Rockingham - July 4

[idl1975]

Posted before the recent forum Apocalypse. Myself and a mate are doing Hottrax's 4 July 2008 date at Rockingham and (assuming rain doesn't stop play) would be happy to meet up with any TRX'ers who want to come along.

Hottrax still has spaces and has just reduced the price to only £89 a head. This is a brilliant TRX track, so that price is an absolute steal.

We also have a space in our van, leaving from the Guildford area EARLY on Friday morning. For a share in the costs of hire and diesel, we can carry another TRX and all your other track day junk.

Anyone wanting to come along or meet up with us at the track, feel free to PM and I will get in touch.

[idl1975]

Posted before the recent forum Apocalypse. Myself and a mate are doing Hottrax's 4 July 2008 date at Rockingham and (assuming rain doesn't stop play) would be happy to meet up with any TRX'ers who want to come along.

Hottrax still has spaces and has just reduced the price to only £89 a head. This is a brilliant TRX track, so that price is an absolute steal.

We also have a space in our van, leaving from the Guildford area EARLY on Friday morning. For a share in the costs of hire and diesel, we can carry another TRX and all your other track day junk.

Anyone wanting to come along or meet up with us at the track, feel free to PM and I will get in touch.

As of this morning, the met office says that rain will not in fact be stopping play in Corby, so presumably Rockingham will be OK too. Places are STILL AVAILABLE on this trackday via hottrax's website, so anyone who wants to come along and meet up is very welcome. Anyone who's thinking of coming along, feel free to send a PM.

[idl1975]

Posted before the recent forum Apocalypse. Myself and a mate are doing Hottrax's 4 July 2008 date at Rockingham and (assuming rain doesn't stop play) would be happy to meet up with any TRX'ers who want to come along.

Hottrax still has spaces and has just reduced the price to only £89 a head. This is a brilliant TRX track, so that price is an absolute steal.

We also have a space in our van, leaving from the Guildford area EARLY on Friday morning. For a share in the costs of hire and diesel, we can carry another TRX and all your other track day junk.

Anyone wanting to come along or meet up with us at the track, feel free to PM and I will get in touch.

As of this morning, the met office says that rain will not in fact be stopping play in Corby, so presumably Rockingham will be OK too. Places are STILL AVAILABLE on this trackday via hottrax's website, so anyone who wants to come along and meet up is very welcome. Anyone who's thinking of coming along, feel free to send a PM.

Will be away to the track soon - anyone who decides to turn up on the day, just look for the black TRX...

[idl1975]

The TRX worked its usual magic on the track, keeping up with or passing pretty much anything. Rockingham national is definitely the track for TRXs, due to the limited number of places more powerful bikes can deploy their horsepower. Not only did it duff up assorted GSX-Rs, R1s and the typical latter-day assortment of blokes of a certain age with £15,000 track day toys, it went round the outside of a whole posse of 'prillier RSs (4 or 5 in one group!). And this is with a Conti road attack touring tyre on the back and a knackered sportec M1 on the front. As further evidence of Rockingham's superiority for the horsepower-challenged, I saw a black Guzzi Griso terrorising the novice group with knee down and pegs grinding. Top entertainment!

Youngy's Ohlins shock - recovered from the ex-TRX - had its baptism of proverbials, and performed splendidly. It's sprung for 100kg, which is a bit strong for me (didn't bother to alter the rebound damping though), and I put the ride height adjuster to the full +12.5mm (or whatever it is). With the forks 10mm down in the triple clamps already and probably needing a rebuild, I wasn't too sure about the front end feel initially (felt like it was tucking a bit), but after I got used to it it was clear the steering was an improvement. The old-school, non-TTX Ohlins worked brilliantly, and I'd recommend it to anyone over a shock rebuild, if you can afford it. You could see the difference in the rear tyre, which had hardly any tearing or bubbling, unlike with the rebuilt OEM tem. A lot less movement from the back and better controlled with it.

