Well I owe an apology to everyone, I had been promoting the this years cliffhanger as the "10th" anniversary - but I was wrong, apparently its only the "9th"
Another apology - I was promoting this event as "awesome"
But I was wrong - its "FUCKEN AWESOME"
As many of you are aware I crashed my 675 at Pearoa - cracked the clutch cover and cracked my sternum, (no competitive motorcycling for 10 weeks) I was a bit bummed that I would miss the Cliffhanger, but Katie and I decided we would support it by going over on Saturday, attend the rally, sleep in the van and cheer on the riders on Sunday.
Katie (as a senior black belt) was attending a grading at the dojo on Saturday morning, and I was to get the van ready.
When Katie arrived home the van was all ready to go, "whats the Kawasaki doing in the van ?" inquired Katie, "Oh, I might do a couple of runs, just because its the 10th anniversary" I replied.
When we arrived at the course on Saturday afternoon the paddock was full and the weather was great (as predicted by the Metservice ) parked the van in the first available spot and went for a wander around. It was great to see all the usual suspects there.
I told Katie I would go and book our meals and entry to the rally, and seeing as how I was there I entered the KRR150 in the "streetstock" class, (just to be sure of a spot on Sunday if I felt like a ride)
Most people seemed to be having a great day, it was a bit of a blow to learn of all the carnage (especially a rider being "choppered" out) it was also a bit disconcerting that on hearing about it ( the chopper) "skippy" from the vic club said "I hope it wasn't wharfy" - my reputation is in tatters....
I carted my compressor and air mattress over to the generator (supplied by the cliffhanger organizers) and was pumping it up when Drew stopped by to say hi, I asked what sort of pressure he ran in his mattress at this event, he said he used a "Dunlop" and we were uncertain that, given the difference in sidewall thickness the "warehouse" mattress would give the correct feedback at the same pressure, so I just kept pumping till it was "firm".
With the van set up Katie and I decided a beer was in order, I propped my feet up on the little Kawasaki and my glance fell on the sight glass for the gearbox oil, it was empty, I put down my beer stood the bike up level, it was still empty, I tilted the bike towards me, it was still empty - shit !
Lucky for me Malcolm had a brand new bottle of the correct oil - Cheers mate:
The Rally on Saturday night was great, an excellent band decent feed and a bit of entertainment in the form of horizontal bungy, tyre tossing and strength tests.
At $3 for a Heineken I could almost afford to get pissed, but showed great restraint (maturity ?) and only had 3 or 4 .
It is a shame more people didn't attend, I will have to promote it harder next year - The REAL "10th" anniversary !
My good sense on Saturday night had it's reward in waking bright and early on Sunday with a clear head, I was however not looking forward to clearing the other end as even by 8:30 the portaloo's were "humming" - but the ritual of a nervous crap on race morning could not be ignored so I just had to "tough it out" as it were .
The "sighting run" was accomplished without incident (or indecent) and I was looking forward to the first run.
The 2000 KR150 is quite a peppy little machine but you have to wring its neck to get it to perform and it takes quite a bit of clutch slipping to get it to haul my 90+ kg's off the line. The expansion chamber was scraping the road on the cliffhanger (and the center stand on the preceding left hander) .
Even at the paltry speeds of the 150 street stock the cliffhanger bend is a bit scary....
The second run was similar to the first, it seemed a bit slower to me as I was trying to keep the rev's below the red line (I didn't want to kill the poor wee thing) . Waiting around at the top of the hill, joining in the banter, it was great to be in the 2010 cliffhanger.
Upon starting the KR for the run down the hill I thought it sounded a bit "strange" so when I got to the bottom I returned to the pit and checked it out.
I soon discovered the collar holding the exhaust header to the barrel had one nut missing and the other "hanging" by one thread. I decided that I would call it a day.
On checking the times I discovered I had done a 3:16.xxx and a 3:12.xxx and was the fastest 150 - I was quite pleased.
(I was also pleased to note that my time from last year on the 675 would have kept me in the top 10) .
Katie and I hooked up with Clive and his boy and cadged a ride up the hill with the marshals and set ourselves up on the newly constructed grandstand (cattle yards) at the second left hander (turn 4 ?)
It is a pretty good spot, good view of turns 3, 4 and 5 and you can move up the hill a bit for another perspective that gives views of exit of turn 2, turn 3 and 4.
Katie and I stayed for the prize giving, it was great to see a memorial prize "for the spirit of the Cliffhanger" in Gary's honor and quit fitting the first recipient was Peter (who has been the starter and recovery driver for every cliffhanger event I have been to)
Congratulations to Drew for retaining the "King of The Cliffhanger" title - and Phil forgiving him a bit of a hurry up.
Katie and I had a great weekend.
BIG thanks to all the organizers and volunteers, this is my 4th cliffhanger as a rider and hopefully it wont be my last.
Oh if anyone picked up a green bristled yard broom - it's mine, I'll buy you a beer if I get it back.
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Originally Posted by wharfy
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