EAST FORTUNE 26/27 APRIL 2003

All week leading up to the race meeting we were watching the weather. Rain was forecast, but conditions were to be changeable. As it turned out, Saturday was dry and Sunday was VERY changeable.

For this being a meeting at our home track, we spent all our spare time on Thursday and Friday setting up and preparing the equipment. As it was the first time this year we were using the complete garage set up, we had to spend some time preparing it as well.

There was a huge entry again at EF (over 200), so the paddock was really busy. There was all sorts of really special machinery from a TZ750 to some excellent classic machines. For the first time since I have been racing there wasn’t a full grid of F400 machines (only 37.....3 less than full). But despite this, as I found out, the caliber was better than usual.

This was also the first time out for me on the Moto cal sponsored MZ Mastiff (super moto). This has a 660cc Yamaha engine (bored out to 720cc, with some other details slightly modified) It has a huge amount of available torque and my main concern was that it would launch me into outer space on the start line.

So my weekend was going to be busy with the two bikes (4 practices and 4 races on the Saturday and 2 practices and 6 races on the Sunday).

SATURDAY
First bike out for practice was the Super Moto:
It was a really weird experience riding this, much higher, lighter bike to the 400. It steers really quickly and was very light (tank slappers and weaves) at the front end. Although I had the footpeg down at the hairpin after only 3 laps of practice !

On the 4th lap however, the front disc brake got so hot, that the fluid degraded and i had virtually no brake at Railway bend. Its a bit scary when you have all 4 fingers on ther lever and it is all the way into the handlebar.....you begin to look for which part of the field you want to end up in.

First practice on the 400 went well, although I found it a bit strange changing from the high and wide MZ to the wee 400.

Race 1 Supermoto
The brakes improved on the bike and although I knew they would fade by lap 4 I decided to go out and race. As I was wary of launching the bike in a massive whelie off the start line, I took it easy. Never the less I was not last out of the 15 bikes through the first corner. Gradually as I got through the race, I started to pass bikes. I was cautious before about how I would do against the others in the class, as there were several bikes which had taken part in the Winter series British Championships and had done very well.

The bike seemed very good out of corners, but seemed to run out of steam in 5th and 6th gear. This is partially due to a power plateau at high revs and possibly the air filter restricting it a little. Despite this I seemed to spend the race passing people and having an absolute blast at the same time. (the supermotos are not as fast as the 400’s so there is time up the straight to look for the pit crew and give them a quick wave)

As I suspected however the brakes did fade after lap 4 and i was having to use all 4 fingers to pull the lever all the way into the bar. I finished 6th and had a huge grin as I came into the paddock after the race. I had not honestly expected to do so well, against experienced super moto riders.

Race 1 F400
I made a mistake off the line which meant I lost drive and was about 9th out of the first corner. By the end of the first lap however I had made up a lot of places and bagan to chase the top 4 bikes. By lap three I was up into 3rd but the first two bikes were off. I gradually caught the second place guy but could not get close enough to get past. So a very creditable 3rd was my result.

Race 2 Super moto
This time I was a little bit more used to the bike and starts, so I made a good start. Where I was being beaten on corners in the previous race by some guys I had improved enough to now be ahead of them through corners and that meant I could get away from them and catch others. I saw a guy in front of me using "road race style" and getting his weight off the seat to reduce the centre of gravity, so I tried this and it worked. I started to get my knee down on several corners. I finished 5th in this race and was elated.....top 5 in my first outing on a bike which I had never ridden before!

Race 2 F400
My start was not as good here either, but I managed to make up the places and get into 3rd by the 3rd lap. The first and second place guys were beginning to pull away from me a little though, but by the last lap I had caught the second place bike as he had made a mistake. Again I just was not close enough to pass him. So another 3rd place, I was very pleased, considering the standard of the racing.

SUNDAY
Practice went well on the 400, the supermoto was sliding around a bit on exit to corners so we reduced the spring rate and damping at the back (there is no front adjustment for the front forks). This seemed to help. We also took out the air cleaner, which helped the bike rev easier)

The exhaust was touching the tyre under heavy compression, but there was not much we could do here and it was not a serious problem.

Race 1 Supermoto
I got off the line very well but missed 2nd gear which put me at the back. Nevertheless I caught and passed at least four bikes on the first lap. At Railway on the second lap I was up 3 or 4 more places, but someone came off right in front of me and i had to go into the field to avoid them. Back into the race again in second last, I soon started to regain places and had overtaken 3 or 4 people by the next lap. Its a short burst in 5th gear from esses 2 to the hairpin, but as i went for the brake it came straight into the lever and as can happen in these circumstances, I caught the throttle a little. Because of the enourmous torque it pushed the front end which lost traction and I came off.....ouch. I was a bit dazed, but the bike was not rideable, so that was the end of its racing that day.

Race 2 F400
My start was better than on Saturday and I quikly settled into 3rd position. It seemed to be destiny for the weekend that I would not get better than this (although I was very happy with this result). I think perhaps I was just a little bit unsure of my braking and turning points at the faster corners (usually my strong point).

Race 3 F400
WET
Before the race it had rained and dried about three times in the space of 2 hours, so it was really a lottery as to what tyres to put on. We left the wets on, and this proved to be a very good choice, as about 10 minutes before the race it poured with rain. I got a good start off the line and was third (again) through the first corner. Everything felt good except for a few slides at places like the hairpin which put me off a little. I was passed by Laurie Sheppard and one other guy about half way through the race. We later found out that we had not softened off the suspension and this was why it was feeling a little hard and sliding (too busy looking at the clouds I suppose).

After the race when I got off the bike, my left hand and right knee started to really hurt and it was probably down to the adrenaline that I could compete in the last race as (to be honest with myself) it hurt to pull in the clutch as I went out into the race.

Due to rain and fuel spills the racing was stopped at 6pm (track insurance only runs to then).

It was a good weekends racing except for my spill on the supermoto, which was the reason I visited the accident/emergency ward at the Infirmary that evening, to find out I had fractured a small bone in my left hand. Unfortunately, this resulted in me getting a cast on my lower arm. With some help I expect this to be cured by the time I travel to the TT.

Have a look at the website, its been completely re vamped by Dave, and has alot more stuff.

Thanks also to my sponsors who will be helping me this season:

Scottish Bikers with a Dissability SABD
Peter Drummond Investments
www.MAGsport.com
Racing Karts
www.readitandweep.net
www.saddletramps.net
Herbie Maclean
Howard Selby Motors (North Berwick)