www.hrc1.org
www.hrc1.org
April 04 News
Number 111
NEWS AND COMMENT
– NOTE THESE DATES!
MAY IS BUSY!!!
AGM & CLUB NIGHT - Wednesday May 5th 8.00 pm
Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre
Directions : Go into village, turn
left after Shelly Arms into Wickhurst
Lane and turn right at end.
Thanks to Nick Herridge who got
this arranged for us and says the beer
is cheap too! Agenda and accounts
were in last Newsletter - it’ll all be
over in an hour, then it’s club
night.
CAMPING TRIAL WEEKEND
Normally HR spin goes bit to encourage
members to support the event,
this time we held back as it’s the
first one ever at Northlands and the
first in early May. So before sounding
off we’d like to try one (fingers
crossed) and see how it works out.
Camping and Saturday events are
members only and campers should
note there is no water on site, loos
will be, bring food to cook on barbecue.
Here’s the programme :
Saturday May 1st
This will be a practice session
in the afternoon over 5 sections. You will
have to sign on and pay (Adult £5.00,
S?B £3.00) to cover insurance.
Those arriving to camp enter the
site by the gate on the T junction at the
top of the road and follow instructions
on the day. If it is wet there will
be access problems. It is
planned to have a bonfire and barbecue in the
evening, preparation for this and
loo digging will require some helpers.
Sunday May 2nd
Club trial is as usual, signing
on will be at start and can leave vehicles in
camp area. Marking out team
are lucky they don’t have to clear up as
course will be left for Monday event.
Again we’ll have a bonfire and
barbecue in the evening, so bring
lots of beer.
Monday May 3rd
Early risers will go round and amend
route marking and some sections
as the course will be ridden in
reverse. Trial will start in the usual area
at 10.30 am and from those riding
we expect enough of you to help clear
up and the campers likewise in the
top field! A note to clear up guys,
the route markers and flags will
be being used again on the following
Saturday so please sort and straighten
where you can so they’re ready.
Saturday 8th May - set out
group trial at Rome Woods 0930 Volunteers please
call Mike H 01403 257626
HR GROUP TRIAL - Sunday May 9th
- Rome Woods
Our once a year call goes out for
observers - we need 10 - 20. If you are
willing tell Mike, Dick or Fiona
at next event or phone. There will be an
observers draw as usual, last year
prizes were £40, £25, £20 and £15
and you’ve more chance to win than
the lottery! Observers need to
report at 9.30 am to be on section
for the trial 10.30 am start. We
anticipate an entry of around 70
and the course will be fairly long so
bring your lunch although we
hope to have a refreshment wagon at the
start - so the old man can eat.
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT - PLEASE
DO YOUR BEST TO HELP
A TRIALS CHALLENGE - Saturday
May 15th at Don Barratt’s
This is on the afternoon of Dave
Alder’s practice day and same site. For
the practice you’ll pay Dave, for
the trial pay Reigate Club. It was their
idea that as they had a club trial
on that afternoon we could make it an
inter club challenge: HR vs. Reigate.
They reckon to have 5 laps of 8
sections and the trial will start
at 12 noon. Why not give it a go, we can
only come second!
SLURRY WURRY
AT ROME Club Trial 4th April 04
Never was a course more eased off,
even the route got changed after
Thursday evenings rain. Then
along came the Enfield team with a
sensible approach to mark them easy
but after the Saturday evening
downpour they were out again on
Sunday morning moving gates around
and again after the first lap as
slurry condition appeared in the early
sections.
Richard S had mustered his team
early but, with Nick H wanting to mark
yellows on his own, he was left
to Reds. Phil J (Snr) was keen to set a
Webber/Lavender challenging course
on Blues, so he had most easing to
do. Pete Penton insisted whites
should be as hard as he could get his
bike round once (before the other
70 odd) in training for Group Trials,
but he was out longest on Sunday
morning easing away. The team had
put in a lot of work, 80% of riders
finished, most were knackered.
But at the start the queue went
on for ages, I was pleased Fiona was
there to move it along. With
71 entries we were concerned we might
have to stop it at 80 - that’s the
maximum for Rome - other sites 70 is
likely to be the number accepted
- that’s a hint to get there early!
