No smashing pumpkins - but hardly a Triumph either

[wharfy]

Round 3
I had some new rear-set pegs fitted to my bike mainly as extra crash protection and partly 'cause they look cool and partly 'cause I felt I needed to get a bit further back on the bike as it is a bit cramped for a stiff old bugger like me.

Test day:
What can I say I didn't arrive until noon and it was VERY WET I decided that I didn't want tp pay $100 for less than half a day and I didn't want to change my tyres knowing that I would have to change them back again for race day. So I watched the guy's who could be arsed changing tyres practice/test. Darrin (scuzeme) was flying in the wet !!! Choppa crashed trying to keep up !!!

Race day:
Pitted in the same garage as last time with scuzeme, biggles, Gha, Dave and Phil

F1 qualifying
Well the rain that Darrin had been trying to conjure up didn't eventuate (just a couple of spits to get Darrin excited )

I went out and soon discovered that my new rear-sets were not positioned correctly and I had trouble with the down shifts. I couldn't really get comfortable on the bike and was well of the pace of Keelim and Bill (the other 675 newbies – Jamie Galway of course was way out front) the track was slippery and the bike felt wrong. I had a moment with the front end tucking in through splash but because of my leisurely pace managed to not fall off, it is a sphincter clenching experience !

I also had a bit of a moment coming out of the hairpin with the rear sliding and a near high-side. On the next lap I carefully checked the track and was somewhat gratified to see a big black skid mark, don't know if the photographer caught it or not.

Qualified 29th with a time of 1:25.522

The lovely Katie O'Donnell arrived to help out with the tyre warmers and stands and other pit duties.

F2 qualifying
Adjusted the rear-sets and in doing so discovered that the shift rod was actually fouling on the frame on down-shifts so not all the missed shifts were due to my ham-fisted riding.
After talking to Keelim about tyre pressures I decided that I would lower mine a few PSI but when I checked them they were WAY over what I thought I had set them to so corrected that.

This session was better, still didn't feel comfortable on the bike but did manage to chop 4 seconds from the F1 qualifying time a 1:21.583 got me on the same row as Darrin
qualified 22nd

F1 Race 1

Got and average start managed to negotiate turn 1 without misshap and Darrin went round the outside of me in turn 2 to get the inside line for splash and shut the door on me coming out. He managed to pull away. I must have been holding Clive up as he also went passed and just kept getting further ahead and by the end of the race I was 12 seconds behind them !!!
I managed to finish 23 from 34 due to a high attrition rate.

Only managed a 1:19.062, 3 seconds a lap slower than Clive and Keelim and 2 slower than Darrin
after 9 laps that meant by the time I got onto the main straight they were out of sight !!!
12 second ahead of me !!!

F2 Race 1
Same as F1 race 1 until I ran out of fuel on lap 7 say no more. Clive felt so sorry for me he crashed to try and cheer me up.

F1 Race 2
Pretty much a re-run of the previous races with an even slower fastest lap and an even further gap to Darrin and Keelim I just didn't seem to be able to get my groove on.

F2 Race 2
The start went pretty much the same as previous races but I was starting to feel a bit more comfortable and managed to keep within a second or so of Darrin for the first couple of laps then he managed to pull away.
Best lap was 1:18.419 in lap 2

I've only just managed to beat my clubman's times on the Hornet !!!

I was a bit disappointed with my effort this meeting I just didn't seem to be able to get my shit together, but despite all of that I had a lot of fun and it was great to catch up with everyone.

I now have 3.161 superbike points and 10.051 supersport points !!!!

I will cuddle up in bed with Keith Code to see if we can do better next round on the full circuit

Once again I have to congratulate the VMCC on a great job organizing the event.

[Biggles08]

Round 3
I had some new rear-set pegs fitted to my bike mainly as extra crash protection and partly 'cause they look cool and partly 'cause I felt I needed to get a bit further back on the bike as it is a bit cramped for a stiff old bugger like me.

Test day:
What can I say I didn't arrive until noon and it was VERY WET I decided that I didn't want tp pay $100 for less than half a day and I didn't want to change my tyres knowing that I would have to change them back again for race day. So I watched the guy's who could be arsed changing tyres practice/test. Darrin (scuzeme) was flying in the wet !!! Choppa crashed trying to keep up !!!

Race day:
Pitted in the same garage as last time with scuzeme, biggles, Gha, Dave and Phil

F1 qualifying
Well the rain that Darrin had been trying to conjure up didn't eventuate (just a couple of spits to get Darrin excited )

I went out and soon discovered that my new rear-sets were not positioned correctly and I had trouble with the down shifts. I couldn't really get comfortable on the bike and was well of the pace of Keelim and Bill (the other 675 newbies – Jamie Galway of course was way out front) the track was slippery and the bike felt wrong. I had a moment with the front end tucking in through splash but because of my leisurely pace managed to not fall off, it is a sphincter clenching experience !

