Sound of Thunder

[Kickaha]

Bugger,I had to change my number,I am now on #82 and in pit Garage 20,if anyone wants to come say Hi.

[Kickaha]

Arrived at the track about 9.30am and there was only one other bike about,buggered off to the shop and got something to eat and went back to the track and unloaded the bike.

Ray Shearman wandered up and took $10 off me for the practice and told me the track was open,so I fired it up and headed out with the whole track to myself,first impressions of the F3 were that for a 400 it's a heavy bike and had a very linear power delivery (what little power there is) changes gear nice and very good front brakes after about 5 laps my wrist were killing me and I had to come in.

Back out again and trying to push harder,when something interesting happened,the back brakes disappeared,while hooking into a corner and I just about ran off the track,for the next few laps they sorta came and went,in the end I just stopped relying on them,also got it sliding out of the sweeper and untidy through another corner.

Wound up the rebound damping for the next session and transformed the bike,no more slides or getting offline over the bumps and started pushing in harder under brakes,by now I'd also worked it it was running lean and falling off up the top end,so some jets arriving tomorrow.

Lynda arrived to say Hi and it was very nice to finally meet someone else from this site,chatted to her for a bit then went out to chase some other 400's around and found I could just about match the pace of some of the longer term 400 riders,getting blown off down the straights and catching and passing them (sometimes) in the corners.

By the end of the day and 25 litres of gas later the confidence level was a lot higher and although not pushing as hard as I could (not my bike) feeling a lot happier on the bike,roll on tomorrow and even the weather forecast has improved,looks like a wet practice and clearing for the races.

[Kickaha]

Left home for Saturday practice and racing and its nice and warm,1km from the track and it starts pissing down,riders briefing and they say they will evaluate the track and decide whether to continue with the meeting.

We are also told about the plain clothes cops with the video camera up in the tower pretending to be car club officials,apparently there is a large "M/C Club" gathering in town and they are expecting a few members out there and are doing some covert survellance.

The weather starts to clear and the practices start,but as its my home track I decide not to do them,it clears a bit more and I do the last practice before racing starts and its running like a pig,its wet and bloody slippery,before race one they cone off part of the sweeper because of oil previously dropped by cars,which forces you into a really odd line through there.

Race one its only damp and I go off the back and duff the start and are just about last out of thirty into the first corner,but manage to work my way back up a few places,taking Tony on the right hander before the dipper and Sue into the infeild sweeper and a picking off a few others before the flag.

Race two and its fully dry and I try a different start technique with pretty much the same result,but as I started a row further up,probably only half the feild in front of me,manage to pull back a few places clean up Sue,Tony (big rival from buckets) and mangage a reasonable finish.

Race three,and no matter what method of starting its just to gutless to get a good one,get into a full on three way scrap with Tony (Gilera 500) and Lew (Ducati 400) trading places for the full race distance and manage to nail both of them when Lew misses a gear,Tony then passes me back and coming out of the last corner right on his tail he outdrags me to the line.

Talked to Lynda a bit more,her hubbys a quiet bloke,probably because with her about you can't get a word in edgeways

Sunday, did practice,broke bike,Game Over!
Excellent meeting,had a great time,good to meet Lynda and Hamish and hope I can scrounge a bike for next year.

[LB]

I hung around Kickaha's pit around 1pm both Sat and Sun, but didn't see any other KBers. The weather turned out better than expected, though it was so so so cold that I couldn't do the lycra thing, and it was too windy for the brolly. Sorry Kickaha, I know you're bitterly disappointed. Sorry MatthewT for not getting any photos.

Nice to meet you Kickaha. Really sorry your bike crapped out. I'm sorry Hamish talked so much!!

Dangerous: saw the BB1 there, don't know if you were there or not. There were a couple of other Bimotas also.

All in all, a great weekend. And I got to have three McDonald's meals. Life could be far worse....now can't wait for the Britten meeting - less than two weeks to go!

[k14]

Yeah, would have gone out if the weather had been better, but couldnt be arsed biking out there.

Definately be out there for the britten memorials though