k14
26th July 2006, 14:47
I finished work at 1300 on Friday and got the bikes packed up all ready for the drive north. Was worried as to whether I would make it due to a spattering of road closures across the bottom SI due to the snow. But by 1600 all the roads were back open and the path was free for my trip to levels. I arrived around 1900 and spent the night at a mates house in Timaru.
Next morning we were out at the track bright and early ready for racing. It was a beautiful day, was about 12 degrees by 1000 and not a cloud in the sky or puff of wind. This was going to be a good day. There were seven 125’s attending and we would run along with F3 off the same start.
First practice came around and I set out. It was the first time I was riding my new bike on a day that would be dry for the whole meeting. I took it easy for the first few laps and then trying to get back into it. It was my first visit on the 125 to levels since last September so I was a bit rusty. After I started getting a good run onto the back straight I found that my bike was dying about 2/3rds of the way down the straight, about the time when I changed into 5th gear. I pulled into the pits to investigate the problem. I suspected the fueling was the problem due to the fact that I had just installed a ram air box to my bike. I made a few minor changes to hopefully remedy the problem for the first race.
The first race came around and after a brisk warmup lap I was on the 2nd row. The flag dropped and I was off. I got a pretty good start (even though all the 4 strokes still passed me) and was probably 15th or so into the first corner. I passed a few coming onto the straight and another few down it and was right on the butt of another one of the 125 riders. I followed him around for the rest of the lap and was right in his slipstream ready to pass down the back straight when the bike started cutting out again. I continued the rest of the race managing to hold off the guys behind me to finish up about 12th in F3 (out of about 30) and 4th in 125’s. A bit disappointed but was a solid start to the weekend. I just needed to sort out the fueling problem and I would be away.
After some discussion after the race we determined that what was happening was that the float bowl was emptying out of fuel when I went over a speed of around 150kph. Because the airbox was a sealed unit and thus sucking more fuel through the system the gravity fed system wasn’t able to fill the bowl up fast enough so the fuel was running out. It would take a corner or two to fill up again and then I would be away. This is a fairly undesirable situation to be in as it could cause rather bad detonation on a 125. I fitted a hose to equalise the pressure in the tank with the pressure in the airbox and I should be ok for the next race.
The next race gridded up and I managed to get onto the front row this time. Right next to Andy Evans (current NZ 125 champ). I got a pretty good start and slotted right in behind him for the first few corners. Onto the straight and he pulled a bit of a gap due to a slightly better setup bike, although I wasn’t too concerned with this. I tried to keep up with the group in front but wasn’t able to. I picked off a SV650 and a FZR400 on the next two laps and kept the pace going for a further two. I looked over my shoulder quickly as I came onto the straight and I couldn’t see anyone behind me at all. I knew that I had a decent gap so just made sure I bought it home. So after 6 laps the chequered flag was out and the race was over. Pretty happy with that one, finished up 7th overall in F3 and 2nd out of the 125’s, couldn’t have really done too much better.
So that was the first two races over with just the 8 lap King of Canterbury race left. I wasn’t paying too good attention and was slightly late to the dummy grid. Because of this I missed out on a front row position and was demoted to the 2nd row. Again I was passed by a few four strokes off the line and was in about 12th or so going into the back straight. I passed a few guys and settled into the back of a four way fight with two other 125’s and a SV). I followed closely for a few laps and one of the 125’s got clear. I was desperate to beat him and knew I couldn’t wait to make the pass. I followed closely for a few laps and tried a few moves but wasn’t able to make them pass. On the 4th lap I took the hairpin nice and wide and swung in to take a late apex. The 125 infront had been sucked into taking a SV line and I had them both on the inside as I exited the hairpin. I got to the next left hander first and knew that I had till the back straight to make enough of a gap on the SV to keep him behind for good. The 125 that had passed the SV first had now cleared off so I was out on my own. I kept on the next few laps at a good pace and had a quick glance behind on the 6th. I could see that a guy on a FZR was about 20m back so I couldn’t let off. I kept the pace up for the remaining laps and managed to hold my position.
I ended up 6th in F3 and 3rd out of the 125’s for that race. I was also timed with best time of 1.14. Was very happy with that time seeing as my old best time was a 1.18 on my old bike. My last 4 laps were also all in the low 15’s, within three tenths of each other. Had taken 4 seconds off my previous best, still got another 4 to go to be ultra competitive but on the right track. Still got some more getting used to my new bike, as well as some tuning still to do.
All that was left now was the fun race of the day, with a le mans start. I knew it didn’t mean anything so decided to just take it easy and give a mate on another 125 a bit of help. So at the start I just strolled to the other side of the track and easily started my bike. It was a really fun race. I would pass a few guys through the twisties and back off down the straight to do it all again. Had some good fun as well as helping my mate drop just on a second off his other best times for the day.
