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NEWS AND COMMENT
OCTOBER NUMBER 117
NEWS AND COMMENT
PLANNING
AHEAD Advance to 2005!
Last month we chased for articles
for our Xmas Newsletter - now we leap further forward. As noted in
the Committee report some sites and teams have been moved around to suit
the event and site, it still means you’ll only have to do one event in
the year, even if your turn is less than 12months! Schedule of events
dates, sites and teams is listed below - let Dick know if schedules cause
a problem.
Abbreviations : CT = Club Trial
R = Rome Woods N = Northlands Wood MH = Mannings Heath
WW= Walliswood
Date
Venue Event Team
02-Jan R
CT Ajay
06-Feb MH
CT Beesa
20-Feb R
Practice
06-Mar N
CT Harley
26-Mar N
WORKING PARTY
03-Apr R
CT Kwackers
30-Apr R
WORKING PARTY
01-May N
CT Yankee/Gate Enfield
08-May R
GROUP TRIAL - Who Runs?
05-Jun WW
CT Monties
19-Jun MH
Practice
02-Jul N
CT Yankee/Gate } Camping Weekend Cossack
03-Jul N
CT }
07-Aug WW
CT Indian
03-Sep R
CT Yankee/Gate } Camping Weekend Duggies
04-Sep R
CT }
18-Sep N
Practice
02-Oct R
CT Laverdo
06-Nov MH
CT Jimmies
04-Dec N
CT Greevies
Jan-06 R
CT Fantics
SPECIAL DON BARRATT’S PRACTICE
A message from Distinguished David
from the drunken orgy he’s indulging in in Cornwall - Tea Bag has sent
this important message for Saturday 16th October. After practice
around lunchtime there’s going to be a barbecue so please bring your own
grub and don’t scrounge off the ones who remember.
COMMITTEE REPORT
DATES FOR O5 - Were arranged with
July 2nd/3rd Camp at Northlands and September 3rd/4th Camp at Rome.
The May 1st Trial will be run as a gate trial (Yankee) and we are introducing
2 working party Saturdays to clear sections at Northlands and Rome sites.
Dave wanted to return to scoring practice days but it didn’t go through,
if you want to score in the second half of the day please do and we’ll
publish them.
SOCIAL EVENT - For the end of the year or early in the next -we hope to arrange an evening at a pub in Ewhurst which has a skittle alley and does ABC food choices. Sounds good but anticipating good support we have to check the capacity - more later.
CHARITY SUPPORT - At the AGM it was agreed to give to a local one together with Riders for Health. No suggestions for this have come forward, Nick suggested we try Horsham Lions, we’ll report.
VENUE FOR CLUBNIGHT - Now the Dog and Bacon has gone foody there’s less space for winter meets when you can’t sit outside. Nick said we should at least give Broadbridge Heath Community Centre another go as it’s not busy if there’s no football on. Agreed to try, see dates list.
TRIALS RETURN CHALLENGE TO RRND - Duncan suggested we run this on a new site for both clubs (assuming RRND are interested), Pete said Benge knew a guy with good ground at Crowborough - it’s a long way away as is Benge so await developments.
TEAM SCHEDULES - As we need to have a team with the land experience at Walliswood and Camping types at those sites a shift around of teams to suit occasions was needed. It turned out 4 lots got moved, Cossack, Indian, Laverdo and Monties - hope you won’t revolt. The next Committee is not till Jan or Feb so you can relax!
UNIVERSITY
OF TRIAL RIDING September Intake
Northlands was a tad slippery after
Fridays drizzle but just enough to make it interesting for the pupils :
2 girls, 12 lads and 14 on the adults education. The 7 examination
stages of ever increasing severity were set by Pete, Jesse, Dominic J,
Dave B and Richard comprising detailed studies of local terrain and soils,
enthusiasm of the students was sometimes so apparent they lay face down
to examine particles in detail.
