning the track, I made a few mistakes here and there, meaning I would lose ground on Darron and Karl, but then make it up again. I was getting into a good dice with Darron, and tried to out brake him on the front straight, but tucked back in behind him, and followed him closely until the hairpin, where I got chatter and gassed it up way to early resulting in a huge slide. I lost alot of ground from that, and set about making it up again. Then coming into the esses i got chatter again, and all of a sudden the bike died!!! Ah shit!!! I furiously tried the both kill switches, then turned the key on and off, but to no avail. I coasted to a halt outside the pits, where i tried to fix it again. But once again to no avail. I went from 11th place to last with a best time of 49.005.

Back at the Pits we found out that the positive wire to the battery was too taught. The wire then snapped from fatigue. So with the help of Milky, Shaun and Graeme Cole, we sorted it out and I was ready for the next race.

Robert Holden: Sadly I did not qualify for this race, as the did it off the qualifying times not the race times. Even though I had the 25th fastest race time I couldn't race in it... Very disappointing...

Race 2: There was a warning that the exit of the esses had tar bleeding through, so they had put down gravel and cement on the exit.... On the warm up lap I came around the corner, FUCKING HELL!!! Did they start a new quarry in the middle of the exit from the esses??? The gave me a big mind block for that corner, and my times showed this. Because of the DNF from the last race, I had to start from the back of the grid. Sitting on the line, flag dropped, slipped the clutch, but engaged it too much and got way too much wheel spin!!! I settled in behind a RS250 , who ran a bit wide in turn 2, whilst I was trying to go around the outside of him. Passed him going down the back straight, and settled in behind Ricky Mckay. I was right up behind him, and passed him up the inside of turn 2. I was constantly going to slow out of the esses because of the gravel mucking with my head. I was going much faster into the hairpin, and getting alot of chatter from the front end, when braking for the hairpin and esses. I felt alot smoother in this race, and even though I was going very slowly through the esses, my times were still in the 49's with a best of 49.625. The front end chatter was caused by my forks bottoming out, so for the street circuits I need to add a bit more fork oil. This will sort of the front end chatter and i can brake harder and later for these two turns. I ended up coming 11th in this race.

I wasnt really happy with my performance on the day, but i wasnt disappointed either. Ive had a good think about the track, and can see where i could have and will save time. I had a great day out, and throughly enjoyed myself.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY: Signing two little boys shirts, who asked for my autograph!!! Stoked as with that!!!

Huge thanks for, Chloe, Milky, Shaun Harris, Graeme Cole, Trev, Dad and Kerry, Nick Cole and Colemans Suzuki. Cheers also to all the people that came up and said gidday, or showed their support by watching the races :niceone:

Cheers, Chris

bugjuice
20th February 2006, 15:15
yeah, awesome write up. So gutted I couldn't make it on the day and witness it first hand..

I wouldn't have been disappointed with all that tho. Like you said, you were really at the deep end on this race - new bike, new track, new class, spectator pressure etc etc.. Sounds like you pulled it off well all things considered..

good on ya mate

enigma51
20th February 2006, 15:22
Dude from where I was watching I would sworn you have been on the track before!!! Thanks for good show!

Riff Raff
20th February 2006, 15:39
Well done Chris - despite the setback. Jimmy and I were standing opposite you when the bike broke down. Some retard standing next to us shouted out to you to "turn your fuel reserve tap on". We just looked at him going WTF? Yeah whateva buddy!!!

Looking forward to watching your progress on the 600.

slob
20th February 2006, 15:40
Great writeup Chris! Sounds like you had an eventful race and learned heaps from it. Results were good too, all things considered. I'm sure you'll do heaps better next time!

sAsLEX
20th February 2006, 16:04
HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY: Signing two little boys shirts, who asked for my autograph!!! Stoked as with that!!!


Sorry to burst your bubble but they asked for KK's and K14's as well!!


But you were looking good for your first time out on the new 600! Will have to make it to your next race :corn:

Quasievil
20th February 2006, 16:06
Cool write up mate, interesting about the suspension, it looks bloody bumby there. I wished I was racing now but oh well next year Im in for sure, either that or WT can do it for me cause Im a bit of a poof with all those hard things to hit, like walls and kerbs.

Pleased youre on a good bike mate, now lets see your tru potential waiting to get out mate, I call this moment the start of the real deal TS racing career !!!:yes:

Two Smoker
20th February 2006, 16:11
Cheers everyone :niceone:


Sorry to burst your bubble but they asked for KK's and K14's as well!!


Nah i saw them go to everyone, im pretty sure they got nearly all the riders signatures!!! But it was still cool hehehe

Brian d marge
20th February 2006, 16:25
Awesome write up man.
All up, well done on your first race at what is arguably New Zealands premier motorcycle race. (Certainly best Street race in Southern Hemisphere). You done well and made us all proud.

Now get out there and get fuckin fast on the dedicated circuits.

Yup I enjoyed that write up. And as for it being the best in the southern Hemisphere , your right there .. I ahve been to a lot of GPs , isle of man , and I would put paeroa , right up there withthe Isle of man.

