Slippin' And Slidin'

Up Wiscombe hill climb that is. Torrential rain overnight left the track
soaking wet and coated with mud washed off the banks. Then some ****
drove his Austin Seven down from the top paddock before practice had
even started, having forgotten to tighten his add-on oil filter which
fell off and deposited the sump contents on a good section of the
course.

This made the first run an exercise not so much in feeling for grip as
imagining it.

On the plus side the other vintage cars at this 500 racing car owners
club meeting included 10 ERAs, a few Bucklers and even two Volvo 544s.
The noise from a Lagonda warming up the transmission on axle stands was
a treat.

On the bike side a curious odour emanating from a 'road legal' Bandit
attracted my attention. As I suspected it is now running on E85.
Slightly different to the aroma of a methanol burner. The consensus was
"essence of tart's handbag". So - 600 Bandit making 130 BHP at the back
wheel. The supercharger helps though. Even so, power is up from 114
courtesy of the green juice apparently.

I hate meetings that start wet and slowly dry up. Particularly when they
are as greasy as this (so greasy that each rider was warned individually
by the Clerk of the Course as they approached the start line for the
first time). Flagged on my last run because the previous rider had
binned it and was just about to take my re-run when I was again warned
that it was "very slippy through the esses". So I set probably a
personal worst time for a Wiscombe meeting.

You would have loved it Champ.

--

+-------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Gilera Nordwest Yamaha WR250Z |
| Gilera GFR Moto Morini 2C/375 |
+-------------------------------------------------------------+

 

Oh, good show.

Wish I could've been there. I like a vintage racing car. Apparently on
Sunday there'll be 14 ERAs - which is just about all of them!

 

Indeed. As I was leaving, the Napier Bentley was arriving for the VSCC
meeting today.

BTW, I forgot to mention the tastiest two-wheeler. The first Aprilia
SXV550 to appear on the hill climb scene (complete with power commander
and crash bobbins). Want!

--

+-------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Gilera Nordwest Yamaha WR250Z |
| Gilera GFR Moto Morini 2C/375 |
+-------------------------------------------------------------+

 

Ahh yes. 600BHP on crossplys - always entertaining.

Yeah I imagine that's pretty well suited to hill climbs and the like.
Out of interest, what holds the overall bike record at Wiscombe?

 

Overbored Honda CR500 (750 class). Paul Jeffery did a 41.24 last
September:

http://www.nhca.co.uk/Event_pictures/2006/Wiscombe100906/800/tn_Wiscombe100906 116.jpg


--

+-------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Gilera Nordwest Yamaha WR250Z |
| Gilera GFR Moto Morini 2C/375 |
+-------------------------------------------------------------+

 

Only if you had been on a light(ish), tractable, four stroke single.

--

+-------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Gilera Nordwest Yamaha WR250Z |
| Gilera GFR Moto Morini 2C/375 |
+-------------------------------------------------------------+

 

I see where he's coming from.