Battle of Buckets 2011, Ruapuna, 15 October

[SVboy]

Good race! Well done to the northies coming down and doing their best. Better luck next year boys!![but big ups for the sacrifice to come down] Big thanks to CAMs for their support.

[F5 Dave]

Yeah was an awesome day. I really feel like a factory racer. I'm back in wgtn having flown in. Tired as though, we had a couple of beers & a pizza at the yalhurst & I was worried I'd fall asleep & miss my plane.

Thanks again Rich for taking my bike as things are difficult with such younguns & obviously to my lovely wife for suggesting I go.

I was really surprised how well my bike went on a long track. as I said somewhere it put out 16hp & was coughing & spluttering just past the dip, but it was nice to actually outpace some people rather that on the 50 where it is a mission.

Man I was sore by the end of the race. It went overtime by about 8 long mins. It took me a min to get off my bike & I had to walk back & forth the pits for a few min to get circulation, I was a bit worried I'd damaged myself, A chap at work did riding in his bro's leathers & the armour gave him nerve damage that lasted 6 months. All came right. Couldn't get back into things in the play races after thou.

Bad luck Rich for the fall. A few things different for him & it could well have been a 3 way battle for the race, but congrats for the 3rd.

Congrats for the Hoogies, they steamed past me, but I'll take 4th & be happy.

Next year some more neddies.

[richban]

Well back on the other island now. What a great event. Was great to catch up with everyone and put faces to names.

What can I say I am Mr third again. After the 2nd sprint race I was confident I could hang at the front but that wasn't to be when I out braked myself into the hair pin and had a little lie down. I got back up quick but found my gear lever end was gone. Stink. I was able to change gears and got back into the groove until the clutch gave up. I had to short shift and roll the throttle on really slow but still it just hit the limiter constantly.

The race was long. Half way through I had a little cry to myself when I started getting leg cramp. It went away thank god. Still had great day. Weather was sweet, people were great. Bring on next year. Congrats to Both the hoogie boys. Was fun racing with you again. Now I have more motivation to try and beat you 2 at the GP.

Top tip for the BOB. Get fit.

I have heaps of Footage to sort through so will try and get it edited as soon as pos. Both front and back views of the complete race. It gets boring after a while so I will just show the highlights. There are a few good ones. Bit of curb jumping and the little crash. Lots of dodgy passing. Good times.

[F5 Dave]

yeah yeah edit highlight package

[Muzzab]

Yes a great day out, I hope the weather Gods are as kind for the Greymouth Street Races this weekend. I saved my cramps up for entertainment when having a beer at a mates place afterwards. I was stuffed by the end of the day. My 400 is less comfortable than my bucket and after the BoB I was having trouble changing gear on it. Eventually decided there was only so much fun you can have in one day and
called it a draw.

Well done CAMS for running a good event, cheers to the Northies for coming down.
Thanks to all the BMRC club guys for pulling it together. We should have a BoB a couple of times a year it's just a hoot.

Cheers
Muzza

[F5 Dave]

Had a quick sneak peak at Rich's rear facing camera footage. Pretty good, can't wait for hte forward facing stuff. Scary how quick the back markers in the vests shoot past in reverse. In reality some of those bikes were too slow if being lapped after 2 laps. I mean c'mon.

[Buddha#81:Me]

Had a quick sneak peak at Rich's rear facing camera footage. Pretty good, can't wait for hte forward facing stuff. Scary how quick the back markers in the vests shoot past in reverse. In reality some of those bikes were too slow if being lapped after 2 laps. I mean c'mon.

I hear ya Dave, but without those extra guys the running costs go up and so do our entries.......chicken and the egg. At least they were there doing it and were happy to wear vests. I'd hope that wont be the case at the GP when there is a National title on the line!

[Dutchee]

as a slow rider, comments like that are one reason I'm seriously wondering whether to take my F4 bike to Taupo or not bother. I'll take the F5 bike down, but not convinced about the fxr, as I'd hate to ruin someone else's race because I'm being selfish and wanting to have fun.

