Hi All... This is a new report of Team Pro Weigh's goings on.
First of all, Team Pro Weigh is a team of 3 Suzuki GS 1000s and riders that race in New Zealand's Post Classic Racing Class. All 3 bikes are modified, but retain a standard "AMA Production Superbike" type look. We are based in Auckland New Zealand, and Pro Weigh is a company that sells weighing equipment owned by me, Craig Smith. Pro Weigh has vast percentages of its small profits pulled out of the books to fund this road racing. Team members are: Craig Smith (Smithy), #9, Steve McCaffery (Dosser), #11, and Craig Seddon (Seddo), #16. We are all, how should I put it? Over the age of 35....

For the last 3 years, the NZPCRA (NZ Post Classic Racing Association) has put together a container of 15 bikes and gone across the Tasman to Melbourne in January to do battle with the dreaded (fast) Aussies at Phillip Island Raceway, surely the best motorcycle racetrack in the world! The event is called the Island Classic with 250 bikes this year and 34 in our over 600cc Forgotten Era class (pre 1980 in Australia) This year was no different, and December was a blur, as we had to build a new racking system for the inside of the container, Smithy had to re-build a blown engine (dropped valve due to bad fit of titanium retainers and collets. Exact cause not yet fully determined), and Pro Weigh had a turnover of double the last December. Dosser also had engine problems and had a partial re-build, replacing bent valves, a stuffed APE cam chain tensioner and a new set of rings.

2 Days before the deadline, the container was fully loaded and sealed, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Smithy's bike had run up and down the road and sounded OK. Dossers had done similar. End of testing....After a month off with family and girlfriends etc, (no bikes) the boys were off to the Island. Smithy's second time, Seddo and Dosser's first.

Day 1 was spent getting lost en route to PI (Phillip Island) from Elizabeth St in Central Melbourne where all the bikes shops are. Didn't matter, as the container was late anyway. Had a good tour of the Australian countryside and found out how fast a Toyota Previa can go loaded up with 6 overweight road racers..(Not very fast). Got to the island, stopped off for beer supplies and dropped our gear at the Sea Horse Motel in Cowes, then headed for the track. The container was open and some of the rest of the crew had started unloading. Everything was OK, and we got the bikes into the pit garages (Pit garages, entry, tickets to the Fri night do, and some transport costs all provide at no cost by Phillip Island Motor Sports!! Thank You!). Customs and AQIS (Agriculture) cleared us pretty informally the next day.

The traditional Thursday evening walk around the track followed with the "old boys" knowingly preaching late peel in lines, braking points, knee down at 200 klicks here... etc, and the "newbies" desperately trying to remember 12 corners and 4.8km of smooth, wide racetrack.
Thursday night saw a few beers going down at the Seahorse, but nothing huge as nerves set in. Never seen Dosser in bed so early!!!

The photos show Team Pro Weigh, loading the container, An unknown 2 stroke racer trying to indicate that GS 1000s are armchairs, Bikes ready to be loaded, Smithy's engine after a valve dropped in to say hello, In the pits at PI, and walking the track at PI.

Cheers,

Smithy.