I also had a bit of a moment coming out of the hairpin with the rear sliding and a near high-side. On the next lap I carefully checked the track and was somewhat gratified to see a big black skid mark, don't know if the photographer caught it or not.

Qualified 29th with a time of 1:25.522

The lovely Katie O'Donnell arrived to help out with the tyre warmers and stands and other pit duties.

F2 qualifying
Adjusted the rear-sets and in doing so discovered that the shift rod was actually fouling on the frame on down-shifts so not all the missed shifts were due to my ham-fisted riding.
After talking to Keelim about tyre pressures I decided that I would lower mine a few PSI but when I checked them they were WAY over what I thought I had set them to so corrected that.

This session was better, still didn't feel comfortable on the bike but did manage to chop 4 seconds from the F1 qualifying time a 1:21.583 got me on the same row as Darrin
qualified 22nd

F1 Race 1

Got and average start managed to negotiate turn 1 without misshap and Darrin went round the outside of me in turn 2 to get the inside line for splash and shut the door on me coming out. He managed to pull away. I must have been holding Clive up as he also went passed and just kept getting further ahead and by the end of the race I was 12 seconds behind them !!!
I managed to finish 23 from 34 due to a high attrition rate.

Only managed a 1:19.062, 3 seconds a lap slower than Clive and Keelim and 2 slower than Darrin
after 9 laps that meant by the time I got onto the main straight they were out of sight !!!
12 second ahead of me !!!

F2 Race 1
Same as F1 race 1 until I ran out of fuel on lap 7 say no more. Clive felt so sorry for me he crashed to try and cheer me up.

F1 Race 2
Pretty much a re-run of the previous races with an even slower fastest lap and an even further gap to Darrin and Keelim I just didn't seem to be able to get my groove on.

F2 Race 2
The start went pretty much the same as previous races but I was starting to feel a bit more comfortable and managed to keep within a second or so of Darrin for the first couple of laps then he managed to pull away.
Best lap was 1:18.419 in lap 2

I've only just managed to beat my clubman's times on the Hornet !!!

I was a bit disappointed with my effort this meeting I just didn't seem to be able to get my shit together, but despite all of that I had a lot of fun and it was great to catch up with everyone.

I now have 3.161 superbike points and 10.051 supersport points !!!!

I will cuddle up in bed with Keith Code to see if we can do better next round on the full circuit

Once again I have to congratulate the VMCC on a great job organizing the event.

Good effort Kev....and thanks for the beer and hacksaw!

[sinfull]

I've only just managed to beat my clubman's times on the Hornet !!!

.

Good detailed write up Kev,
Funny you should mention the above ! I made comment to dallas today about the same thing (but i haven't even equalled it yet)

Starting to wonder if i aint come to terms with the different riding style of the new bike !
The torque of the speed three is lower than the daytona and i think i used to rely on point and squirt quite a bit !
With the 675 i need to be able to hold more corner speed with higher revs, in other words i need to learn to hang off more, grow bigger balls and up my entry speed !
Not getting any movement as such in corners (apart from once on sat lol And that was just too bigger balls too early, while not hanging off near enough) so know there's lots left before i reach the limits of the bike ! You and i both saw the difference the Olins made to Keelims times ! But no way can i do that just yet lol !
Was watching ya on saturday man and couldn't help but notice you too have an upright body position, compared to the faster guys out there !
Not sure how your placed or if you'd be into it, but i intend on doing a lot more test days (not this month haha) with someone manning a video camera, so i can practise/view/practise/view on a lap top during the breaks ! See if i cant get the elbows scraping haha

[scuzeme]

Yes Kev you are a great pit buddy, the lovely Katie got a me a nice coffee just when i needed it and then you come along at the end of the day with an equally lovely Mac's Beer.

Well Kev what can i say, here i am moaning about my weekends racing and you probably had it harder than me.
Can i just cheer you up by saying that there was one race at round 2 on the long track where you were absolutely untouchable, you came in ahead of Gah Chan and hes no slouch mate.
The long tracks coming up again next month mate so get prepared, just make sure you do everything possible to give you the confidence to unleash some whip arse like fresh rubber, set suspension and correct tyre pressures for the day.