Returners included Phil Walker who’d
had his thumb reinforced with
metal bits; Tony Martin, revelling
on his 200 Beta (pulls away in 4th and
the brakes are so smooth) so he
made it to the end physically wrecked:
and Charlie Harris who’d been with
son Ryan around the race tracks and
nipped in to exercise his smart
Greeves ready for the Scottish Pre 65
next week - it’s the same type he
rode there 30 or 40 years ago and
Steve Hook came with camera to get
pics for Hr’s website.
As nearly two thirds of the entry
rode yellow that’s more than usual as a
few blues went there after viewing
the course. Four Honda mounted
riders entered blues and told us
later it was blue and yellow so they’re
listed as yellow too. Out
front on the Clubman route was ironfist
Walker, he’s normally in the Novice
lot but feared for his rivets.
Then schoolboys (we had 16 of ‘em
again) Dan Webber and Richard
Laker just a mark apart. Once
again John Y didn’t make top perch but
kept well ahead of his usual Over
50 mates. Charlie H was on 30 ml, I
saw him after his first lap with
a clean sheet but by the time he got to
the water bank of section 3, things
had got seriously worse. Jim Scott
and Cranners commented that it was
a bit hard for the old ‘uns but Ken
Rickets didn’t seem too tired -
they’re all used to dropping less than 10 -
today’s scores were for cricket
matches but Tony M had a good day just
behind Richard S who with Nick H
got the first lap in on 0 & 4 - how
things change!
Escapees from the Blue route Richard
Darlison, Mark Johnson and Jesse
Brooker didn’t match the resident
yellow stars and dropped 41, 71 and
99 respectively. Ian Johnston
plugging away on the Triumph Cub came
out with 69, he’s building another
Cub too, well you’ve got to have a
spare. Nick Lidiard hadn’t
been around for 12 months as he really did
get put in intensive care on the
day of this trial a year ago and then had
a bypass op; having got stuck in
the car park and extracted by Kev
Brooker he signed on but two sections
were his lot. And Tea Bag looked
dodgy at the end of this one - no
doubt he’ll phone me from the
intensive care of his local.
Those loyal to blue route were few,
they got joined by Tim H (87) who’s
normally on whites, with close scores
he wasn’t much adrift from Kevin
T (78), Tony Flegg (86) but out
in front was Mark Webber on 42. Mark
had entered as white, did a few
and downgraded there was no Lavvy
there to drive him on. Many
of the usual runners in this group fell by the
wayside, those that battled on were
well over a ton. Bob Collins on
finishing said “was it alright if
he went and did another couple of laps”.
As it was his birthday he decided
the evening would be in more
salubrious surroundings. Ian
Mac asked if HR’s policy was to kill the old
‘uns. Phil J had been worried
about being lynched but tidied up and
kept out of the way, Benge and Adam
went out to help clearing too -
mud glorious mud! (Komputer
Kev disappeared into hyperspace)
Whites came in two sizes, up to 30
and very much over. Marcus
Faulkner and Phil Martin were the
only two in size one. The other four
were XXL. Pete P had ridden
the sections more than anyone but didn’t
appear tired, I confess to watching
whites as they dropped in the deep
stream gully. Mick Huskinson
slithered and hit the opposite bank
narrowly avoiding an acrobatic somersault
as he turned away from the
section; Duncan Archer trying a
new line was piled up before the bottom
whilst Mark Jordan made the turn
having a 5 in the process with another
on the big rock step. Adam
Bird took a long time but pleased to be just
in front of Duncan at the end.
Reds led by old fart Barry Joiner
finishing an event yet again - I think he
had bigger legs to propel him than
the next - Jack Northover and
Dominic Philpot tied although both
laps were quite different and they
kept Miles Packham and Katie at
bay too. Any red rider who finished the
course with that mud bath from section
3 - 5 deserves praise for effort
so well done all. Thanks to
the weather that remained dry on the day
and to the team - the riders apologise
for being a wurry!
FOUND - Handed into the caravan on
the day a pair of brass framed glasses -
phone Dick if they’re yours.
