Popular Post spaaz 60 Posted June 29, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted June 29, 2021 NC Track day No.3. Why track day an NC750 ? I must apologise, I have read my Track day account part 2 and it is full of mistakes. My problem, having half a brain, I don’t compose sentences properly and don’t check what I have written, Sorry. My brain rambles on, my accounts are as I remember, but I do have only half of one !! Sadly, Here in Devon I don’t have many people who are interested in modifying/playing with bikes. When I was in Croydon, 94-2004 with the workshop, mostly dyno work, selling Dynojet kits and exhaust cans and systems. I was very lucky in London, I was surrounded by smart interesting engineers who would love to be involved in playing with bikes and engines. My back ground is 2 stroke, started racing a Formula Bantam in 1980. You had to be an engineer to race bantams. 5 year engineering apprenticeship and 7 years at college had prepared me well, also an intriguing mind and excellent mentoring from local hardened bantam racers/engineers was imperative. I was taught well, how to build cranks and engines, how to be searching for that last horsepower and make reliable, from the 3 speed iron lined ex Telegraph delivery engines. The pivotal point in my racing, was being invited to the Farnham and district MLCC. On the surface a usual bike club. Every week the members stood up and recounted what competitions they had been involved in. The Knock Up. It started with Club racers, track, Motocross, their trials and tribulations, wins, crashes. Then as the evening would go on the “no more important” national and international, racers would tell their accounts My young self-centred brain was blown away by the admiration that all the racers received from the 80-200 club members every week. There was no racing hierarchy in the Club, a club racer who came last would get the same encouragement as a GP racer. In the Club, we had multiple winners of FIM enduro, Motocross, Bol D’or, Manx GP, TT, FIM GP . This Club was a hot bed of all types of racing, which gave a novice Bantam racer as much credence, as to FIM Sidecar Derek jones when he recounted his Silverstone GP winning account in 1980. The ex racers would give advice and help with entries for the poorer racers. I raced bantams for a couple of years many wins and crashes, giving my jovial accounts every Wednesday night, was always a highlight of my week. Then I started to race a Cotton Rotax 250 twin, proper racing!! I soon learnt that faster crashing was now painful, physically and financially. The knock up seemed to be an account of what hospital I had visited that weekend, which gained me a Club following, where they used to look forward to my crash or win tales, displaying the latest plastered limb. Unfortunately now the club is a mere shadow of its former self, racing became too expensive and unobtainable. It saddens me to think that the Club no longer encourages the biking youth to take up the racing challenge, but life goes on. Senior club members, mostly ex racers, the stalwarts of the Clubs continuance, died and retired. I still count friends like Derek Jones now 80, as a dear friend, who steered me in the right direction at the right time. The club had always encouraged me to enter the Manx GP, which the Club members had won a few times. The Isle of man is another story. Nick Turner 17 Link to post
Johnnie Mototrans 2,736 Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 Wow Nick. What a story. Never been brave enough to try a track day let alone actually race. Tell us more. Johnnie 3 Link to post
RC166 690 Posted June 30, 2021 Share Posted June 30, 2021 Great stuff, thanks for taking the time to do these write ups Nick. Don’t concern yourself over the odd mistake, we all make loads anyway! Looking forward to the next instalment! 1 Link to post
spaaz 60 Posted June 30, 2021 Author Share Posted June 30, 2021 10 hours ago, Johnnie Mototrans said: Wow Nick. What a story. Never been brave enough to try a track day let alone actually race. Tell us more. Johnnie Dear Johnnie, Riding on the road is far more dangerous than a track day, all going the same direction, nothing to hit and an Ambulance on site. I have had customers die on track days, but I used to have 2-4 customers die a year on the road. Try it, you will love it. All of my friends have now given up road riding after my crash. Nick T 2 Link to post
MatBin 5,042 Posted July 1, 2021 Share Posted July 1, 2021 Another great write up. Thanks for sharing. Link to post
Trev 18,379 Posted July 1, 2021 Share Posted July 1, 2021 Thanks for sharing, not sure about half a brain, you've articulated that better than I would with a supposedly 'full brain'. I only 'raced' for a a few seasons back in early 80's with NGMC club but do recall a little of the camaraderie and enjoyment of not just the race meets but the tuning guys, the advice and the helping out with tyres, spares, etc. Mine was 2 stroke as well (X7's and LC's) and the bike was also my commuter and weekend rides so a prang or a blow up was always challenging, especially on an apprentice wage. I've done a few track days over the years since but obviously very different, both in terms of the machinery (and the tyres!) and the mentality. They're still enjoyable but, for me at least, the 'turn up and ride' and 'run for profit' approach can never match belonging to a club .... plus i was never that good at 90mph and I've not got better at 140 🙄 Apologies for the hijack, please keep your accounts coming, they're superb 2 Link to post
SteveM 706 Posted July 1, 2021 Share Posted July 1, 2021 (edited) https://stevempics.smugmug.com/Bikes-/i-FT6Q2N5 https://stevempics.smugmug.com/Bikes-/i-jKwpwTh Edited July 1, 2021 by SteveM Link to post
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