ARA July 2023 Double header

[Andy J]

Was up at Jurby today for the two day meet, with the ex-Baine’s Racing 750 Formula.
The day started okayish, dry but somewhat breezy. I had the ILOC awning with me but it soon went back in the van when next door’s awning flew over the fence.
The event started with a minute’s silence for the victims of the pretty awful crash during the Southern earlier in the week, and that probably set the tone for the rest of the day.
Practice could have been better, the bike is good enough it’s me that’s neither race fit, or just fit, full stop. At one point I had to stand up on the pegs to stop my hip locking again, but I managed to finish the session in one piece.
Fortunately, I was entered in the first event of the day, a combined post-classic class and singles, twins and triples class, and it turned out to be the only ‘dry’ race of the day, although the rain started about 2/3 the way through the race.
Not wishing to take too many risks on a still fairly unfamiliar machine I backed off a fair bit in the last lap or so and was just passed by the race winner a few yards before the line, so I finished a lap shy of full race distance, not that I was too fussed given the deterioration in the weather.
Racing continued after lunch but conditions continued to get worse and following an oil spill, and a build up of standing water on the track, racing was abandoned for the day a couple of races before I was due to go out again.
I would have gone out again as, although totally miserable weather, I was already fairly damp from a ride to Douglas and back on the Beemer during the lunch break. In fact, given the chance I would have gone out on that in preference to the Lav.
I waited in the van for the rain to ease off a bit before loading the bikes, but the wind didn’t exactly die down, and to put the lid on things, on what was already a far from fantastic day, the bike then blew over as I preparing to put back in the van.
Fortunately I half caught it as it started to go over, so apart from some scuffs on the fairing and foot peg it appears not to have suffered a great deal of damage.
Oh well, hopefully tomorrow will be better, but we’re racing the other way round, and I always find riding clockwise more challenging.
As for the photos, shortly before I took the second shot you could hardly see the circuit let alone the hills in the distance.

 

[Andy J]

