MotoFXR Round One

**Buddha#81:Me** · 20th July 2009, 08:03

its posted in the race report thread but it is buckets after all.........

Unlike the rest of you I took the easy option of traveling down to Timaru on Friday night and stayed with friends.

Traveled out to the track in the morning and set up. Being i own Suzukis All I had to do was sort the gearing, tyres and fuel.

Parctice: After being out on the Motard I knew thre track was cold and wasn't offering much in the way of grip so I was more concerned with checking I had the gearing right and putting my fears of the transition between the different riding style of the two bikes wasn't going to be too hard......all was good.

FXR series Race One: I rode hard in the warm up to ensure a good front row grid, but as usual after a good start I got monstered by the usual 1/2 pint fast lot (dam being fat sucks) I tucked in behind Glen Hayward who's bike is more developed engine wise and had to use the infield to keep i touch with him, AdamB seem to have gaped us and knowing the maked over Dudly goes well there was little chance of pegging him back. We had 50 meters or so on Nero and Kickaha so my focus was on Glen the second to last lap I put my head down to make sure I was in with a chance on the last lap if he made a mistake and in doing so I cut the corner in the decreasing radius a bit tight and almost lost the bike in a highside on the inside white line. I found myself on Glens tail onto the back straight and manage to slip stream past him off the straight into the infield, Glen had been faster off the decreasing radius in the right handers (hairpin) so I knew he would have a go at me, luckily a fallen rider had brought out the yellows allowing me to ride home in (I think) 5th behind AdamB.

FXR Series Race Two: I gridded up on row two and found myself behind Kick and Nero onto the back straight, I found myself pushing hard to real them in through the infield just to stay in touch. My strength was in the decreasing radius and found I could hold better speed through there so I waited until the last lap and with the help of a back marker I pulled my pass off which I managed to hold them both off until the line but the evidently came close to pegging me as we crossed.

FXR Series Race Three: Was very similar to race two and ended up battling with Nero and Kick again. Nero and I gaped Kick slightly by the last lap (probably due to him being a part-time racer and old) and pulled the same pass on Nero in the last lap and used the long afternoon shadows to block his pass before the line.

In all I had a great day, I'm happy with my results due to my motor still being relatively stock and the bikes handling make up for that a bit. The Motard was a hoot and I've been bitten by that bug pretty hard, oh for 15hp more and tyre warmers and........Oh god what have I done. Lastly I got to go out with DC's oldest in the training class and see her on the track for the first time!

Thanks to Bren YowLing and the sponsors for putting the FXR Series together and well done everyone who put the effort into turning up. You guys should be proud of what you have put together and the numbers will only grow. I think we possibly were the only class not to hold up the days proceeding with serious crashes. This is the best $5 I've spent for awhile and look forward to the 15th. Thanks!

**TonyB** · 20th July 2009, 21:23

Absolutely mint day! MrsB and I flicked the kids on to nanna for the day so MrsB could come with me- she was relishing being kid free for the day after two loooooooooong weeks of school holidays. We were kinda disorganized and were running late. We realized just HOW late when we saw we were behind Bryan Ashworth

My Monster packed a sad and didn’t want to play. I was actually a bit relieved about that, as up to the start of this meeting I had a 100% visit to crash ratio at Levels- I broke my thumb there at this meeting last year. The focus of the day was always going to be the FXR anyway, so it was no big loss.

Practice.
I putted around slowly, getting the feel for the track again and trying not to relive my thumb breaking crash in identical conditions last year. Picked up a bit of speed after a while…then Hoogie flew past me in Decreasing and illustrated that I was actually still well off the pace. Oh well.

Race 1.
Started from about the 4th or 5th row. Great. Got a crap start, then proceeded to follow slower riders when I should have been passing them. Picked my way past various riders- god knows who they were! Actually, among others I do remember passing HOT, Rashika, Lil'M and Wallace after his GL145 had passed me on the straight with a speed advantage every bit as good as the CBR that passed me in practice, that thing can GO! The last lap or two I was behind Phoenixgtr, trying not to follow him- it’s a terrible habit I have. He was jumping out of the corners better than me, and I wasn’t doing too good a job of passing him where I should have been. On the last lap I block passed him going into the chicane, not the neatest off passes, but we didn’t fall off and he didn’t come looking for me after the race, so it must’ve been acceptable.

