Commando attack at Mallory Park this weekend....

Fast Eddie · Jul 10, 2017

trident sam said:
Yes mate, I'm familiar with your abstentions Ha,
You might aswell just phone Les Whiston today, you could sell that Teutonic thing and put the money into a nice 930.
Looking forward to BZ, hopefully it won't rain (too much anyway)
sam

Actually, I've got this daft idea about a proper RN... but with a Hinckley 675 triple in it...

It would go well... cost less... sound right... and be all Triumph...!

Those 675's are big lumps tho, so not sure it'd fit nicely.

Or I could build a Manx chassis for my 920 motor...

Or a Seeley....

Better book a therapy session sharpish....!

auldblue · Jul 10, 2017

Seen a fair bit of pictures(still to watch the videos ) but it seems fair to say that the weather was fine and a good time was had by one and all. Obviously by your comments the old blue bike did all it says on the tin and a bit more. Top hole Nigel , it's always a result when things go well

acotrel · Jul 10, 2017

A Rob North Special might be a very good thing. But with the old Trident or Rocket motor might get very expensive. A few years ago, I was talking to a guy who had a very well-developed triple motor in a bike at Winton. It was on 14 to 1 comp. His biggest problem was finding a reliable ignition system. Also he'd pulled the back out of a set of crankcases. In comparison a Seeley Commando might be much lighter.

Fast Eddie · Jul 11, 2017

acotrel said:
A Rob North Special might be a very good thing. But with the old Trident or Rocket motor might get very expensive. A few years ago, I was talking to a guy who had a very well-developed triple motor in a bike at Winton. It was on 14 to 1 comp. His biggest problem was finding a reliable ignition system. Also he'd pulled the back out of a set of crankcases. In comparison a Seeley Commando might be much lighter.

The ign is easy to solve Alan. I had a 988cc triple, I went from Boyer to Tri Spark and gained 5 bhp! It used a dedicated spark (not wasted spark) and 3 x single output Dyna coils.

You are right about the cost, a big fast triple engine is very expensive! Hence my idea for a 675 engined replica.

I also agree that a Seeley Comando wold be a lot lighter. My trouble is that at over 6 foot, a Rob North or a Seeley feels a bit like a mini moto bike! Hence I suspect a Manx Chassis would be a better bet.

It'll all come to naught though me thinks, the bottom line is that the stock Commando frame is plenty good enough for me !

Brooking 850 · Jul 11, 2017

Nigel, did you run the 2EX1 on your bike or the 2 x 2 exhaust system?
Regards Mike

oldmikew · Jul 11, 2017

Fast Eddie said:
Anyone going to the Mallory Bike festival this weekend?

I'll be in the race paddock area with the Trident Hunter.

It'd be nice to say hello to any Access Norton members if you're there.

well i was there on my holdsworth Wish i had seen you post before btw the place was virtually empty on sunday ,anyone know why

Mark Savage · Jul 11, 2017

oldmikew said:
well i was there on my holdsworth Wish i had seen you post before btw the place was virtually empty on sunday ,anyone know why

Do you mean the paddock or generally?
I went on Saturday to see the Trident Hunter and the place was dead. Are you saying Sunday was worse?
Doesn't sound good unless just the track time is enough to make it pay.

Fast Eddie · Jul 11, 2017

Brooking 850 said:
Nigel, did you run the 2EX1 on your bike or the 2 x 2 exhaust system?
Regards Mike

2:2. I think the tighter radius on the followers that Comnoz did to make it more 'streetable' has removed the overlap that made the 2:1 work so well when I tried it previously.

It's not over yet thought Mike...!

Fast Eddie · Jul 11, 2017

Dommie Nator said:
oldmikew said:

well i was there on my holdsworth Wish i had seen you post before btw the place was virtually empty on sunday ,anyone know why

Click to expand...

Do you mean the paddock or generally?
I went on Saturday to see the Trident Hunter and the place was dead. Are you saying Sunday was worse?
Doesn't sound good unless just the track time is enough to make it pay.

It clashed with a CRMC meeting and some other old bike events. So crowds were thinned out somewhat.

A mixed blessing, it made the track time much more pleasant do to not being over crowded, but as Cab says, it makes us concerned re future viability.

SteveA · Jul 11, 2017

Dommie Nator said:
oldmikew said:

well i was there on my holdsworth Wish i had seen you post before btw the place was virtually empty on sunday ,anyone know why

Click to expand...

Do you mean the paddock or generally?
I went on Saturday to see the Trident Hunter and the place was dead. Are you saying Sunday was worse?
Doesn't sound good unless just the track time is enough to make it pay.

Race tracks make their money from track days now, just from rider fees, getting more than 5 days a week from it for more than just the summer months, gate money seems to be just a bonus!

This is a lot of why there are more noise complaints these days, it never lets up!

Often people can see the clashes coming but find them hard to work around.

In my case I am sad that Gedinne Belgium is the same weekend as BHR Lydden, so I will do the one that doesn't involve a channel crossing, but the Lydden organiser told me last year they would avoid the clash, their first published date did, then it was changed!

So I hope to be a 63 year old first time 'Roads Racer', we'll see how that works!

Mark Savage · Jul 11, 2017

SteveA said:
This is a lot of why there are more noise complaints these days, it never lets up!

