Andy J
Hero member
- Location
- Isle of Man
As I still had the recently collected 100 Sport and Tom Quaye’s 840 SF race bike in the back of my MPV it seemed to make sense to take them to the track rather than unload and reload the bikes I had originally planned to take.
As much as anything it gave me a further opportunity to make sure the ‘little un’ was running right after it’s ‘rebuild’. It was also perhaps appropriate to do the test at Jurby, because it was at the circuit a couple of years back that I struggled to get it running properly. I’m glad to say it ran a hundred times better than before, with a functioning gear change and pulling well in all gears, albeit it was reluctant to start from cold. Overall, I was really pleased with the performance and decided one session was sufficient and would concentrate on the ‘big un’. In any case, I didn’t want to continue as a mobile chicane for all the much faster bikes out in that group.
The SF racer runs total loss and doesn’t have an electric starter fitted. No problem as I was taking my rollers with me to start the bike, or so I thought. It was only as I was approaching the circuit that I suddenly remembered I had put the battery on charge overnight in the garage, and guess where it still was?
Sod it, I’ll just have to bump it, I thought, it had started fairly easily on the Sunday when I collected it from Tom’s lock up container near Fareham.
Now it’s probably 40ish years since I last rode an SF, so it was going to be an interesting experience, especially with a right hand gear change and a rear drum brake.
As luck had it a friend parked alongside my pitch, with a functioning set of rollers, who gamely offered me the use of them to get the bike started. I went through the ritual of plugging in the battery leads, removing the cut off plug from the electronic Tacho, flicking the switch on the ignition, turning on the fuel and flooding the float bowls. Getting it in to gear by hand proved a bit of an effort, but I eventually managed it. Onto the rollers and after a bit of initial reluctance up it fired. Off the rollers and try as hard I could, I couldn’t find neutral whilst it was stationary. A little ride up through the paddock and I eventually found a neutral. Returning to my pitch the plan was to keep it ticking over on the stand for a bit to warm it up ready for my next session. Typically, as soon as I got it on the stand, I stupidly let it stall. Not to worry I’ll wait for the 5 minute warning and fire it up again.
5 minute warning and back on the rollers. Would it start, no. After several attempts, and the battery slowly dying I remembered the ignition switch! Doh!
Ignition on and it nearly fired, but didn’t catch properly. Sod it, let’s give it a push. Two pushers weren’t enough, but three and off it went. Helmet and gloves on, down to the holding area I went. The first thing I observed was the vibration, particularly the tingling in my arse through the barely padded seat.
What ever, the group was waved out and off we went for two laps behind the traveling marshal, which I was quite grateful for as it gave me a bit of time to try and familiarize myself with the bike. I was constantly having to remind myself ‘right foot’ change, which I mostly remembered, but the bigger issue was getting it into gear. Ironically, where I couldn’t previously easily find neutral in the paddock, I found a whole load as I circulated for the first few laps.
As I started to get a bit more confidence in my gear changing, I started to speed up a bit, and there is not shortage of grunt in the engine. The braking and handling seemed pretty good too, although first impression was it’s not quite as quick steering as some of my other bikes. However, that’s just an impression.
After about 8 laps I noticed some further vibration and a bit of a rattle coming from somewhere. Looking down as I exited the bottom bend and approached the main straight I realized the fairing was coming adrift. Fortunately there was a pull in nearby on the inside with a track across the infield back towards the paddock. As it happened, as I crossed the infield the session was flagged as over so I was able to more or less head straight back to the paddock.
A quick check showed a nylock nut, on the right side fairing support, that had also been given a dab of lock tight, had unwound itself and disappeared, never to be seen again. I also noted the front fixing had come loose and the hole in the fairing where the bolt went through was now many times bigger than previously.
Obviously not the most difficult fix, and I set about refixing the offending item. In the meantime my friend popped around to ask what was up, and how had it been going to that point. He than casually mentioned, it look like it also has a bit of an oil leak. Without really looking, I just replied, nah it’s been in storage and was sprayed all over with oil.
However, on closer inspection I confirmed he was right, there was quite a bit of oil down the left hand side of the rear of the bike.
Initially I was thinking, it doesn’t look too bad, perhaps I can still get another session in before I pack up and head home, but on further inspection I observed the oil was also getting on the back tyre, so game over for the day.