The registrar welcomed arrivals,
one, Steve Hook wearing a pair of Jordi Tarres stained riding trousers
in preparation for stardom. Another understandably miffed had been
robbed in Italy when modern highwaymen stuck a gas supply in his van air
vent causing him to be senseless and penniless too - that was Colin Luck.
A third, with a big hole in his pocket, and all the cash was lost in his
van, was allowed deferred terms.
Once the course started the Headmaster
Clinton took over - kindly indicating to put the wheel where it or the
student didn’t want or couldn’t go and telling them to accelerate down
the big hill - oh yes, says Richard, my ticker was going quick enough without
that and Tim Martin nearly topped the headmaster as he was only stopped
accelerating by a big tree. Tim was an excellent student, 12 attempts
at the 5th test before making it round the loop (after demos from Mr. Clint)
and in spite of a heavy loss of bodily moisture went on to seek the masters
advice on the 7th test being shown 3 ways to tackle it and found none suitable!
Even mature students J Yardley and D. Blackman were finding this a test
too far. The head couldn’t be everywhere and other tutors helped
the lesser qualified everywhere. Emma and Jack Thompson had their
own personal tutor who got weary and hoarse after 4 laps, Colin Luck was
a personal tutor for Fabian (should get him up to yellows) and Fiona and
Tim for Kate and Sam but whilst Katie tried most yellows she shunned the
hill and Sam got confidence on reds.
Jack Northover and Dom Jarrett were
two I noticed trying blues and several tried harder routes in part which
is what these sessions are all about. For the second sessions the
course was reversed and some said it made the tests easier, many descended
the now slippery slope.
Thanks to everyone (sorry there’s
never enough memory to mention all names) for helping in the quickest clear
up ever - in 10 minutes it was done. And thanks from everyone to
Clint and other instructors without them these events would not be so successful.
As a footnote there was a suggestion
that our riders could save time and money and obtain the same results (ie
falling off) in the garage. Equipment needed : 4 mattresses, a bike
(with or without engine). Method : place 2 mattresses at sides of
bike and two others further along garage floor. For trials experience
stand on bike and fall off on mattress, push bike to other mattresses and
repeat. This can be continued till exhaustion - just like a club
trial - and it didn’t hurt!
OCTOBER REVOLUTION
- Rome Woods It Didn’t Rain!!
The diabolical forecast gave the
Jimmies team a few problems of how hard to make the course especially as
it was Rome Woods. In the event they went for easy but with no substantial
overnight rain they were out again on Sunday to stiffen it up a bit.
Phoning at 9 am Saturday Duncan said a queue was waiting to get in, it
turned out to consist of Duncan and Ken R as Kevin B and Sam Spear arrived
at the right time! They elected to carry the flags in the clearing
up bags rather than the quivers (made from a bit of tree tube and a tobacco
tin) as they reckoned the flags fall out when you bend down to that’s the
future! Arrivals on the day related stories of a deluge of rain south
of Rome and someone thought there wouldn’t be many brave souls out (I hear
Tony M loaded and unloaded his van to keep his feet up - by the tele of
course). 56 riders trusted in HR weather gods, 37 of them cautiously
entering the yellow route, that’s nearly 70% of the entry. Then they
rushed round fearful that the easy rides would become world class sections
if the weather broke, those that didn’t only suffered a drizzle after lunch
but it shows surprising differences in scores. Best example, Robert
Lavender on Yellow - 6 ml in the morning and 61 ml on laps 3 and
4 (maybe he did some blues?), while on whites Pete Bowker went from
32 to 52 and Jesse on blue from 29 to 72 - that’ll teach ’em!
Yellows were set by Ken and his
experience showed through enabling nearly 90% of the entry to finish with
the fast movers Crannners, Jim Scott and schoolboy Ryan Henderson on zero.
Shock, horror when John Y was on 2, having dropped a dab twice on section
5, a place where others, including Ken, slipped up. And just look at all
the names up there in single figures, for many a lifelong ambition, no
wonder everyone was happy. The schoolboys were in the twenties except
Michael Hyden at the top on 18 with our 2 Dominics only a mark apart and
Jack Northover unusually slightly in arrears. In schoolgirl territory
Katie H seen smiling constantly when she cleaned the log on sect 4 had
her best ride to date but Emma T got caught out by the wet losing 31 on
the first two laps and 66 thereafter and a weary Dad Kevin into the bargain.