RESULTS
results here
GARY BUDGEN’S RACING REPORTS
Snetterton 20-21/03/04
After being robbed at the Dart ford
Crossing for towing a caravan we rolled up at
Snetterton at about 9.30. We had
a spot saved for us in garage 13 so we got set up
pretty quick. The gossip around
the paddock was that three people had been blown off
their bikes in the windy practice
session's that day! The wind was pretty strong & kept
me awake most of Friday night, nothing
to do with nerves...
Saturday practice confirmed the
wind. It was in your face going up the start/finish
straight & then pushed you all
the way down the long Revet Straight. This wasn't too
much of a problem although it did
mean a re – think of your braking points. The biggest
concern was coming through the bomb
hole & then Corums curve, the wind got under
the fairings & wanted to push
the bike up right when you wanted it on its side!
First race I started 7th on the
2nd row & got away OK, but again was too cautious into
the first bend & was taken by
a couple who squeezed me to the inside for the next
corner, which meant another couple
getting by & losing drive onto the Revet Straight
allowing more to get by. I think
I went down to about 17th! B*gger!
Well I got a couple of places back
& finished 15th. Frustrated? Yep & it must have
shown as my “mates” in the garage
had great fun taking the mick out of the situation.
By the time the next race came round
the wind had got up even more & some people
decided not to go out.
First lap was the usual mayhem but
this time the wind played a big part, pushing
people all over the track. Between
the first two corners is a short straight & on the
second lap I got blown from the
outside to the inside which messed up my line for the
following right hander, this
corner has a massive run off area which I made full use of!
After being helped down the straight
& through the esses I arrived at the bomb hole
about the same time as a big gust
of wind.
The bomb hole, as the name suggests,
dips on the apex of a right hand bend. As you
exit the corner in normal conditions
the front wheel goes light but with the wind
pushing from the right it was big
time scary! As I came through the bend the wind took
hold of the bike & lifted the
front wheel off the ground & put it down on a part of the
track I hadn't planned on. That
was enough for me & I'm one of the heaviest ones out
there!
Two laps later & they stopped
the race, but not because of the riders getting blown
about. One of the panels of the
bridge that crosses the circuit had come adrift & was
blowing across the circuit!
It was my first MRO race on Sunday.
The MRO (Motorcycle Race Organisation) is a
nationally recognised championship
which gives people the stepping stone to full
British Championships, like the
British Super bikes. In 400cc racing its as high as you
go, so even for me to be able to
enter at such a level Im quite please about.
The format for the day is slightly
different, we have to qualify for a grid spot, where you
must get within a time of pole position,
& then have only one race but is nearly twice as
long as Im used to.
Qualifying is 15 minutes long &
you are able to come in & make adjustments if you
wish. I was trying to sort a front
end judder & so came in a couple of times to make
some rebound adjustments.
I got a 22nd grid spot on the 6th
row out of about 38.
With Saturday's race in mind I was
determined to be more assertive in first couple of
laps & got away well from the
line. I made good progress in the first couple of corners
& got up to about 14th.
Second lap & the red mist was
still clouding my judgment when we came down the
Revet straight. I was already braking
about 50 metres earlier than I normally do
because of the wind, but this time
I left it too late & went straight on! Good job there's
an escape road.
I re – joined in about 25th place
right behind two girls I was sharing a garage with.
After one lap I lined myself up
to go round the outside of one of them at the esses but
she must have caught the same gust
of wind & went straight on! Focus on where you
want to be, breath in & hope!
Just missed, phew.
Gave chase to the next target &
had a great remainder of the race with a good mate of
mine. I think we must have changed
places 6 or 7 times. Everyone on the pit lane was
telling Caroline that I was only
following her so I could watch her bum!
She got me with about one &
a half laps to go & I couldn't get back. Came in 21st.
It was great fun to “race” which
is what it's all about, even though I would have loved
to have been further up the order.
The lap times suggests I should have been about
14th, so something to build on.
Next stop Croft, can't wait!
Brands Hatch 6th & 7th March
The fun started Friday night, towing
the caravan! I was traveling down the M25 at
“cruising” speed wondering
what the big white thing was swaying about behind me! I
got parked & set up in time
to get to the bar before last orders & say hello to everyone I
hadn't seen since October. Sitting
on the grid Saturday morning, October didn't seem so
long ago.