If they made it a race week ???? It would be better than the isle of mann . ( Ilse of mann is nice, but the weather gets a bit gloomy sometimes ..min you the cooked breakfasts were great ,,,

I reckon Paeroa could be the showcase of NZ mc racing ....( Last nite I read the thread about Mr Sharpe , being injured at thatr time I didnt know his condition , and thought ohhhh $%^&^&* , but he aparantly is good so all is well .

Good show all round for all those who raced , just being out there is tough enough .

And I was thinking shows how tough racing can be on a bike ...I assume it was a stock wiring loom ?? .

anyway well done all round

Stephen

Motoracer
20th February 2006, 16:25
As big as Paeroa is and as fun as everything else was. I was pretty much there just to watch you race.

For someone who hasn't spent very long on a 600 at all and who's never been around Paeroa, you did unbelivebly well mate!! You gotta be proud of that.

Wait till you do heaps of races on the 600 this year and gain lots of experience, then you'll own the races in Paeroa BOS 2007!

Go hard man, you did real good!

sAsLEX
20th February 2006, 16:26
Nah i saw them go to everyone, im pretty sure they got nearly all the riders signatures!!! But it was still cool hehehe

Told us they were keeping them to give to there kids! that shocked KK a bit :sherlock:

Two Smoker
20th February 2006, 16:50
As big as Paeroa is and as fun as everything else was. I was pretty much there just to watch you race.

For someone who hasn't spent very long on a 600 at all and who's never been around Paeroa, you did unbelivebly well mate!! You gotta be proud of that.

Wait till you do heaps of races on the 600 this year and gain lots of experience, then you'll own the races in Paeroa BOS 2007!

Go hard man, you did real good!

Cheers man :niceone: means alot!!! Especially having to leave wellington so early to come upto Paeroa!!!

cowpoos
20th February 2006, 18:57
awesome come back in the second race dude....great write up....sounds like your feeling pretty comfortable on the new stead....how much different are you finding it?

Two Smoker
20th February 2006, 19:08
awesome come back in the second race dude....great write up....sounds like your feeling pretty comfortable on the new stead....how much different are you finding it?

Hugely different from my 400... and its hugely different from my K5 GSX-R too... Just need to explore its limits alot more...

Kwaka-Kid
20th February 2006, 21:53
Wicked to watch chris! i know u may not feel that great about it but hey, you did giveit your best and not more could be asked. It was still seen too man, i watched you down the back straight and coming onto it, could tell you had it going smooth man! roll on watching more of you race the beast around circuits.

FROSTY
20th February 2006, 22:11
Chris--Ya did fucken well dude. You were there with the best in the country.
THE BEST

Sparky Bills
21st February 2006, 12:03
Chris--Ya did fucken well dude. You were there with the best in the country.
THE BEST


And Oz!

Hey are a couple pics.
If you want the original size (bigger than these) Let me know you email.

nadroj
21st February 2006, 12:13
Sorry but none of those pics are suitable - something to do with the background banners.

Sparky Bills
21st February 2006, 12:18
Sorry but none of those pics are suitable - something to do with the background banners.


HAHA, Ill see if i can photo shop them.

Steve_R6R
21st February 2006, 12:42
You gotta be happy with the day, first time and all. Next year, ohhh I can't hardly wait till next year. It took me all day to relax and get my head around the track, first couple of laps was "this is insane!!!!" last few laps was "this is awsome!!!!". You will only improve from here, and you don't have too many places to go to get to the top, CONGRADULATIONS. (I on the other hand have a HUGE amount of "potential" to yet be realised. p.s. I enjoyed the soft bit of the track, it was the only bit I could get the rear to break lose.

Racey Rider
21st February 2006, 12:56
Dam! :brick:
Here I was looking for you in F3 all day like the programe said!!

Hope to catch a bit of you on the TV replay then. :niceone:

Drunken Monkey
21st February 2006, 13:09
I took some pics of you as well. PM me if you want any of the full size originals. Thought I better post 'em early, as all those good pics of Motoracer went missing before I uploaded them...bloody hard drive crashed :mad: :angry2:

aff-man
21st February 2006, 13:41
yeh was watching the first race from the corner where you broke down and you seemed to be going really good untill it happened..

Second race was at the corner at the end of the front straight and loved it as you snaked the guy on the inside going up the hill... awesome stuff mate keep it up.

Two Smoker
21st February 2006, 17:45
Cheers for the photos guys... geez looks like someone needs to lean it over a shitload more...

Kwaka-Kid
21st February 2006, 18:01
hey chris - dont be hard oin yaself man, not kidding i know i aint up to where u are, but i find with my riding on the street circuit i aim not to lean it as far, lots of hang and least lean but crack on gas as early as poss and brake late, as u picked up i bet, its not as grippy as street circuits and u dont got the lead into corners to get the bike down and setup, not to mention the bumps!~

babyB
21st February 2006, 20:39
hay TS cool wright up
well done, ya gotta be happy bout being out there

2_SL0
23rd February 2006, 19:39
Dude I thought you looked bloody good. Next yr your look even better.