Thunderfest done and a bit of a disaster really.
But first the good. The open cone and different brackets I made for the exhaust did the trick, the rubbers survived and the noise was down by 1db to 101db, haven't a clue how you can go from a closed end to an open end and make less noise but I will take it.
Now the bad. The changes I made to the bike since the last outing were, reverse cone on the exhaust, used an Avgas/Shell V-power mix, new needles, jets and pilot jets in the carbs. And i used contact lenses because my glasses were steaming up on the start line at Mallory.
Turns out that making that many changes and not having time to test is a really bad idea.
First the engine would not idle below 2500rpm not that it wouldn't run but wouldn't slow down, so not allowed to start the engine before 09:30 and then a call for the first practice was a bit inconvenient , went to the holding area and got held for ever whilst they cleared up a crash. I had to stop the motor as it was getting hot and I sent our lass off to get the stand and starter, then they opened the barrier
*£*%*!*
. Luckily the bike bumped and I was out on track before the wife got back with the starter, lucky because I got out, and didn't have to suffer the wrath of the wife for the wasted and knackering starter push.
Not been to Darley before so the first laps were about learning which way the track went. And now the reason for mentioning the contacts, one moved and all of a sudden I had two tracks and I was having to shut an eye to choose the right one, a bit dodgy really and I learned absolutely nothing about the track.
No matter, it was only an un-timed practice.
The Thunderfest is a time trial and the format was practice, timed practice after which you tell the organiser how fast you will be going in the actual event which is 20 mins plus two laps.
This means the next practice is quite important. The high engine idle needed to be addressed because it was running into corners a bit hot and the only thing I could think that was causing it was changing the pilot jets from the 15s that were in the (secondhand bored out carbs) to the standard 25s and as luck would have it I had took the 15s with me.
Oh dear, the engine was now a proper pig, lumpy, no chance at all of a tickover and no chance of adjusting them, the right hand carb seemed to react to the mixture screw as expected but the left was being a real P.I.T.A. screwing the mixture screw all the way in caused the engine to rev very high, do that on the right carb and it stopped.
Anyway no time to mess any more as the call for the timed practice had turned into a nag and I needed to go, got to the line late and was put at the back of the grid, which didn't matter as that was my grid position anyway, the lights went out and,,,,, I stalled it.
Another run back to the van for, by now a bit of a grumpy wife, I pushed the bike back though and met her half way, didn't seem to help her mood though
.
As it was a timed practice for the event the marshal were brilliant and let me join a live track to get some times in.
And now the contacts came into play again, my eyes aren't actually that bad and when I took the right lens out I realised i could see fine so that is how I went out, with one lens in the left, and it was good, right up to the point that one moved, there must be wind getting into the helmet that is blowing across my eyes, it might even be by design because the helmet has cutouts for glasses wearers, anyway it isn't something I was conscious of but the contacts are in the bin and staying there, it is really awkward when there are two tracks.
By this time I had written off the event and had decided to use it as practice for the races that are in two weeks there, so no pressure to do well, a mate said I should put 65mph on my time form which I did and then forgot all about it.
The event, somehow I managed to get to the holding area after they had left on their sighting lap and yet again the excellent marshals let me on to the back of the grid, no worry, like I said that was my position anyway, the bike was still running rough so extra care setting off and, game on.
Contacts in the bin and glasses on I could now see where i was going so I got on with learning the track, passed just about all the field no problem as they were trying to be constant with their lap times and all was going well until the fork yokes (Triple trees) snapped on Frank Mellings Manx Norton and the event was black flagged just 10mins in.
Frank is the organiser of this event and was OK in himself after his off but a bit shocked, the lucky part for Frank was that they snapped just after the corner at the end of the 120mph (on a Manx) back straight, it could have been a whole different story if they had gone on the brakes before the corner. We were all glad he was OK and he did say there will be a Thunderfest next year.
I haven't a clue how they worked out the times but some were unbelievable close to the stated time given, and I was credited with 65.88mph which I don't believe, but on a brighter note my mate who I do these events with managed to get a first place trophy at his first attempt, brilliant.
Anyway for me, an absolute amateur shambles of an event and i will be doing the work needed well before my next race in two weeks and I will be testing the results of that work before I get to the track.