This year I've been given #7, how
good is that! Racing at Brands Hatch & all the other
major circuits we go to, with Barry
Sheene's number. I think I'm as pleased at that as
anything else!
The start procedure has slightly
changed, we now start as the red lights go out instead
of when the green lights come on,
F1 style. First race of the year & I'm starting
position 3 on the front row! Not
used to that, I haven't been there for two years. So
here we are again, lights go red,
set the rev's to 12,000, wait for the lights to out & so
begins the biggest rush in racing,
the first corner. I got off the line OK but backed off a
bit too soon for paddock hill bend
& got past by a couple. It all settled down after a
couple of laps & I think I was
in 5th spot & really enjoying a new line I 've been
working on through clearway's, coming
out of there with your elbows tucked in & the
bike just moving around under you
as you give full throttle onto the straight is
awesome. Yellow flags came out as
we went towards druids & someone came by me &
the guy in front, not happy. I finished
6th which I was quite pleased with & I also got
the second fastest lap time.
Next race had me starting 6th &
again I got off the line well but backed off too early for
the first bend. This turned out
to be the worst race of the weekend, not just from the
position, but from the racing. I
think because I had a reasonable first race, I thought
the second one would be easier &
so was a bit to cool. I got in two scraps & came off
worse in both! Finished 11th.
Having the caravan gave me another
new experience, a proper nights sleep at a race
meeting, not used to that! Still
it meant I was ready for Sunday's first race.
Staring 11th with lots to prove.
The commentator was telling everyone about a rider
who had just won another clubs (probably
the second biggest behind Bemsee)
championship& how he was here
to show us the way.
Going down the back straight on
lap one he came by me far too quick going into the
left hander so I just held my line
waited for him to panic & re took him, nice.
A couple of laps later he came by
going into druids so I tucked in & gave chase for two
laps until I got close enough for
a pass going into paddock hill bend, the fastest part on
the circuit. After getting good
drive from clearways you carry your speed up the
straight & into the braking
zone.Now its a question of waiting for him to brake & having
a little bit of faith that you can
out brake him & still take the corner. Well I came out
the other side in front & manged
to pull away a bit to finish 7th.
Racing in March gives us the weather
problem, as does any month in this country I
suppose, but here we were faced
with a wet race on a drying track. We all started on
wet tyres, so there was no advantage
to anyone, but it was nearly as bad riding on wets
in the dry as riding on dry's in
the wet. We were slipping about everywhere as the
“nobles” moved about. Again I wasn't
quite brave (stupid?!?) enough & lost out a
couple of times to finish 10th.
So not too bad a start to the season.
Its puts me 7th in the championship already, so
something to build on.
Next race at Snetterton where we
do Nationwide on Saturday & my first taste of the
MRO on Sunday, can't wait!
Wet Wales!
Obviously not Rome - Taken at the
Victory Trial, Wales
where Mike H managed to finish last-ish
on 167 marks!
Dry France
The Easter Escapade
The Indre 3 day at La Chatre central
France.
Mike H and Harry Reed rode,
but John R was due to ride but got nobbled by work.
Cold but dry conditions made for
a relaxing 40 mile per day lap.
Pictured above is the winner Jan
Cardinels & below is youth ace Michael Brown who was 4th.
more next month.
ROAD RUNS
Richard (01798 869296) is offering
to arrange an HR ride out starting at
Broadbridge Heath on Sunday 23rd
May. Full details will be in next
month if he gets enough riders to
support him. Please phone Richard
any evening if you’re keen to get
runs going this summer.
WORKING PARTY
Duncan would like to get a working
party on a Saturday before HR Group
Trial at Rome Woods. Here
and there there are some fallen trees and a
lump or two in the stream bed.
