Monday 30 March 2015

New fastest lap at Aragon













Last week the Team returned from a 5 day test at Aragon with a new unofficial lap record!














Both Ian Simpson and Peter Linden got into the 2 mins 7 bracket, but on the penultimate afternoon Linden pushed that little bit harder to achieve a 2 mins. 6.9 lap, giving the Team a fillip after Linden's very heavy crash the previous day.
The record lap was a full 0.9 sec faster than the best lap at the 2014 race, set by reigning World Superstock Endurance champion, Gregory Fastre.

That was the good bit!

The bad bit was that last year's Suzuki was comprehensively wrecked. That word is used in all its accuracy.... there were four or five undamaged components and all of these were minor. Even the needle inside the tachometer was bent!













Fortunately, the way forward was swiftly illuminated by Hugh Brasher, who, without hesitation agreed to make an immediate and very significant contribution towards a speedy rebuilt, That couples with similarly speedy responses by Richard Peckett (who has already started the new frame and has straightened the swinging arm), Dymag, who will deliver the new wheels in two weeks, Bill Simpson (BSR), who is working on the new tanks, Ragged Edge who have already made the new bodywork, etc etc. Thanks to them all!!

I predict that the new bike will be ready in very early May or even late April, but certainly in time for Mettet.

So, the test achieved all of its objectives; Stephane and Ian tested, Hugh given plenty of tracktime, geometry and carburetion developed further and Peter sent into his wrist operation with the knowledge that he can still ride fast and crash well (he was completely unhurt).














The Team leave for Paul Ricard (race 3rd/4th April) on Tuesday. It's round one of the European Classic Series and it ill be tough with just one bike... maybe we should put Bernie Toleman's old Kawasaki, frame no 17, in the truck as well!!!


See you there.. you won't be alone, 10.000 made it to the "new" Bol d'Or last year!

RB





Monday 9 March 2015

Testing at Aragon 13th-17th March.

Tonight the Team head for Spain with the new P&M Suzuki. As well as refreshing the riders, there is a host of work to be done, nothing unusual, but just an awful lot of it - hence the 5 days test.















We shall be taking both the 2014 bike (the bike that won at Nurburgring and broke a crank at Aragon last year), which is currently fitted with a road engine for rolling chassis testing, and the new bike for carburation and rolling chassis work.

The new frame (146) has been revised in several areas compared with our original bike, but most notably with a steeper steering head angle, lowered swinging arm pivot and with more vertical downtubes above the swinging arm pivot. The engine has been revised to use an original crankshaft rather than a modified item, in an effort to improver reliability. Bill Simpsons new tanks will also be fitted.













Hugh Brasher, Ian Simpson and Peter Linden will be the main team this year, and we are very pleased that Stephane Mertens will stand in for Peter during his period of recovery from his wrist operation in late March. So Stephane will be with us for Paul Ricard and Mettet. All riders will be present for the tests.

Confirmed dates for the team are:


Paul Ricard      4/5th April
Mugello           2/3rd May  TBC
Mettet              30/31st May
Spa                  4/5th July
Classic Bol      18th/19th September
Snetterton        10/11th October TBC
Aragon             30/31st October

We will report back later....... RB

PS: It's a great time to join the team in the workshop..... The racing is second to none and so are the pies and pints on the workshop weekends.... Come on, do it!