RSV News - March 2001
First Test at Mallory Park - 7th March

Photo By Martin of the Warwick Observer.

Well we booked in early for a Mallory Test day, 7th March. The fuel system was flushed and a new filter fitted, oil and filter changed, Air filter and plugs replaced. With a new "X" ring chain and a pair of sprockets (guessing the ratio), we were off for a play day. It looked gorgeous as I drove to work in the rain, looking back at it soaked on the trailer.

The only half decent tyres I had knocking about was a pair of 207 "Star" scrubs that I bought last August to throw on the VFR for the races in October. They had done some serious work before I got hold of them, and then four races on the VFR750 in the Craig Mason memorial. There was plenty of tread but they were getting a little hard, so they'd be perfect for a potter around. Perfect because it would be on my mind how old and shagged they were and stop me thrashing and probably crashing the bike first time out ! I pulled them off the VFR and had Frettons slip them onto the Mille rims. New tyres in the post soon.

I loaded everything possible and set out for Mallory after a half day at work, which passed very slowly. It had rained all night, and all morning but turned into a half reasonable day by 11.00 am so I was cheerful. By the time I'd picked up Graham and got to the track it was raining and I was nervous again. Reliable as always, Steve "Groucho" Baker was waiting patiently at the gates for us, always on hand whatever the weather on his trusty VFR750. At least I wouldn't be wet and alone. Time for a cuppa tea before the first Sidecar session starts gents !

We measured everything and logged the current set up as a baseline in case we adjusted it too much and lost track. I've never had so many knobs and twiddlers to play with on one bike before ! Taking a best guess at tyre pressures I set out on a wet track and was reminded instantly that 207 Stars, even year old scrubs, are actually quite nice tyres in the damp. Stable and predictable, not like a 207GP at all ! I got quicker and quicker, until a "moment" out of Gerards persuaded me to come in and fiddle with the settings while I recomposed myself. There was a lot of oil down from the cars in the morning and the rain was propagating the spread, make the hairpin shimmer and shine, totally spoiling the line. The Esses had a huge concrete trail all the way around, and all up it wasn't confidence inspiring.

The second session I went out on exactly the same settings because the track was drying. This three year old Mille was fine, not asthmatic & top heavy like the VFR, not a wobbly bloater like the Bandit. Half way through the session I was grinning to myself. Then a phrase popped into my head - "Christ, I've never ridden a race bike before ! It's always been road bikes disguised as racers ! This is awesome !" .......It was a very nice feeling indeed.

The clutch got better and better for being used, the drag almost completely absent by the end of the second session. The brakes were getting the better of the hard settings on the front end. Skipping into the hairpin I had the arse in the air repeatedly, just managing to turn before the Armco having totally overshot a couple of times, slithering about and getting close to losing control.

We increased the front preload and increased the rear rebound damping for the last session. It was more stable but egged me on into a couple of near crashes. Once into the Esses, way too late on the brakes I missed a down change so I had none of the tremendous engine braking to help me. I turned and turned, twice making a conscious effort to stop myself sitting bolt upright and shooting across the grass. I've been there before and although it looks inviting, but it's hard to stop the bike digging into the wet grass and flipping. Everyone thinks they can just ride upto the barrier and park it. All fall.

The bike was massively over geared, I never got into top, it was V max at 132mph on the back straight yet geared for 155mph at 9,500rpm in top. I was only red lining fifth or getting to 8,000rpm in top. I need a couple more teeth on the rear to make full use of the box, and make second usable around the hairpin instead of first. I like this instrument pack, it has lots of useful toys and they all work ! Lap counter, V Max, Av Speed, etc etc etc. Lovely.

Considering everything, the overgearing, the fact that I was only here to try the bike (to see if it was alive or dead), to ride my first "V" Twin ever, on old tyres, having slithered around on the salty roads for the past five months since my last track outing, I was pleased to have equalled my best ever time around Mallory on the Bandit 1200, 56.08secs. I was happy, the bike was in one piece, I'd had three good sessions, ending with a 21 lap run, definitely the longest uninterrupted session of the day (there were a lot of crashers in the other solo session, I don't think they got more than five laps at a time before the reds came out again), and gone home in one piece despite totally losing it at the Esses and the hairpin more than once !

I think I'm going to enjoy riding this bike ! Can't wait for new tyres and pads etc.

See you all at Mallory on the 18th for the New Era Spring Cup, my first chance to get my "race face" on before Round 1 of the Championship on the 25th March - The Race of the Year at Mallory Park.

Many thanks to Graham and Groucho for their efforts, all hands gratefully accepted.