UNEVENTFUL DAY - NOTHING TO REPORT

Well there was the weather I suppose. Promised to be fine on the Monday but dismal on the Sunday and Tuesday. Sounded like usual Folly luck. As it happened it did rain on Sunday but not enough to prevent some of us riding down to the Crown and the road outside was dry, though the sky was grey, when we woke.

We were twenty-one for dinner and twelve of those were the RATS, a club of nominally Triumph riders centred on Three Cross Motorcycles near Bournemouth. They had been ably corralled by long time Folly rider Hilary Thompson to whom many thanks—our evening and day were substantially enriched and we had so many novices that we ran a novice group and a slow intermediate. No-one really misbehaved (so that was a pity) but we were wonderfully organised by a young waitress who gained in confidence and stature as the meal progressed and was eventually bellowing demands at the assemblage in an attempt to obtain their orders in a logical, comprehensible and consistent form. I can think of some Indian restaurants that could use her at about 11.30 on a Friday night.

Of course by the time we got to the circuit it had started to drizzle and by the time everyone had been noise tested and briefed (and I had laboured the point that the circuit was cold and wet and thus slippery and maximum care must be taken—don’t fall off and embarrass yourself by wasting every one else’s time etc) it was horrible. As a result everyone rode very carefully and not one of those that I had just briefed fell off.

That choice of words was carefully made as there was one who was not briefed who did fall off. Not at speed whilst pushing the limits but, would you credit it, on the slowing down lap after he had just led some novices around in the “ducks in a row” sighting laps. Those who have read a number of these reports will know that I am unsparing in the scorn that I pour on those who make such a demonstration of themselves and are no doubt now salivating at the prospect of how I deal with an instructor who does so.

Ahem, how can I put this?…………….. T’was me.

I did say to some that I might entitle this report “Track God Humbled.” It was suggested, with reason that this might expose me to deserved ridicule. Then I wondered about “Pride comes before” or some such play. The one that hurt was the suggestion “Safe Pair of Hands?” Ouch.

For the morbidly voyeuristic I will report: I was slowing on the engine and doing about 30mph uphill towards Bobbies having dropped the throttle about 20yds previously. The track was damp. I applied what I thought was suitably moderate front brake pressure and the next moment the front wheel was gone and bike and self were sliding down the tarmac. I am uninjured (except for the pride) and the Moto Guzzi needs one indicator, one cylinder saving sacrifice plate and one brake pedal. I rode it back to the pits and for the rest of the day. The one saving grace was that I was tail end Charlie so I didn’t spook anyone by falling off in front of them.

There is an alternative interpretation: having noted that whatever I say in the briefing, and however much I dwell on death and destruction for those who do not exercise due caution we still usually see between 5% and 10% of riders fall off. At Castle Combe I decided to make the ultimate sacrifice and intentionally threw bike and self to the ground (hung back and waited until I was last bike on circuit to ensure that no one else could be involved) in order to show just how slippy it was and underline the message. And how it worked. No one else fell off all day.

This is the one that I prefer and would like to become the official version.

There was of course undue merriment in the pits and paddock. You will have noticed that no one enjoys misfortune as much as an official. Officer (and accident report man) Billy took substantial pleasure in asking me to fill in the details on his report sheet. Chief Marshal Peter came over to apologise for the fact that none of his staff had managed to get the number of the fallen rider to report to me as requested and so it went on for most of the day!

By ten-thirty it was dry and it stayed so for the rest of the day. We were just under full so as usual it was a lovely, relaxed start to the season for us.

One of the Triumph riders - John Sillence - did me the great compliment of agreeing to let me give him some on track instruction after he had been spooked in his sighting laps by some worrying slides which he had controlled (and he wanted to be instructed by the man who couldn’t control a slide?). As well as being relieved I was also amused. John had previously said that although he hadn’t been on a track before he was a fast rider and shouldn’t be in novice—another track god humbled.

John and I spent several yellow group sessions together; the end result of which was that he was probably riding almost as fast as he did on the road and could keep up with (and to tell the truth probably overtake) the others in his party. He had also recovered his grin that was not in evidence in the morning. Happiest person though was probably John’s wife Liz—the genuine “granny on the back”, who was clearly concerned that if he took her home without having succeeded life would be miserable for the foreseeable future. She too had a grin by the end of the day.