Incidentally Kev told me Richard Darlison was in hospital having a back
operation so won’t be around for a while - as his team Greevies is on in
November, Pete Bowker is joining the team (with a twisted arm) to help
out. And we wish Richard a speedy recover so he can work too!
Another old classic joined Tiger Cub Ian with a BSA, I heard it alright
and rider Chris Drew dropped 45 to Ian’s 21. On a somewhat newer
Scorpa 4 stroke feeling its feet in Rome, rider Nick H had a lot more dabs
to ensure the bike didn’t get too dirty, Mark Johnson rode a few blues
and I suspect several others did too but Adrian B suffered a flat and went
looking for conkers.
Blues scores make it look a harder
course but most if not all including white riders lost 20 trying to get
out of the first ditch 4 times (sect 7). And section 8 got very slippery
at the exit too where the rut out of the ditch is up to the footrests -
we’ll have to improve that on the working party. Tony Flegg (“why
whenever I restart trials is it Rome - and wet”) on 27, he just got ahead
of Alan L deducting the aforementioned 20 they were on 7 and 9 respectively,
so it wasn’t that hard. Sam Aldrich and Dave B got very close to
each other. Kevin B had set the blue route and tried the sections
on Saturday aware that he shouldn’t be able to clean them - he didn’t.
And nice to see playboy Benge back in the saddle of a bike with swivelling
handlebars obviously he didn’t get used to this unusual feature but reported
a few facts of the Canada trip which will be published in our Bumper Xmas
issue, Pete and Benge started laps ¾ in the rain, P’s shoulder saying
‘enough’, retired, Jesse topped a century!
Whites were like the blues losing
marks on Sections 6, 7 and 8 mainly and quite heavily too, I walked round
with them for a bit on lap 1. Section 6 was a beauty over the stream
a steep bank, angled logs on a camber, surveyed with shaking heads (and
knees?) for many minutes - a couple of 5’s then Pete Bowker does it for
one, so it could be cleaned - not by Duncan or Mark Jordan who both ended
in a bush. The rocky steam (8) was dry but wheel grip hard to find so lots
of 5’s there too. Finishing marks though, quite OK and Duncan having a
good day finishing 2nd.
Red routes didn’t arrive in swarms,
Ben Philpott well out in front and Niall Ruse finishing a trial for the
first time ever should make him happy and Uncle Dave Mears too. Sam
H also finished for the first time and felt he was on his way to stardom
- watchout Lampkin! Thanks to the efforst of the Jimmies, it was
a good event although Ken was a bit keen to start clearing up at 1.30 pm
- probably thought it was 4 pm - it’s old age you know!
RESULTS
White
Blue
Yellow
Sean Parson E 66
Tony Flegg N 27 Ryan Henderson
SBC 0
Duncan Archer I 70
Alan Lavender O40 29 Derek Cranfield O50 0
PeterBowker E 84
Steve Wells O40 31 Jim Scott O50 0
Mark Jordan I 87
Sam aldrich N 43 John Yardley
O50 2
Daniel Clarke E 109
Dave Blackman N 49 Graham Knight C 3
Kev Broker N 70 John Pocklington
C 4
Red
Elim Lillywhite SBB 82 Ken Rickets O50 4
Ben Philpot SB 7
Benge N 83
R Shoesmith C 5
Niall Ruse SB 23
Jesse Brooker SBB 101 Neville Lewis O50 7
Sam Husband SB 38
Sam Spear C 8
dnf Pete Brooker Peter main C
8
dnf Kevin Geal Paul
Pidgeon C 9
Ian Phillips C 12
Melvin Johns C 15
Mark Johnson C 18
Michael Hyden SBC 18
Martin Tooley C 19
Ian Johnston O50 21
Michael Geal SBC 21
Analysis Enter
DNF '%
Dominic Philpott SBC 22
White 5 0 100
Dominic Jarett SBC 23
Blue 10 1 95
Mick Dunstan C 23
Yellow 37 5 86
Nick Herridge C 25
Red 4 1 88
Steve Merrit C 26
Jack Northover SBC 26
Total 56 7 87
Chris Drew C 45
Andrew Jolley C 45
Andrew Warr SBC 48
Rob Hyden C 63
Katie Husband SGC 64
Rob Lavender SBC 67
Emma Thompson SGC 97
dnf Adrian Bee, Mick Luscome, S. Stainton
Richard Johnston, Dave Mears
GROUP TRIAL
When Southern Trials club started
they set out to provide tougher events for the good guys, and they did
and got a reputation into the bargain. That’s a p[ity because since
they are a South Coast Group club some riders may get put off. No
need though because the last group trial at Frensham was quite moderate
with Whites on 0 - 97, Blues on 0 - 57 and Clubman on 3 - 40. Pity
only Mike was there to show the HR flag, riding blue he dropped 29, now
that should encourage a few more to have a go.
