Bears Winter Series Rd 1
I’d been giving some nameless Moto Guzzi rider a fair bit of grief because he reckoned he wouldn’t be riding if it was wet, obviously he doesn’t realise not all motorcycle electrics fail in the rain it’s only the Italian ones
Any way, scrutineering was all good except for the nameless Moto Guzzi rider who didn’t have his bikes up to the required standard![]()
TonyB turns up and hasn’t got his rear tyre seated on the rim properly, after a bit of lubricant and new member B31 wacking the snot out of it with a big hammer the problem was sorted
We also admire the kiddie blocks on the brake lever of Diesel Pigs borrowed RD400, as without them it seems he can’t reach the pedals
At riders briefing we’re told that due to a lack of flag marshals we’re running the outer circuit which gives more of a advantage to the faster bikes
Practice Buckets
I go out behind Glen and chase him around for a bit, slowly getting dropped off back, but the bike feels fine and I’m getting a bit more consistent with my lines, although I have a bit of a moment into turn one when I slide the front after getting on to the dirty part of the track
Practice Pre82
Dangerous goes out on his MT/MB and due to gross mechanical incompetence the flywheel falls off the end of the crank, in the meantime I’m chasing Diesel Pig around after he passes me and find to my amazement I can stay with him, he later admits to a moment of depression when he check behind him exiting the dipper and I’m just about alongside him
There’s a bit of excitement when a K100 BMW goes down in practice over at the hairpin and promptly catches fire as the fuel cap comes open and dumps gas everywhere![]()
Race 1 Buckets
As the premier class we are always first up, I get up to the dummy grid fast and get a front row spot, as the flag drops I catch a glimpse of Glen beside me trying to loop his bike off the start, I hit turn 1 in 5th spot I’m hanging off the back of the fast group , I’m trying to get close enough to Diesel Pig to put him under pressure while I’ve got Spudracer giving me a hurry up as well,and then Mike Parker comes past me , I get right behind Diesel Pig as he passes Glen, then Glens bike dies in the dipper as Diesel Pig goes past him and I just about run into the back of him and that cost me a few bike lengths that I cant make back up and head home in 5th
Race 1 Pre82
I’m having problems with a dragging clutch and get a pretty average start but end up 5th after turn 1, I catch up and get a good run to pass Lew on the Ducati down the straight into turn 1 and slot into 4th, Diesel Pig is going hard out after Russel on the Z1 and getting pushy but Russel use the Z1 power to keep him at bay until Diesel Pig pulls off a pass around the outside of the hairpin and gets enough space before they hit the straight to keep him at bay, another LC gets past me and while I can stick with him through the corners and under brakes he’s a got more straight line speed and I slowly drop back to finish 5th
Race 2 Buckets
I really need to work on my starts as they are absolute crap but I slot into 5th with Diesel Pig just in front of me, I’m riding a bit harder than race 1 but so is everyone else I pass Diesel Pig down the straight and he comes back at me through the dipper where he is especially good, we trade places a bit then Mike Parker on his GP/RG100 takes both us, the white flag is out and Diesel Pig gets in front for the last lap but I get on the gas earlier and harder as he leads me onto the straight and beat him to the line for another 5th
Race 2 Pre82
The crappiest start for the day with even Stanko and Nipper beating me off the line I head off about 8th but get two places back into turn one, I’m watching Diesel Pig and Darryl Cotton battling it out in front of me and I pick up another place when I get a good run from the fast kink down to the hairpin and pass Lew under brakes I’m onto the back of Steve Rae on the RD400 when the other LC passes me and then Steve, Diesel Pig has got past Darryl Cotton but Russel has got the break he needed to get home in first, I’m chasing Steve hard he’s got a little bit more down the straight but I close him down in the corners last corner and I’m going around the outside of him and head down arse up and when he misses a gear I think “I’ve got him” but this proves to be overly optimistic and he beats me over the line by a bike length
Race 3 Buckets
No points for this one it’s just for fun so I swap bikes with Stanko, I get a better start than when I ride my own bike and slot into my usual place, I chase down catch and pass Spudracer who suffers from a bit of a power to weight deficitand then have a lonely race for the next few laps
Race 3 All in BEARs, Pre82
Up to the front of the line and I don’t totally blow the start and hang in right behind Diesel Pig, I’m in 4th with a Ducati all over the back of me he gets past and I’m still right behind Diesel Pig, I’ve got to the point where I’m following Diesel Pig on the straight pulling out and passing him, he’s getting me back through the dipper and leading me onto the straight, as I pull out to pass him yet again I reach across and slap him on the arse, we trade places for the next few laps, I nail him down the straight he gets me back at the dipper but I blow it when I let the little fucker (kiddie blocks and all) have to big a gap onto the straight and can’t pass him before the line, but a bloody good race all the same
After the racing we also hold a AGM and railroad some Moto Guzzi riding wannabe into the Bucket Club Presidency
Viva EL Presidente
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