Sunday started off on the wrong 'foot' as I overslept, so had a mad panic chucking the kit I'd hung up to dry overnight into the van, along with the transponder and a few other necessary bits and pieces, before the dash to get to the circuit in time for scrutineering and signing on. I fortunately made it in time, but it was still a bit of a rush to get ready for my qualifying session as my group was first out onto the circuit after the rider briefing.
I did calm down a bit after that and managed to down a coffee and a pastry so I at least had some fuel on board.
The bike didn't seem any the worse for wear from it's 'fall' yesterday afternoon and, despite warnings of possible damp patches around the circuit, by the time we went out it was fairly well dry all the way round the circuit. Even so, I didn't push it too hard, and just toured round to reacquaint myself with the lines for going the 'wrong way' round.
Post qualifying I checked the bike over, nothing seemed amiss, I put another 5l in the tank and gave the chain a small adjustment, but other than that I was fairly happy, so sat back and waited for the call to go racing.
With no race school today, my first race was straight after practice, so when I heard the call it was onto the rollers with the bike and fire it up. As usual it was a little hesitant to begin with but once it was properly in gear it started okay. I warmed it up a bit and then rolled down to the holding area expecting a fairly quick departure to the line. However, we were held a bit longer than I would have liked and I was starting to sweat as the temperature gauge started to rise beyond where I would like it to stop - there's no fan fitted to this bike. With it hovering around the 120C mark they let us out for the short hop to the starting grid before holding us again while they checked everyone was in the right position. By this time I had Micheal Caine's voice from the Battle of Britain running around in my head: 'Control, we either take off or blow up, which is it?'
Thankfully we were waved off for the sighting lap before the latter occurred and I was relieved to see the needle drop down to around the more acceptable 90C mark by halfway around the lap.
As yesterday, I was at the tail end of the grid so had to cue up for the first few bends after the start, but by the time things settled down a bit the leaders were well out in front and it all seemed a bit academic to go nuts chasing them and risking a crash or blow up for no good reason. I therefore settled into what I felt was a reasonable pace and just concentrated on trying to ride smoothly, and not run off the track anywhere, which I have done before when riding the circuit clockwise.
All seemed to be going fairly well and fancied my chances of getting all 6 laps in when, just yards from the line, Paul Cassidy, the effing sod, passed me at warp speed to scupper that plan.
Shit, I'll just have to make sure he doesn't do the same in race two.
Second race was after lunch and having experienced the anxiety of overheating in the morning I left it to almost the last possible moment to start the bike and head for the holding area. For once the bike started up first attempt on the rollers and the gate to the circuit was more or less opened as I arrived at the holding area. On to the grid and I rolled onto my starting spot in neutral to wait for the grid check to take place before selecting first and wait for the green flag to signify the start of the sighting lap. Not an unusual drill, I've done it loads of times.
Grid clears, clutch in, push down on the gear lever and 'f**k, f**k, f**k, as soon as the gear 'engages' the sodding engine stalls.
Well that's game over, without the rollers it ain't going start, although the deputy clerk of the course was game enough to give me one push to attempt a bump start, it was almost a foregone conclusion it would end in failure, which it did.
I, and the bike, then had to endure the 'walk of shame' as the bike was pushed backwards off the grid back to the paddock.
Not how I wanted the weekend to finish, but sometimes these things ain't meant to be. Perhaps, I should look upon it as a good omen, that someone didn't want me to be out there and risk breaking my neck or the bike, but on the other hand, perhaps that's just crap....
I guess the only consolation I can draw from the w/e is I was more-or-less matching the lap times I was achieving on the Alto bike back in 2019 before it blew the oil cooler, so at least a bit of consistency in my riding and I hadn't got any slower in the intervening years.
Whether or not I return to Jurby for another race this year remains to be seen. On the one hand I can't really see the point of racing there just for the sake of it, but on the other hand I don't particularly want to finish this season on a DNS either.

 

[piranha-bro2]

Bummer Andy!! Stalling on the line has to be the pts (no pun intended ). I'm sure you don't want to hear the old 'that's racing' but it's unfortunately true! Go back for the next round I reckon.

 

[Tippie]

That is a shame Andy, but there are worse ways to end a race weekend, and it is positive that both the bike and you were working well by the sound of it. That getting lapped just before the line bit is a real bastard. I have had it happen once but have done it to numerous tail enders who were in their own battles; as you say it is good motivation to up the pace a bit. My SF racer was virtually impossible to push start, it was rollers or nothing, and fortunately being a cool running air cooler I have held it going for some really long delays on the grid, envious of the easy push start bikes, but it would be a proper stress watching that water temp go ever higher.

 

[Andy J]

Thanks folks for the commiseration, as you say, could have been worse, like the time the Alto bike chucked it‘s rod before I even got to the grid…
The issue with club races is mixed classes, so I was sort of competing against modern bikes in the singles, twins and triples class that in the hands of the likes of Paul Cassidy are lapping 15 seconds a lap quicker than ‘holiday racers’ like me.

 

[CLEMTOG]

The thing is Andy, you bike should start easilly when cold on the rollers, and within a single revolution of the crank when hot and stalled on the line, and getting an assisted push, so you probably need to get to the dyno, and get that 14.2:1 hot running ratio sorted, personally for the extra weight I would like the fan installed especially when the fragility of the motor is concerned, but hey ho, you are at it and I am not, makes me a bit jelous.
CLEM

 

[Andy J]

I agree Clem about the fan and will seriously consider fitting one before I run the bike again. And, I’m glad your jealous..

 

[RGS1000RGS]

A good friend of mine was in the pitlane at the Southern 100 when that incident happened, as the sidecars were just about to out (her brother is an islander and sidecar pilot). It was quite a dreadful incident that occured, and I think she was quite shocked by it, but she was up at Jurby on Saturday, also dodging the rain and cheering her brother on, and he got a third placing in the first sidecar races.