Bognor Club Venue Changes :
26 Sept, 24 October and 7th November
all at Headown near Buriton Village.
Silverstone 24-25-26/09/04
I had been looking forward to our
trip to Silverstone for some time, having never been there I was expecting
a good venue with all the facilities you would expect from “The Home of
British Motor sport”. Like a few of the other circuits we go to, getting
in on a Thursday can be a problem, something to do with security, but I
had heard a rumour that we may be let in between six & eight o’ clock
in the evening. We got there about half past seven to find loads of vans,
caravans & transporters all parked up in one of the spectator car parks
by the road & had no choice but to join them for Thursday night.
Friday mornings wake up call was everyone’s vehicles queuing to get out
of the car park, across to the infield & into the garages. There
were 12 garages, which were then split into three (A, B & C) &
they were massive! Big enough to get an F1 team in (funny that!), so in
ours we had eight bikes, all 400’s, 6 of them “Rookies”, although this
far into the season they are far from that.
Friday was practise day & our
group had Supersport 400, Rookie 400 & the Minitwins (650cc twin cylinder
machines) all out together. This was going to be real fun as Steve &
Sarah Jordon both run in the Minitwins & with all the help they have
given me over the year there has also been a small amount of healthy discussion
as to who would be quickest….
In about the third session out I
saw Sarah just in front with Steve just in front of her & so I put
into practise what I had learnt in the other two sessions & went for
it. Going past Sarah I remembered her saying earlier on in the week how
she was looking forward to seeing me & Steve chase each other round
& now she had a grandstand view. Of course when your in front
you have no idea whose behind, especially in practise, so when I went by
Steve into Copse I couldn’t help but grin, knowing what he would be thinking
& then laughed to myself as I gave him a two fingered “wave” as we
went towards Beckets. Now I knew I had to get a move on! Unfortunately
the session was stopped short & so we couldn’t carry on our little
game, probably just as well…..
For the practise I had been running
on some old tyres, even using a front the wrong way round to try &
squeeze a few more miles out of it, but for Saturday I had a new pair to
make the most of & put them on for the warm up, what a difference!
After about one & a half laps of “scrubbing” you can start to push
& really enjoy the grip levels new tyres give you.
So practise over. I felt quite happy
about the lines I was taking, but not so happy about the track itself.
Silverstone has the option of three track layouts. The GP, the International
& the National. We were running the National, which is fine until you
have to cross painted white lines marking the edge of the other circuits
& the inevitable surface changes, which of course you go across as
your turning & so the bike is on its side! As well as this, the
corners were very bumpy, probably caused by the cars “rippling” the tarmac.
When I thought about it, I was coming up the start/finish straight flat
out in 5th & braking hard for about 50 metres then going into Copse
as fast as I thought was possible. The Formula 1 cars take that corner
by just lifting off the throttle, no brakes, & then accelerate hard
out. Its no wonder the tarmac is rippled! Two races to go before
our race & started to rain, well we’re used to that this season!
