I wasn't planning on needing to do a report as had only planned on doing the testday prior. The cold wet friday saw me going back to Napier without even turning a wheel on the new bike due to not having wets...................was a little pissed off to put it politely. With comments from a fair few people ringing in my head all the way home "you should race tomorrow" I just wasn't sure if I wanted to take the bike out untested.
To be honest once I got home I sulked till about 9pm, then thought fuck it! and sent Clive a txt to see if I could get in as a very very late entry......reply came back "you're in bro"....................shit hot!
Buggar all sleep, head wounldn't turn off, back up early and off down to the track for the second day in a row.
Johan top bloke that he is had offered a spot in a new pit shed so I had somewhere to go, sorted my late entry......Huge thanks guys. NERVES!!!!!! I was as nervous as my 1st ever race, brand new bike, will it blow up, how will it handle, I haven't raced for 4 months, I'm so unfit!!!!!!!!!! Shit like that
Qualifying:
Go out slowly not sure of whats going to happen, yuck, water in splash and higgins.............dont highside!!!!!
Take it fairly easy to get a feel for the only 500km old bike, feels quite good, up the pace a little, yeah this bikes gonna do the trick I reckon.
Qualify 6thahead of Craig
I knew that wouldn't last but will take it anyway.
Race 1:
Nervous as fuck again as I've never even attempted a start on this bike, and I've got Mr Shirriffs beside me.................what the hell am I doin here?
I talked to Craig earlier to ask about starting these new Blades, 8k rpm and go. Sweet......sounds easier than my old bike. As with most things though, easy in theory, got away pretty badly and was swamped by T1, trying something different though I took an outside line right around most that had past me......nice!
3 laps and my right forearm is stuffed, struggling to hold the bar I am slowly catching Drew when he does the most impressive handle bar handstand I've seen coming out of Higgins, a true Minties moment, but I took his pos anyway. Was really struggling through the latter stages with my arm and on the last lap exiting Higgins someone was nudging me in the ribs on my left, bloody hell its Drew tryin to cuddle me, I'm already near as dammit on the outside white line and he's trying to go round me, I hold fast and think to myself I've got him, exit Dunlop getting on the gas too early causing the rear to bobble a bit and buggar me if Drew gets me on the line...........SHIT!
6th.................................Drew your my hero
Race 2:
Was really happy with how the bike felt, had plenty of go for a still new engine, my biggest problem was the stock throttle, to much travel, it wasn't helping my arm probs. More money to be spent hahaa.
Thought I'd try staring like on my old bike............nah, just as shit, didn't get as many back in T1 this time either, pretty basic race trying to catch Drew and Jamie on the 675 but my body didn't want a bar of it.
I managed to come home in 8th I think, feeling like the bikes got plenty more to offer once I get my pace back.
Ended up less than 1/2 sec off my PB set in summer so its looking good, still have to get the bike dynoed with a race filter so maybe a bit more top end is coming too.
Overall a very tiring 2 days but alot of fun, great to catch up with everyone again. Once again a big thankyou to VMCC and all the volunteers.....Exc work!
Sorry to have rambled............its been what seems like forever
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Originally Posted by wharfy
glad you came racing.....
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