BSB Media Day

Yesterday along with the other BSB teams/riders we were at the BSB Media Day.

Held at Bedford Autodrome, which is an ex RAF military site so if you tried to find it with a sat nav you’d have problems as apparently it “doesn’t exist” still!?!

The day went pretty smooth to be honest – my only mistake wasn’t wearing a few layers of clothes under my airtex M-Tech leathers, great when you’re working hard on a race bike – less so when you’re standing on a airfield on a windy spring day!

I not sure if it was the random questions or the hat but it did feel like I was being interviewed by a gnome at times [see photo above] I’m sure the suspect answers I gave will turn up on the internet or BSB DVD to haunt me soon!

9 days and counting!!...........
TT

Practice makes....

After our successful Spanish test we were keen to see how things would go back on home soil & managed to get in with a pre-club meeting test at brands hatch last Friday...

For those with sharp eyes that bright white light behind the bike is actually sun, and to get that at brands this time of year has got to be a lucky eh??

I knew before hand there would be a big mix of abilities and experiences there – and don’t get me wrong I’m certainly not knocking anyone – especially as it was me who sneaked into their test day! The downside was trying to get a clear lap and therefore get a reference to what I was doing on the old bike.

I didn’t manage to do that, but I did manage to equal my qualifying and race times from last October... in heavy traffic... with well used tyres...
Now Brands wasn’t my strongest race last year but considering the circumstances, I’m more than happy with progress so far!

TT#21

“El Testo Completo”

...or something like that anyway...

Another good day on track, and more progress with suspension set-up. Managed to dial in a better balance to the bike.
Knocked another two seconds off yesterdays time, but really struggled to get a clear track of one lap let alone a few in a row to get a good rhythm.

Still, really happy with the how tests have gone – it’ll be interesting to see how it goes around a British circuit!

Adios for now... TT#21

Everything’s Rosy in Valencia

Got to Valencia late last night and it was nearly midnight by the time we’d eaten & got back to the room.

The idea behind testing at least two circuits on a trip to Spain is to try and get a better understanding of the bike, and of what set-up works across tracks with different characteristics which can usually throw up different issues. Also more than a few days a one track is pointless, as you end up getting in a rut & jaded with the same bit of tarmac after so many laps!

Cartagena and Valencia are both tight, twisty, and aren’t really like circuits in the UK but they’re still great circuits that test the bike and give no time for rest. With tests so close it didn’t take long to get up to speed, and straight away we worked on the balance of the bike and before lunch break had lapped faster than I ever had done before on race tyres.

Testing is in many ways more intense than a race meeting and the schedule has been hard work. After the forth/fifth long day in a row testing me and the whole team are starting to feel it....

Still can’t wait to get out onto the sun baked track again tomorrow though!!
TT#21

Adios Cartagena

Testing at Cartagena completed today - more sun 23degs - all good - lapped consistently faster than I ever have done before and it still feels like theres more to come.

We tried a few different thing with both chassis and electronics set-up also, to help understand the bike and how it reacts to different changes and made some progress there too.

Onto Valencia next [tomorrow] so we'll see how the set-up that worked here goes at a different circuit....

TT#21

Gentlemen.... Apply your Antihistamine Cream...

photo courtesy of SMARTFotos.

... Nah doesn’t quite have the same ring to it eh?? The old bee sting swelled up over night but nothing to slow us down.

1.7 seconds knocked off yesterday’s times indicated we’re making good progress – the next 1.7 maybe a bit harder to knock off but it won’t be for the lack of trying [and that would be under the circuit record set by the WSBK boys.


Good news is the new bike sure aint short of power – just keeping the front wheel near the ground is the first task – she’s a bit lively!


Another load a laps done and it’s good to build up bike fitness. No gym really prepares you for the blisters and aching muscles of hauling a superbike around Cartagena.


The weather was even better today – 21degs in the shade and track temp around 40deg is what we’ve travelled 1500miles to get.


Bath & good night’s kip tonight can’t wait for tomorrow already.



TT#21

Bring me sunshine....

Finally.....

After a long winter preparing its time to get back on a race bike.

Our spanish test has kicked off yesterday after a pretty eventful trip down here [another story].

60 laps done and cobwebs blown off. Although i cant be going fast enough yet as i got stung on my neck by a bee!! [ok it was on a slow down lap at the end off a sesssion].

Anyway less typing - more riding!!

TT#21