Going Racing

SteveA said:

It really is that kind of place. Even without a lot of horsepower a good entry into the elbow with power on really early has you pulling away from people going up to the hairpin. Since top speed isn't the issue you can get a better entry to the elbow on the lighter bike, where you aren't so worried about stopping it. Guys with more powerful bikes get frustrated there.

When you come back down the hill you have to place yourself far left as if you are trying to hit the paddock gates before you turn in.......

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Frustrated is right, I don't think I went round the Elbow the same way twice, I have a lot to learn about Lydden but you are right the little bikes are better suited to the track, as shown in this one lap vid. Its like I am out for a Sunday afternoon run.

Fast Eddie said:

I’m curious, as I’m sure you are too, as to what the traction issues were on the day.

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I got the same explanation as Steve gives from a couple of people.

SteveA said:

CRMC were frightened off by noise issues that were incorrectly reported and never really existed, but because certain members didn't like it they didn't stick with it.

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They are allowed 2 noisy days a year apparently and ours was one of them, we had about 4 enforced quite periods each one lasting 10 or 15 mins. I was told that the sound level from the track has to be below 57db average and the council were in a lane somewhere measuring it, when the average went up, the track got a phone call telling them to shut off the P.A. and all engines.

My DB meter on my phone measured over that in my caravan with 3 of us having a conversation during a quite period. The council are listening to some very wealthy complainers from the village. Pathetic really.

grandpaul said:

Fun stuff, no spills, no blow-ups and all that...

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Definitely fun, but it is Spa this weekend and that place has some long fast bits, so I may be able to address the blow up bit hope not though.

storm42 said:

They are allowed 2 noisy days a year apparently and ours was one of them, we had about 4 enforced quite periods each one lasting 10 or 15 mins. I was told that the sound level from the track has to be below 57db average and the council were in a lane somewhere measuring it, when the average went up, the track got a phone call telling them to shut off the P.A. and all engines.

My DB meter on my phone measured over that in my caravan with 3 of us having a conversation during a quite period. The council are listening to some very wealthy complainers from the village. Pathetic really.

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Lydden has always had a bit of quiet time on Sundays to allow for the local church service! If I recall that means a later start to the day's racing. Another problem for CRMC who can never fit a race programme into the available time! (too many classes!).

There is a natural tendency in historic races to create a separate class for every vehicle, especially when year of manufacture is part of the criteria. If you look at it sensibly, it might be better to base race classes on the TYPE of bike, then work with bigger race grids. Our local circuit is licenced for 29 bikes on the grid. In some of our Australian historic races there are often only 3 bikes on the grid. In 2003 I was involved in running the historic road race championships. By combining the classes, everybody got 3 practice sessions and 5 races over two days, and one guy brought two bikes - he crashed on the second day through fatigue, and walked out of hospital on the next day. The guys complained, because they did not know whom they had to beat. But the racing was the best ever.

In Australian historic racing, there are now 6 'periods' based upon year of manufacture with about 3 capacity classes in each. We end up with all sorts racing against one another. These days, I don't even go and watch it. It is a bloody mess.

Last weekend was playtime at the Bikers Classic meet at Spa Francochamps, two of us have been doing this for the past few years and although it is very expensive to enter and get there, I guess we feel you are a long time dead.

This year was brilliant, the weather played ball and the bike ran good and I didn't get one trip back to the paddock in the recovery van, unlike last year where I think I did more miles in the back of that van than I did on the bike. This is a massive event at what must be one of the best tracks in the world and it is a bit of a buzz to be in the event. It isn't a race but you get 3 20 minute sessions a day for 3 days and there are no noise limits so I removed the end can, what a sound, which unfortunatly doesn't come through on the video because something on the fairing is buzzing. There are races over the weekend, one of which is a 4 hour endurance race so there is plenty to do whilst not on track.

Anyway I have put together a small video of the last session I did, the track was fairly quite and I am following my mate on his TT2 Ducati for a couple of laps but hopefully it will give an idea as to what the track is like even though someone had left an oil slick most of the way round, and spur some on here to enter next year.

This weekend I am at Mallory for the Festival of 1000 bikes with Nigel (Fast Eddie) so more play time before my next race, which is my first real road race at Chimay in Belgium, I think I have said before that the reason for going racing on the track was to set the bike up for the roads without the inconvenience of trees and walls, well next week the time has come to see if I have managed it.

