Touring Manfeild

[cowboyz]

that was seriously the highlight of my weekend. rocking it out there.

[Crasherfromwayback]

No worries, there seems to be a few around, watch this space.

I've got a good one here if you want one mate!

[Drew]

I've got a good one here if you want one mate!

What are you guys selling it for, and do you know where it was meant for?

Uk/Australian market ones are full horse models I'm told. 300k speedo, and an on/off switch for the lights is the give away.

Post '95 they also get cartridge forks.

[Crasherfromwayback]

What are you guys selling it for, and do you know where it was meant for?

Uk/Australian market ones are full horse models I'm told. 300k speedo, and an on/off switch for the lights is the give away.

Post '95 they also get cartridge forks.

I'll have a perv tomorrow for you mate.

[johan]

That was one of the most memorable meeting I've been to yet! Brilliant!

The number plate was blocking my view, the black plumes of smoke from blipping the throttle made me cough, and seeing this big dark thing going around me on the outside through 'splash', with a shiny black pillion seat, made me laugh hard in my helmet.

Great ride mate, I hope you'll make another guest appearance soon again!

[MSTRS:Me]

Qualifying went without incident, to everyone's surprise. (There was some conjecture as to weather I'd finish the out lap, let alone the session)

We never doubted you...
That was seriously impressive, tho.

[cowpoos]

It all started as a joke I think. Luke called me up a few weeks ago, and said I should enter F1 for round one, of the Actrix winter series. "Don't be friggin stupid"! I replied. He insisted I should, and said I'd have a ball, and that he'd pay my entry fees. "Righto then, you clearly just want some pay back after I beat you at the hill climb". "Mumble mumble, just wanna see what you can do on the RF, mumble mumble...to do with the cliffhanger".

So we agreed I'd have a whirl, and man am I glad I did.

Race prep for the RF consisted of removing the mirrors and indicators, and changing fork and engine oil. "Woohoo, she's a racer not a tourer now"!

Pissing around with tyres sucks! Qualifying was wet, but the track was drying so that shit had to happen twice.

Qualifying went without incident, to everyone's surprise. (There was some conjecture as to weather I'd finish the out lap, let alone the session) I did make it back and had put myself No.8 on the grid. I was happy with not being last to be honest.

Just couldn't be arsed swinging on tyre levers again, so went and saw Kerry to get him to do it for me. Cheers man, AWESOME!

Race one. It occurs to me on the out lap, that I hadn't checked the pressures in my tyres after they were changed. "Hmmm, wonder how that's gonna go with 200+ kilos of bike pushing on a cold track? Best not to think about it I guess". Sitting on the grid waiting for the lights and giggling at how ridiculous I must look. Lights go out and away we go. For what it's worth, the RF pulls pretty well, so I made a few spots up towards turn one. That put Roger Cathro and a few other people in a very difficult position, getting past a bike that's wider than a lot of small cars. I held him off till lap two where he went past into the hairpin.

That left me in seventh spot, and although Johan showed a wheel into turn one at some point, I managed to hold him off and finish in seventh.

Check the pressures back in the pit, and I reckon I did not bad for running front and back at 40psi and lapping at 1m16s

Race two. This time out, just as we suit up I notice my front warmer isn't working. "Ah well, at least the pressure is where it should be. I'll just take it easy for two laps".

Off we go again and I manage to stay eighth while waiting for my tyre to warm up. There was no way I could make up the gap Johan had on me in four laps so I set about trying not to shit myself under brakes into T1. It gets a bit hairy on the ol' girl. Somehow managed to get down to 1m15.6s that time. CHOICE!

Race 3. With a warm front tyre at the right kinda pressure, I was quite confident I would make it round turn 1 lap 1 at last.

Off we go again, Johan beats me to turn one, and I have a real ugly lap. Sliding out of 'splash' and just generally making a hash of things. I get my shit together and start to shorten the gap to Johan. On lap four I found myself coming up on his rear wheel quite fast into 'splash', so I braked a bit later expecting to get by early and run my usual line round the turn, (read, wrestle the bike under brakes, move my arse a bit and wobble and weave round the bend). I'd underestimated Johans speed though so was left with no option but to go round him the long way mid turn. All the while thinking, "this is really advised against as a good place to pass". Somehow made it round and proceed on for the next lap and a half to finish sixth. This time lapping 1m15.1s (I think the timing gear is broken, that can't be right!)

So, a great day. The RF just goes from strength to strength I tell you!

Thanks to Luke for making me do it, to Jody for help and support, everyone in the pit for helping with tyres and shit, and of course TSS Red Baron. Couldn't have had so much fun without you all.

Thanks to Vic club for putting on a great day. It went as perfectly as anyone could expect, and as soon as CJ learns to read, I'm sure she will start calling up the right class to the dummy grid. Hehehe

To anyone worried that I'll be doing the rest of the season, you need not. It was a oncer to take the RF out. I loved every second of it but lets be serious, the old girl has done 92,000k's. As good as it is, thrashing the arse off it all day once a month will likely kill it.

Sounds like fun...and Kudo's....we should start a ridiculous bike class...invite only, to control the riduculous-ness of the machines and riders!

[scracha]

Not a bad effort Drew. I reckon the massive RF brake light just blinded everyone following.

On the plus side, my transponder's now got 0.8s off it's previous PB.

Cowpoos may be onto something. TDM900 in open pro twins methinks.

[Deano]

top form mate - impressive riding bro

[Mental Trousers]

Amazing how fast a school bus can go eh

[Drew]

That was one of the most memorable meeting I've been to yet! Brilliant!

The number plate was blocking my view, the black plumes of smoke from blipping the throttle made me cough, and seeing this big dark thing going around me on the outside through 'splash', with a shiny black pillion seat, made me laugh hard in my helmet.

Great ride mate, I hope you'll make another guest appearance soon again!

That's the new number plate too, the old one was the huge square type.

I hope the smoke wasn't too blue.

The seat is one piece, no way to remove the back one.

Thinking about Taupo round mate, but it'll need a pair of disks on the front to cope with the end of the straight. Unless it's the short track, in which case I think the old girl could place even better.

Sounds like fun...and Kudo's....we should start a ridiculous bike class...invite only, to control the riduculous-ness of the machines and riders!

I like it. Dunno how ridiculous the RF is though, was good enough for Ray Clee.

Not a bad effort Drew. I reckon the massive RF brake light just blinded everyone following.

On the plus side, my transponder's now got 0.8s off it's previous PB.

Cowpoos may be onto something. TDM900 in open pro twins methinks.

Had the brake lights unplugged. Didn't want anyone to see how early I was dropping nuts into turn one.

top form mate - impressive riding bro

Cheers mate, it's actually easier to ride an average bike to it's limit, than a sorted one though.

Amazing how fast a school bus can go eh

It's an aircraft carrier mate. I used it to drop the seal team at the coast to nail Osama.

[kiwifruit]

need a pair of disks on the front

How much is a set of disks? I'm sure heaps of folks will chip in... i'll chuck twenty bucks towards them (if i can root you?).

[scracha]

Thinking about Taupo round mate, but it'll need a pair of disks on the front to cope with the end of the straight. Unless it's the short track, in which case I think the old girl could place even better.

New Disks? I'm sure there's space under that tail piece for an anchor.

[yungatart]

Do the series, drew...be a shame not to, now that you have found the perfect race bike for you...3 races plus qualifying, all upright...gotta be a record for you

Besides, it was an awesome sight for the spectators!

[Nasty]

Great read .. good to see you getting out there and doing it!