BIKE LIFE
Bike test rider heads to the Goodwood Revival, not to ponce about in fancy dress but to mix it on track. However, all did not go according to plan…
Bother at the Bol d’or, more bother at the Goodwood Revival and Bobby Ball.
AFTER TWO YEARS AWAY FROM Goodwood (it clashed with BSB) this year I was back riding for Ian Garbutt of Ripley Land – I raced with them in 2015 and we won. The event alternates between early 1950s bikes one year and early 1960s the next. This year it was the oldies so I was riding Ian’s 1953 Manx Norton. My team mate was Goodwood virgin, but proven ace classic racer and top bloke, Chris Firman. In Saturday’s race I was soon in a hilarious battle for the lead with Mcwilliams, Corser, Rutter, Mcguinness, Hillier and Child. They were all passing me down the straights, then I was out braking them or riding round the outside come the corners. After an epic battle it was time to pit. Us leaders came in almost together (I was third). We had a great change and Chris joined the fray in second. He did a great job – especially as he was still learning the track. But the lack of track time and an oil leak cost us and we came home fourth. For Sunday’s race Chris was unlucky at the start as the bike just wouldn’t go. When it eventually did get started we were nearly last. Chris battled through brilliantly and when we changed we were inside the top ten. I got my head down and rode as hard as I could until I had one of the biggest moments I’ve ever had… Been riding for: 38 years Annual mileage: 2000 on road. 2000 off-road. 1000 on track. Favourite comedy bike (and why): Yamaha YSR50: small, cute, funny and cool. Owns: 1990 TZ250A, RD500, RD350 and more… Unbeknownst to me the bike had started to leak oil over the left-hand side of the tyre. The first half of the lap is all rights so it wasn’t until I stuffed it into the first left that I discovered it. The bike broke fully sideways at about 70mph, it was on the lock stop and starting to fall down lowside when it spun/burnt the oil off and gripped! I was flicked up into the air doing a handstand (I remember thinking ‘oh no, this is going to hurt massively. Classic bikes shouldn’t do this and it must be heavy so try and avoid getting tangled’)! When it snapped back in line I landed half on the bike. The result was instant agony because as my right foot dabbed the tarmac it popped my hamstring. Lying across the bike I managed to just keep it on the track and fight my way back on (although it took a Herculean effort to agonisingly swing my right leg back over). I then had a look down and saw the oil (but I could also see it wasn’t dropping on the track and was just the result of a small race-long leak). So with two laps remaining I nursed it home and we finished 7th. I was disappointed as I’m a racer and want to win. But once I chilled I knew that although the racing is important, its just one of the cogs that make this fantastic event. And we had such a brilliant weekend anyway. So I worry not.