Lots to do.

I've taken some time off work this week to get on and make the modifications in time for the next race at Snetterton on Sunday.
I have to fit the rear shock generously on loan from Zweitze, Ohlins Rooske
Then, hopefully I will get the original forks back from Steve after working his magic at Jordan Motorcycles at the beginning of the week.
Then with a bit more hard work and lots of luck - Gordon will be transformed!

Thoughts about forks...

I have really put some thought into the forks this week.
Even secured a pair of Ducati 748, complete with yoke and front wheel, but I ran in to all sorts of other problems.
Like wheel spindle , handlebar, and spacer size differences. Then even if I retain the original yokes the top yoke is to small and will not stand being bored out. Mudguard, caliper and several other components all need lots of fiddling with too!
I have bombarded all the message boards trying to get information on potential replacements, lots of ideas and input but to no avail.
Thank goodness Steve Jordan has phoned me though and says he should be able to fit cartridge internals to the original forks at the beginning of next week.

Video overview - Brands Hatch.

100 Club Sponsor Memberships

Sponsor club memberships have been posted throughout the UK, to The Netherlands and as far afield as Sweden and the U.S.A.

Some generous minded purchasers have said, that if they win, they will donate Gordon back to me - or offer him for other competitors to have as a 'guest' ride.

For £60 (90 Euros approx), you can have a 1 in 100 chance of winning Gordon, simply click here:
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Another gift for Gordon!

I've come home from working away in the truck to find a package for Gordon. Another of his Dutch friends has been very generous to him.
Zweitze has sent him a rear shock unit to try, you can visit Zweitze's site by clicking here Ohlins

Front end fiddling

I've tried to get these original Paioli forks working.
My racing style is very heavy on the front end, and I must just be pushing them outside their working range.
I had spotters at the side of the track at Brands to see if they could see what was causing the bike to judder so violently.
"Well I saw daylight under your front wheel it was pattering that much!" was one reply - so I think it's time to try and source some alternative. The forks are 50mm at the top yoke and 53mm at the bottom yoke, if you know or have anything that are these dimensions let me know.

On track action.

I've just received some excellent photos of Gordon in action at Brands by Paul and Linda at PLJPHOTO

Click on the photo, and you will be able to see all Gordon's special friends mentioned on his belly pan - graphics all supplied by Colour It In

Remember Gordon is up for grabs, with a 1 in 100 chance to win him, so click here to buy your membership - 100 Club

That'll do!

Well Gordon managed to scoop 3rd.
It would have been second but Aaron Easter who is about 20 kilos lighter and almost 30 years younger pipped me on the line by 4 hundreths of a second.

With Glen on one of my last year's bikes, this meant that Gordon had worked hard to mix it at the front with the minimono competition.

Front row.

Well I'm pleased that we're not on pole as I said rashly the night before that we'd come home if that was the case.

Quite happy with the front row though in 4th, amongst all the usual suspects, so that's not bad.

First practice.

Well after managing to fall out with most of the scrutineers first thing, ironically one of the things was Gordon didn't have a 'sharks fin' - Dennis Trollope wanted £28.50 for one - so Gordon got one fashioned from one of the earlier prototype fairing mounting brackets.
What with that and the fact I didn't wear my leathers to scutineering - I only just made it back to the garage in time for the 9am practice.
Just as well, I couldn't afford to miss a single moment of the 8 minutes allocated!
More compression on the front for qualifying.

All friends together.

Safely arrived at Brands. Sharing a garage with Glen English riding my minimonos from the last couple of years.
With Glen's Uncle Jim and the catering corps of Joe and Lee present, we are all guaranteed to have a great time.
- that's what racing is all about.

Too many tachos

After the Ledenon test when Gordon crashed the tacho that had been reading oddly finally threw its hand in; with the engine in this state of tune I didn't want to over rev it, so a new tacho had to be sorted.

Dave Pearce gave me a old Scitsu tacho from a bike I rode back in 93 but before fitting it, I managed to get a new digital tacho from Acewell to try via Slipsteam.

Some of Gordons mate zoomed in to check them out!

I had the bodywork booked in to be sprayed at a local spray shop last week, he said he was busy and could do it this week, so took it round today and was told not this week either...two weeks at the earliest.
No time to waste, got some paint and then to the garage to give it a go myself, can't be that hard....Well it's blue anyway and a sprayer I'm not. My spaying is as good as my welding, crap!
Graphics come on Thursday so he should be looking half decent for Brands.
If anyone is coming to Brands come along to garage 23 see him for yourselves and buy your 100 Sponsors Club Membership.

Looks smart - in theory anyway.

Well, this is what Gordon should look like if everything goes to plan.
Mind you, it's mainly because the tank is already blue - and as we are running of of time, it should just be easier.
Grab Gordon

Get up and go.

Well, thanks to some help from Steve McNic' the spare motor is in and ready to be run up tomorrow.

Just a quick note to say, while I notice it in the photo - the Dunlop GP209 tyres sent to Gordon by his Uncle Phil are fantastic - this rear did the whole of Ledenon, some laps round Cadwell, and is still just great. When you get on the gas out of a corner, you can just feel it grip all the way...who needs slicks!
Grab Gordon

Swap around

After the seal blew out at Cadwell Roy from Slipstream suggested that I drop the motor back to them and use the spare engine for Brands. I could have just changed the seal but we thought as we had the spare engine it would be better to get Gordon's engine looked at before the next round of the series at Snetterton.
Here they are basking in the sun comparing notes while I prepared the chassis.

Cadwell leak

Went to Cadwell Park to give Gordon a run round after his rebuild, and try out a harder spring to help cure the handling problem I was having at ledenon. Unfortunately I missed the first session due to a flat battery, then when I did get out after 7 laps the main oil crankshaft seal behind the alternator blew spraying oil every where. That brought the test to a premature end, Dave Pearce helped me identify the problem.

Still looking...

Still looking...
Originally uploaded by no1bloke.

...for a front stand.

At Cadwell just checking out some of the mods and repairs since France.

Necessity is the mother of invention.

Up up and away.

Off to Cadwell in the morning - bizarrely enough, I'm wearing the tshirt given to me by the TZR250-Guys in recognition of when I was last at the circuit in 2006 and airlifted off to hospital. I've just fitted the lovely gear linkage that Peter has made me.
Cheers mate.

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That's what testing is for.

The thing about about Supermonos is that engineering something from scratch is very much a 'work in progress'. I learnt from the crash at Ledenon in respect of how various items performed under the 'crash test situation'.
The exhaust brackets were very strong and survived the crash well, but instead of folding up or bending they transmitted the impact though to the rear sub frame braking one of the support legs! [Memo to self] make the bracket weaker.... it's cheaper than a sub frame...
Peter jumped into action and repaired the old one and made a 'mk 2' version; stronger yet simpler. He has now made a jig, so will soon be in the business of selling them. You can contact Peter Day direct on 07743 388364.

It does fit...

Making modifications for the last test at Cadwell before the opening round of the Championship at Brands on Sat. 14th.
Thinking about things, and whilst I had plenty of time, I decided to change the gearing from 15 to 16 front sprocket.
Looking at it beforehand - we all started to make bets as to whether it would actually go on.
Well, it does, but there is only an ant's knacker hair breadth between the chain and the engine casing.

Click here to join the: 100 Sponsor Club

001 Sponsor Member - Norman Bell

I am pleased to welcome the first purchaser of a 100 Club sponsor membership - Norman Bell.
An SZR owner himself, Norman was on pole position to get membership number 001.
I met up with him today not just to hand over his membership card, but also to collect a back wheel that he has kindly offered Gordon.
Cheers Norman!

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