Also a bit of a journo-fest - that Kar Lee from PB (or is it Bike?) was there with his mag-supplied R1, and a rather florid Tim Thompson (Ride?) appeared halfway through the day. I'm pretty sure he hustled his way into my group and slighly to my surprise, someone in very similar leathers was seen f****ing off into the distance at great speed shortly afterwards. Never thought of him as one of bike journalism's hoon-meisters, but he looked pretty bloody quick from where I was!

[Jak]

Sounds like a good day out

Did you see this guy? Mate of mine's bike (well ... it was ... he sold it on Thursday, the new owner took it to the track). Apparently the oil filter came loose and covered the back end in oil, he went flying and then the bike burst into flames Dunno what part of the day it happened, just know it was Friday. Photo when it was still alive....

[idl1975]

Sounds like a good day out

Did you see this guy? Mate of mine's bike (well ... it was ... he sold it on Thursday, the new owner took it to the track). Apparently the oil filter came loose and covered the back end in oil, he went flying and then the bike burst into flames Dunno what part of the day it happened, just know it was Friday. Photo when it was still alive....

Er, um, yes. The "blimey" on the tail was pretty distinctive.

I have to say that choice words were spoken in the paddock afterwards by a lot of people in the intermediate group as we watched him do a couple of laps with clouds of smoke coming from the bike. Everyone could smell the stuff, even if they couldn't see it, so frankly I'm not sure why the marshalls didn't bring everyone in immediately. Just after the chicane he crashed on his own oil, dumping most of it onto the apex, and slid off the track. Luckily for us it was nearly the end of the session, so the novice group got to sit in the paddock while the marshalls stared at the oil and performed their mystic rites of exorcism.

I did find a bit of his oil later on, but luckily nobody crashed because of it.

In case he's giving your mate shit, I don't really buy the oil filter explanation. I certainly didn't see any flames (just smoke), and I went past as he was just struggling to his feet. Plus I didn't see any charred wreckage later, just a CBR with its sump off and some slightly dirty bodywork. We could all see the huge clouds of smoke coming off the bike from halfway around the track, plus you could smell it burning. Would the cases be hot enough to do that? I doubt it, but o/c I could be wrong. And I've certainly never seen or heard of that happening to a filter. They're only supposed to be on hand-tight anyway, so it's not like you're supposed to torque them down. Seems more likely something was well and truly fecked in the engine and the filter came off when he crashed it (or he took the filter off later and decided it was too loose). And he should have noticed the smell and the clouds of smoke, frankly, so it sounds to me like an excuse.

[Jak]

I'll pass that on as my mate is feeling awful about it at the mo. He's the kind of guy that would probably offer to take the bike back and return the money. I was a bit dubious about the 'explanation' as my mate's a mechanic!

[idl1975]

I'll pass that on as my mate is feeling awful about it at the mo. He's the kind of guy that would probably offer to take the bike back and return the money. I was a bit dubious about the 'explanation' as my mate's a mechanic!

Well, I would at least point out the fact that he was burning oil for at least 1 lap and more like 2 before he crashed. Don't think that's usually produced by a loose oil filter, but sounds like your mate will know better than me.

[Jak]

Thanks for the info much appreciated!

[youngy]

Youngy's Ohlins shock - recovered from the ex-TRX - had its baptism of proverbials, and performed splendidly.

So no chance you'll sell it back to me then? Glad you like it.

[idl1975]

Youngy's Ohlins shock - recovered from the ex-TRX - had its baptism of proverbials, and performed splendidly.

So no chance you'll sell it back to me then? Glad you like it.

No, sorry!

Of course, you never know your luck. I might crash on the next trackday and total the rest of the bike.

[youngy]

I'll keep my fingers crossed then eh, Ian?

[idl1975]

I'll keep my fingers crossed then eh, Ian?

I see you've been trying already! Some dozy bint in a 5 series pulled right across my lane this morning. Thankfully, she finished the turn... You REALLY want that Ohlins shock back, don't you!

[youngy]

so now you've met the wife!!

[slow codger]

I have a set of old SIDI motorcross boots, with the steel bit across the front of the sole! Better than paint stripper.

Dave E