[Buddha#81:Me]

as a slow rider, comments like that are one reason I'm seriously wondering whether to take my F4 bike to Taupo or not bother. I'll take the F5 bike down, but not convinced about the fxr, as I'd hate to ruin someone else's race because I'm being selfish and wanting to have fun.

I'm not saying dont come (poorly worded sorry)........more along the lines of I hope they have qualifying so only NZ's best race in the GP......shit I probally wont make the cut

[Muzzab]

Looking forward to seeing the footage. Even though I'm slow, it's great fun to take part and have our races within the race and have the satisifaction of finishing.
I try my best to not get in anyones way and hold my line, but sometimes thats not possible when someone faster cuts you off mid corner. I still go on the theory that it's the overtaking riders responsibility to do so safely.

[richban]

I'd hope that wont be the case at the GP when there is a National title on the line!

Its a tricky situation. There is no clear answer. This happens in all classes but maybe more in buckets. It has been the same for years and the GP in no different. It is very dangerous for everyone involved and when you see the footage it does look a bit crazy but it is the overtaking riders responsibility. Its just the when you have lots of guys fighting for the lead it gets a bit hairy. If you were to run a qualifier then you run the risk of alienating people and no one wants that. Big blue fags waved with vigor. If we want these 2 events to become bigger BOB and the GP then there has to be a solution that suits as may people as possible. Not sure what that is but I am sure people on this site will have an opinion.

[Buddha#81:Me]

yeah it is a hard one but end of the day its a National title, the BOB and other enduros are shits and giggles!

[Muzzab]

yeah it is a hard one but end of the day its a National title, the BOB and other enduros are shits and giggles!

Very good point. Is the blue flag used at National Events?
Not my thing though, quite happy to stay out of the way where there is a title rather than just bragging rights up for grabs. Would like to get up to Kaitoke one day, C grage of course

Cheers
Muzza

[Henk]

yeah it is a hard one but end of the day its a National title, the BOB and other enduros are shits and giggles!

There's a national title up for grabs here for maybe six people, for the rest it's just shits and giggles as per usual.

[F5 Dave]

Sorry didn't mean to start a fest. I spoke to one of the chaps on the YB100s after & he'd had a great time & good on him.

yes there are always going to be slower riders out there. That Yam 50 I passed I don't know how many times. On the larger track I have absolutely no problem with him & others going that sort of speed. You can plan your way through. Now sometimes that appears aggressive, but unless you know who you are racing you don't know how the passie will react. Often it is just fine, they are doing their thing & keep their own line, no drama. No one means to pass them hard, but if you have someone on your tail for a position you need to get past quickly. Many races have been won & lost with passing back markers.

Other times I've found people 'racing' you, blocking etc. At the BOB I was repassed by someone I'd lapped, maybe more than once. I had to push passed him to put him off the pace so I could make a break from him as my bike wasn't as fast as his, but he was slowing me up. meanwhile others were catching up with me. Another passed me again as I was trying to get passed others. Sheesh.

The above isn't really a whinge, just giving an insight to how it goes on a long race esp if your bike isn't that fast.- I tell you on the 50 it is even more of a battle. One streetrace I was battling for 2nd or 3rd place in an 'all in' race on my 50 & I got blocked by someone I was lapping & I couldn't get passed for the whole rest of the race. Other guy got through with power.


. . . Anyways. Slower riders aren't so much the problem I was referring to above. Slow slow bikes are. Some of those bikes could barely do 60 & if you are racing behind someone & they come upon one of these chaps & duck around them all of a sudden they appear in front of you virtually motionless. It is a bit dangerous. People could get hurt.

See what I mean about the really slow bikes? Looking at Riches vid made me remember there were some being lapped on the 2nd or 3rd lap. That is crazy slow, stuck in 3rd gear sort of stuff.