Race 2
I tried a lot harder on the warmup lap and got into the middle of the third grid. I strongly suspect some FXR riders are heading for the dummy grid as soon as the previous race leaves! Didn’t have to pick so many people off this time. Was behind Phoenixgtr again in decreasing when 94* came through us using us as a mobile chicane. “Why didn’t I just do that??” I thought. 2 seconds later I had…I’d started following 94 instead of Phoenix. DOH!! Battled a bit with 94 after that. Can’t recall if I beat them or not. The transponder sheet reckoned I got 8th place, but fark was I a long way back from 1st place on the track!

Race 3.
Third or 4th row start. My speed through the first couple of turns dropped off for some reason. Ended up in a great battle with someone wearing blue/white Hepburn* leathers. We started off just behind Kickaha, but he slowly pulled away while we tripped each other up. I was way quicker through the chicane, but then as I mentioned, I was now slower through the first few turns so they’d close up again. We had some good slipstream battles down the straight, but in the end they pipped me just before the end. A really fun race!

Its been said, but thanks to Bren and Yowling for setting up this series, you should be proud of what you’ve done. And thanks to the race organizers for getting through 3 full rounds despite some of us turning up late and delaying the start, and the various crashes.

*I think- my memory is not too good.

**Kickaha** · 20th July 2009, 21:47

MotoFXR Rd 1

This was the first round of a 1 make FXR150 series organised by Yow Ling and Bren_chch at Levels with the MCC winter series and although Buckets were included weren’t eligible for points

My first problem was I don’t actually own an FXR after selling mine a few season ago, luckily enough Bren_chch (all round top bloke that he is) wasn’t going to be riding in the series and gave me his TZR framed bike to run
So loaded up and good to go, I’m out of bed at 5.30am for the run down to Levels, picking up Divvo the cripple on the way down as he’s recovering from an operation to fix his masturbation induced RSI

Heavy fog through to Rolleston where we run into Bren_chch and Yow Ling gassing up, grab some gas ourselves and a snack and we’re gone

Signed in and the waiting starts, I decide to start the FXR and it’s being a bit uncooperative but after tiring myself out kicking for what seems like ages it fires up

Practice 1

It’s still fairly cold so I take it easy for a lap before I start cranking it up, I haven’t ridden here for a couple of years so it gives me time to get used to the track again

After the second lap I’m dialling it up a bit harder and getting used to the brakes and finding my lines, there’s no traffic around me so I slow up a bit and let a couple of bikes past to chase and follow them around for a bit

All to soon the practice is over and we’re pulling back in

K14 has the laptop plugged into his mighty CB125T reprogramming the ignition and is swapping the front brakes around in his quest to clean up the FXRs

Race 1

As we roll out onto the track my right hand foot peg is folded up and I can’t free it up I slow to push it down with my hand and get passed by most of the field as the warm-up lap is basically a race for grid position this puts me back on row 4

Lights out and the start is ok and I pick off a few bikes down the straight and though the next few corners, I can see K14 and Dangerous not far in front which motivates me to try a bit harder

In the slipstream down the straight and pull out and pass them both, someone’s trying the inside move at the hairpin but I turn in and they have to back out, we swap a few places in the next couple of laps but I’m back in front down the straight, Dangerous has the draft and pulls out towards the end but I’m not backing out and ride around him off the end

K14 tries an inside move on him and makes contact and ends up on his arse

Buddha and Glen are hard out not far on front of us but we can’t quite catch them before the laps run out and Dangerous is out and passing me as we hit the line

Back in the pits and the bike has sprung an oil leak, a quick clean up and we work out it’s from the starter motor o ring, luckily enough a guy opposite us has a o ring kit and has one the right size, Yow Ling is a bit disgusted with the way I’m using his extension as a drift but then Bren_chch gets in on the act and bashes it even harder to seat the starter motor back in place