Wet tyres in & out we go for our warm up lap & yes the track is
slippery, especially the white lines.
Because of my Championship position,
I lined up on the front row right on the inside & with the MRO races
being held on Sunday, we had most of that lot somewhere behind. Trying
not to breathe so your visor doesn’t mist up is difficult when your heart
is pounding out of your chest, but as soon as the lights go out & you
move that’s forgotten & you join in the charge to the first bend. I
think I got to third going into Copse but was more concerned with staying
upright than worrying about positions at this stage! After the first
lap we settled down a bit & I was in a gaggle of about five riders
all going for 2nd spot, the leader had already made a break. Next
lap round a bike came by on the straight & tipped into Copse just in
front of me only to have the front wheel wash out from him & slipped
off, that will be too quick for the rain then. Next lap, same place
& I’m on the same line at about the same speed as the three in front
& the one in front of me loses his front end & goes down, so we
must be about on the limit?!?!?
That leaves me fighting with Greville
again, but I have no idea for what position I just know I want to get in
front of him! There were parts of the track I was a little quicker
than him & then he would be a little quicker than me, all the time
tip toeing round in the rain trying to ignore the slips & slides.
At one point going into Maggots we touched each other as I tried to get
on the inside, but Greville shut the door & I had to wait for the last
lap to make a move as he slightly hesitated around a back marker.
When I came in I found out I had got a 3rd place which I was well happy
with, especially against that competition. The garage had a good buzz about
it, as all the rookies had had good results, except for Scott who managed
to lose his ZXR into Copse in quite a spectacular crash, demonstrating
the “cartwheel technique”! The rain eased off & eventually stopped
giving us the horrible decision of what tyre’s to run. Where we were
along the start/finish straight it was just about dry, but everyone was
telling us it was still wet going down the club straight & into Brooklands.
In the end I decided to stay on wets, sitting in the collecting area I
think just about everyone else had the same idea.
So this time starting from third
spot, I concentrated on the lights & got a good start which took me
into the first corner in front of everyone. With no one to judge your braking
spot by that was “interesting” especially as the track was still fairly
damp! It must have been about right as I held the lead until Pete
Spalding came by into Maggots. Trying to feel your way around in
these conditions is scary to say the least, but still good fun to race
in! Greville & Ron Fry then came by & I managed to stick
with them for a couple of laps, getting used to the grip available all
the time.
With two laps to go I got past Ron
& chased as hard as I could to get on the back of Greville, I caught
him up going into Luffield but he was taking a tight line so the outside
was the only option. He then drifted out which meant if I wanted to make
a move it would have to be a “do or die” up the inside into the chicane.
After having a look at a very small gap the decision was made to settle
for third & be happy with that. The result sheet gave me some
more good news, not only did I get third place only 1.5 seconds off the
lead but I also got the fastest lap of the race! So now I was ready
for a couple of beer’s, but the wise owners of Silverstone had decided
they wouldn’t be opening the bar, didn’t want us nasty motorcyclists getting
all drunk & rowdy I suppose…
Onto Sunday’s MRO races, which thinned
out the paddocks a bit giving us all more room & the promise of some
sunshine. After our warm up & a short break we went out for qualifying
on a now dry track. The holding area exits just at the end of the
club straight & your let out in batches of about 10 to 15 riders, the
first group just being allowed to clear luffield before the next lot are
let lose on the circuit. I went out as the first rider of the second batch,
which I thought would be pretty good to get a clear first lap in &
so get a reasonable time in the bag. I must have been trying a bit
too hard & got reminded the tyres weren’t quite up to temperature as
I got to the apex of Brooklands (the first left hander). The front tyre
let go giving me one of those “omegod” moments, but then came back to me
just before I was thinking about putting a hand out! After that it wasn’t
too bad & not to congested, came in with 12th spot on the grid.
Got away Ok & joined in the
freight train of bikes for the first lap & noticed Andy Sprake (the
series leader) with his hand up obviously in trouble on a borrowed bike.