So all in all a pretty good day. Good results and good lap times. Thanks to all the supporters and sponsors, Motoequip, Quasimoto and Sawyers Motorcycles.
Not sure when next meeting will be due to work commitments but I’ll keep everyone informed.
Next morning we were out at the track bright and early ready for racing. It was a beautiful day, was about 12 degrees by 1000 and not a cloud in the sky or puff of wind. This was going to be a good day. There were seven 125’s attending and we would run along with F3 off the same start.
First practice came around and I set out. It was the first time I was riding my new bike on a day that would be dry for the whole meeting. I took it easy for the first few laps and then trying to get back into it. It was my first visit on the 125 to levels since last September so I was a bit rusty. After I started getting a good run onto the back straight I found that my bike was dying about 2/3rds of the way down the straight, about the time when I changed into 5th gear. I pulled into the pits to investigate the problem. I suspected the fueling was the problem due to the fact that I had just installed a ram air box to my bike. I made a few minor changes to hopefully remedy the problem for the first race.
The first race came around and after a brisk warmup lap I was on the 2nd row. The flag dropped and I was off. I got a pretty good start (even though all the 4 strokes still passed me) and was probably 15th or so into the first corner. I passed a few coming onto the straight and another few down it and was right on the butt of another one of the 125 riders. I followed him around for the rest of the lap and was right in his slipstream ready to pass down the back straight when the bike started cutting out again. I continued the rest of the race managing to hold off the guys behind me to finish up about 12th in F3 (out of about 30) and 4th in 125’s. A bit disappointed but was a solid start to the weekend. I just needed to sort out the fueling problem and I would be away.
After some discussion after the race we determined that what was happening was that the float bowl was emptying out of fuel when I went over a speed of around 150kph. Because the airbox was a sealed unit and thus sucking more fuel through the system the gravity fed system wasn’t able to fill the bowl up fast enough so the fuel was running out. It would take a corner or two to fill up again and then I would be away. This is a fairly undesirable situation to be in as it could cause rather bad detonation on a 125. I fitted a hose to equalise the pressure in the tank with the pressure in the airbox and I should be ok for the next race.
The next race gridded up and I managed to get onto the front row this time. Right next to Andy Evans (current NZ 125 champ). I got a pretty good start and slotted right in behind him for the first few corners. Onto the straight and he pulled a bit of a gap due to a slightly better setup bike, although I wasn’t too concerned with this. I tried to keep up with the group in front but wasn’t able to. I picked off a SV650 and a FZR400 on the next two laps and kept the pace going for a further two. I looked over my shoulder quickly as I came onto the straight and I couldn’t see anyone behind me at all. I knew that I had a decent gap so just made sure I bought it home. So after 6 laps the chequered flag was out and the race was over. Pretty happy with that one, finished up 7th overall in F3 and 2nd out of the 125’s, couldn’t have really done too much better.
So that was the first two races over with just the 8 lap King of Canterbury race left. I wasn’t paying too good attention and was slightly late to the dummy grid. Because of this I missed out on a front row position and was demoted to the 2nd row. Again I was passed by a few four strokes off the line and was in about 12th or so going into the back straight. I passed a few guys and settled into the back of a four way fight with two other 125’s and a SV). I followed closely for a few laps and one of the 125’s got clear. I was desperate to beat him and knew I couldn’t wait to make the pass. I followed closely for a few laps and tried a few moves but wasn’t able to make them pass. On the 4th lap I took the hairpin nice and wide and swung in to take a late apex. The 125 infront had been sucked into taking a SV line and I had them both on the inside as I exited the hairpin. I got to the next left hander first and knew that I had till the back straight to make enough of a gap on the SV to keep him behind for good. The 125 that had passed the SV first had now cleared off so I was out on my own. I kept on the next few laps at a good pace and had a quick glance behind on the 6th. I could see that a guy on a FZR was about 20m back so I couldn’t let off. I kept the pace up for the remaining laps and managed to hold my position.
I ended up 6th in F3 and 3rd out of the 125’s for that race. I was also timed with best time of 1.14. Was very happy with that time seeing as my old best time was a 1.18 on my old bike. My last 4 laps were also all in the low 15’s, within three tenths of each other. Had taken 4 seconds off my previous best, still got another 4 to go to be ultra competitive but on the right track. Still got some more getting used to my new bike, as well as some tuning still to do.
All that was left now was the fun race of the day, with a le mans start. I knew it didn’t mean anything so decided to just take it easy and give a mate on another 125 a bit of help. So at the start I just strolled to the other side of the track and easily started my bike. It was a really fun race. I would pass a few guys through the twisties and back off down the straight to do it all again. Had some good fun as well as helping my mate drop just on a second off his other best times for the day.
So all in all a pretty good day. Good results and good lap times. Thanks to all the supporters and sponsors, Motoequip, Quasimoto and Sawyers Motorcycles.
Not sure when next meeting will be due to work commitments but I’ll keep everyone informed.