The Excellent Adventures of.. Trudes

Rangi has been turned into Super Rangi!!

So, Rangi went to the SkunkWorks bucket factory for some diagnostics to figure out his fueling issues and rolled out two weeks later a different bike!!!
Sketchy_Racer offered to do some tuning on him to make him run a bit nicer for nanna here and so we could put my larger carb on and get him running. What he's done I don't entirely understand, (maybe he might like to tell us, but maybe it's his secret) all I know is that he is one sweet sweet little bucket now!

I was warned not to be too upset if he didn't run too well on Saturday as his tuning wasn't completely how Glen wanted it yet, so I had braced myself for not getting in much Rangi time for our Easter Bucket GP!

Jumped on at the Slipway on Saturday and took him out for a spin, just taking it quietly just in case and kind of waiting for something to happen.... nothing did, well nothing bad anyway. I think Glen could see what I thought when I pulled back into the pits with a large grin on my face! What a cool bucket!!!

Everyone took him for a ride, even Kendog "I hate 2 strokes" thought he was cool! We did the whole day including both points races (ok, I didn't win, in fact I think I came last in both, but I didn't care, I finished and my bucket is wicked!!) So happy camper here went home with a huge smile and very much looking forward to the next day at Kaitoke after we did some quick repairs of an engine bolt that had wriggled itself loose and adjusting the rear brake so it wasn't constantly dragging.

The next day we went out onto the track, Rangi's engine was still beaut, but I was having some issues with changing up gears. Came in, Skunk adjusted the gear linkage for me as we'd had it off the night before and it wasn't quite back in the right spot. Went out again for our first practice race, kept slipping gears, lined up for the race start, got off the line, into second gear, third.... no, can't get it into third, nope stuck in second, back to first ok, up to second... no. Shit! So pulled off the track and sat out the race waiting to roll back to the pits. Skunk, Kendog and Sketchy had a fiddle with him, but alas, not something that can be fixed today. So Rangi was parked up to look pretty in the sun for the day

Nevermind, shit happens, off to scab up a ride for the rest of the day. Back on to Andrew Adlam's trusty FXR for the rest of the day, I did try to not come last for him, and I did manage it on the last race because some people crashed, so the attrition card won for me again!!

All in all, had a good weekend! Thanks to Nudemetalz for organising the racing; Kendog for his patience, encouragement and for not passing me in really shitty places; Andrew Adlam for lending me his FXR again; Sully60 for walking the track with me, tips, encouragement and the offer of The Sled; Skunk for all your encouragement and hard work (I know I'm hard work); and Sketchy for all your knowledge and tireless hard work on Rangi!!!
Rangi will ride again!!!
Here's some pics courtesy of Skunk Control (thanks!!)