Mallory does have a few complaints. I worked in the village once for a week and to be honest it did get quite tiresome listening to people converting petrol into noise on weekdays. Sure people know they're buying a home near a race track but wasn't reckoning on all week events being scheduled. The complaints do get logged and once there was complaints of trackday noise even though the day was cancelled due to fog. The serial complainers get hold of the track day events calendar.

acotrel · Jul 12, 2017

Steve - 63 is not a good age to begin road-racing. I am now 75 but raced for 12 years during the 60s and 70s. I am very careful never to stick my neck out because I don't want to end up as a wrinkly skin bag full of bone chips. Whatever you do, do it SLOWLY at first and progress carefully - FAST will take a bit of time. Never get away with the idea that road racing is similar to riding on public roads - it isn't. It is like going to university, then getting a job. Competence only comes after you apply your basic knowledge. TAKE CARE !

Fast Eddie · Jul 12, 2017

acotrel said:
Steve - 63 is not a good age to begin road-racing. I am now 75 but raced for 12 years during the 60s and 70s. I am very careful never to stick my neck out because I don't want to end up as a wrinkly skin bag full of bone chips. Whatever you do, do it SLOWLY at first and progress carefully - FAST will take a bit of time. Never get away with the idea that road racing is similar to riding on public roads - it isn't. It is like going to university, then getting a job. Competence only comes after you apply your basic knowledge. TAKE CARE !

Alan, Steve started racing in the 1970's!

He is only new to proper 'road' racing... i.e. Racing on closed public roads, complete with manhole covers, lamp posts, walls, curbs, etc, etc.

I prefer gravel traps myself...

SteveBorland · Jul 13, 2017

Falling public attendence seems to be a general problem these days. This year's Bikers Classic at Spa was very poorly attended, due in part to Saturday being continuous rain (and the Tour de France had a stage quite close by, that allways seems to bring rain

). There was much more empty space in the paddock than in previous years, and very few spectators.
Must have been a very expensive weekend for the organisers, one does worry about the future of this event.
They ran a similar event at Imola for a couple of years, but that died due to finances - a great pity since a) its a fantastic track, and b) it's right in the town, so lots of very good places to eat after the end of the day.

Fast Eddie · Jul 13, 2017

When you look at the 'classic calendar' especially in the U.K. It is very busy. Maybe there are simply too many events pulling the crowds in too many directions?

lynxnsu · Jul 18, 2017

SteveBorland said:
Falling public attendence seems to be a general problem these days. This year's Bikers Classic at Spa was very poorly attended, due in part to Saturday being continuous rain (and the Tour de France had a stage quite close by, that allways seems to bring rain ). There was much more empty space in the paddock than in previous years, and very few spectators.
Must have been a very expensive weekend for the organisers, one does worry about the future of this event.
They ran a similar event at Imola for a couple of years, but that died due to finances - a great pity since a) its a fantastic track, and b) it's right in the town, so lots of very good places to eat after the end of the day.

could also be because there were nearly no interesting bikes , a lot of japanese 70s roadsters converted to racers , quite a few tt2 look a likes and a lot of crap
i was there and i will not be going back
it used to be great ,with NSU LAVERDA DUCATI JAWA and GUZZI to name but a few of the real works racing bikes to see and hear
beter to come to chimay(last weekend ) or gedinne if you are in to real road racing in Belgium -
just a shame that that gloreous racetrack is not used for real classics , and misused to lure people who like classic racing, to spend their 50€ there

marinatlas · Jul 18, 2017

Hi, about Spa, I agree with all, first time this year for me ........last time ! but a great track.

acotrel · Jul 18, 2017

I believe that computers are causing the demise of motorcycle road racing. Where once we would spend our time building and refining race bikes, we are now playing computer games and watching videos. What I have always liked about road racing, is the sense of achievement when what I have built with my own hands returns a good result in competition. My whole working life as a scientist was on that basis. I used to work at finding better ways to kill people in wars. Perhaps it is a good thing that our world is changing ? - Now the wars might be fought with computers.

acotrel · Jul 18, 2017

Eddie, perhaps I misunderstood about Steve's racing. When you say 'real road racing' are you talking about things such as the IOM and Irish road-racing ? I've watched that stuff in Youtube - I would not do any of it. If you cannot crash safely, stay away - because crashes are inevitable if you are ever going to be competitive. These days I choose carefully where I am going to stick my neck out. The Irish racing looks interesting and if I lived in the UK, I would probably do it - but the IOM is bloody stupid. A friend of mine raced in the NW200 and crashed big-time - another guy was killed in front of him. Another friend of mine was tops in Australia and only succeeded in doing two laps of the IOM before he was killed.

auldblue · Jul 18, 2017

Cattle shows and gymkhanas are also less well attended, people want to participate rather than watch these days and why not. I travelled to Europe to see the big
names race in the nineties , wouldn't even travel two miles to watch the Scottish open golf or even the open at Troon but I would travel to Ireland for the road racing as its so relaxed an atmosphere and good fun.

Alan I'm glad that when you raced you didn't badly injure yourself and I respect your right to an opinion but it's fecking motorcycles not roller-skates on this forum, holy shit every bugger on here has fell off been knocked off or just plain crashed at some point and they are still riding their bikes and it's hard to anticipate a Range Rover rear ending you or a cat running into your front wheel so unfortunately it's very difficult to find a safe place to have an accident , but I think we all understand that. So all is well in the paddock.

Commando attack at Mallory Park this weekend....

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