I have had to split the video into two as Youtube won't let me upload longer than 15 minutes.

Your bike seems to have plenty of go. Or perhaps the other guys weren't used to being on a race circuit. I always get a bit apprehensive when inexperienced people are around me in those sorts of places. We have ride days here, at which some of the kids do some very strange things. It is all OK, as long as you are careful.

Ralph- Thank you for a great thread

I especially enjoyed the parts about contact lenses, hearing aids, and eye glasses. And, can I borrow your wife?

well done Ralph, It really looked like you were enjoying yourself especially in the latter laps ; it reminded me of what a great circuit Spa is ; big sweeping curves and gradient changes I still dont like that stupid after thought chicane though, have a great time at chimay; I for one will be eager for that report.
Cheers
Mike

If anyone heard a strange, distant rumbling noise this Sunday, it’s cos Storm ran his 920 at Mallory sans silencer....!

acotrel said:

Your bike seems to have plenty of go. Or perhaps the other guys weren't used to being on a race circuit. I always get a bit apprehensive when inexperienced people are around me in those sorts of places. We have ride days here, at which some of the kids do some very strange things. It is all OK, as long as you are careful.

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Yes it does have some go, as for the slower riders, these events are not realy track days as such, we get a very stern briefing at Spa about being too serious and he kept going on about a red card for people causeing trouble or unnecessary stoppages although I am not sure what that means. Bottom line is we are out for a laugh and although we can get a bit of a wriggle on it is just a bit of fun on one of the best tracks in the world.

xbacksideslider said:

Ralph- Thank you for a great thread

I especially enjoyed the parts about contact lenses, hearing aids, and eye glasses. And, can I borrow your wife?

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Thanks. I have asked my wife about loaning her out and she didn't say no when she found out you seem to be in SoCal but return business class tickets would need to be forthcoming.

And that young lady at the beginning of the vid outside the pit garage isn't my wife.

Moto55UK said:

well done Ralph, It really looked like you were enjoying yourself especially in the latter laps ; it reminded me of what a great circuit Spa is ; big sweeping curves and gradient changes I still dont like that stupid after thought chicane though, have a great time at chimay; I for one will be eager for that report.
Cheers
Mike

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Hi Mike, yes it is fun as was Mallory this weekend. Not had time to seriously look at coming to Tonfanau yet but not ruled it out. Will you be going to The Three Sisters?

Fast Eddie said:

If anyone heard a strange, distant rumbling noise this Sunday, it’s cos Storm ran his 920 at Mallory sans silencer....!

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Growls doesn't it?

The Festival turned out to be a good weekend and I got to fit and test my floating disc for Chimay as it looks like I will be allowed to use it because of the class i am in.

Both myself and my mate ended up in the very fast class at Mallory ?? and although this event is organised by the VMCC, I tend to forget that there are no bike age restrictions so it came as a bit of a surprise to be lining up with Jap sports bikes, some of which were running slicks, however we have to try and uphold the Norton name don't we.

Last session on Sunday.

video unavailable?

grandpaul said:

video unavailable?

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Sorry Paul, how about now?

yep!

The race weekend has started and after a bit of a rocky start I am in the races. The rocky start was because I had tried to enter a class on the website that was full, I thought the website was just a bit quirky and my class wouldn’t display so I picked 750cc because without picking a class I couldn’t go to the next page, I figured I could sort it out by email, they are not very good at answering emails.
Anyway it turns out that when a class is full they just remove it from the list, no explanation they just remove it, personally I would change the font to red with a legend at the bottom of the page explaining it was full, but after a lot of listening to 4 or 5 chaps trying to sort it out in French they moved me from the 750 cc class I had mistakenly entered to the 4 cylinder 4 stroke class which came to light at technical control and after another trip to race control was changed again to 4 stroke twin.

I will be out for my first timed practice at about 16:40 and the times should show on the Speedhive live timing for Chimay.

It is a bit quirky this Belgium road racing lark, we were warned that we would be breathalysed before we go out and yet all the racers get a welcome gift which can be collected on the production of a ticket received at sign on, the free gift !!!!!!!