Oh well, just another job to add to the already long list. At least the sun was shining on the way home.
As much as anything it gave me a further opportunity to make sure the ‘little un’ was running right after it’s ‘rebuild’. It was also perhaps appropriate to do the test at Jurby, because it was at the circuit a couple of years back that I struggled to get it running properly. I’m glad to say it ran a hundred times better than before, with a functioning gear change and pulling well in all gears, albeit it was reluctant to start from cold. Overall, I was really pleased with the performance and decided one session was sufficient and would concentrate on the ‘big un’. In any case, I didn’t want to continue as a mobile chicane for all the much faster bikes out in that group.
The SF racer runs total loss and doesn’t have an electric starter fitted. No problem as I was taking my rollers with me to start the bike, or so I thought. It was only as I was approaching the circuit that I suddenly remembered I had put the battery on charge overnight in the garage, and guess where it still was?
Sod it, I’ll just have to bump it, I thought, it had started fairly easily on the Sunday when I collected it from Tom’s lock up container near Fareham.
Now it’s probably 40ish years since I last rode an SF, so it was going to be an interesting experience, especially with a right hand gear change and a rear drum brake.
As luck had it a friend parked alongside my pitch, with a functioning set of rollers, who gamely offered me the use of them to get the bike started. I went through the ritual of plugging in the battery leads, removing the cut off plug from the electronic Tacho, flicking the switch on the ignition, turning on the fuel and flooding the float bowls. Getting it in to gear by hand proved a bit of an effort, but I eventually managed it. Onto the rollers and after a bit of initial reluctance up it fired. Off the rollers and try as hard I could, I couldn’t find neutral whilst it was stationary. A little ride up through the paddock and I eventually found a neutral. Returning to my pitch the plan was to keep it ticking over on the stand for a bit to warm it up ready for my next session. Typically, as soon as I got it on the stand, I stupidly let it stall. Not to worry I’ll wait for the 5 minute warning and fire it up again.
5 minute warning and back on the rollers. Would it start, no. After several attempts, and the battery slowly dying I remembered the ignition switch! Doh!
Ignition on and it nearly fired, but didn’t catch properly. Sod it, let’s give it a push. Two pushers weren’t enough, but three and off it went. Helmet and gloves on, down to the holding area I went. The first thing I observed was the vibration, particularly the tingling in my arse through the barely padded seat.
What ever, the group was waved out and off we went for two laps behind the traveling marshal, which I was quite grateful for as it gave me a bit of time to try and familiarize myself with the bike. I was constantly having to remind myself ‘right foot’ change, which I mostly remembered, but the bigger issue was getting it into gear. Ironically, where I couldn’t previously easily find neutral in the paddock, I found a whole load as I circulated for the first few laps.
As I started to get a bit more confidence in my gear changing, I started to speed up a bit, and there is not shortage of grunt in the engine. The braking and handling seemed pretty good too, although first impression was it’s not quite as quick steering as some of my other bikes. However, that’s just an impression.
After about 8 laps I noticed some further vibration and a bit of a rattle coming from somewhere. Looking down as I exited the bottom bend and approached the main straight I realized the fairing was coming adrift. Fortunately there was a pull in nearby on the inside with a track across the infield back towards the paddock. As it happened, as I crossed the infield the session was flagged as over so I was able to more or less head straight back to the paddock.
A quick check showed a nylock nut, on the right side fairing support, that had also been given a dab of lock tight, had unwound itself and disappeared, never to be seen again. I also noted the front fixing had come loose and the hole in the fairing where the bolt went through was now many times bigger than previously.
Obviously not the most difficult fix, and I set about refixing the offending item. In the meantime my friend popped around to ask what was up, and how had it been going to that point. He than casually mentioned, it look like it also has a bit of an oil leak. Without really looking, I just replied, nah it’s been in storage and was sprayed all over with oil.
However, on closer inspection I confirmed he was right, there was quite a bit of oil down the left hand side of the rear of the bike.
Initially I was thinking, it doesn’t look too bad, perhaps I can still get another session in before I pack up and head home, but on further inspection I observed the oil was also getting on the back tyre, so game over for the day.
Oh well, just another job to add to the already long list. At least the sun was shining on the way home.
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