Old bike racing actually ! (aka Historic Motorcycle Racing)

Although I like riding (and driving) fast, and have scratched quite a few bikes, I never thought I'd actually be any good at racing.

Well, maybe that's still true, but I'm having a shedload of fun trying !

This is how I started racing ...

230 Laps of Lydden !

Spectating

It all started on July 29th 2000, when Suz and I went to a VMCC race meeting at Lydden in Kent. It was our first race meeting for a very long time, and our first time at Lydden. We watched for a while, and I was thinking 'I think I'd like to have a go at this' when Suz turned to me and said ' I think you'd like to have a go at this' !

Well, as we were at a Velo-sponsored meeting, and we had just taken responsibility for her fathers 3 Velos, no prizes for what was at the front of my mind !

Racing the heirlooms was not on the agenda, so I scoured the mags for a while, and in October contacted a man who was selling a Viper racer project - went to see it, and bought it. It had no papers with it - just a possibility that it was used for endurance racing many years ago, as it had a dynamo and lights, but a completely de-lugged frame, and 'racerised' bolts everywhere. It was assembled but had'nt run for probably 20 years.

Well, to cut a long story short, my plans to get it going for the spring practice went awol when the seat broke and I lost 3 bolts trying to start it for the first time down my driveway !

I took my time after that, and found 'good things' everywhere I looked, but almost every bolt was loose, except on the engine and gearbox cases.

First Outing

It wasnt able to run it properly until a Norton Owners Club Track Day at Longcross, so following good classic bike owners practice, I took my Commando as a spare !

The Viper ran well, but I quickly blew the baffles on the Dunstall 'Power' silencer I had rigged up ! It did'nt run so well with no back pressure, and started misfiring, but I soldiered on until it stop firing completely - the points had come loose ! I finished the track day on the Commando, but the Viper was on my mind ! It started so easily - the other Velo owners there were mumbling 'that's not a venom for sure, mine wont start like that !'

Race Planning

Not wanting to travel for hours and have something simple go wrong, I decided that the CRMC meeting at Lydden on 28/29 July 2001 was a good target.

I found some very well fitting leathers - that nice Paul Mooney at 'Turn One Motorcycles' in Horsham did'nt fit into his old ones any more, so I could even look like a sponsored rider !

I joined the ACU, and the CRMC, registered the Viper with them, and entered one event in the CRMC 28th July meeting, AND 6 events in VMCC 11/12th August meeting ! Wah ! What had I done ?

I started to panic then, and looked around for a proper track day - Apex Leisure were running one on the 21st July ! Er ... that would be next week then, and the week before my race ! They only had places left in the 'fast' group, but I blagged my way in as a racer !

Wah ! Did I mention that I had never raced before ? And never been on a 'proper' track day before ? And that I'm 45 ? No ? Wah !

Track Day - 125 Laps

Well, some 100 laps later, I think I like this lark !

I will admit a large degree of trepidation when I saw the other guys in the fast group - I did blag my way in as a 'racer' !

But - it was wet to start, so there were only 6 of us on track ! I even managed to overtake 2 people on corners before it dried out - but then the serious boys got going and left me dead !

It took me about 3 sessions to get the Viper carbureting right, and then I realised I wanted more power ! Well, just lower gearing would do ! (Apart from getting some knee sliders, cos the boots are looking decidedly second hand now)

The viper went so well I thought after 5 sessions and about 75 laps, that I really should take out my duke 450 (with new race cam and 34mm mk2) that I took along as a 'spare'. Now then ! Thats more like the right kind of power !!! So I did the last 3 sessions on the duke, about 50 laps.

It made me a lot more confident to know that I had done about 125 laps of Lydden, and thrashed the Viper hard !

Pre-race drama !

I took friday afternoon off to get everything ready, and was getting the viper off the workbench and noticed a flat front - just what I needed, but found the prob and changed the tube - no worries really. Then I tried to start it ... ah ... it wouldnt, but there were lots of bangs going off in the exhaust.

Well, I eventually decided It had to be timing, so I set up to check it and it was well out (but how ? the bike was going really well the week before).

So, I popped the mag drive gear off, and couldnt turn the mag - I must have got it so hot that its virtually seized, and hence slipped on that stupid taper just trying to push start.

