Ruapuna 30 September

[Shaun]

I heard a rider was taken away by ambuallance after gring=ding through there leathers, is that rider ok?

[Kickaha]

I heard a rider was taken away by ambuallance after gring=ding through there leathers, is that rider ok?

I didn't see an ambulance leave the track, but I may have missed it

Steve Woods went down at the fast kink over the back and Hank went down exiting the infield sweeper, I saw Hank back on his feet but I dont know about Steve

[Rashika]

ambulance went out to pick up a rider while we were waiting on the dummy grid, but they didn't leave the track (parked back up again), so I'd say he was ok.
Awesome days racing!

[Shaun]

Thanks for that, must have been mis onfo

[k14]

Nah no one was injured as far as i know. Steve had a nasty off (150kph or so), but was just brusies and grazes. Bike wasn't too bad either. Hank on his CBR1000 had a highside but he's alright, bike didnt fare so well though.

[Kickaha]

Talked to Glen this morning and he said Steve's leathers wore through on his hip but he was treated at the track

[Rashika]

seeing as this thread has been started might as well add to it.

Ended up going out 9 times on the track, phew what a lot of track time that was, and I could feel myself improving each time i went out there. Now all i have to do is make the bucket fit me the same way as Elsie does and it would all be sweet.

had a practice on each bike, then 4 races on each, including an 8 lap for king of ruapuna and the last race had a Le mans start....pics to come!

Buckets were in with Streetstock, yup all those buzzy 150s which was okay, we let them head off first mostly (not that we had a LOT of choice ) altho a few were abit slower off so we got a bit tangled up at times. Only 5 buckets and we always finshed the same way we started: TonyB, Thunder, Me, Tygertung and his mate on 69 proddy bike.
Altho occasionally some didn't quite finish eh TT? Now you know how I said just watch yourself thru the dipper, I honestly did not mean sit down and check it out THAT closely ok?? Altho it almost did put my offroad skills to the test, but managed to not run you over this time, please dont test them again cos I'm not that good! Glad to look back and see you getting up.
The funny thing about the buckets was that we ended up only about 100 metres apart by the end of each race...apart from the proddy bikes that is. I felt like i was improving but so was Thunder so each time we seemed to just stay the same
Elsie went in with clubmans and the usual HUGE variety of bikes in there mine was one of the 3 oldest and they also happened to be by far the smallest as well, but it was still cool trying to test myself against the bigger bikes thru the corners at least.
First race I had a bit of a tusslle with the Ducati 250 and was looking forward to NOT cocking up gears and getting past him in the next races but didn't manage to see him again.
Had a more testing time later when I went a little too hot on Elsie thru the kink on the back straight and over the ripple strip...interesting i thought as i went over it, theres concrete over here, i never knew that! Rode for 10 metres on it (thanking my stars!) and then back onto the track.

All in all it was a very good day, not that I had much in the way of real competition given the vast differential on bikes and the full track, but I wasn't really there for that anyway. I wanted some more time on both bikes to see what needs improving on them and me. The braided line on Elsie made a HUGE difference, I could actually brake when i needed! By the end of the day I was starting to get off both bikes quite a bit and feeling okay doing it. Elsie was easy to do this and I felt really right on her. The bucket is much harder and i was aching by the end of each race, so we are going to sort out footpegs and seat on her for the next meet (hopefully) which isn't till Nov for me.

Greymouth is next but I will just sit back and watch the others, and whaddayaknow i might even get back to taking pics again!
and speaking of which, here a few from others.

pic 1: me at the start grid, why do I always get put in the front? hate being passed by the big boys right in the beginning
Pic 2: K14 pits
Pic 3: Buckets/150s on the grid
Pic 4: Tygertung and 69 over the line at the end...errr guys you aren't actually meant to have a converstaion as you ride... I mean I know the buckets are slow but c'mon...the image y'know?
Pic 5: Kickaha giving K14s previous RS a go...it looked like and interesting fit
Pic 6: Me on the bucket

[Rashika]

and a couple more from the le mans start of the bucket race (decided to sit that one out)

[Rashika]

and some more from the same start...it was so funny I just had to post em all!

and then the next race, clubmans and me on Elsie, push ya bastard! ....bloody funny!! But at least I didn't fall over

[Rashika]

last ones
Pic 1: BrenB, whatch looking back for? he's right next to ya!
Pic 2: Nipper (good to see you there kiddo!!)
Pic 3: Me on Elsie
Pic 4: brenB doing a celebratory wheelie down the straight

[k14]

Pic 5: Kickaha giving K14s old bucket a go

Last time I checked it wasn't a bucket. Although if everyone thinks it is then i'm happy to run it in buckets.

[ajturbo]

Altho occasionally some didn't quite finish eh TT? Now you know how I said just watch yourself thru the dipper, I honestly did not mean sit down and check it out THAT closely ok?? Altho it almost did put my offroad skills to the test, but managed to not run you over this time, please dont test them again cos I'm not that good! Glad to look back and see you getting up.

one rule i have tried so hard to install in luke's head is
NOT TO LOOK BACK...

so we can only come to the sorry relalization that, you have some sort of guilt?????

[Rashika]

Last time I checked it wasn't a bucket. Although if everyone thinks it is then i'm happy to run it in buckets.

yeah alright, i meant to put rs but my fingers slipped ok!

one rule i have tried so hard to install in luke's head is
NOT TO LOOK BACK...

so we can only come to the sorry relalization that, you have some sort of guilt?????

nah, but was concerned that a couple of the 150s on my tail wouldn't have seen him go down, cos he did drop right in front of me... nothing to do with me, unless it was cos he was trying to outrun me?

next time i wont look back...

[98tls]

Anyone know if Matt Ford was there ?

[Kickaha]

Anyone know if Matt Ford was there ?

Yeah he was giving his new Aprilla it's second outing

Went out for practice on Dave Annan's Busa powered sidecar and it was running like crap, he pulled the injectors and we found one not working properly due to a bit of rust in the tip of it, we started the race but puled back in after one lap as it wasn't worth doing race distance the way it was running


K14 offered me his old RS so I went out in clubmans, I decided to start off the back as I knew I'd struggle to get a good launch and by the time I got going was about 5-6 bike lengths behind

I picked off a few bikes on lap one and was working my way through the field when I tagged onto the back of a gixxer thou, I started trying to get onto the back of him and he'd blow me away down the straight and I'd pull him back in through the infield

Then coming through the infield sweeper he cocks it up and runs wide and off the track and I'm though and after the KTM, a couple of laps later and the white flag is out, I'm right on the back of the KTM on the final lap,right behind him through the dipper and as we hit the sweeper I ride around the outside of him but as soon as he straightens up and nails it he pulls back past along with the Gixxer to beat me in the run to the flag