Aberdare Park Road Races, 29/30 July 2017 - I'm racing there

Long, long story condensed to a few-ish line.


· I've been watching these races for year as they are only a short drive from Cardiff.

· Last year I decided I’d like to have a go, I applied and got accepted earlier this year.

· I've decided to use my Honda NC35/VF 400cc V4 which is from the early 90’s.

· I bought the bike blind in 2012 and blew the engine on the first outing in 2014. The whole bike was shipped to the UK in 2015 for an expensive rebuild in 2016 as many of the parts were a challenge to find. It was treated to a mild tuning with many polished parts that resulted in some decent Dyno numbers. In 2016 bike was returned to me but sat in the garage all year under Army blankets. Jump forward to earlier this year I tried and failed to start the bike until the carbs were cleaned and new plugs/battery fitted. Sadly, the siting around for many years took its toll and the following parts were needed, forks rebuilt, brake calipers refurbished, new rear shock, new ignition coils & leads etc etc.

· Yes, the bike has now cost me more in repairs than the original cost of the bike – welcome to the world of (motorcycle) racing.

· Today I serviced / reassembled the bike, removed all the graphics, (stuck on a Welsh Dragon) changed tyres, got wet tyres ready as this weekend I have booked 2 days at Ring Knutstorp (Southern Sweden) for testing / bedding everything in but it looks like rain…

Here’s a link to the big day and I’ll being entering 2 races which are the ‘Lightweight’ for under 400cc bikes and the ‘Golden Era’. I could enter more but for my first year – that’ll do.


http://www.aberdare-park-road-races.co.uk/

 

Nice one @0S2!! I'll be up for at least one day of this, do you know which days the lightweight and golden era are on?

I'm more than happy to come help and make some tea/clean the visor/scrape the weeds off the fairings (one of the supermotos ended up in the duckpond last year) if you need a hand.

Aberdare Park is a great day out (£10 entry), especially if you like 2-strokes, sub 750cc bikes or supermotos and getting very close to the racing - and they had Peter Hickman and McGuiness there last year too.

 

If you want the 3rd wristband, it's yours the others are for Dicky / myself?

My races are on both days, I'll mail you the sched

 

Go on then, thanks - but only if you let me sponsor you a tank of fuel if I won't be paying the entry fee... Always fancied being a "team sponsor"

I'll try and keep both days free

 

Awesome. Best of luck.
Thinking I fancy a go at Aberdare. Maybe next year

 

Cheers @trackdaybob
I'm going to be at Mallory on the 19th and Castle Combe on the 26th if anyone is nearby.

 

Good luck mate

 

Just had a very wet couple of days at Ring Knutstorp where it rained around 90% for the 2 days. This wasn't ideal as I need to use the bike in anger as the suspension both ends require tweaking, on the plus side I did put a couple of hours on the engine.. which means it's now run-in.

Discovered that my very old wets were on an 18" rear wheel but new wets ordered that are slightly younger.

A nice dry Thurs night setting up.

Rain HQ for the 2 days and even had some very expensive company

It did dry out for a session or two but I missed them as they were not on my time slots.

 

Good to hear the bike is run in ok, not so great to hear another bad weather track day story.

At least you've got a few more bites at the cherry to get the bike set up before hand - fingers crossed they are all dry and sunny days.

 

Gonna try to see if I can get up there. Good luck. Only 40 mins away from me.

 

best of luck @0S2

i love how the protection from hitting the trees are a bunch of hay bales

 

There is a water hazard too, most years a bike ends up the pond - hope its not me

 

Bike is now fully run in and on Sunday I tried it on my local track which is bumpy to say the least.
On my third session and going at a decent pace the bike felt very wobbly as the suspension is very much out of the box. (new rear shock and rebuilt forks)
I came in a few times during the session but I could not sort it out, I did one more session and then called it a day by missing the last session.
* This morning I called MCT suspension and they have agreed to give it a once over when I arrive in UK next week as I will drive direct from the ferry to them.

Sunday afternoon at Sturup Raceway

 

Prepping the test van pack and sorting out tyres for the coming weeks.

 

Rain / race HQ established
I'll be there from early doors tomorrow as the scrutineering starts around midday.

 

Good luck, keep us updated

 

Cracking little Gazebo you have 0S2.
Fingers crossed that you have a great time.

 

More rain of course and more people turning up.

 

Busy (trying at) being pit wench for 0S2 but managed to get a few pics in during the racing - and it's actually stayed dry (this afternoon)

 

Does he seem comfortable with how things are going today mate.?