To start. Since having a blast riding this race in 2002 on a big heavy pig (TL1000R) I've been itching to try it on my old TRX. Until this year they had the classes listed like boxing weight categories. "Super Heavy" being the 1000cc 'Superbikes', "Heavy" being steel framed big bore (excluding the Ducati racers), "Middle" for the 600s and so on.
The TRX would have been a "Heavy Weight" by the old standard pitting us against the big naked bikes (CB1300, XJR1300, GSF, ZRX) and Ducati 900ss type bikes where I figured we had a good chance of being competitive. I spent the better part of this year (especially the past month) overhauling the old ride and prepping it for the race when we got the entry form and found out they changed the classes to "Superbike", "Naked Heavy / light", Formula Extreme (600s) and SP (250cc 2 strokes and 400cc four stroke replicas). We pretty much gave up on any hope of glory when we realized they put us in the 'Superbike' class with a bike that was heavier and nearly 100hp down on the fastest bikes...
So we (My partner "Tetsu" and I) decided to have fun, enjoy the ride and come home safe!
I had planned to go down to the track a week before the race for a shakedown. I overhauled the engine after having problems with third gear for some time and wanted to make sure I got everything back together right... Well, I ran out of time and didn't get it done until three days before the race.
So, Saturday morning we head off to the track at 5am. We arrive by 8, the track is wet and it is still raining a little. We wait till 10am and it has dried up a bit. I go out for the break in (new rings, ground valves and some new parts in the transmission) and fortunately everything feels right.
We snap a couple photos while the bike is still clean, unscratched and lookin' good...
Later in the day as I step up the pace I discover the front doesn't feel weighted right and I'm dragging the crap out of my right exhaust pipe where I had only barely touched it in the past.
A talk with the Pirelli guy later in the day as we swap tires for the race and I find out the new Super Corsa "Pro" front has a higher profile and is causing the bike to understeer while I lean it over more to compensate...
Instead of lowering the forks (it already is hurting for clearance) I decided to put my adjustable links to use and jack up the rear an additional 10mm (total of 25mm over stock). This combined with the 6kg of weight I knocked off the top by removing the main switch, cooling fan and motor, swapping the lead brick for a scooter battery and other assorted things that weren't needed I finally had it feeling about as good as it was going to get for a low budget ride... hahaha
The Race (Sunday)...
I went out in the morning at 8am for the 1st Rider Qualifying session and suprisingly set the seventh fastest time overall in my session. There were 30 teams entered so that at least had us in the top third. They go by the fastest member's time and since my teammate was a bit slower, mine was the one they went with. After all sessions were finished (Three total, up to three riders per bike) we sat in 10th place for the grid.
The start was LeMans style, bikes held by the pair rider while the first rider stands across the track and runs to the bike when the lights go out. I heard one of my vertabra pop as I 'sprinted' to the bike thinking I was going to fall apart before even getting on the thing. Luckily I guess it was just shifting itself back into place...
No Kamikaze riders were amongst us for the start and we all survived to turn one, two and more (I think, can't speak for the guys behind me). Once things got sorted out I tried to find a good pace and figure out how to pass all those fast bikes with my old tractor.
Fairly soon I figured out braking points within the first few turns were my only hope unless I wanted to get blown away when we came back to the front straight. Later on, I discovered that the insane amount of noise the FCRs and big pipes make could be used to strategic advantage by causing the guy on the fast sewing machine in front of me to lose his concentration and blow his line or braking point.
The old beast loves the twisty stuff so if I could get by them early in a lap, they'd have a hell of a time trying to get back by and hopefully be far enough behind so they couldn't make it up all in one straight. Even if they did, the plan was to keep the throttle pinned an extra few nanoseconds into turn one and stay inside them. Again, the rumble, backfiring and general nasty sounds the bike makes come into play here.
We decided to go with 4 rider swaps for the race. I rode 1hr for the first stint, then we alternated at 45min intervals. That first hour was a blast for the first thirty~forty minutes, my tongue was hanging out for the last part wishing I had done some excercise before the race.
On to the pictures...
First Rider (Me)
Second Rider (Tetsu)
I rode a total of 81 laps (3.331km circuit) and Tetsu did 55. When the checkered flag was waved, we had finished 5th overall and second in our class... 13 seconds ahead of a Ducati 999 team that was trying like hell to save face.
Smooth pit work, and consistant laps kept our position while their tire warmers, boxes of Ohlins parts, expensive bike (not to mention tool boxes...) and three rider strategy backfired louder than the TRX.
Post race pics.
My kids, Leo (6) and Alice (4) accepting the trophies (this was probably the best part of the event!!)
Finally, we get to squirt the Ducati 999 guys in third with Champagne!
That's about it...
One more picture of our group that we owe a lot to for all their support.
Long live the T-REX!
And... a link to the video (88MB, 24 minutes)
Broadband recommended...http://www.weekend-riders.com/max/bustersmall01.wmv
Update:
Just got a bunch of pics from the course photographer. Two or three old ones are mixed in but the rest are at the following link.
http://www.eikaiwamax.com/bikes/motobuster/