Kaitoke Having just watched the history of the isle of man i couldnt get to sleep and kept thinking of how to avoid certain embarrassment.I must have fallen asleep because next thing i know the lights on and its still dark outside.All we had to do was jump in the truck and go.By the time we got half way over the remutakas the sun had finally started to rise.Pulling up at the track the nerves started to kick in.It had stopped raining but the track was still wet.I was the 2nd bucket racer there.I managed to get out in the first practice both A and B grade.The bike felt crap and i ended up running onto the little island at the end of the straight as it was reverse track.I was thinking about giving up as it had started hosing down while i was out there and felt uncomfortable to ride a newish bike in my first race/practice on a wet track that i had never ridden before.Coming into the pits i felt really slow and wasnt sure whether it was me or the bike but decided to check the tire pressures.The front and back pressures were both on 10 psi which explained the wollowing and understear.Having set the front pressure to 20 psi and the rear to 18 the bike felt a lot more agile and even rolling it felt better.The 2nd race which was a practice had only B graders and i was late onto the track everyone had already got to the line up near the back and i had to stop and put the foot peg because somehow it ended up rotating so that any pressure caused it flip back.The tires felt better and was managing to keep the same distance between me and the rider in front of me although they were half a track away i wasn't falling behind.The bike felt a lot better and i could tip in more.Dad said my lines and braking were a lot better even though i was trying to manage with one peg.Going around on the third lap i was coming through the right hander just before the main straight i was going to fast so i had to change down a gear midway through the turn.The back end stepped out i managed to recover only for it to kick out again but more violently i fell of the right side and slid along the ground to the left of the track just before the marshals booth ,the bike ended up doing a 360 and facing the right way.I stood up and saw another bike coming so i jumped up and shifted the bike out of the way. As i lent the bike against the booth i heard another marshal yelling out that my brake lever was still on the track in the path of four oncoming bikers luckily none of them hit it.I returned to the pits with a bit of a spaced out feeling.The brake lever was fine but unfortunately it actually broke the brake assembly so that was it for the day.All in all i think that i was improving and gaining confidence until the crash.All my gear worked and came out with little scuff marks because of the wet.It was a great day and i cant wait till the next race at slipway in two weeks.Now all i need to do is get a new brake set up.I need to move the brake and gear change lever down a bit so i can have a better position.I was told that seeing that it was wet and was my first race and the first time on the track i went all right now I'm just going to feel more confident in the dry.Dad wants to build a bucket so if any knows someone with an RGV frame or an NSR frame just because they are bigger than the 100 to 150cc frames so if you know anyone that has something that can do the job it would be awesome.Thanks to Bert for the boots,Dave for the pit space and anyone that helped ease the nerves by chatting or offering advice.I had heaps of fun and was glad that i did race,im sure many of you would rather ride in the rain than not ride at all. Cheers Ryan
Wow, great write up bro, You did real well out there considering the conditions...and having one peg!! Next time you'll be flying now that you've got those first time nerves out the way. All you have to contend with is second race day nerves!! Good job bro. see you next time!!
Great write-up Ryan, sounds like you had a lot of fun even with the little spill. (at lease you got your crash cherry sorted early in your bucket racing carer) Good on you for man'ing up in the rain... especially first time out on the beast. Tip of the day, don't over tighten the levers and clip-ons have them tight enough to pull-push without slippage, but loose enough that they will fold or move out of the way when you lay it down (crash). but you arn't the first unfortunately to break one, see if you can find a yz or RM master cylinder with shorter levers (MX units are generally made of better alloy and take more of a beating)
Good race report! Glad you had fun even if it was a rough start to bucket racing. Only 2 weeks to wait
those levers you posted up are Chinese knock-offs: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Mo...-297290446.htm http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Mo...-297547139.htm But at that price who are argue changes are they will last a life time...
Well done son. Made your old man all proud and puffy chested. Cant wait to sort a bucket and get out there with you
"Hey thinking of having the bucket port and polished maybe rehone the cylinder and a bigger carb.Any thoughts? " humm how about i give you a spare AX100 barrel and you can have a good look at it. there isn't really much gains to be made to the intake configuration and stupid reed block setup. unless to weld up the gap (you will see what I'm on about) and re port the intake to a piston port config. it is possible but you will run into issues with the fact you only have four gears. My bit of advice would be not to do anything, ride it for a season and if you are hooked, then sell it on and buy something else. Dave did really well on the that bike and I'm sure you will too.
Did you go racing in the weekend????
na no front brakes
Still no brakes?!!
Thats a bugger, (true you are still waiting on me). and bugger they still arn't here, F##k it I forgot all about it. Monday chaseup me thinks... No, I was wandering if it was the tape worm that F5dave was taking about... and Ryan stop filling up my visitor messages on my profile, post things in RAG, I read RAG it regularly & though my profile says I'm on line, chances are I'm not and have left it going at home... no big stress though.
Hey guys if you have alook in my profile you will see in the bucket development album what i want to do to my bucket but nothing is happening on the bike front at the moment becuase i am trying to get some work done on my escort seeing as it has been awhile.