K14 has had enough after two crashes in two races and is packing up with his dreams of embarrassing the MotoFXR crews on his CB125T all over for the day

Bren_chch also has a lucky escape on his first race outing on his 675 when some numpty on a MV rides into the back of him in turn one and does a bit of damage to him luckily he manages to stay upright

Race 2

I get out the gate a bit faster this time and get a second row spot, the starts a lot better as well and it’s not to log before I make the pass on Buddha

Passing him is one thing getting away from the prick is a whole different ball game, we’re onto the tail of Dangerous and then Diesel Pig is in the mix with is RS/MB100 hybrid not quite playing the game

Dangerous is just in front with Buddha behind when Diesel Pig come past a corner later, I’m right behind him he slows mid corer and I have to roll off, Buddha is slightly wider and carrying more speed he blocks me in behind Diesel Pig and rides around us both and then proceeds to go around Dangerous in the decreasing radius as well

In a line down the straight but unable to make the pass, I carry more speed into the next left and look up the inside of Dangerous but don’t have enough room, we’re line astern into the chicane and 3 wide in the run to the line but Buddha pulls it off with Dangerous and myself all over the back of him

No more repairs to make as the oil leak is fixed so it’s more waiting around

Race 3

Off row 2 again but my start isn’t as good and I get a few more bikes in front of me than I’d like which lets Buddha and Dangerous gap me straight away, I’m sort of hanging in there the first couple of laps but can’t quite stay with them and when I stuff up the entry onto the back straight a couple of time trying to hard they pull even further away so I have to settle for a fairly lonely race

Day over and what a great day it was, with not doing regular racing though I’m a bit out of practice and not being aggressive enough but I reckon I’ll be sorted for the next round

A big thanks to Joni for driving down to support me and keep me fed and watered and to Bren_chch for the loaner bike (even though he gave me the low HP model) and Both Yow ling and Bren_chch for sorting the series out it fantastic to see so many MotoFXR/Buckets on the grid down there

And thanks to the series sponsors
. Duanes Bikes and Skis
. Street and Sport Motorcycles
. Pitlane Motorcycles
. Sportzone Suzuki

**Harvd** · 20th July 2009, 22:02

Originally Posted by TonyB

Was behind Phoenixgtr again in decreasing when 94* came through us using us as a mobile chicane. “Why didn’t I just do that??” I thought. 2 seconds later I had…I’d started following 94 instead of Phoenix. DOH!! Battled a bit with 94 after that. Can’t recall if I beat them or not. The transponder sheet reckoned I got 8th place, but fark was I a long way back from 1st place on the track!

*I think- my memory is not too good.

Yep that was me! i remember that pass and thoroughly enjoyed it

What a bloody great day, shame about the number of crashes...not too good.

I had streetstock and the bucket so was kept nice and busy all day, 6 races in a day seemed about right! and yes i had some very fun battles with the guy in blue hanspree leathers too, missing out on beating him in the second race by one wheel length.

Bring on the same weather for the 15th!

**Harvd** · 20th July 2009, 22:03

Anyone know if they are going to put the full results up on mylaps.com?

**Buddha#81:Me** · 20th July 2009, 22:18

heres a vid of Race one.....sorry its the only one I got http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNrhw...eature=channel

**phoenixgtr** · 20th July 2009, 23:05

Well, I'll start by saying I'm not a morning person so getting up at 5 was not a fun experience, but it was totally worth it!!

After the dramas of my car getting nailed by a bus last week it was a bit of a mission, but I ended up going with Chris. We loaded up on Thursday night and my bike had a lay down in the trailer on the way to Chris' (one of the straps let go, fuck knows why). Managed to do some damage to the tail piece. Nothing that's not fixable though. So that was a bad start.

Practice: Took a couple of laps to remember what I was doing, but started enjoying myself and came off the track wanting more.

Race 1: Everyone took off on the warm up lap. I was like "holy crap everyone's gone" and so ended up pretty far back the grid to start. I got a good start though and made up several places and snuck up the inside on the first corner. There were a few back and forths round the first lap, but after that I was pretty much on my own until TonyB passed me on the last corner of the last lap.