Its a good job I had a just-reconned mag for the venom ... quickly(ish) fitted, made up a fixed 38deg timing stop for the next time (!), and she fired first push. At 10.30 in the evening !

In my enthusiasm in the dark I ended up in the rhodedendrons down our drive ! I wish I'd got everything together earlier in the year !

First Race Meeting - 20 Laps

Mission accomplished ! 2 finishes, which is better than several others in my race, and I even managed to pass a goldstar around the outside of the hairpin and stay in front in the second race, so I wasnt last ! I was the fastest Velo at the meeting ! (well alright - the only one too)

My modern-racing mate was there timing me and I consistently broke 60s in the 2nd race, but I dont think I could have got around much quicker without changing things. (and he took about 40 pix to embarress me with)

All the admin things were easy, as I must have read everything seven times at least, and Desmo-Dave Barret volunteered to be my 'buddy' for the day and answered all the stupid questions.

I had a long chat with Kevin Thurston (Velo man) as I was packing up, and he reminded me that I had a 350 pushing a 500 along really. Well, I'll just have to see what its like against other old clunkers in the vmcc !

I realised that I only got in about 20 laps compared to 120 at the track day !

Planning Again !

What I need before the VMCC race on 11th/12th August ...

More right hand ground clearance as I'm wearing my exhaust pipe and bracket. (Yes Tony Ainley, I know you told me so !)

Less frame flex as going around paddock got interesting (Desmo-Dave Barret said my line was good though !!!)

Better gearing as the std box ratios are too wide.

Better push starting as nobody told me that you had to practice push starting while being deafened by everyone else !

More power ... well a different bike probably if I want to go crmc racing !

- but I might try and sort out silencer number 3 - first one blew all the baffles at the NOC track day, second one is a 350 goldy silencer, and was probably the quietest bike at Lydden ! Must be able to find some more power there !?!

Pre-Race Diary

30 July

Go round to a friend (Keith Laker) whos trying to sell his son (John )s 350K4 - it has all the right stuff, and was 3rd lat time out at Lydden in '99.

Its a very tempting package, as they dont cost a lot to run ... and I'd need something other than the Viper for CRMC !

31July

I plan to do quite a lot in the 2 weeks before the VMCC meeting 11/12 August ... Lowered gearing again (19T)

1 August

Raised footrests

2 Aug

Felling terrible - leave work early with wool in my head

3 Aug

How are you Ducati-Dave Barrett ? I think I'm feeling like you looked at the end of sat 28July !!

5 Aug

Feeling better - Fabricated a high-level Left-hand exhaust !

Just look at the run, not the welding !

Fitted a megga with absorbption end-can

6 Aug

Deliberated hard about fitting Tony A's electronic ign, but getting the exhaust pipe sorted stopped me fitting it easily - the pipe now goes where the battery wants to be !

Managed to run it up and down our road (middle of the country) a few times to check the carburation, and it wouldn't go very well

7 Aug

Wet so sorted out replaceable footrests - just in case !

8 Aug

Bought a new mk1 body and fitted that as the old body (off my father-in-laws old venom) was distorted. - but its wet so I cant test it

9 Aug

Got it carbureting better

10 Aug

Levelled the seat so I can move around on it !

Sue buys me 20l of AvGas !

12 Races in 2 Days !

I'm entered in sat races 1, 4, 10, 11, 12A, 15, 20, 21 and sun races 24, 27, 33, 36 !

11 Aug

1st practice

Bike going beatifully then terribly - gearing is perfect - but it flies then misfires like something else, then gets betterf then worse etc.

So I reduced the main from 300 to 280 just for the hell of it really, as I cant work out exactly whats wrong

Blagged a 2nd practice

A bit better, but still off and on - finish practice very dejected, what !!! Race 1 is on the track - and I'm supposed to be in it !

no time to do anything except flush the float bowl just in case

Race 4

terrible start and bike going no better - and it hits me that it seems like fuel starvation, but I've got a great big breather on the filler cap ???

even so, my ground clearance is soooo much better I manage to overtake 2 people and am just lapped in fromt of the finish line

ave lap time 62s

the plug looks as if i'm running rich so i reduce the main to 250 and see what happens

A man stops me and tells me they think the bike sounds really sweet ! Well, it makes me feel better, but why wont it run in the race ?

Race 10

I nurse the throttle so I can accelerate in the important bits, and try to go faster into Chessons, the Elbow and the Hairpin, so its a good lesson.

