19 October, Battle of the Buckets NI assault: Pip Pip Tally Ho, old chaps

**Suzi Q** · 21st October 2013, 07:40

Originally Posted by mr bucketracer

have you got some good pic's of blue bike 92 on the front 11 on the side lol ..long story..cheers

yes I do!!!

**seymour14** · 21st October 2013, 08:21

Originally Posted by Suzi Q

Hi Everyone - official BOB photographer here.

Either PM me of put a post up with your numbers I will post up pics of you and your bucket. PS if you are number 46 let me know what colour your bike is as there were at least 3 of them!!!!

If I could ask you to do some of 46 (Gold numbers, green bike), 78 and 14 too that would be excellent. The BOB started so quickly in the end, none of us got any cameras mounted for doing any videoing! But we enjoyed the racing thoroughly.

**F5 Dave** · 21st October 2013, 10:07

ok now I'm back to a proper keyboard I'll just reach over for my excuses book, hmm, hold on, here it is: chapter 4 "When you're an old crap man- Denial of the truth"

Well I went in pretty phyc'd, but I'd had a series of broken sleeps that had messed me up & friday was rough despite staying 100% off the juice & sneaking off to bed early (a technique I've seen done before but never employed. - Doesn't seem to work). I felt sick in the morning & couldn't eat most of the day.

Bike was running well at the start & in the first race I took off but backed off to let whoever was going to be a fast local past. Only Matt obliged & I followed to get a free riding lesson. It became obvious that I could pass him, at least on a straight at any time. On about lap 5 I was sitting bolt upright waving at him as he looked back to see how close I was. What a wanker I am, but I figured the physiological game was worth playing on as the physical fitness one was one that I was clearly in deficit.

Anyway 5 sec latter the bike went brrruuurrrr. Long push back from far side of track. Serves me right I figured. Didn't do much for my stamina.

Anyhoo weirdest thing, fouled plug. Which doesn't usually happen in a race. Then I remembered that the quick shift was playing up seemingly operating by itself. I figured that it must have been just too close where I had it positioned & a drooping lever had turned it full on for long enough to foul. Unpluged it & away it went with a borrowed 2nd hand plug from Bert (My new ones were away in the van somewhere).

So went out & did the next race that I won. Matt was quite close behind though.

BOB was called very shortly after so I was still a bit breathless but off we went, we swapped positions a little but he kept coming past at the end of the front straight. My bike was undergeared & was on the limit after 200M sign & by the 100M sign was stuttering on limiter I guess. Bike got a little slower & I couldn't make it past him again. It also became apparent that he had good exit onto main & was prepared to go full throttle around (pothole?) the fast left kink connecting the straights & I was keen to go to work on monday. Bloody kids.

About 15 or 20 min on he had me beat & built up a gap of 200M or so. I could see him & was keeping in check, but there was no way I could get any closer. We'd lapped probably everyone else by then but the bike was not pulling onto the straight like it should or out of the corners. But I was finally starting to learn the track. Then the bike stopped.

The det gauge had started to flash alarmingly, but mid the big race I could either give up or carry on. I figured I was in for a new piston anyway.
Another long push back after watching the race (which he deserved to win, I was hoping his bike wouldn't stop as 3rd place (whoever that was) was not in the hunt).

Back at the pits I found the headbolts all loose & the sparkplug unwound. I think the sustained vibration of being on the limiter must have done this, but I'm still going to need some investigation to sort the issue properly. 3 min with a spanner & it fires up.

Afternoon races: Bike is not as fast, in fact I find I have nothing on Matts FXR on the straights, but he has that left hand kink nailed & I don't. But I'm enjoying riding the track, especially over the hill & I find I'm catching him in the S's so I can close up at that part. Ironically his grouse exit onto the straight & more balls around the kink mean the straight is where I'm losing out. But at least I'm feeling like I'm redeeming myself slightly.

Next race we do a bit of swapping places as I summon more courage at the kink & make a couple of passes into the S's, but I can't keep that going so fall back a little. Then near the end & thankfully near the pit the bike rattles one more time so I pull the clutch. Inspection can wait till wgtn, but I'm sure I've rooted the piston with the airleaks.

oh well, next year.

Thanks to Skunk Leigh & Bert & Richard for getting me & the bike there & all the team. Tony Mac for accommodation which expanded from me & team Skunk to about 10 of us.

And to all the SI guys for making it a ripper event.