Cornering

It was fun on the Jurby track to find out without trying how far Ethel can be leaned over in corners. Much more than I ever realised. Another proof positive for the IAM who said as much. Result is that cornering is now smoother, quicker and more relaxed. Great fun on all those clover motorway access points we ride all the time.
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Me and Claude at Croix en Ternois

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Croix en Tournois

It's finally dawned on me to send videos just like pictures. Sorry this is so short - dunno why - but it's a start
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Riding kit update

The Croix en Tournois trip was 1st time out for the new Hit Air jacket. Super comfy and warm in the pre dawn chill with zipped in lining and edz teddy fleece ! Lot more freedom of movement and no sweating from a back protector. Jacket body waterproof in the downpours but pockets let in water. Maybe I should velcro them down better. Water also worked its way back up the cuffs but boy they were heavy and prolonged downpours. Kept forgetting I was tethered to Ethel by the gas bottle connector. Dreading setting it off at the gas pumps and standing there like the Michelin man.
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At last a Jurby video

My mate Repko sent me this link which gives a flavour of Jurby. After a while he zings by on his Suzuki X7
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8vaaS9Fu_M
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Even new Triumphs break down

I was surprised, standing on the Tower at Croix en Tournois watching the bikes go round, to hear English voices commenting nearby. The voices belonged to a group of pot bellied young blokes who climbed on to pot bellied new Triumphs and left the circuit before me. After riding for a while through the downpour there they were on the roadside huddled around a newly dead Triumph.
Funnily enough I had followed exactly the same type of pot bellied Triumph on Swiss plates off the tunnel train. It was the 1500cc twin cruiser and pulled 140 - 150 kph easily everywhere. Riding position looked a bit scrunched up so wouldn't fancy riding it to Lausanne.

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Croix en Ternois trip

We did 426 miles using 46 litres of fuel which makes it in old money 49 miles to the gallon at a speed, nearly all motorway, held at 140 kph - 85 mph.
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Croix en Tounois Sunday 18 Sept 11

A day trip to France courtesy of an invite from Claud who organises the Journees de la moto classique at this circuit 60 miles from Calais. To my amazement I was expected at the gate, led through the paddock by Claud's charming wife and then through the assembly area to meet Claud ! Realising I had left my phone back in the paddock I was loaned a pit bike to go and get it - couldn't stop grinning.
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More Manx Memories

Interviewed on the start line Mark Parratt was asked about the ex Donnie McCloud works Armstrong tandem 2 stroke twin he was riding. After all the scouse and semi scouse local accents all around it was a change to hear his Sarf of the Rivva accent by way of a change. His response was that he had never ridden a 2 stroke before and that you are on the edge of your seat enough around here without worrying about what a 2 stroke was going to do. Sure enough on lap 1 he coasted in to view from the 13th Milestone and pulled in with a dead engine right where I was standing at Douglas Rd corner. After a while his van came up the back road from Peel. A bloke stuck his head out of the window and called out " Oi Parra av you killed it ? "
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Croix en Tournois Sunday 18th Sept 2011

Great ! Going to Croix en Tournois an hour South of Calais for a day trip via the chunnel to meet up with my mate Claude and see some vintage bikes going around. Woohoo !
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Manx memories

Works Honda WSBK rider Jonathan Rea pulling up right behind Ethel in the Jurby paddock and pulling a Fireblade out of the back of a Vito van.

Me grunting " Morning " at him as I was more interested in checking Ethel over before the 1st track session.

Keith Amor - works Honda TT legends rider - coming out of the VMCC marquee and me grunting " Afternoon " at him as I was more interested in grabbing my packed lunch.

Clenched fist salute from John McGuinness on his parade lap to applauding Marshals at Douglas Rd corner Kirkmichael.

Murray's wonderfully laid back museum of biking treasures at Sunton.

Asking Graeme Crosby at Castletown if his book is available on Kindle - how do you do that he asked.
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New jacket - again - Hit Air this time

Got to say that I am disappointed in the Hein Gericke goretex kit. It leaks. I get that most uncomfortable of leaks - wet crutch - which never dries out no matter how much the sun comes out. Also the elbows leak. Too bad it came used or I would want my money back. Anyway I have resorted to spraying all joints with silicon waterproofer so it is now probably as boil in the bag as anything else except the superb police one piece riot suit which does evverything goretex is supposed to. Trouble is it has the protective qualities of a crisp packet. Then a Hit Air inflatable jacket came up at half price in my size so I bought it. Off the bike it is the best fitting jacket yet. Not yet hooked it up to go for a ride. Watch this space.
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The bike that never was

Having put the ZX6R up for sale or swap on a freebie local site I had a response from Kent ! We agreed on a straight swap for a 2001 plate Suzuki Bandit 1200 in streetfighter trim. Then I got a call to say that the parked up bike had been reversed over by a truck.
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Ethel following Repko Lap on his X7 Suzuki at the Gooseneck on our timed Mountain lap

We finished with Ethel in 21st place out of 85 starters with a time of 1 hour 45 minutes 4 seconds and Repko in 22nd with 1 hour 45 minutes 3 seconds - the only rider to finish in thesame place as his start number !

Jurby - Why is my foot getting hot ?

Ethel on the jurby straight

Ethel trying to keep up at jurby

Foot getting hot at jurby !

Ethel takes on Triumph Harrier at Jurby - passsed hime too !

Stooging around before delayed start of Friday racing

The travelling marshal has arrived. Boy these riders are seriously quick and can circulate during races at race pace. They all have TT / MGP race experience.
Here we have a standard Yamaha R1 but a couple are out on Yamaha Fazers and entertain us as they grind lumps off the bikes as they round Douglas Rd corner.
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Douglas Rd corner Kirk Michael

Clearing away equipment after the final race looking back up the road towards 13th Milestone
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End of the Manx GP 2011

Cold wet dawn departure on Fastcat. Very bumpy and rolling for first 90 minutes thus many breakfasts donated over the stern to the Irish sea
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Friday marshal duty

Been assigned to the corner at Douglas Rd today. Gulp. First race will be the Senior and very quick. Surface is wet but drying. Fingers crossed
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Marshals at Douglas Rd corner

Mist on mountain so delayed start for Senior race
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Yet more Port Erin time warp

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More wonderful Isle of Man time warp

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More Port Erin !

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Port Erin

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Curvy Riders

I've seen gaggles of females now and then with Curvy Riders logos on and thought nothing of it. Now I am nightly confronted by an evangelical advocate of what they are about who happens to be staying in the same house. It is a women only organisation. I thought you can no longer have a discriminatory organisation by law. It has so far fallen on her deliberately deaf ears that the adjective " curvy " has no gender and that as all sexes have curves then they should all be allowed to join. It is typical self centred female hypocrisy that they can get away with sexualising an adjective yet if a bloke says to a woman in the street " You look curvy " then he is sexually harrassing her. Yet another example of women giving the game away that they do not really want equality but power.
Maybe I'll set up a website www.fuckacurvyrider.org
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