19/02/06 No Hair Race Report - Logan - Paeroa

**Kwaka-Kid** · 20th February 2006, 18:12

Monday 26^th December 2005
Battle Of The Streets, Round 2, Paeroa

It was about 2:30pm on Saturday when Hamish (Pit Bitch for the day) and I arrived in Paeroa. I signed on and then we got the old girl thru bike check and then passed gear check, no problems. So what does one do on the night before racing in Paeroa? Well, we pitched tents, were all set to sleep on that soft Paeroa grass, then went out in search for some fun and laughter, without searching very far we immediately entertained by the activities of the sidecar boys, busting out what appeared to be a good old fashioned game of “who can push his mate fastest on a bread trolley – into that group of massive green wheelie bins!” The fun was soon shut down when word made it to us that the fuzz were out in force, walking the beat. Well, apart from seeing a massive bunch of crickets down one of the side streets near Woolworth’s, which was our lot! A few friendly games of poker, blackjack, and euchre (what we could remember) were on the cards till bedtime.

7am Sharp, Sunday morning, and somebody was kindly cranking some queen for us to wake up to. Not at all feeling nervous by first practise (I think because of setting such a low standard after engine trouble @ Wanganui) I was ready to take a look at the track again, and more importantly see if after tearing ligaments in my ankle just a few weeks before hand, I was going to be able to ride properly. So here I am in the first lap firing around the track, instantly I recalled where to brake and enter corners, with the only difference being this time the track felt a lot more bumpy (due to firmer suspension settings on the different bike), and when coming over the first bump on the back straight, I sat back and gave the bars a light tug, when boom, my right hand hit the tank, with bar still in it? Bugger! It’s apparent my right handle bar has shaken loose, and by the time I realise it my right hand is pulling in the front brake hard for the hairpin, another bang and disruption to my line as it spun forwards and smashed into the front fairing. After just making it thru the hairpin on a wide line I headed down the front straight with time to line my handlebar back into position, ready for the next corner, and this is basically how the rest of the first practise laps went, using my left bar to pull/push for each corner and trying my best not to put weight thru the right bar I found that my right ankle was not too bad, giving a little grief coming into turn 1 with hard braking I slipped off the peg once but otherwise the adrenaline pumping from trying to ride with the bar coming loose I was too busy to think about whether it hurt or not. Second practise at least I had a tight bar on, and I could work on braking markers a little, and also increasing entry speed into turn 1. A successful practise it had been but not really overtaking anybody around me I was a little unsure of how well I would run in the races.

It was a little before the First of two races when I found out I was about 32^nd on the grid of 40. I didn’t understand why as although I didn’t do too great at Wanganui, I was always told anybody who entered Wanganui would be ahead of those that didn’t – well this sure wasn’t the case, and after thinking hard as to what my approach on the race would be, starting in 32^nd I decided the only option was to run it hard from the start and get as many places as I can off the flag, and with the advice of a friend, the idea was to run down the outside line into turn 1, so long as I pulled into a tight line over the turn 2 hill, otherwise I would be dragged wide and either hit the curb or have to slow down (and there wasn’t going to be any of that!). So here I was on the start line, on the second to last row (8^th row I think) bang in the middle, planning my path thru based on what I thought other bikes ahead would do. As nervous as I get by now I could feel blood pulsing thru my head, waiting for the green flag, still waiting, trying to search for signs of the flag dropping, then boom! I had the throttle on the upstroke at about 10,000rpm and slipped the clutch thru till she fell to only about 9,000rpm, by which time I had had to go straight up the inside of some of the field then letting them turn for the inside line I stayed mid track, changing down a few cogs for turn 1 I rung it hard the second after I hit the bump on apex, hooked up a gear and pulled her hard in, making a gap for myself against the inside curb and not wanting to let off the gas, with I think Kirk on the outside of me I came over the crest and the back end already wriggling around, started to swing out. Going with the swing I picked it up a little and began to run wide, fortunately now on exit of the corner, and coming down the hill. A Short shift saved it from continuing on, then into the left hander starting the S’s I came underneath a motard, pushing as hard as I could I honestly don’t know how many bikes I had passed in the last 20 seconds of riding but it must have been nearing 20, as by the 2^nd lap I had secured a 12^th position and was for a change was not worried about someone overtaking from behind, but just about catching the next guy to get further ahead. Sure enough got another place and I was some bike lengths off Mark on his new Kawasaki 650. Sadly although I closed the gap as fast as I could it wasn’t enough, having to dodge passed 2 lapped riders along the way the short 6 lap, 5 minute, sprint race I settled for an 11^th place, having enjoyed every second of the race!

So... now it was time to set the next goal for race 2… after checking in the lap times, I had only just set a faster time then the 2 bikes ahead of me, and with the catching up I had to do, I decided that 9^th would be a good goal to aim for, get off that start line and get ahead. Once again on the start line, this time just as nervous as earlier… I won’t drag this on as long though, the flag dropped, the bullshit stopped, and the revs topped! Screaming off I held the front wheel barely an inch off the ground and almost keeping up with marks 650 I slotted in behind for a short while then went for the outside line into turn 1, but couldn’t quite pull the position off, so once again sat in behind. XXXXX With a new approach to the S’s I dove in on the brakes for a little longer, entering slower but pulling the left harder I found I could get over and on the gas a lot earlier to make the most of the old girls ponies.

Thanks to Hambo45 for all his help, the flaggies and officials of paeroa, and of course all the spectators, it just rocked!
Of course I cannot forget Henderson Motorcycles and Pirelli Tyres!
Also,
www.ezSite.co.nz,
New Zealand Towing ltd,
Golden Gun Panel and Paint,
The Pallet Company (Glen Eden),
Autostop (New Lynn)

Cheers
Logan

**Two Smoker** · 20th February 2006, 18:22

WICKED WRITE UP LOGO!!! Wiggles is pretty damn quick on that 650!!! Wish i was out there with you guys... ah well there is still Puke on the 12th of march

Cant wait to battle it out with you there

**Scorpygirl** · 20th February 2006, 18:29

Great riding Logan!!!

The pics of you show you were going hard out!!! Bruce was on your shoulder all the way matey.

Thanks for the write-up. Well done!

**Kwaka-Kid** · 20th February 2006, 18:38

Originally Posted by Two Smoker

WICKED WRITE UP LOGO!!! Wiggles is pretty damn quick on that 650!!! Wish i was out there with you guys... ah well there is still Puke on the 12th of march

Cant wait to battle it out with you there

cheers guys, and yeah Chris! me too, i will see how i go, no thanks to 6chris6 leaving! Argh! :P may not be able to make it as i need new tyres to try and push myself at pukekohe, as mine have seen 3 nationals rounds and paeroa :P

**Two Smoker** · 20th February 2006, 18:42

Might be able to sort you out a really cheap rear for Puke mate...

**cowpoos** · 20th February 2006, 18:53

awesome stuff dude....I heard you were riding rather ledgendary...and it sounds it!!!

Whats happening to the big bore engine dude?

**Kwaka-Kid** · 20th February 2006, 19:09

Thanks, will see how things go chris thanks for the offer. Cowpoos-its being rebuilt, this time bigger, better, nastier, and meaner then ever... well, something like that anyway, by the legendary D. Hill himself. Dont have an ETA on it but at this stage will use the old '87 donk for the next wee while, would like to do the winter series and really learn to ride her well but *insert typical whinging young racer moan about money here*

Cheers.
Logan