‘Nerves? I feel ill...’
John Reynolds was racing Team Classic Suzuki’s GSX1100 Katana. “Jamie Whitham should be riding – unfortunately he can’t. I was scheduled for Oschersleben in June, so it’s been pulled forward. Last time I raced was 2005,” said the 54-year-old.
“I’ve still been riding – I’ve done testing for Suzuki, but that’s not pushing in a
race. From riding quick to getting your race face on, a switch inside your mind goes. It’s great to have the feeling again... but I have massive nerves. I feel ill.
“The throttle was so heavy I got blisters, so had to work on that. The seat was high, too – Steve has bad knees and raised it, but I couldn’t touch the floor. We’ve got a removable pad.
“It’s not a race bike – it’s a Katana. You have to manhandle it, but it handles well, and it’s fast – I’ve had nothing pass me. It’s a bit of an issue: we’ve got such an advantage over a lot of bikes that closing speed is significant. You have to keep an eye on it.”