No ferry tonight then

Just as setting off for the 0215 ferry a fuel pipe split. I have various diameter new pipes but no matching pipe clips. So for want of these we are going nowhere tonight. So tomorrow should be a quick fix but then the lottery of getting on another ferry so close to Classic TT race weekend. 

Ethel for the Island!

Ethel passed MOT today so added tax and we are good to go. Slight worry is battery not retaining charge. It is an Odyssey 7 year battery said to remain charged no matter what. Ethel has not turned a wheel since not going to Assen in 2012 but has been on charge throughout. Have ideas of raping Streetfighter of battery and taking as back up. Ethel now with original screen and without muffs. Notice wind buffeting at 80mph plus but looks nice.

Claudet will be on his way to the Isle of Man on Thursday with his band of French mates, Mike is also on his way on his 88 GSX Suzuki. We plan to form Team Lostaspanner for VMCC timed laps of old course.

My nominated sponsored Newcomer Ali Foster #56 was out tonight in practice with my late daughter Laura Jones named on her bike. The sponsor pack includes VIP tickets but with the VMCC rally, Marshalling, meeting her team, plus evening events dunno how I'm going to fit it all in! 

Donington Park Classic Festival 9 August 14

This was an event that was intended to be one thing but turned out to be quite another. Plan A was for this to be the grand entry of Siegfried at a major show. Broken cylinder bolt put paid to that. Also the trailer was to be used to bring track ZX6R for parades. Also an overnight stay was planned. As there was no point trailering the untaxed and non MOTD track bike on its own both these ideas were scrapped. Checking over the Streetfighter for a solo day trip the chain had a tight spot. Loads of freeze and chain spray and slackening off later all seemed well. Also fitted dinky new 60mm speedo with handy trip meter. Off we went only for reset knob on said speedo to vibrate loose and vanish on the M1. Bit sunny so lowered sun visor in Schuberth C3 helmet only for this to hang loose at a silly angle. Mmmm. Day not looking good. At Donington something amazing happened. The bloke at the gate actually knew there was an event on and even provided directions. Now that's a first. Turned up in Hall 14 to find deserted VJMC stand. Remember I missed the parade here at World Superbike round as they were all up before dawn and had closed entries when I arrived at 1000. Eventually someone showed up saying that Andy and Dougie are late risers.  They weren't last time. Jobsworth mentality then set in. Andy turned up saying nothing to do with me. Lady produced form for evening parade which was duly submitted. Still no Doug. Finally someone said - Oh he's not on this stand he's over there on that one. Found said Doug, turned in pre prepared form to be told - have you signed on? Went to another desk and complied. Right. Now for scrutineering. Tracked down Andy, another one, who promptly failed the bike for a slack chain! Begged set of spanners and tightened it up. Relocated Andy, passed. Duly taped anything glass. Got scrutineering sticker. Got evening sticker. Jesus, is there anything else - I'm not racing. Parade called and we sat on bikes for an hour due to racing delays. But, nothing daunted, pimply jobsworth plastered bits of torn off gaffa tape on mirrors. Unimpressed by all this.

Streetfighter speedo

The groovy digital dash on the Streetfighter has never been the same since we got caught in a cloudburst. The speedo has not worked for ages and I was getting tired of how busy it all is. It has to go. Here is a neat 60mm mini mph speedo, cable drive, with trip meter. This later is the most important item as before fuel stops were guesswork. Should now be able to set it so at 150 miles, Ethel style, it's time to fill up.

Idea is to nick the drive from the donor purple ZX6R and see if it works.

Ethel dead headlight

Here is Ethel all stripped down for the attention of super sparks Pete Mouncer. All attempts to work out what is up have baffled me so over to the experts.

Siegfried goes BANG again

Siegfried popped, banged and stopped the other night. Glad I bought the trailer so picked him up the next day. This time the cylinder head bolt has sheared, the exhaust side on the right. No idea why as all fitted exactly as per original manual. Will see if I can get it welded and will set tappets to larger clearance.

So much for track days then

Finally made use of a No Limits track day ticket I bought 2 years ago and which was snowed off then cancelled due to low numbers. With the recent fine weather I thought I'd use it up so booked for Snetterton. Up at 0430 and away to a cloudburst rainstorm around Cambridge so pulled into services to check trailer and let it pass over. Bollocks! Got into truck fuel line and lost 20 minutes getting out. Anyway weather good again at circuit, signed on, got bollocking for no helmet at paddock noise test then missed the first session. Thought it was at 1000 but it was brought forward to 0900. Mmm day not too good so far then. All clear to tag on to next group out to do mandatory 3 sighting laps. These went OK, instructor pulled off, everyone flew past and I started to wonder what I was doing out there. When I realised that I was spending time wondering what those crops were in that field over there the realisation dawned that I should not be doing this. So I pulled in and packed up there and then. It is one thing to be able to keep up at a VJMC lunchtime parade of blinged up Jap oldies but the track day brigade are completely different. I was amazed by the bikes and set ups on hand. Full on Superbike team style outfits just for track day use. I asked some if they raced but was told no - all this just for track days seems pointless. 2 blokes had HP2 BMW S1000R s with carbon swinging arms, wets, intermediates, slicks, different sprockets, tyre warmers - you name it they had it. But what did it for me was the overall level of performance of all the other bikes. This is a place where the latest thing matters but with that you get performance. No idea what skill level the riders have but everything out there smoked me. Never mind. Back to parades, that'll be a relief after this.