Two Stroke Frenzy

Got back a while ago (just as the rain stopped natch!) and the worst of the aching seems to have disappated so I thought I'd pop a bit down for those that weren't there/couldn't make it/different continent/hemisphere.......

Well the day started well enough with blue skies and sunshine (but with some clouds on the horizon). Promising I thought as I dashed around (really excited now, just like Christmas as a kid) as I've never done a track day before..... Years spent on test tracks at work but never on a bike!

Despite being closest to the track I managed to take a wrong turn (in my eagerness to get there) and was dashing to make up time when a white van man turned right at a roundabout from the outer lane. Strange feeling I thought as I careened round the roundabout at 40mph bolt upright while leaning on the van door........... His fault but he wanted to involve the police/insurance so I bunged him 50GBP for the paint so I could get on my way. Damage? Scuffed lower fairing? Lucky? Damn straight!

Made it to the track (less cash) to see the big Dent van right in front. Pulled up and joined the throng. Loads there already. Great to put faces to names (always fun and nice to *speak* to people from the list). Lots of poking around bikes ensued and much dribbling over Mark's Monster (which after a little persuasion he fired up which got some heads snapping round I can assure you!) Sounds utterly amazing and believe me the dyno video does no justice to the crackle that thing generates!

Normal briefings ensued plus photos of all and bikes individually. (BIG thanks to Mark for stumping up my fee due to accident/lack of cash situation). What with all that we didn't turn a wheel until nearly 10am. First job? Massed 2 strokes photo round the Indy Bowl at Rockingham (the only one in Europe I beleive) Pyscho cameraman sits cross legged on top of a van with the baying hordes following behind! (the cloud of smoke was cool!) You'll all be pleased to hear that the list members were front and centre right behind the van. Actually that's not quite true, at one point the guy in the van thought everyone was dropping a bit too far behind and started waving us forward so Mark gave it a handful and gave them all a fright I think! Sadly, one of the RG's blew a pipe a cooling pipe off during this low speed parade (Paul? Peter? ) and my clutch was dragging like a b*stard so I'll not be recommending Motul Transoil to anyone either!

Track sessions started shortly afterwards with myself and a few others opting for the slow group. Nervous? I was shaking! Got out and settled a little and gradually started to get into a rhythym before getting black flagged!! Wha? Me? Damn, after all that I'd forgotten to remove the TI kneesliders! DOH! Marshals were having kittens. Not to worry, despite the obvious embarrassment of being the first (and I think only) person to be black flagged all day the session finished shortly afterwards so not many laps were lost. New sliders on, went to watch the inter session which was red-flagged after some one lost it before the chicane.

The fast group was deeply scary (no flags tho') with some proper race bikes present. Mark's beastie was not quite right apparently (it sounded like a genuine GP escapee to me) and later inspection showed it to be running lean. That'll be the 320s then Mark? Jet? More like a hose!

I then proceeded to christen my new sliders in style (including the left thanks to a great left hand double apex in 4th (.....) which is a first as for some reason I'm not good at left handers) and had a great session and a cracking dice with a stock RG (red/black/white and v.tidy) on stock tyres who was leaving black lines everywhere (in the slow group remember). Got past tho! Spoke to him afterwards and he wasn't even aware of the list........ He's buying a computer now just for the job!

Lunch meant more fuel and a visit to the ATM. We then proceed to deafen each other by riding round to the track cafe helmetless. The infield has a long (300m) tunnel under the oval to the outer buildings. I'm just glad I was in front as the noise erupting from behind was deafening. RGs wake the dead? Oh YES matey!.

After lunch we organised what has to be the biggest collection of RGs I've ever seen in one place for the website. Plenty of new members with a bit of luck! I think we had about 12-15 bikes. Mark?

Lunchtime entertainment was provided by the scooter fraternity (NOs equipped twist and go anyone? They weren't slow either) Unfortunately one of their number decided that a helmetless/jacketless crossed up on the lock stop wheely landing exhibition was required and managed to (I'm sorry to report) knock himself unconscious and break his collarbone. Oh well, that many 2ts in one place meant some silliness was unavoidable. The next sessions were then delayed while the sole ambulance dealt with the fall out. Gave us more time for the photos I suppose.

Next session was easily my best with some cracking fun and a top chase (for half a lap) of an R1 shod PB rider (fast???? Smooth was the name of the game. Check the lines and strive to improve.....) Got some more left knee down time and was catching 5th on the back straight, actually more of a long right hander really (42 tooth rear) Right knee now taking a heavy pounding. Reported (by one of the legion 350LC riders) to have been leaving black lines (wha? me? REALLY? Cool!) His number plate was cool: "More seizures than Princess Margaret" You've got to laugh.

Malcolm made his way home at this point. I'm thinking ( as the skies threaten) was this the wise choice or do I chance my arm one last time? The bike looks at me and I know it just has to be done. I'll be careful tho' I promise to myself!

