My other Hobby that is close to my heart

[cash_13]

For those of you that are interested in Motorcycles and know a little about me will know that I competed on and was reasonably successful at Racing them for quite a few years and my career only really slowed down when I broke my back luckily ( lower vertebra ) in 2004.. I have had a few races since but time and money always was an issue so eventually gave it up last year after only a handful of meeting culminating in my last win at Brands Hatch.....

Well times have move on and I have been involved with a young lad called Toby Markham who is in opinion the only kid I know that has the drive and determination to make it the top ( "O and bag full of talent!" )

Well it came to pass that after he got a creditable 3rd place at the opening European race at Cartegena in Spain that they needed more testing and they have asked me to accompany them to Snetterton next weekend 10-11th May to race in the British ACU Motostar 250 Grand Prix championship race on one of there spare machines a Yamaha TZ250.

Now to say that I am a bit out of practice and fat would be an
understatement and after trying to get in my old leathers on today I am seriously wondering what I am letting myself in for

However I am sure a good time will be had by all and judging by the full grid we had at the first round at brands as I was spannering for a friend its going to be a cracking meeting......please please do a sun dance I hate getting wet at 165mph down the back straight at Snet

But just to let you know that I will try my best and a warm cup of tea awaits anyone that makes it up to support us and says hello

So think of me when you are having your sunday lunch and I am struggling to hold onto a Factory spec Yamaha kicking out 92BHP at the rear wheel on a bike that weighs only 95kg........................

heeeeeeeeeeelllllllllllllllllllllppppppppppppppppp ppppppp

Wish me luck I think I will need it........and no news is bad news ta ta for now

Lee F

[von Poop]

I'll wish you luck mate... but doesn't any 'incident' under such circumstances qualify as 'Self Inflicted Wounds'?

[cash_13]

I have a certificate that says I am sane.........DO YOU!!!!!!!!!

he he!

[Gotthard Heinrici]

Best of luck sir!! I hope it goes well for ya! And come back alive to us!

[marcus69x]

Good luck mate. Bet you can't wait. :-)

[cash_13]

Er!! Sort of.....

I will take my laptop with me and log on from there and let you know how free practice qualifying and the races go

In the mean time heres a pic of one of my mates TZ250 the same model of bike I will be riding I spanner on this bike normaly

[kfz]

Good luck mate and take it easy. No injuries right! You got your lad to teach.

Heres my 1982 Ducati pantsoff, 90K miles up, bent and brusied but goes like a train (all be it a slow one) at three sister a few years ago.

Kev

[cash_13]

Just thought I'd give you lot a little wave as I am leaving about 4pm today for Snetterton for the weekends race meeting......

Wish me luck I think I'm goner need it....

I will try to log on up there with my lap top to keep you informed for those that interested if no luck with their wireless then I will post on here monday

[Owen]

Good luck, have fun, come back in one piece.

[cash_13]

High guys, well I'm back in one peace but only just...

I couldn't log on up there as the wifi signal was really bad but heres a quick report....

I arrived Thursday evening about 7-15pm after a trouble free drive up around the M25-M11-A11 route and met up with some old friends Greg & Duncan Gibson who own a local Furniture restoration shop near where I live and where there to race in another class the sound of thunder on their trick Ducatis..have attached a couple of pics for you bellow Kev...( please have a tissue handy before you look )

Had a nice evening eating there barbie for them as Dennis & Toby were not arriving till the morning as Toby had got back from work late......

They all arrived in the morning at about 6.30am and we set about setting up the garage with the two workbenches and tools compressor and fridge full of drinks etc. we took the bikes up to get them noise tested which to me is a bit of a waste of time as they check them at 7000-RPM when the bikes make peak power and hit there max at 13.500-RPM...

We then set about changing the settings for the suspension on my bike as Toby is about 2 stone lighter than me and we needed to change the rear spring on the Ohlins shock to a 7.5KG in stead of the 7KG that Toby rides with then on to carb settings for mixture of fuel and air which is adjusted by a series of jets. pilot, main, air, and needle, and power jet ( a form of fuel injection....

once this had all been done we had missed the first session of practice which for me was good news as I feel everyone always try's to hard and ends up with the session getting red flagged......however every session that I done on the Friday did get stopped for one reason or another

It took me 3 sessions to get up to speed as the TZ was totally different in feel to my old RS250 Honda race bike and steered much quicker, but considering all the factors ie old fat used tires etc I was very happy and was enjoying myself no end I done one more session after lunch when again I was making improvements but felt perhaps I had hit a brick wall as such on adjustments when it was suggested that I put some sponge padding on the back of the petrol tank to stop myself sliding forwards as it was causing considerable problems under braking and the back wheel kept coming up in the air as the weight transfer of my not to inconsiderable mass was mucking up the weight distribution.....

We done this and it transformed the feel of the bike and I lapped 3 seconds a lap faster.............However in the last few laps I over cooked it and lost the rear wheel of the bike while I was trying to get good drive onto the back straight and the bike low sided me at about 90mph in 3rd gear ( whoops scottys or should that be band aid..)

O well of to the med centre I was taken and given the rubber gloves treatment.....and was found to have a broken shoulder bone or to be precise a chip out of it and a big lump out of my knee and wrist

So the bottom line is I might be 44 and think I am still able to keep up with the kids of today but cant......incidently Toby went onto to set Pole time of 1-10.6 2 seconds quicker than anyone else and won both races by a good margin and by the way with the times I had been doing friday I would have finished in about 8-10 place......theoretically