THE END!!!!!

Due to medical reasons I have been advised by my Doctor to retire from racing, turns out I cracked my hip joint when I came off in 2005, I have agrivated it by stupidly falling out of the van a month or so ago. So it was with regret that the recently acquired Honda CB500 (and everything associated with racing) was sold to the first guy who viewd it.
Thank you for following my blog, who knows might start my own team again if I win the Lotto............

Brands Hatch Thundersports GB meeting

This meeting was a 2 and a half day affair meaning the Sat afternoon was qualifying with racing Sun and Mon, they also had a test morning on the Sat so as it was my first outing on the CB I entered the morning sessions. I thought I was going well but when I was told I was only doing 1'04" I knew I had a mountain to climb. I tried a few things in the remaining sessions but I was still very slow.
Qualifying in the afternnon was no different and I found myself qualifying on the back of the grid behind Ash Norrington, this would be Ash's first time on a CB too but he was getting along better than me.
Sunday morning dawned and luckily the weather was dry, we were called for the race and for the first time in over 3 years I was greeted by over 30 bikes in the the assembly area, Supermonos had not had this amount of starters since the BSB round in 2006. I got a reasonable start but was dead last going into the first corner, and thats where I stayed, I was lapped on about the 10 lap and managed to stay out of their way. I finished the race at least and things could only get better. The second race was going to be run in the wet as there was a downpour about 30 minutes before the start. Again I got a reasonable start and slowly increased my lap times as the race progressed and was surprised when I passed another rider with 2 laps to go meaning I finished the race second from last.
Monday morning I awoke to bright sunshine and no clouds, the wets were removed and the dry wheels put back in, but I found that the front disc had warped big time, a quick change of disc and I was ready to roll. I bogged down on the start and was well behind at the first corner, as I approached Druids there were a couple of bikes lying on the track but only yellow flags were waved, but when I arrived there on the second lap there was carnage, at least 4 bikes were down and at least 2 riders were receiving medical attention so the race was stopped. It turns out two bikes came together on the first lap and one of the bikes left a trail of oil going into Druids, then on the next lap the leaders got through but 5th place onwards fell on the oil causing a domino effect, Adam Carter came off worse with a broken femur and arm, get well some Adam. The re run would be over 7 laps so by rights I should finish on the same lap as the winner which I did, well pleased but not forgetting the injured riders. The last race was back to normal, bad start and came last!! Dont get me wrong though I thoroughly enjoyed the weekends racing and Im not disallusioned at all about my performance, I know I can get better just need to switch of my self preservation.

Itching to go

A big thank you to Kevin Jones who kindly let me have a set of Bridgestone BT003 tyres for Brands Hatch, they are part worn but should last the weekend if it stays dry. I have a set of Bridgestone wets that are a few years old but look and feel quite good, I will treat myself to a new set next month.
I had the wheels Powder Coated gloss black at TFL ,(Thetford Finishing Ltd) and got Eric from Ekquire M/C's to fit the tyres. I also ordered a new seat shroud and number board from Trevor Sawyer, I have fitted the number board but will keep the new seat shroud until I need it or for the close season strip/rebuild.
All in all the bike is ready to race, its only 3 weeks until Brands Hatch and the long term weather forecast is looking good,(if you can beleive the weather men that is!!).

Snetterton track evening

I had booked a track evening with "Focused events" at my local circuit, Snetterton, its a track I know so a good place to set the CB up. I arrived quite early in the afternoon so I wasn't rushing around, so after signing on I took the bike for the noise test, it has to be under 102dcb! Riding a Supermono for the past 6 years has always created problems at the noise test and a few times its cost me track time when they have said the bikes too loud! As I am new to CB500 I was unsure of what to expect, anyway I arrived at the noise test are and the Marshal asked if I knew what I had tio rev the bike at? I thought it was 5000rpm so he suggested we run at 4500,5000 and 5500rpm, when he had finished he had a puzzled look on his face, it turns out that the reading was the same at all levels......97dcb, well within the limit, so with the tested sticker on the bike I waited to be called for my first 20 minute session.
When I first got onto the circuit it felt quite strange sitting upright and the first corner I found myself turning in way too early, the first 3 laps were behind an instructor at low speed, however I had booked for the slower group but found myself out with the fast group. I opted to change groups and would be out in the next 10 minutes. My first few laps at speed was a learning curve as the bike handled so differently from Gordon and it was so easy to turn into the corners, and with the wide/high bars it was effortless getting the bike upright out of corners too. My second session was even better with me not being overtaken for 3 laps! mind you I did think something was amiss so looked behind to see a dozen or so 600's bearing down on me!!
My last session was the pinnacle of the evening, I managed to get on the back of a Kawasaki ZX10, obviously he got away from me down the atraights but I was able to get passed on the bends, I even found myself braking really late into the Esses at the end of Revett Straight and just gliding round the right hander. All too soon the session was over but I really enjoyed riding the CB and unlike riding the Mono's I didn't want it to end. When I was enquiring about racing CB's I was told that after I had been on one I would have a smile on my face! I think the last photo substanciates that theory!
I will be racing the CB for the first time at Brands Hatch at the end of August, I have a lot of family and friends coming so hopefully I can make their journey worth it.

Spot on!!!

I took the CB to Ekquire motorcycles this morning to see what the bike was pushing, it was also to see how well the engine was as I had only ever started it and not riden it more than a few metres. Well I needn't have worried, after the first run it was 51.3bhp @10450rpm at the rear wheel and with a constant torque of around 23lbs from 3000rpm - 10000rpm. The rules say the bike must not be more than 52bhp but with my figures being so close its hardly worth attempting to get anymore. I have my first ride on the CB on Monday evening at Snetterton, just to set the bike up and see if the fork air gap and amount of oil are correct, will let you know how I get on.

Honda CB 500 race bike

I have decided to have a go at the Thundersports 500 class aboard a Honda CB500 twin, this a really cheap class to race in as you are not permitted to do anything to the bike. The engine has to stay standard and only push out 52 bhp at the rear wheel. The suspension and body work are standard, apart from a single set unit, only the exhaust can be changed as long as it stays below 52 horses. The class regularly have over 40 entries per race and its very competative.
I purchased the bike shown for a very good price from one of my sponsors, (nick of BPS)mates, it was last raced about 18 months ago and the package included, spare wheels, handlebars, levers, transponder and tyre warmers. I have one last race on Gordon at Oulton Park then I will be entering the remainder of the meetings this year on the Honda.