Simbec1863

Second ride of the year over to the Newark Winter Classic to catch up with some of the OSS crew

Not raining so first smoke of the year

Bugger fancied doing this but checked the calendar and it’s 1st race weekend of 2020

I’m up for it can bring the slabbie,future ET race bike or the race blandit if it’s back in 1 piece after the winter refurb

Day out for the smoker at Stafford Show

Proof it was a bit wet

Well just finished packing all the kit away after the last round at Oulton Park.Leathers boots etc still hanging up drying out the last of the rain Never raced or done a track day here before and haven’t even spectated since 1987... Arrived late Thursday for Friday test day with the forecast for loads of rain and they were right.Not too nervous with all the variables new track,10 year old wets..old bandit discs on my spare wheels,never ridden on wets blah blah blah. Went out first session expecting to retire and have to sort the wheels but the gods of cost saving were smiling,wets worked fine and the brakes worked well enough in the wet.Grew more confident over the day with my times slowly improving,a few issues with visibility but got that sorted,my mate said to me if you’re serious about racing then you need to embrace the wet. I did lots of embracing and had loads of help yet again from my FPR mates with advice and even a few coaching laps with some of the fast boys,you wouldn’t get this in BSB I’m sure. A cold nights sleep up at 430 woken by the rain, was happy with the bike and wets on ready then a new experience for the budding racer,it’s not raining and the tracks drying but it looks like it will rain anytime, 12 minutes practice so out on the wets to see what the surface was like,still wet so managed my fastest time so far and wasn’t last on the grid for race 1. Race 1 approaching and the weather continues to change, sessions before our race report a drying line but still wet under the trees with plenty of leaves on the track. Wets or drys then everyone starts the tyre dance hoping to get the right choice,I’m hoping for rain and can’t believe I’ve started this line of thought. Right who’s on what well everyone is on every combination possible, I need another finish so go for wet front dry rear,get to the holding area and most folk are full drys,oh well you make the decision and have to live with it. First few laps I’m going well then out comes the sun and now the track is bone dry,I’m knee down through the corners burning out my wet which is gripping but moving around in an unpleasant way,I start losing places and mange to get over the line in 27th,pissed off with myself for not being brave enough. Lesson learnt I won’t run half and half again,it’s either wet or dry for me in the future Race 2 and the rain returns easy decision and I’m happy,nearly flip the bike at the start then get things under control I feel safe and fast in the wet and am running round the outside of a few of the lads,get my head down and hit my markers minimise my braking and try to be smooth. Catch a few lads who I suddenly realise are the fast boys and I’m in 16th manage to hold it until the second to last lap and a couple of the fast lads nip past I’m not going to take anyone out last race of the season so am well happy crossing the line in 19th with a time faster than my dry race time in the morning.Good end to the season roll on next March

Bike prep for the last round of the season,the standard oil,filter and lock wiring. Catch tank was coming apart so new heat tape and silicon sealer job to make sure it’s oil tight again,lost a number board at Castle Combe so made 2 new ones and fitted with some nice new numbers. Forecast is wet so stuck the wets in ready to save me a job if it’s sunny I’ll be more than happy to swop the wheels again. Dropped the forks 10mm to get the runt to turn in a bit faster,stuck a 47 rear sprocket on to so hope Friday test day goes ok at yet another track I’ve only ever watched at 2 races Saturday no Sunday racing then that’s the season over,race report to follow once I’m home and dry

Dragged the old girl out the shed today and went for a blast,struggled with road shift after spending most of my time in race shift on the blandit Stopped for a quick photo at my usual place

No worries @fatblokeonbanditsorry to hear about the van hope you got home ok we’ll catch up at some point I’m sure

Well just about recovered from Castle Combe, another great experience with the mad men in the FPR Bandit class Arrived late Friday as there was no test day and struggled to find even a space in no2 paddock,fortunately I’ve made a few good race mates who negotiated some space and moved left and right to fit me in. Had the usual pre race night of broken sleep and was up at 430 for the 1st of many pisses which is standard for us wannabe racers so I’m told.Missed tech inspection Friday so was first in the queue at 7am bike was all good then flew through noise testing to,no issues with my race kit either.Off to race office to sign on and get my practice session info. We got 10 minutes practice which gives us a time.I qualified 23 out of 30 which was ok as I’d never seen this place before.We were first race of the weekend so was happy to get this over with, the blandit ran superb and the new clutch was faultless. Its a bloody fast old place even on a 20 year old commuter bike so race 1 was all about learning a few lines and braking markers,finished 23 in damp conditions and went 2 seconds faster than my qualifying time so job done.Race 2 needed to be a bit braver went another 2 seconds faster and finished 22 with a good battle with 2 of the lads even lost the back end and had both feet flailing off the pegs Sunday arrived with 2 more races to do in front of the biggest crowds I’ve raced in front of as it was the Barry Sheene 50th anniversary day with the likes of Foggy Parish and Croz in attendance. Race 3 I was determined to ride safe and beat my nearest rival finished 21 and got my fastest lap of the weekend another 2 seconds quicker. Race 4 arrived with me matching my PB and best finish of the season in 19th. The slow down lap was surreal with a fair few thousand folk applauding us which was new to me but a nice feeling to. Oulton Park next for the last round of the season yet another track I’ve never been to I’m just plugging away and hope next year I can gain more pace that I need to run nearer the top 15 where there really are some fast lads. I judge my pace and improvement based on now only being lapped at the very end of the race and only by the top 3 rather than the top 15. Bloody love it and begin to wonder why I have road bikes as riding on the road is just not the same anymore. Wish I’d done this years ago but you’re never to old.

Castle Combe ready just a few checks next weekend and the runt will be done,maybe without a slipping clutch me hopes

Cheers yes I’ll be there both days

Dug the runt bandit out this weekend as it’s only a couple of weeks until Castle Combe. Last round had the clutch slipping in all gears and all revs so treated her to a shiny new Suzuki one nice bit of discount to. Took the old clutch out and didn’t look too bad assume it’s a crappy aftermarket one didn’t look like an OEM one. New oil and filter to even replaced the knackered clutch actuator that had fallen to bits at Cadwell. Swapped the rear sprocket from 47 to 46 teeth,just need to give her the once over and do a bit of lockwiring tomorrow then a quick test and all’s ready for the next round at the end of the month

Cheers mate I’ll take them off your hands probably be a lifesaver for me or one of the other crashers at some point

Was planning on going then realised I’m racing at Oulton Park that weekend

With OSS at the Donington Classic weekend

Yes E25 is the Netherlands ,looking at my parts manual E25 variant lists a different headlight unit at least by part no and isn’t shared with any other country for the F model.

Couple of action shots from Blyton Park