The race very quickly spread out & I was faced with chasing down two
riders in front. When you have someone to focus on & you realise
that your making ground on them its surprising how quickly you can catch
them, got by the first one then realised the next guy was Dudley, another
good friend, so had to get by! With the suspension now working better
& better, thanks to Steve Jordon, I managed to get Dudley on the brakes
going into Brooklands. What I didn’t know was that Andy Sprake’s
bike had sorted itself out & he was using me as a target & very
soon came by. With Andy now in front I tried my hardest to tag in
behind & managed to finish about 5 seconds after him in 9th place.
It’s funny how a track I didn’t really enjoy has given me my best results,
but I won’t be complaining. Not sure which is best yet, two third places
in the club rounds, a fastest lap or top ten in the MRO! No time
to dwell on it too much, we’re off to Snetterton this weekend for another
go! Can’t wait! Garry
Phoenix Long Distance Trial
Off to Somerset for another go at
this annual trial. Last year I had a perfect (lucky?) ride finishing with
a clean sheet and gaining the Premier. So I had to go back. 15 sections
over a 70 mile lap of muddy stoney green lanes with a timed special test
was the format Showery weather and slippery going made a welcome
change from all those dry dusty summer trials. The Pampera copes well with
this sort of going and is just about the easiest bike out there to ride
in these events. John R joined me on his trusty Beta Alp & found
the going frustratingly tight & slippery……I really enjoy these LDTs
- so different from “normal” trials, you rarely have time to worry about
sections (no inspection is allowed) and then there’s the navigation aspect
of trying to interpret a road book whilst scooting through the countryside.
This year found us following a tank deep river for half a mile and then
plunging through another deep river as part of one of the trickiest sections.
A great day out, particularly as I repeated last years win. This time 4
riders were clean though, but I was somewhat surprised to be fastest on
the tie breaker special test.
Of course the next week it was back
to normal, trials that is. Just back from The East Yorks Two Day on the
North Yorks moors where I lost a sprogging 157 marks returning me to my
normal finishing position of………………..well lets just say it was a long way
from the front. Mike
H HR EVENTS
Ø OCTOBER
SUN 10 EASTBOURNE GROUP TRIAL
SAT 16 PRACTICE DAY AT DON BARRATT’S
- Lunchtime BBQ - Bring some food!
SUN 17 PRACTICE DAY – Halnaker
SUN 24 BOGNOR CLUB TRIAL – Headown
Ø NOVEMBER
SAT 6 LAYOUT CLUB TRIAL AT NORTHLANDS
WOOD –
TEAM GREEVIES – Kevin Thompson
01689 834483
Chris Ronalds 01903 721472,
Richard Darlison
07932 610666 Paul Hill 07976
886428 Peter Bowker 01483 533459
SUN 7 HR CLUB TRIAL – Northlands
– 10.30 am start
SUN 7 BOGNOR GROUP TRIAL – Headown
WED 10 HR CLUB NIGHT - Broadbridge
Heath Community Centre 8.30
SAT 20 PRACTICE DAY AT DON BARRATT’S
SUN 21 PRACTICE DAY – Halnaker
SUN 28 BOGNOR CLUB TRIAL -
Tullecombe
Ø DECEMBER
SAT 4 LAYOUT TRIAL AT MANNINGS HEATH
TEAM
INDIANS – Ian McCulloch 01403 263667,
Ian Johnston 0208 335 3558, Brian Barnes 01403 730623, Paul Barnes 01403
733255, Eric Scutt 01403 731810
SUN 5 HR CLUB TRIAL – Mannings Heath
– Start 10.30
WED 8 HR CLUB NIGHT - Venue TBA
SUN 12 BRIGHTON GROUP TRIAL
SAT 18 PRACTICE DAY AT DON BARRATT’S
SUN 19 PRACTICE DAY – Halnaker
Ø JANUARY 2005
SAT 1 BOGNOR CLUB TRIAL - Halnaker
TRADE ADS(£5 per year for members businesses only - helps you and the club)
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 bike