Good luck and see you in the shed in August, tell Katie my shout for the coffees next round

[wharfy]

Good detailed write up Kev,
Funny you should mention the above ! I made comment to dallas today about the same thing (but i haven't even equalled it yet)

Starting to wonder if i aint come to terms with the different riding style of the new bike !
The torque of the speed three is lower than the daytona and i think i used to rely on point and squirt quite a bit !
With the 675 i need to be able to hold more corner speed with higher revs, in other words i need to learn to hang off more, grow bigger balls and up my entry speed !
Not getting any movement as such in corners (apart from once on sat lol And that was just too bigger balls too early, while not hanging off near enough) so know there's lots left before i reach the limits of the bike ! You and i both saw the difference the Olins made to Keelims times ! But no way can i do that just yet lol !
Was watching ya on saturday man and couldn't help but notice you too have an upright body position, compared to the faster guys out there !
Not sure how your placed or if you'd be into it, but i intend on doing a lot more test days (not this month haha) with someone manning a video camera, so i can practise/view/practise/view on a lap top during the breaks ! See if i cant get the elbows scraping haha

Yeah I keep forgetting that I should be laying on the tank, It is really noticeable when you look at the photos of guys like sketchy, by comparison I'm sitting up like a piece of fried bread !!!

More track time is certainly required, I think I have a way to go before I am challenging the stock suspension. Keelim has certainly found another gear but I don't think it can all be put down to the new suspenders, I think he is just getting used to the bike and the track. Of course he is young and doesn't have the well honed instinct for self preservation that us old blokes have developed !!!

[NinjaBoy]

Hey Kev on the long track last round you were absolutely untouchable. I tried my best to keep up but wasn't even close. Remember the track was a little trickier this time with some wet patches and really this is the first real season on the Trumpy ! There will always be some good days and not so good days... but that's the challenge of racing to get consistency.

You make a few mistakes ... I'm sure the fuel problem won't happen again .. but you put those down as lessons well learnt. Good write up and you're a good garage buddy.... more importantly where was my beer ?!


Catchya next round

[slowpoke]

I will cuddle up in bed with Keith Code to see if we can do better next round on the full circuit

Goodonya Wharfy, although I'm a bit suprised to hear you'd rather cuddle up to Keith instead of the lovely Katie

[ajturbo]

After talking to Keelim about tyre pressures I decided that I would lower mine a few PSI but when I checked them they were WAY over what I thought I had set them to so corrected that.

SABOTAGE.....

where was Sinny...??

did he just happen to pop in and say "hi"....

or did you come back to the pits to find him already there

[wharfy]

Hey Kev on the long track last round you were absolutely untouchable. I tried my best to keep up but wasn't even close. Remember the track was a little trickier this time with some wet patches and really this is the first real season on the Trumpy ! There will always be some good days and not so good days... but that's the challenge of racing to get consistency.

You make a few mistakes ... I'm sure the fuel problem won't happen again .. but you put those down as lessons well learnt. Good write up and you're a good garage buddy.... more importantly where was my beer ?!


Catchya next round

Sorry mate I drank your beer - Darrin told me you were tea total

[Deano]

Your times are coming down consistantly Kev !! Well done.

Good result Deano, all that talk about stiffening up in the front is a bit disconcerting though for a genteel old chap like me.

I had some new rear-set pegs fitted to my bike mainly as extra crash protection and partly 'cause they look cool and partly 'cause I felt I needed to get a bit further back on the bike as it is a bit cramped for a stiff old bugger like me.

I'm seeing a theme emerge here.

[wharfy]

Goodonya Wharfy, although I'm a bit suprised to hear you'd rather cuddle up to Keith instead of the lovely Katie

As well not instead

[Clivoris]

Round 3
Same as F1 race 1 until I ran out of fuel on lap 7 say no more. Clive felt so sorry for me he crashed to try and cheer me up.

I was glad to help brother. The flat meetings suck for sure but you know how this stuff works. You'll be kicking my arse on the long track. Hehehe. You said pumpkin.

[wharfy]

Hehehe. You said pumpkin.

I'm glad you noticed, it took me 2 days to come up with a title with pumpkin in it and I figured you are old enough to have heard of the Smashing Pumpkins ?

[ajturbo]

I'm glad you noticed, it took me 2 days to come up with a title with pumpkin in it and I figured you are old enough to have heard of the Smashing Pumpkins ?

that photo is just wrong.....

apart from the guy with the blue hair

[Clivoris]

I'm glad you noticed, it took me 2 days to come up with a title with pumpkin in it and I figured you are old enough to have heard of the Smashing Pumpkins ?

Indeed I am. They provided a fair part of the soundtrack when I was doing the spadework on the lovely Lisa. Poor tormented Billy Corgan. Great sounds for the time.