ClassicMotorcycleMechanicsJune2020

(Jacob Rumans) #1

CLASSIC RACING


PART 4
Crash

course!


With pre-testing and the
openiiingCCCBBB 555000000 rounddd
undertheirbeltsitwas
timeforsomeschooling
forourFastBerks,a
lessonviatheschoolof
hardknocks!

T


he openingroundhad been pretty successful
for teammateGary ‘Bridgestone’ Hartshorne
andIaswestarted our firstfullseasonwith
the East MidlandsRiding Association (EMRA)on our
HondaCB500s.
Ihad scraped into the pointsin both the CB500
and Mini-Twin series, completing three ofthefour
races. Gaz was getting quicker,earningthree
finishes in the top 10and making hispresencefelt
with thequickboys.
My intention wastoraceafull season, but not
look any further forward than that at this stage.Gary,
however,was obviously looking morelong-term as
his new purchasedemonstrated, rolling into the
paddock for round twoinhis newIveco motorhome.
Twin berth,bathroom, kitchen, TV andbikestorage
in the back,this isaproper bitofkit that we all
benefitted from:at last th eBridgestone CB500 Race
team hadaproper base.
Our first-roundfriends set uparo und us.Jimmy
Reynolds’ awningwas up to the right as he tinkered
with hisSV.Nick Hyde and James Barleyhad their
CB500s on the paddock stands to our left, with
caravansand Transits all tucked roundtheback for
less lavish sleeps thanGarywould beget ting. But
Gary was going toneed his sleep asafrustrating
race dayfacedhim.
One ofthemainreasonsIgot into CB500 racing
was the fact thatthese bikes arebull etproof,

compared to theTZR250that bothGaz andIhad
experienced theyear before;basically,these bikes
areadoddleto maintain.
Butthenyou can be as prepared as you like,but
the one ingredient necessary forasuccessful day on
track whichyoucan’tcontrol isluck. For the 2019
seasonIhad an abundance of it,where Gary didn’t
seemtohave any at all.
Comerace day andmyusual battleofnerves and
falteringself-belief kicked in as soon asIwoke in
the backofmyhire van. ‘What the hellwasIdoing
hereinLeicestershire at 9.30amon aSunday
morning, whenIcould be safeathome, drinking
fresh coffee, listeningtothe Archers omnibus?’
Onceagain all such thoughts had gone by thetime
we entered the track for qualifying. Here, Gary’s
problems started. Lasting one lap of CB500
qualifying,hemissed theMini-Twins qualifying
altogether,got aDNS forthe first CBRaceand a
DNF for the second. Hedid redeemhis weekend
withtwo finishesin the Mini-Twins witha17th and
14th, whichwas notbad considering he started both
races at the back of the grid,but Garywas nothere
fo rthe mid-teenfinishes thatIwas actuallyquite
satisfied with.
My day wasfar better. Each time Ireturnedfrom
my four races that dayIhad somethingtobe
pleased with, members of the teamwouldgreet me,
help me put thebike up on thestands and warmers

AAAnge cookksupa
storm!

76 /classic motorcyclemechanics

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