An interesting observation here: Very little stupidity, plenty of fast but mostly sensible riding and I'm beginning to think that those of us that grew up with LCs, paddock jackets, baseball boots jeans and Simpson Bandits have stayed with the scene and are now in our mid30s and have mellowed (a little). I can just imagine the carnage if this had been held in the late 80s....... In fact I have a PB in the garage somewhere with just such an event and I think it was just that. Are we getting old and wise? OK perhaps that's a little deep!

Rain was just beginning at the end of the last session and I was being ultra careful (pushed my luck a little today) and the left wrist is starting to cramp so called it a day and just cruised a bit. Keep the bike to ride another day....

Plenty of post session discussions with other RG riders re: all the mods we all know about (these non-listers really miss out on a lot) Even obvious stuff like the flame traps and rubber inlet silencer were still present. Needless to say we all gave him the details that matter (www.edj.net and Mark's website) so we can all turn him down the path to the RG "dark side"....... The Moskito ride height adjuster was admired on various occasions despite being buried beneath the stk rubber skirt (Thanks Mosky and Jim for selling it on). I can report that a 170 rear on 5.5 GSXR rim with the 120/80 on a 3.5x16 front really work, with supersmooth handling all day despite the stock rear shock. Got right off the edge of both sides of both tyres. Thanks to all the listers who have provided bits for my bike which was stock until you lot got me going..... I blame you *all*.

Thanks esp to the Maxton front forks from France (lister name lost!!! You know who you are) which saved my ass on those odd "I really, really should be off the brake and turning in by now" moments.

I forgot to mention a nice young lady from Rockingham approached us before we left offering pay as you ride track day sessions next Sat........ Mmmmmmmm I think I might be up for that. Hooked now....... My polo shirt still smells of Castor oil!

Speak to you all soon and rollon the September news stands as with a little luck 4 Lister RGs will be front and centre on the front cover........

HI folks,

Well, after Ruaraidh's excellent review of his day i thought I'd add my 2pence worth.
Arrived nice and early (8.15am), spotted Mark dents van and parked next-door. After the hello's and introductions Mark unloaded his bike and we proceeded to admire it for the next 1hr. I was almost embarrassed to unload mine having only finished cobbling it together on the Sunday evening, but the guys a couple of vans down wheeled out a rat RGV250 that could have done with some serious tlc, so i didn't feel so bad. At this point the bike had done all of 3-400 yards under its own power since built.
After much hanging around we eventually got onto the circuit for the group photo, as Ruaraidh explained. And yes it was my bike that popped the hose. I was at the front of the pack about 6ft from the back of the photovan. I suddenly noticed a lot of steam coming from underneath me. A quick glance over the shoulder confirmed that i was giving the guys behind an unexpected sauna. Oh the embarrassment, the shame of it. So arm up, and look for a way to drop out of the group. Have you ever been in the middle of a pack of rabid 2 strokes and tried to make a stealthy exit, whilst trying to make out that every thing is really under control ? In the end i just pointed to the bit of track i need for my escape and moved over. People soon got the message and moved out of the way. So a gentle coast to the pit entrance and hit the kill switch, i would have rode back to the van, but i could feel her tightening up so decided a bit of leg power was the order of the day. Of course everyone had returned to the pits by this stage and i received a few well intentioned remarks similar to " Don't worry mate, you won't be the last to have problems today".
One jubilee clip later and a few litres of water and we're back in business...or not. Turn the key and nothing, no idiot lights no nothing.....bugger. A quick check revealed that the battery -ve connection had come loose, By this time my group was already out on the track. Never mind I'll wait.
Finally got to sample the delights of Rockingham, nice track, good clean surface, good mix of corners from banzai braking into the two hairpins to a sweeping triple apex right hander that you could really attack. Did a couple of warm up laps and then picked up the pace. All the time feeling how the bike was behaving. Handling was very stable considering the springing and damping were both shot. The bike tracked a very neutral line with Ducati like stability mid corner. I wasn't pushing by any stretch of the imagination, but this does bode well for future development. the 3.5" front and 6" wheels did slow down the steering and I'm sure contributed to the stability, you could feeeeel the bigger contact patch.
On the 5th lap of the session the bike started to bog badly. Just as if i need to use reserve. I switched the fuel tap over and off she went, only to bog a couple of corners later. The pit entrance was coming up so i trundled in. A quick glance into the tank...1/2 full. Ah, must be fuel starvation, but which part is the restriction. Check the tank breather (ok), no kinked pipes (ok). Try again on another session. Exactly the same thing, but if i cruised round on very small throttle openings for a lap or two i could then blast for a couple, cruise, blast, an so on. I completed the next session like this, just treating it as a shake down for the bike.
Nothing else failed or caused problems, so my list of "to does" stands at - fix fuel starvation (probably needle valves), respring and re-valve forks, new rear shock. Once these are done i can then start to ride it harder and see how she really behaves.
I managed to speak to Mike at PB about featuring the bike when it was finished. He was very interested and verbally agreed pending the quality of the finish :-).
So mission accomplished, some miles on the bike, had a laugh with the listers, and came home in one piece.
Cheers
Pete