Manage to overtake someone again !

ave lap time 61s

Delays mean that race 11 is postponed till after lunch ! Time to try something !

Ripped off the float bowl botom again and looked at the fuel flow - not good through the float needle, but fine through the petrol pipes.

Ripped off the float bowl itself and compare the float jet with my spare float bowl - its small - smaller than my main !

Why did I fit that float bowl that looked nicer than the one that was on the bike !!!!!

Fit the 'old' float bowl - put main back to 300

Try and relax !

Race 11

Terrible start again, and from the back of the grid, the bike just wont pull cleanly below 5000 !

Wait a minute, shes flying ! And listen to that sound following me round !

And I've overtaken 5 people now ! And that bloke in front looks like someone I know - can I catch him ?!

Ave lap 58.1s + 17th/22 !!!

Just enough time to check the plug and change a jet - back down to 280 again

Race 12A

On no ! Not another terrible start ! Never mind, I caught those guys in front last time out ! Wow ! I've just passed a KTT ! Ohmygodthisisgood !

Knee down all the way round the hairpin - yeeeha !

ave lap time 56.1 ! And the bike I was chasing was a 500 !

Oh Wow ! Izzitreallymedoingthis ?!?! What ! Race 15s out on the track ! Oh

! I just came off Race 12 _A_ - idiot !!

Meet that very nice man who liked the sound of my bike - Rob Drury - KTT !!!

Talk to people about my mid range spluttering - they think its megaphonitis - just rev the hell out of it on the start line !

Top up with AvGas mix again - I wonder what the best mix is ?

Race 20 - Novice Championship

I'm on the front row !

I rev the hell out of it ang get my best start yet !

Right I can pass that Rudge around the outside at Chessons ! And the other one going down to the Elbow !

God this gearing is perfect !

I'm in the lead ! Wahwahwahwah !

I stayed there !

Ave lap time 56ish Best Lap 55.2s !!!!

I love handicaps ! (For now)

Race 21

Yeehah !

And straight round again to a Scratch Race !

What a fantastic day !

Hardly touched my new boots - but the sliders are wearing !

I wander round thinking that I should start calling myself Team Cheshire Cat !

Huge amounts of piss taking by friends old and new but I'm immune to it all !

I didnt get where I am today by worrying about what my public think !

If only Sue could have been here ! (Well shes probably still reliving her Chipmunk flight yesterday !)

Oh no ! Mick H is thinking of selling his Venom Racer ! I could campaign a matched pair of Velos!

Have a wonderful evening in the company of fellow fools !

Collapse into tent after 1 too many sherberts.

That was more like it - 61 Laps !

 12 Aug

Only 4 races today - easy life !

On no - its raining ! Well the racing doesnt start till 1230, and I _really_ _dont_ need any practice now ! (Paracetomol/Orange Juice/Water !)

Spend time sheltering in Rob Ds awning then the rain stops and we start rushing around !

Race 24

Oh no its not !

I'm queueing for race 22 ! Champions race ! Definitely not ready for _that_ one yet !

Race 24 really

Still damp so check all my lines before trying to catch anybody !

Ave time 59.1s in the damp !

Race 27

Track dry now after 2 sidecar races to scrub the surface !

Better start from grid B.

Overtaking 500s around the corners !

Have a wonderful time dicing with a flying Bultaco 200 and a couple of BSA 500s but they keep overtaking me down to Paddock !

Ave 58.3

Race 33

Another bad start !!! Never mind, as I have a great time wondering how I can catch my friend Dave Rowe on his 350 Norton - hes always 20m in front of me !

Ave 58.9 - I must learn to start better !

Race 37

Great scrap with a Ducati 350, BSA 250 and BSA 500 - god why do the 500s slow down so much for the corners ?!

I manage to keep in front of them for 1 lap then they all manage to get me before Paddock on the last lap !

Ave 58.5

A real result - 11 starts and 11 finishes and 24 laps !

So much fun.

So many nice people.

When's that race at 3 Sisters ?

Would Mick sell his 500 to me before then ?

Will Sue let me buy it ?

How can I get a little bit more out of the Viper ? ... 

Ah, I've got a compression plate under the barrel ... and its only 9:1 just now ...

How quickly could I get coil springs fitted ?