Time to prepare

With the next round of the Supermono Championship being in August I will have loads of time to prep Gordon for it, without me having to rush around like a headless chicken desperately trying to repair him in time.

The sales of his membership are going well but there are still some left if anyone wants join in!

His performance at Pembrey although extremely good highlighted a few issues, but with time now (and for a change) being on my side I should be able to get sorted before Donington.

Overview Video - Pembrey

On track action.

Good actionshot of me leading Nick on the EastWest KTM by PLJphoto

More photos of the weekend on my website, Pembrey News - the words will be done soon.

Thanks fella.

Cheers Gordon, you did well today fella.

Now you have a snooze whilst we have the long drive home and I'll be thinking of the next things that'll take you from being a 'good bike' to being a 'great bike'.

Fantastic 2nd place!

Had a front brake problem and had to wave Nick on the East West KTM past but hey, Gordon and I are very happy with 2nd place. I'm just treating Gordon to a celebration slurp of my white beer.

Morning practice.

Gordon ran faultlessly this morning. Will just have to double check now that the battery has not done anything to itself and that everything is secure for the race this afternoon.

Changing the charge.

I think the vibration is causing the gel batteries to fail. I've just done a back to back test running Gordon up with both the gel and a wet acid battery kindly lent by the Smith sisters; the gel battery caused the bike to cut out. I have just fitted the traditional wet battery for tomorrows race.

No joy today.

As we were forming the grid I had to pull off the start line and let the race go without us. Gordon just simply cut out. Something electrical. It was exactly like at the start of the week when I had to replace the battery. Bugger.

Front row start.

Third on the grid, not bad. Only problem being that me and Gordon are the only big bike amongst six minimonos with Glen and my old bike on Pole!

Plan: get to the first corner first and make myself as big as possible, slow them all down and see just how many "buffalo girls can go round the outside..."

jobs to attend to.

While we are waiting for the official time sheets I am attending to a couple of jobs that need doing. Got a bit of adjustment to do to the fairing now that I've changed the tyre profile.

Untimed practice.

Ten minutes. I only did six or so as Gordon felt like he was holding back a bit like at Silverstone the other day. So far so good. Timed session in an hour.

Welsh Wales.

Well here we are, arrived safely at Pembrey. I've just finished stickering Gordon up with all his 'special friends' and sponsors. Sharing a party tent with team Design Data Manager. Aka Glen, Joe and Lee with my minimonos from last season.

Job done.

So the day has definately been worthwhile. I changed the front tyre profile from a 110 to a 120 and it's given me lots more confidence in the front end now.
Thanks to Roy at Slipstream and Steve Jordan for their help yesterday; Hottrax for today, it was good to see the Monkeys - and safe to say that it's a bloody good job I called in at silverstone on the way home!

good job...

Its good that I am having chance to fiddle with things there would be no time at Pembrey. Already had to have the carbs apart, got bits of Snetterton in them - and replaced the battery.

Monkey-ing around.

Here we are testing the re build at Silverstone courtesy of Hottrax trackdays. Gordon is sharing a garage with all his mates from Throttlemonkey.co.uk/

Sunny Sun Inn

I took Gordon out today for a pint at The Sun Inn in the lovely Yorkshire Dales, Steve McNichol was already there so on hand to help out.
We thought it would give us an opportunity to get some work done to him and at the same time advertise his 100 Membership club.
Gordon was very reluctant to start and then, when he did start he kept cutting out, we found several small electrical glitches but couldn't find the main problem.
I'm ever so glad we found this out now, it would have been a nightmare going all the way to Pembrey to find out he wouldn't run!

Piping hot!

Well, the final components for the new exhaust system have been kindly sent by Mark 'the master' at MHP, just need a new lug welding to the rear sub frame to give the silencer some support.

A load of work has gone in to design with different header pipe lengths to help time the exhaust pulse when it arrives at the 2-1 collector.

The megaphone looks so 'Moto GP'...bet it sounds good too. I'll let you know when I get him fired up.

Now the exhaust alone, not to mention the other mods is surely worth splashing £60 to join the sponsors club and have a 1 in 100 chance of winning Gordon!

Spray job No2

Over the weekend provided the weather holds I should be able to get Gordon's new fairing sprayed. I've been to Halfords and bought some primer and his metallic blue paint.
The fairing are excellent quality from Ian E and require little preparation before spraying, suits me.
Ian E supplied a new 'double bubble' screen for the RS250 Danny Pedrosa replica fairing as I was having trouble getting down behind the screen and seeing the instruments while riding, lets hope this one is better.