Hi Robin, it was a cracking weekend wasn't it? As usual I didn't get time to do any visiting as time was well and truly tight for racing on both days plus our 1/2 hour for lunch on each day too didn't help. Main thing is everyone got their full quota of racing laps. I was sector marshal in Peel on Saturday then on the Sunday I was in Corkscrew 1, I was the nutter waving frantically at you on the warming down lap. I think your buddy #174 was behind you in that race. Glad the rain held off on the Sunday and lookinh forward to next year...roll on!! View on Saturday morning from Peel
Hi Billo, the weather was indeed superb and such a relief to have great weather for the final race of the year. Always good to end on a high. I must also say that the marshalls do such a terrific job. None of it would happen without you guys and you really are the unsung heroes of the whole thing. So top job and if you are speaking to any of your colleagues, please pass on my thanks. If you were at Corkscrew 1 on Sunday, you would have recovered my mate Mark Copeland who decided to pay you a sideways visit in the junior open race. Sorry if I didn't wave back, I was probably in my own little world on the warming down lap or admiring the view from the top, as you have shown there. Hopefully we can have a natter in the opening meet of the year. As you rightly say, roll on 2014. thanks again, see you next year.
Yes I remember Mark, he was our last of the day, on a black cbr 600? He was full of sprirt and totally unfazed from his get off. We had a few off's in Corkscrew yesterday, the corner looks very tricky on the frontend with carrying front brake in there too. You did give us a nod anyway so all was not lost, as you say you probably still had your race head on then. Yeh can't wait for next year, gonna be a long winter!!
Mark was on a black and silver minitwin with a fluoro green helmet, really nice guy and more disappointed to have lost it in the last race of the year. No damage to him and very little to the bike. I tried to nod or wave to everybody and that is one thing that makes it so special. No matter where you have finished, all the marshalls and a good deal of spectators still wave or cheer. One of the best feelings ever, seeing people appreciate what you have done. Quite a special moment really.
It may not look like much, but this bit of paper means the world to me. It means I am no longer a novice road rice licence holder and can move on to the next level, the clubman licence. This is however where the pressure starts. To move from Clubman to National licence, I need to finish 10 races at 3 circuits (same as novice to clubman) but I have to finish within 110% of the winner's time and on the same lap. I do have 2 years to do this luckily, so that does take some of the pressure off. Following this, I aim to apply for my Isle of Man mountain course licence and do the Manx GP. Exciting times ahead!!
Congrats mate! I will probably have to do 30+ races to get my 10 signatures if my crash record is anything to go by!!!
Cheers guys! Don't count on me ever getting to the IOM though! But, you gotta have these things to aim for. YT, you have done your crashing now. It is in the past. You will hopefully have a great first year of racing next year. Even if you do crash, you will still love it. Jimbo, are you still thinking of giving it a go?
Yes mate, prob a season on the blade in the NL series bashing fairings with Jason lol. Might do a few bemsee wild cards local to me, as def want to lose the bib in the 1st year.... Got some serious modding to do though going to be an expensive winter
Go for it Jimbo, it will be epic! It will be good having somebody else you know to race alongside, just makes it easier for the first few meetings whilst you are learning the ropes etc. Will you be doing Oulton and Anglesey? If I am not racing myself, I will have to come along and give some support, in a kind of pit bitch sort of way. What mods are you going to be doing?
Well done Robin this is the target I have set myself next year which will be a hard one mainly as weekends is when I am the busiest with work.The Manx GP wow to race around the TT circuit it doesn't get much better than that I take it they use exactly the same course? How long did it take to get your 10 signatures ? Was chatting to one of the lads who I plan to do endurance racing with and they want to join Wirral 100 as they race at Oulton and Anglesey.I still will race with No Limits but will join Wirral 100 as well just so I can race at Oulton if anything .
Def oulton. Angelsey hopefully. Yeah be good, even to be at same events as jase/other (still might be going enduro) would be cool On the list in semi order of priority. New rear shock Reasets Fork upgrade Tyrewarmers New hell lines / pads Fit my gear indicator Lock wire everything Clip ons Tidy ignition up Qs Quick action throttle Few bits I've forgotten lol
It took me all year to get my 10 signatures as I have to work some weekends, then there are a few conflicting race dates and sometimes there were races that were on following weekends, so money did rule some out. Plus I missed 4 weeks after my first crash, so didn't do Donington. The Manx does follow the same course as the TT, but it is a much more novice friendly event.The Wirral 100 is a good club, as they only do Anglesey and Oulton, so from my point of view it means I will enter every round they do and hopefully score some points. Have a look at Aintree also Jason. Good circuit and seriously fast. One of the few circuits I know of where you will have the bike flat out in top. Jimbo, I hope to see you at Oulton and possibly Anglesey. Both awesome circuits. That is a quite a list you have going on there. With suspension, don't just look at Ohlins, Maxton, Nitron, K-Tech are also well worth a shout. With tyre warmers, I would still recommend Diamond for tyre warmers, as theirs go to 95 degrees and not 80. It does all make a difference. Did you know Diamond also do rearsets?!?!?! With lockwiring, you will need to do: Sump plug, oil filler, dip stick and oil filter. With the oil filter, don't bother with things like the K&N ones that have the fancy nut arrangement on the top. Stick to genuine filters and use a large hose clamp around the body of the filter, then lock wire the hose clamp to a fairing bracket on the bike or a lug. Saves a huge amount of faff and hassle.
I'm well aware of the diamond rearsets and will still go down that route. Ordering some with some warmers this week for £300 - still a bargain !! Yup quite a list, and some might have to wait. But won't stop me having a bash. Looked at the ktec piston and spring upgrades, would have no issue with their shock either but hoping to get a 2nd hand one... But not many come up. Will no doubt be a year long expensive evolution of the blade lol