Bravest novice of the day award must however go to the lovely Beccie Bitmead, a farmer’s daughter from Oxfordshire who, after years of trying to convince the family that she should have a motorcycle, had finally taken her motorcycle test and acquired a Bandit a year previously. Not satisfied with so mean a steed she had very recently bought an R6 in full race trim which she told us had been ridden to sixth place in last year’s NGRC 600 championship. A day at the Ron Haslam race school (which she hadn’t enjoyed) was now followed by her first full trackday. That’s some motorcycle for a real novice.

After the first sighting laps session she asked for instruction and was introduced to occasional instructor Graham Alcock to whom she then stuck like glue for most of the day. By the end she was enthusing over his instructing skills and her improvement: “I’m not going back to race school, this was much better”.

We hope to see both John and Beccie at Mallory (yes it’s definitely happening but bookings would still be helpful and help Ian sleep soundly). Beccie was concerned that if she came alone she might have difficulty loading and unloading the bike and so on. I suggested that this was unlikely. If Mark Finburgh (male, grizzled and 60+) always finds someone to help him Beccie should be OK. I guess the problem might be too many helpers.

There were the usual and predictable noise test problems but we think that the only final and total failure was Mark’s and my ancient FZR 600 which has a can specially made to pass the Combe noise test—but 15 years ago. Suspect that most of the baffling has now gone to join the atmosphere. Ian Fox’s GSXR 1000 (with standard road trim cans) only passed after the addition of aftermarket baffles and Terry Harris was rewarded for ambling across the paddock when the entire day were waiting for him so the briefing could start by spending most of the day working out how to get the original exhaust system back on his Aprilia Mille.

Ian Fox was spotted (and photographed) wearing his “Marigolds” to keep the damp out of his riding gloves. Very yellow and very fetching.

He and others were also seen in the much more compromising black shiny pvc over-leather waterproofs—or at least that’s what they say they are.

Graham may have been only an occasional instructor (of novices) but we were clean out of real instructors at CC. Thanks are therefore due to him and to ex-officer Peter Fox for throwing themselves into instructing and spending most of their respective days assisting with that very important part of any Folly day. Peter did express some concern at having to lead the fastest group out for sighting laps—they however were very good and resisted the temptation to overtake.

Matthew Jones missed his first Folly day at Castle Combe for five years—wife Sue produced baby Alex the day before. He thought it might be seen as “cheeky” to book a track day so close to the predicted confinement. Cheeky? I suspect that is somewhat of an understatement but see you at Mallory Matthew?

Clive Perrin (another CC regular) was there with his new SV1000 (replacing his ZZR 600). I’m always amazed that anyone can ride around a circuit as fast as Clive does with his bike adapted for one-handed operation. Perhaps a 600 was becoming too easy for him. Clive and John Gregory have said they too will try to get to Mallory. Maggie and Sarah and their brollies would be welcome too.

Photos on the day were taken by EDP Photo News (I liked their method of providing hundreds of contact prints with magnifying glasses to examine them with) and are viewable and purchasable on their website http://www.edpphoto.com/galleries.htm

As you may have noticed (lack of) Mallory bookings gave us a bit of a wobble earlier in the month. Your response has been good and Mallory will take place on the 18^th May when the sun will shine and Gerard’s in all its original glory will be in use. We plan to run the old configuration for the morning and the new layout in the afternoon but if the majority of riders on the day want to stick with the old circuit all day we can do so. I think trying both sounds too good to miss but the riders’ views will prevail. I don’t however go with Peter Fox’s suggestion that we just remove the cones from the new chicane and let the riders decide which route to ride!

There are (at the time of writing) still places in all groups for Mallory. If you haven’t booked and can come please book now.

Oulton Park is on the 26^th July. Whilst we have plenty of spaces left I would be less sanguine about the Swan at Tarporley having rooms for much longer. If you are intending to stay at what is now probably the hotel highlight of the Folly year I recommend booking with them soon. Their telephone number is 01829 733838.

SERVICES

Grip and Rip will be attending Mallory—if you want to pre-order tyres phone them on 07808 943458 or 07831 342851. Steve Jordan (Mr Suspension) should also be in attendance—again if you need something special we would advise ordering in advance on 01372 453322.

SPAIN

By popular demand we are arranging to go to Spain in November. We’ve teamed up with Track Sense (a long established purveyor of biking activities that we’ve known for some years) and are hoping to arrange a big Folly contingent to go to Almeria for one of their two/three day sessions on the last weekend in November. This sounds like fun. You can see details of them and Almeria on their website at http://www.tracksense.co.uk  Stick it in your diary now, we’ll provide more detail over the next couple of months.

Geoff.

Any comments on the day or this newsletter (not bookings) to me at safepair @ megalith.plus.com