With regard to the overheating, do you use a 'water wetter' or a waterless coolant?

 

[Andy J]

A good friend of mine was in the pitlane at the Southern 100 when that incident happened, as the sidecars were just about to out (her brother is an islander and sidecar pilot). It was quite a dreadful incident that occured, and I think she was quite shocked by it, but she was up at Jurby on Saturday, also dodging the rain and cheering her brother on, and he got a third placing in the first sidecar races.

With regard to the overheating, do you use a 'water wetter' or a waterless coolant?

Yes, pretty horrendous incident at the S100, and with the cancellation of the event several riders, including Ian 'Lucky' Lougher, were up at Jurby chasing the signatures for their mountain course license they failed to get earlier in the week.
As for coolant, you're only allowed to use water as per ACU regs:
14.21 ADDITIVES TO WATER IN RADIATORS
The only liquid engine coolant permitted, other than lubricating oil, is water.

 

[RGS1000RGS]

Ah. Stupid me. Double cored radiator then?

 

[Andy J]

It's none-standard the radiator that's fitted but couldn't say how it's constructed.

Thanks folks for the commiseration, as you say, could have been worse, like the time the Alto bike chucked it‘s rod before I even got to the grid…
The issue with club races is mixed classes, so I was sort of competing against modern bikes in the singles, twins and triples class that in the hands of the likes of Paul Cassidy are lapping 15 seconds a lap quicker than ‘holiday racers’ like me.

Looks like I 'did' Cassidy, but unfortunately we all know otherwise....

 

[motoddrob]

Is that an air vest over the top of your leathers Andy?

 

[chrisk]

Is that an air vest over the top of your leathers Andy?

Either that, or he is summoning up Ned Kelly

 

[Alzero]

Yes, pretty horrendous incident at the S100, and with the cancellation of the event several riders, including Ian 'Lucky' Lougher, were up at Jurby chasing the signatures for their mountain course license they failed to get earlier in the week.
As for coolant, you're only allowed to use water as per ACU regs:
14.21 ADDITIVES TO WATER IN RADIATORS
The only liquid engine coolant permitted, other than lubricating oil, is water.

Interesting, AMA allowed water wetter as it helped heat transfer and didn’t make the track slippery when spilled.

 

[CLEMTOG]

"I agree Clem about the fan and will seriously consider fitting one before I run the bike again. And, I’m glad your jealous"

so you dont agree about getting the air/fuel ration set up on a dyno then MANXMOGGY?
UFB clem

 

[Tippie]

Helite air vest by the looks of it. Simple and very effective, but a bit warm in hot weather. Today most people want electronic ones.

 

[Andy J]

Helite air vest by the looks of it. Simple and very effective, but a bit warm in hot weather. Today most people want electronic ones.

Yes, yes and yes. I prefer the tagged option as it can be reset in minutes and doesn’t need a ’technician’ to do it.
However, there is a possibility in certain crashes, like the lowside I had on the road in 2020, that it may not get activated before you part with the bike.

 

[Andy J]

"I agree Clem about the fan and will seriously consider fitting one before I run the bike again. And, I’m glad your jealous"

so you dont agree about getting the air/fuel ration set up on a dyno then MANXMOGGY?
UFB clem

No Clem, just not a priority at the moment.

 

[Tippie]

Yes, yes and yes. I prefer the tagged option as it can be reset in minutes and doesn’t need a ’technician’ to do it.
However, there is a possibility in certain crashes, like the lowside I had on the road in 2020, that it may not get activated before you part with the bike.

I had a low side in qualifying with mine on and it didn't activate. As I had just slid along beside the bike it did not need to, I had also posted a quick time and went on to be second in the Scandinavian championship from the following race. They have saved some friends from what would have been pretty nasty injuries.