Silverstone: MRO

(24-25 May)

Saturday

Row managed to qualify the little Metrakit 10th out of a grid of 20 but kept coming in complaining that the bike wouldn't pull properly. With the weather being hot and dry the little bike was just getting too much fuel, a continuation of the problems we had at Snetterton. I had a look and changed the jetting a little before Row went out for his first race.

An appalling start saw Row down to 16th place early on then, towards the end of the race, he managed to pull up to 12th. He reappeared in the pit shaking his head.
"It wouldn't clear for the first three laps, Dad and the clutch is slightly slipping in the first three gears."
So, I pull the plug out and, sure enough, the bike is still running rich. The next couple of hours are spent changing the jetting, running the bike, changing it again until I end up with the weakest settings we have ever run the bike at. Because of all this I don't get chance to check the clutch, so just a quick adjustment is done as they call Rowan's group up, then we can't start the bike! After 5 sweaty minutes I realize that in the rush I had forgotten to switch the fuel back on, so we get it started and Row gets to the collecting area just as they close the gates, so he has to start from the back of the grid.

Row is fired up and gets a much better start. By the end of the race he has managed to get to 11th place and set the fastest lap for the MK 80s at 1.22.
"The bikes running brill now Dad; just a little clutch slip at the start then it was fine. It was sliding around on those Dunlops though."

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Sunday

Its raining in biblical proportions! All that bloody work I have done on the jetting is out of the window, so I just richen it up slightly to account for the humidity. We also change over to the softer Sava tyres to try to generate some grip in the wet conditions.

Race 1.
Row takes his correct place on the grid and gets a reasonable start. They blast past us with Row in 8th after the first lap, then I see the yellow flags waving down at the first corner. We wait and the pack comes through for the second time - no Row. I leave the pit wall and make my way down to the first corner, where Row is standing over the other side of the track. I wave to him and he gives me the thumbs-up. At least he is OK. After the race, they deliver Row back to the scruteneering bay.
"The front went away Dad; nothing I could do. I held it on my knee but it wouldn't come back. I could have caught that front lot as well. That clutch was slipping badly, Dad."
We take a look at the bike. The casualty count is one handlebar, one front brake lever, one rear brake lever and one footrest hanger. Various crash bobbins have also disappeared but they they seem to have done their job as the bodywork has survived with just a few scrapes.

Right! I have a frantic two hours stripping, cleaning and replacing parts and then fitting another clutch. I just about get it all done when they call the second race. Row is a bit slow off of the line and immediately drops to 14th. He pretty much stays there all race, despite trying to pass 13th a couple of times but at least he finishes in one piece. When he reappears in the garage he is not happy.
"What did you do to the clutch?" he asks. So I tell him.
"Well, I couldn't change down!"
Sure enough, the replacement clutch had bedded in during the race and was dragging and stopping downshifts! So; our worst weekend of the year so far although, looking at the results, we would have been pleased with them when we started. It's funny how your expectations shift.

During the following week, I strip the bike completely and rebuild with many new parts including a brand new clutch and clutch cable. I also have to change the top and, as it is now over time limit, the fairing, seat etc get repaired and resprayed ready for the NG Cadwell park round.

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