Party pooper in the park

The last round at Oulton Park turned out to be a bit of a let down really…

I knew Oulton was going to be a tough one on a superbike, with all the twists, turns and undulations it was hard enough to keep the bike on the black stuff. It really doesn’t steer well when the front wheel is in the air.

The first day at each track (new – to me/superbike) is hard work and feels like learning to ride a bike again. It feels a bit like jumping onto someone else’s bike. Don’t get me wrong its getting more familiar but I still haven’t clicked with it yet.

The second day is always a big improvement [nearly 3seconds at Oulton] and Oulton saw my best qualifying so far.

It would be great to get some testing in away from a race meeting…

But with the run of “bad fortune” I just haven’t had a bike in one piece and therefore not been able to.

At Thruxton the engine popped, Silverstone the bike was snapped in 2, and at Oulton the gearbox ate its self!

Believe me sitting out race two was heartbreaking… so frustrating.

With 4 races in 5 weeks (and the problems) the start of the season has been hard work. Still I’m REALLY NOT COMPLAINING it’s just the old cliché “that’s racing!”

The plan for this weekend at Snetterton? Well see the flag at the end of all the sessions and especially both races is the priority. It’s difficult to learn the superbike ropes sat at the side of the track….

Less whinging next time I promise…

Cheers

TT

Silverstone, sliding & scabs!

Now then I’ve found time to sit down and knock out a blog to cover last weekends Silverstone round…
I’m not entirely sure where to start with this one, actually hang on I do – the race two crash seems to stand out a bit at the moment!

Looking at the data recording for turn 1 at Silverstone, at the point where I hit the oil [dropped by Platers R1] I was just pulling back a gear from 5th to 4th between 110 & 120mph. It was at this point my bike helped me perform a headstand on the bike which I then saw fit to try out on the tarmac.

Now if you look at the copse corner, all the run off is tarmac – which is great if you outbrake/overshoot the corner but not good if your sliding on your backside. I literally had to turn from my backside to my front as my bum was starting to get a bit too hot. Once I came to a rest, worked out where I was & got my breath back Steve Plater came over and apologised for dropping the oil. Not his fault & pretty decent of him to come over and check how I was to be honest.

If you really want to know what its like; think of it like jumping out of a car on the motorway at 120mph. I can recommend M-Tech leathers and Arai helmets if you do. (DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME KIDS!)

The final kick in the balls was having the third place taken off me as:
"I wasn’t on my motorcycle when the red flag was brought out" – BSB Officail.
Even though it wasn’t my oil etc the rules in BSB and NO other high level motorsport championships state this? Cheers guys!

The bike? Well somehow that kept on its wheels and headed (at a similar speed) straight for the air fence/concrete wall.

Needless to say the wall won and shattered the frame. At the time I thought the whole bike was written off but we’ve since found out, amazingly the front wheel, forks, fork yokes etc are all ok, and the footrests weren’t even scratched!!

With Oulton Park this weekend it’s still looking tight, at the moment [Thursday afternoon] I still don’t have a bike, or all the bits. But I do have a good team and I know I’m gonna owe more than a few favours/pints by the weekend.

Off the track I’ve just been chasing parts, resting, in the hydrotherapy pool, trying to make sure both me and the bike will be straight and sound for the next round.

Which pretty much brings me to where I am now, sat outside with my laptop in the sun trying to dry my scabs out!

None of the above may have been that interesting to you but for me it’s been a top quality therapy session.

Now then… anyone any good at welding?!?

TT