Well as we got the Ignitech working on Wed, I decided to enter Aintree for Saturday...I entered 3 classes, 1300 Open, 1300 Four Stroke and Forgotten Era Superbike (which is up to 1991, OW-01's, GSXR's, etc...some 400's and 250 two strokes).
PracticeI went out in every session I could, which I got 4...your only meant to go out in 1 really..ahem. I had to get used to the bike so kept trying my luck with the gate keeper, the last time at Cadwell wasnt really a test as I couldnt rev it above 3800RPM and it packed up after lunch. This time I could.
I havent been to Aintree for a couple of years and the bike was hitting some bumps I never knew was there, making me think I had too much high speed compression. I chased it but it made it worse in the other sections (too much brake dive), so I made it stiff and rode it harder. Turns out the bumps are bigger now, so everyone is affected - doh !
Biek revved well, pulled well but the Scitsu was erratic so I couldnt rely on it. Instead I went off the shift light which was set at 8000, and the limiter which was 9500. I was told these things stop making power above 7800...mine doesnt, it pulls harder at 8000 all the way to the limiter. I darent hold it flat out down the straight at first because in all honestly it sounded like a mechanical nightmare compared to other bikes Im used to. No vibes tho, and I got more confident with it.
Its about as quick as an average 600, the top tuned ones no way, they pulled about 8 bike lenghts down the back straight...you come onto it in 4th flat out and the 1000's hit 170mph (I know cos I was close to the outright when I raced my GSXR1000).
Jetting is a bit weak at the bottom end, but we had no bigger pilots so was stuck with what we had. It didnt bother me but I thought it was a tad aggressive when you cracked it open when you wanted a smooth delivery plus the air screw did nothing at all, a sure fire way telling it wasnt right..and it bogged if you whacked the throttle from tickover then it revved up..bluurrrgh, booombah sort of thing - way too weak. Bigger pilots now ordered. Main jet was perfect.
Heat Races1300 Open, started 26th (you pull a clothes peg out of the bag for the heats - old school Club racing at Aintree, how it should be) and finished 13th. It was a bit hard work against the R1's and stuff but got in a dice with a CBR600 and Fireblade. I enjoyed it but still darent hold it flat out.
Forgotten Era, started on pole, and won the race ! Still backing off a tad, shift light on ALL the way down the straight but not hitting the limiter. Wow, when does this thing stop pulling??
1300 Four Stroke, think I started 13th and finished 11th..same battle with the two bikes and riders before.
Came in and noticed oil down the RH side..oh no !! Turns out it was my fault. When we built the motor the original clutch rod seal was goosed, so we stuck in a simple O ring just to fire it up - and we forgot about it. We stripped it, cleaned it, put it back and hoped for the best.
Finals1300 Open
Started 13th, finished 13th...bit quicker this time, but so did everyone else.
Oil leaking after race, stripped and cleaned and put it back. Went off on fron preload and raised the rear ride height 6mm as I was running wide on the exit of the faster turns.
Forgotten Era, won the race from pole..enjoyed it so much I had time to try and get my elbow down at Club Corner...he he, I could feel the grass but no Scott Redding type elbow scraping..must try harder, LOL. Bike felt a lot better and held its line. Was starting to slide it on the power too to tighten up the exit on one of the corners, which I used to do on the 1000 and 600. Felt good to have that sort of feel again.
1300 Four Stroke...didnt bother with it as the seal had gione again and I decided to call it a day.
So, all in all I am very pleased with how it went. I knew it handled OK when we went to Cadwell, but I wasnt expecting it to be so near the mark at Aintree. Th eback tyre looked superb, perfect graining and not a hint of any tearing, so predictable and I just need to learn to accelerate harder on it..but I didnt want to bin it on its first outing as we have Cadwell this coming weekend...would have left us with too much work, LOL !
My friend shot a video and put it on youtube as a fe of us facebookers are in the same races..I am in the first race on it, then the second (mid pack, doh) then the Final race 8.30 in. Must admit I love the sound of the thing..now I know why people get addiced to air-cooled Ducatis !!
http://youtu.be/fdI-cBXx9fkNext race this weekend...never EVER looked forward to racing a bike as much as this one. Its not only a challenge, but it goes faster than it looks, people dont really know what it is and I just LOVE riding it !!