Video of Sabina - moto 450 from Pembrey

Donington BSB - I got a mention on the telly!

This great action shot from Donington is by Rich Glover.














Scott Smart - also campaigning an 1198 for the official Ducati UK team, Moto Rapido, came over in the Parc Ferme, to have a chat and see if I had any more used knee sliders going spare...

Race over.

Just looking at the data from the race.
I certainly won't say it was easy, very physical hard work hanging on to the bike.

Not bad though finished 13th and did a handful of 1,36s in the process.

Some three seconds faster than last time I rode in top flight championship competition at Donington - over 10 years ago!

Morning warm up.

We changed the gearing last night and reduced the traction control sensitivity to 2.
Just done ten minutes of warm up laps.

Suffering with lack of traction and stability means that I am putting the traction control back to 4!

The race is 15 laps in four hours.

2nd qualifying.

Steve Jordan called round before the session and we did some more tweaks.

Did some much faster section times but kept coming in to try different things.

The bike is now much friendlier to ride and I might even enjoy having a race tomorrow.
Will keep you updated.

More changes to the front end.

Last night we 'sneaked' round to Scott Smart's camp and did some measuring.

I had followed him for a while on track yesterday and could see how his bike was behaving differently.

So changing the springs again and going to try and mimic some of Scott's settings.

Qualifying session.

It's red hot now.
Things were better and I did go faster qualifying with a 1,37.974 - putting me in 19th.

For tomorrow I am going to reduce the air gap in the forks and take some pre load off the back.

Richard has improved as well, getting down to a 1,42 dead.

Free practice session.

Roy has made some changes to the bike since Oulton.
It is different now.
Better in some ways but still not quite how I would like it.
Going to put some softer fork springs in for this afternoons qualifying.
Done a 1,39.14 that's 20th from 41.

Richard and I are going to spend a bit of time on track working together as he is five seconds back.

Donington Park Superstock 1000

Good morning from a sunny albeit slightly windy Donington.

Just getting the Italsport Ducati 1198 ready for practice.

Norton noise limits...

Bumped in to 'Dicko' - Lee Dickinson, he was having a run round on a new Norton NRV588 - now let me suggest to you, they are going to struggle to get through any noise testing at any circuit...

Checkout Lee's website here: Dicko

BSB Oulton Park - Ducati 1198 - video overview

Cadwell coaching.

Back to Louth today to do a spot more tuition.

It started out as a lovely day and then deteriorated into cold wet misery about Lunchtime.

I was working with Will Sawyer, a GSXR Trophy competitor.

Coaching at Snetterton

Had a six and a bit hour drive across country last night to come to Snetterton to do some 1 to 1 coaching on 'Frank' .

We are working with Nick Wilson a former car racer who now fancies a new challenge - racing bikes!

'Sabina' - Suzuki Moto 450 actionshot.

This great action shot of 'Sabina' is by Paul and Linda Jones of PLJPhoto.com

Click on it to see full size image in fantastic detail.

2nd moto 450 race.

I was looking forward to the race as now we were going to try a slick front and the top technical set up tips offered earlier by "Honest Loz".

After a fantastic start a couple of laps later I was up behind Tomes and fancied going for the win.

Unfortunately we suffered a mechanical problem with the quick shifter / gear linkage and I had to pull in.

If we can secure enough budget to keep the project 'on track' we could do the next round at Oulton Park the first weekend in June.

First Moto 450 race.

The weather is glorious today.

It is difficult trying to get to the front from 13th on a grid full of mini twins, street fighters and junior power bikes; but I tried my best and managed to finish 6th overall.

2nd moto 450 to Steve Tomes.
Went faster, now into the 1,03s - not bad really with just 52bhp.

Another race in a couple of hours.

Morning warm up.

It's an interesting project - the moto 450 concept of taking a motor cross bike and adapting it for road racing.

Mark has done a great job, but we both still see it as a work in progress.

It's definately fun to ride, and it would be fantastic racing if there were 20 of the bikes on track.

Just thinking about some alterations for the first race today.

Race two - trying more stuff out.

Our main problem in the field is that the bigger bikes are baulking our corner speed.

On direct orders from the bike owner Mark Hanna I deliberately jumped the start to try and get a clear run at the front to test how the different profile of the 160 rear felt.

Something is still not quite right though, too much juddering, pulled in before the race finish.

Thinking of stuff for tomorrow now.

First race.

Well Sabina has had her race debut.

In just 10 laps we managed with our 52bhp to finish 7th on the same tyre that we started with yesterday morning!

Not changed much in anticipation of second race later today - still want to just ride her, get lots of laps and assess things...

Moto 450 qualifying session.

The wind direction had changed for this morning so now things are different again.

For the race we are going to take the air box off and change the gearing.

Did a 1,05.174 - we are mixed in with mini twins, street fighters and junior powerbikes.

I'm 13th on the grid and looking forward to a good race with my old friend Steve Tomes.