Race 2: Same thing again, everyone takes off on the warm up lap (it seem much more so than at Ruapuna...from my experience any way), but I moved a bit quicker this time so I started on the 3rd row. The rest of the race was pretty much the same as race 1. I can't keep up with those in front of me, but those behind me can't catch me, so I'm all on my lonesone focussing on my cornering (which was probably a good thing).

We found out or results from this race cause they finally got the transponders working. Turns out I was 12th, with a best lap of 1:35.870...only 13secs slower than the leaders

Race 3: Pretty much the same as race 2, except I was a little confused cause they said the were going to grid us based on our result in the second race, which would have meant I would be on the second row. But the warm up lap was the usual race to the grid and I was back on the 3rd row again.

I had a blast and while my races were pretty lonely for the most part I got to work on my skills a bit. Looking forward to the next one.

Good work Bren & Yow Ling. This series is gonna be a cracker!!

**Yow Ling** · 21st July 2009, 06:49

Well that was a great start to the FXR Racing Series !!

Thanks firstly to all the competitors, without the racers there is no series. Motorcycling Canterbury for giving the buckateers their own race, and all the sponsors for their genorosity.

Levels is great because it brings the racing up close for the spectators, the starts with a big field of predominatly FXR150s really is like rolling thunder.

Unfortunatly my ring in rider Darryl Cotton couldnt make it and at the last minute Dan Ornsby agreed to race rd 1 he did really well even though dark forces were working against him, mising practice because of a broken wire, then crashing his 675 a couple of minutes before the start of race 2 .

Well done James Hoogie on taking the lead in the series looks like its going to be a fight to stay there

**TonyB** · 21st July 2009, 07:37

Originally Posted by Harvd

Yep that was me! i remember that pass and thoroughly enjoyed it

What a bloody great day, shame about the number of crashes...not too good.

I have to admit I thought it was all going to go pear shaped for a moment, but it was a great pass, looked quite funny from my veiw point. So are you 94 or 96?

**SVboy** · 21st July 2009, 09:24

Well I had a great day-long day-up at 5.30am-hope at 8.00pm, but what superb weather for this time of year. Levels is such a fun track for buckets and it was a great first round for the FXR cup. I enjoyed the racing, especially having full length races. Big ups to MCC for giving buckets their own races. Well done to Bren and Co for organising it and a big thanks to the sponsors for coming on board too. Roll on round two.

**Harvd** · 21st July 2009, 11:18

Originally Posted by TonyB

I have to admit I thought it was all going to go pear shaped for a moment, but it was a great pass, looked quite funny from my veiw point. So are you 94 or 96?

Yeah i had similar feelings... #94 be I

**hoogie bear** · 21st July 2009, 16:08

Practice
Went out pushed hard as soon as I left the gate managing to gap the cbr.
All was looking good for race 1.

Race 1
Got an ok start ending up in about 10th into the first corner.
Managing to work my way up to the front after half a lap.
But at the end of the race I was loosing too much to the cbr making it too hard to pass.
Finished 2nd F4 and 1st FXR cup

Race 2
Not a very good start, making me have to work hard through the whole race to catch the leaders.
Second to last lap I made the pass for 3rd but on the last lap when it came to the straight I was back in 4th. The pressure was on. I made the pass for 3rd on Cam Jones at the Decreasing ( long left before hairpin) and found myself behind 2nd place Andy mac. I pulled up beside him just before the hairpin and did a demon outbraking manoeuvre down the inside almost running up the back of Nick Cain. Sitting in 2nd place I couldn't manage to pass for first place before the line.
Finished 2nd F4 and 1st FXR cup

Race 3
I got a shocking start missing 2nd gear.
After the first two laps I made my way up to 5th and on the tail of Cam and Daniel Ornsby. This turned into a battle for most of the race which was good fun.
White flag was out and I had pulled a little gap from the battle. Looking to chase down the leaders I was pushing hard scraping my foot peg alll the way around Decreasing. I pulled in a few seconds off the leaders but it was too late.
Finished 3rd F4 and 2nd FXR cup

I can't wait till the next meeting