Phone Duncan if you can help - 01306
501714
OUT AND ABOUT
Group Trial by Eastbourne was at
Rushlake Green where they didn’t get
a very big entry and it got slippery
with rain throughout the day. HR
was not much in evidence but I spotted
Bob Collins in the group of four
Over 50’s. Mike and John R
were off to the West Glos MCC Wyegate long
distance trial, over 75 miles with
25 sections - a good old fashioned
event mainly for pre 65 bikes with
a trial bike class. Mike took an over
40’s trophy losing 8 marks riding
his Pampera but the real winner rode a
BSA B40 and only lost 2 marks -
a guy called Steve Grindle. Worthing
had an entry of 80 at Don Barratt’s
for their Brian Fowler trial, the
expert route was won by Joe Baker
on 3 but names we know appeared
in the Over 40’s won by Marcus F
on 2, 2nd Mick Huskinson and Clint
Leggett won the twin shocks on 6.
John and Mike went West again to
Sammy Miller British Bike Series so
trail bikes are a cost filler but
the class for hard and easy routes
comprises two fifths of the entry.
John finished No 20 on the easy route
and Mike 6th on the hard.
Ryan Harris has been taking some winning
spots at Brands Hatch on his Ducati
- perhaps Gary will give him a
mention elsewhere.
HAD A GOOD RESULT - OR BAD - SEND IT TO US FOR A MENTION
MERLIN MOTORCYCLES sells Gas Gas,
Sherco, Scorpa, Montesa & Beta Trials and Gas Gas
Enduro bikes. Offers spares, service
& tunning too. Also imports Honda XR’s and Yamaha
XT660R and WR 450 F. www.motomerlin.co.uk
- coming soon : Trials Bike Hire
MERLIN BOOKS sell motorcycle books
and videos, new and secondhand - free catalogue or
www.merlinbooks.com Mike Husband
01403 257626
HEADLINE ENGINEERING For aluminium
and stainless welding - helicoil thread repairs -
cylinder head, brake discs/drums
refining - all machining work - one off and prototypes.
Phone Derek head 01306 712565
CLUB CLOTHING We have a stock of
riding shirts in stock available in M, L or XL at the highly
competitive price of £25 each.
Quality is good, many members have found they wash and last
well. Why spend more on one
covered in adverts when you can wear a shirt with the HR logo?
Phone Dick or Fiona for sales pressure.
CLUB STICKERS 4 for £1 for car or road bike
available.
HR EVENTS
APRIL
SUN 11 BOGNOR GROUP TRIAL - Elsted
Nr Midhurst
SAT 17 PRACTICE DAY AT DON BARRATT’S
SUN 18 PRACTICE DAY - HALNAKER
SUN 25 BOGNOR CLUB TRIAL – Elsted
MAY
SAT 1 HR CAMPING WEEKEND – Northlands
Team Laverdos – John Yardley 01273
555391, Kevin McDavitt
01273 601465, Bob Collins 01342
713808, Steve Mills 0208
3970124, Steve Whyte 01403 891107
Layout trial Saturday am.
PM Practice Sessions using
1st five sections. Bonfire
& BBQ in evening.
SUN 2 HR CLUB TRIAL – Northlands
– Start 10.30
Bonfire & BBQ in evening
again
MON 3 HR CLUB TRIAL – Northlands
– Start 10.30
See all details at front
of Newsletter
WED 5 HR AGM AND CLUB NIGHT – 8.00PM
Broadbridge Heath
Leisure Centre - see directions
on front page
SUN 9 HR GROUP TRIAL – ROME WOODS
OBSERVERS NEEDED – Please
phone Dick or Fiona
If you can help.
SAT 15 RRND Saturday Trial
at Don Barratt’s –Starts at
12 midday, probably 5 laps
of 8 sections – RRND
wondered if HR are up for
a bit of Inter Club challenge!
SUN 16 PRACTICE DAY – Halnaker
SUN 23 BOGNOR CLUB TRIAL – Stoke
Pit
JUNE
SAT 5 LAY OUT HR CLUB TRIAL – Walliswood
Team MONTIES – Bob Budgen,
Gary Budgen 01403
738748, John Pocklington
01798 813227
SUN 6 HR CLUB TRIAL – Walliswood
– 10.30 am start
WED 9 HR CLUB NIGHT
SUN 13 CRAWLEY GROUP TRIAL
SAT 19 HR TRAINING TRIAL – Mannings
Heath
SUN 20 PRACTICE DAY – Halnaker
SUN 20 RRND CLUB TRIAL – Rome Woods
SUN 27 BOGNOR CLUB TRIAL – Elsted