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2009 Plans Thinking
I might try a run out at Assen, I've heard everyone raving about the place, so I
might ask Mike if he would mind taking me there.
I've also heard rather upsetting rumours that he's thinking of letting me be
ridden by others to show what fun supermono racing can be - all I can say, is it
better not be any 'Tom, Dick or Harry" that he's thinking of - in fact, I think
I would like to see what a proper 'Lady' rider handles me like, instead of that
'girl' Edwards.... |
2008 ACU Supemono Championship
Rounds 1 & 2
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Date 12 & 13th April
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Circuit Snetterton
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Qualified 3rd
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Race Result 2nd, behind Mark Lawes
DNF engine expired.
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Click here for report:
Snetterton
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2007 ACU Supemono Championship -
my jockey, Mike Edwards is planning to have a good time this season. He is not
expecting miracles though, as he does know that there are a lot of good riders
out there, and at the end of the day, I'm going to be viewed as a bit of an
underdog.
For a start there will be Glen English on Mike's spare bike from last
year - Mike knows both the man and the machine, and says that it should easily
be a winning combination.
Then there are the Marks, of Lawes and George - me and
Edwards are going to have our work cut out there as well; not mentioning the
unknown quantities, new faces and young blood in the class like Aaron Easter.
But as Mike says "everyone on track is there to be beaten" and that he is
planning to enjoy himself this season, give it 110% and if success comes as
well, then that will be a bonus!
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Date |
Circuit |
Qualified |
Race Result |
Click here for report: |
| Rnd 1 |
14th April |
Brands |
4th |
3rd, behind Aaron Easter and Glen English in 1st.
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Brands |
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Rnd 2
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6th May |
Snetterton
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DNS |
DNS Crash in practice. |
Snetterton |
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Rnd 3
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7th May |
Snetterton |
DNS |
DNS Crash in practice. |
Snetterton |
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Rnd 4
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16th June |
Pembrey |
3rd |
Battery failed in holding area - DNS. |
Pembrey |
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Rnd 5
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17th June |
Pembrey |
3rd |
Leading race - brake problems - finished 2nd. |
Pembrey |
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Rnd 6
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12th August |
Donington Park |
5th |
Lead the race for a while, finished 2nd. |
Donington |
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Rnd 7
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9th September |
Mallory |
DNS |
Mike doesn't race at Mallory, drew the ticket to win me. |
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| Rnd 8 |
6th October |
Cadwell Park |
3rd |
Led the race, dicing at front, oil leak stopped play
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Cadwell |
| Rnd 9 |
7th October |
Cadwell Park |
3rd |
Led the race off the line, threw it away at the Gooseneck |
Cadwell |
Mike says he can update the blog direct from his mobile phone - so
check there for instant results from the circuit; but we will have to wait
for him to get back home before he can update the table here on my
website.
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Testing in Ledenon - 2007
- I got to go on my first European holiday, and that Mike Edwards threw me down
the road - here is his version of events:
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Photo by Mariska Grob. |
Ledenon was my first opportunity to get out on Gordon
and test his metal. He had been totally disassembled and rebuilt from the
ground up; his engine was in effect brand new from the tuners and needed
running in.
I could have stayed in the UK for testing but simply
because of the sheer amount of work I had to do with him it would have meant
booking several separate test days and the weather was likely to be grim. Going to somewhere like Ledenon although you can’t guarantee the weather,
you can get up to 4 or 5 continuous days on the run. With four days the first day was all about running him
in, 30 mins at 2,000rpm then 30 mins at 4,000 and finally 20-30 minutes up
to 6,000 rpm.
That took most of the day due to the fact I regularly
took time out to adjust and tweak bits and bobs throughout the day between
sessions whilst Gordon had the required ‘cooling down’ time. |
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Photo by Mariska Grob |
It was a relief not to have to go quickly as the wind
was appalling, gusting and blowing all day, there were several crashes in
each session, the majority of which were due to the wind.
As there was a lot of ‘guess work’ on Gordon with
suspension settings, gearing, carburetion etc it was sometime one step
forward and two steps back with the development. Once he was run in and I started to open
him up to maximum throttle is was obviously clear he was quick but the
handling was ‘strange’ to say the least.
Just at the most important part of the
corner as you ease off the brakes and drop it in to the turn - the bike
would judder and felt bloody awful.
To make matters worse the rear spring was
miles too soft and the forks too hard, it was dawning on me that Gordon was
certainly no minimono, and that I had my work cut out for sure. |
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After a few more sessions I changed the rear spring
from a 8kg to a 9.5kg one, this improved the rear squatting problem, but the
front was hard and running wide on the exit of the turn.
Just as I thought things were coming together the wind
caught me out on turn two and down I went.
Gordon was badly damaged breaking his front wheel, sub
frame, fairing, seat, master cylinder, exhaust and a host of other bits and
bobs. 
Photo by Mariska Grob
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This took the rest of the third day to sort out
repairing the parts that I had not got replacements for and changing over
other parts, nightmare….
I have to give a big thank you to Libor and Martin
Kamenicky from the Czech Jawa team – as with the ‘family style’ of supermono
racing they helped me with the repairs.
Also Ben, a Dutch SZR owner very kindly lent me his
spare front wheel, and by the end of the day, Gordon was ready to get back
on track.
For the final day I wanted to do just a
few sessions to double check what settings worked and make sure I had a base
setting ready for Brands on the 14th of April.
I thought by the end I was somewhere near
where I wanted to be, not totally perfect but with so much development done,
I do feel he is now at least ‘raceable’.
We will just have to see how Brands will
go.
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Photo by Mariska Grob |
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