Bert's Round 2 write up, I've finished sulking.

[Bert]

Actrix VMCC Round 2

Well what can I say that hasn’t already been said. --- Met service sort your shit out and get it right….

The Beginning
After being woken up at 3ish by some local farmers, wanting to know if they would have to move their cows out of the bottom paddock, (WTF I went off call Friday grrrrrr). Went into work and helped sorted out the warnings.

Five thirty, sitting in the office drinking coffee and talking shit, get the latest rainfall models, yepee it not going to rain much more (how wrong they were).

Went home and picked up the bike and drove out the fielding and setup.
Caught up with Vtec and meet Texmo, who were pitting a couple of bays down.

Scrub In Session
Started pissing down and I didn’t really have anything to scrub in. So I sat down and had another coffee.

Practice

What would you know it raining and hailing again. Took things easy, too easy.
Ended up qualifying 8th not to bad, but I was behind Texmo. Bugger how did that happen ???
I enjoy riding in the rain.

Race One.

Bloody wet (god I wish I had changed my front tyre yesterday, rather than thinking it would be ok).
Got a good start, ended up being boxed in. crap 5th out of the first corner.
Then watched little RG100!! burn on past, into the hairpin. Bugger.
“Settle into it boy!!”
Tex and Racey and another KR went by, and my confidence slowly left me.
I’m going backward faster that I’m going forward
Lost another place to Russell on his ZXR on the 9th lap. But managed to stick with him. Followed him around and slowly caught back up to the kr with Racey & Tex sitting with in reach, watch the guys in front to figure out where I could pass them. Sorted I can do this.
Nope.
Came down the start finish straight on the same line that I’d used for the rest of the race, but this time caught one of the bumps just when I started to brake, felt the front lock and aquaplaned over the next puddle, felt the rear step out right, pulled it back. nope to far, hit the next little bump,
see you later….

Crap my right butt cheek is getting very warm, transfer more weight to the left one, 'don’t put hands down!!' Ouch dumb F##K. Crap outside ripple strip ouch, stones ouch, grass crap. Stopped with a splash. That wasn’t too bad, nothing broken or sore other than right cheek, ran over and picked up the bike and pulled it over to the tyres and watched the rest of the race. All 2 laps of it, crap nearly bloody finished.
Pulled the bike off the tyres and walked it back down the pit lane and back into the pits. I though there were recovery vehicles…

[Bert]

Back in the pits
Sat down and had a coffee and smoke, well that F##Ked the day.
My pit bitch Stu had finally arrived. “I guess we’re loading it up ?”.
First answer “F##K it, yep, I’m going home”
Second or third drag, second answer “F##K it, it’s the winter series, I need points, what can we do to get it back out for the next race”. Right butt cheek still sore.

Broken bits : not to bad considering it was nearly full noise.
Front brake lever, lost the ball on the end.
Back brake lever, broken off at the shaft.
Fairings, smashed, my nice new blade smashed (this still brings a tear to the eyes). Mounts bent. crash bungs saved the casings
Seat, motor, radiator, footpegs and tank still ok. – this is do-able.

Thank god for the box of bucket bits in the back of the car. And “some seat of pants thinking”. Amongst the assortment of sh!t was a nylon bar end.
This will fit over the brake leaver and act like a ball.
The other half with a bolt will serve as the rear brake pin.
A really really big thanks to Vtec’s dad who was kind enough to lend me his drill and drill bits, no way would I have been able to get it going with out that.
We went to work.
Sweet, all sorted. Right cheek is still burning
Washed the mud, grass and stones off.
All sweet. But naked. (the bike not me, though you could see my burnt undies with the holes in my leathers)

Race Two
Well another reasonable start, picked up a few placings, only to lose them again. Settled into it.
Held up everyone behind me (not intentionally). Then on the third lap had a awful moment on the paint through the mid field, opposite lock sliding across the track, automatic motorcross response ( I know this isn’t a good idea in RR but I really didn’t want to bin it again, burning cheek was a solid reminder), foot down and controlled the slide and gathered my thoughts and carried on ( I really regret not changing my front tyre, grrrr IRC’s are crap in the wet), slowly everyone behind me went past and I finished last. Bugger, but 10 points in the bag is better than going home sulking.

Post

Caught up with the Auckland boys, Racey, Sugi, Garry H, RG100!! And Ivan, then raced home to help Racey unload this bike into the shed. And warmed up with a few rums and watched the rugby.

Thanks to

ESL Security Levin
Stu and his lovely lady who braved the cold to ride up from Wellington, yes boy you will have to get a race bike !!.
My lovely lady for sleeping in and missing the crash but brought out lunch and more coffee.
Vtec and Texmo and their corresponding dads for all your help
And everyone else that poped over to see if I was ok.

[ajturbo]

And everyone else that poped over to see if I was ok.

i popped over to say hi.. but all he did was talk about his butt....!!!!WTF???? what a pervert... he showed me his hole... not a good look

man (?) in leathers bending over pointing to his hole......

but i was i suitably inpressed??? with his atemps to fix his bike ... yes!!

his butt.....NO, i still feel sick....

[Sketchy_Racer]

Oh the Woes of racing.

It can bite ya in the ass.

Good right up though Bert.

Im looking foward to the next meeting.

[vtec]

Funny, I don't think the stinging butt cheek had hit home when you were talking to me... The only pain you were feeling was for your bike. I've smashed up my bike pretty good in the last couple of months, and I reckon it was one of the nicest looking bikes out there at this meeting, so I'm sure being as skilled with the tools as you are, you'll have all the fairings fitted back on in no time. Was a pleasure to meet you, and the fact that you were racing in the rain on IRC's gave me a lot of respect for you. Should be a lot faster on the BT090's. Catch you next round, and send me the details of who what when and where I can get those fairing bits for you.

[sugilite:Me]

Well done Bert!
Much respect to you for putting your bike back together and completing the round!

Pity you left that frount at home, I'd have changed it for you.
I owe you at least a few tyre changes for all the help you have been giving me in the pits of late!

[Two Smoker]

Good onya Bert for fixing the bike with Stu and getting back on it

[Bert]

but i was i suitably inpressed??? with his atemps to fix his bike ... yes!!

Much respect to you for putting your bike back together and completing the round!

Good onya Bert for fixing the bike with Stu and getting back on it

Cheers Guys.
THanks for the incoragment (sp), during my time of need.
I must be getting older, things are hurting today. Or maybe its monday and I had to go to work to pay for everything.

I reckon it was one of the nicest looking bikes out there at this meeting, so I'm sure being as skilled with the tools as you are

Cheers man, doesn't quite compare to yours - sexy black beast.. with wings
I'll Be Back, and it will be better than ever.

Once again thanks to all that poped over, Stu for sitting me down and giving me the sturn talking too, and the girls for all the coffees, didn't sleep well on sat night cheers

[Sparky Bills]

Oh was that you! I had a chat to you and Stu for a bit, but didnt even know it was you!
Too bad about the off, but you got back out there, so good on you for that!

[GSVR]

I do not like that bit of track braking for turn 1. After I dropped my bike there I walked down to have a close look at why I fell thinking it must have been oil or something and came to the comclusion it was all the bumps combined with my not so hot suspension. And when I fell it wasn't even damp.

Would have rather flagged this Vic Rd2 but had to circulate to maintain some points. I bet if I buy a set of wets all the next rounds will be dry

[Cleve]

I bet if I buy a set of wets all the next rounds will be dry

Buy wets! Buy wets! Buy wets! Buy wets! Buy wets! Buy wets!
Then we can all enjoy dry rounds...