It had been a long pause since Cadwell in June, but I did a track day in July at Cadwell, which was a blast as always, albeit a little wet at times.
But the little Duke had started to misfire at about 8 thousand RPM, and no amount of doing standard stuff fixed it. So it was either the Accel twin output coil or the Lucas Rita.
On the basis that electronics usually works or doesn't , I choose to replace the coils first and fitted a pair of standard 6V 2 Ohm coils in series, and moved the Rita box from under the tank to under the seat - which will allow other tanks to be fitted for next year. Took it up the road and no problems!
This was at the end of July.
Weekend before Lydden I did the servicing stuff, and thought I should give it a longer run just in case.
2 miles later it's missing like a b*&£sted above 8k again
Only things left are the Rita amplifier and pick up. Luckily my 750GT Ducati uses the same amplifier, albeit with different connectors, so I do a swap.
Problem cured, but the GT is now off the road
Lydden is a short circuit, a mile in length. It includes a hill that's very noticeable on a small bike, followed by a 180 hairpin, then a downhill straight and a fast corner leading onto the start finish straight.
So gearing is a dilemma, needing to get good drive out of the hairpin in second (first is way too low to be useful) as well as hitting 9.2 - 9.5k by the end of the start/finish straight. I chose to start the day with the same sprockets as I ended up with at Cadwell - 15/47
Here's a link to a circuit map: http://www.lyddenracecircuit.co.uk/map.htm
Practice went ok - no misfiring and the gearing might be just a little on the high side, but good enough.
Right hand end of the 5th row. As we go round the sighting lap I'm doing a head thing and telling myself "this is MY circuit" over and over again (I went bl$%dy quick here last year - until I overdid it). On the grid. Flag raised.... in the scriptorium a gentle summer breeze rustled some papers as the quill was sharpened, dipped in the inkwell and put to paper.
"Pos"
Flag drops and we're away
"ession"
make up 4 places on the start
"Order,"
but loose a couple braking for the first corner as I'm too far to the right and get my line stolen
"Lydden Circuit" and it's signed, dated and served
At the apex Nigel Palmer tears past on the outside with his back end hopping
about, seemingly a good 10mph faster, but I get a couple braking for the Devil's
Elbow and another coming out of the Hairpin and settle down to finish 8th, two
places behind Adam Wilson who got me on the inside at the hairpin.
Here's one of Adam Wilson following me round Devil's elbow
My second National Licence signature!
Decide to leave the gearing alone
2nd row, good start, but I get the first corner all wrong. Adam Wilson is still in sight and I manage to keep it that way till the end (you can see a long way at Lydden!). Slightly disappointing 10th
Eldest and youngest daughters drive down for the evening and we go out to Canterbury, which I've never seen, and have a stroll around and a reasonable meal.
Rain in the night has all gone, clear skies and dry track
Girls are intent on sleeping for another few hours
Decide the gearing is too high and I should try 14/45. Chain and sprocket off, put the 14t on, but it won't go - the shoulder is too big for the hole in the boss in the cases. Da$% pattern parts! I have no 48 or 49 rear either
Try to borrow one from a couple of guys nearby, but no joy, give up and put it back together
Everything seems to be good this time, Adam is in front and I'm staying with him and show him a wheel a couple of times, then something falls off his bike and is bouncing along the track underneath. I think rev counter drive and pull back, worrying about oil and two pass me. Two laps later he's black flagged (at last). 9th. Would have been 7th but for bottling, I remind myself on the way back to the paddock!
Turns out it was the rev counter bracket that broke, and the tacho was dangling by its cable. Rather a shame as it was a 1960's Smiths right angle drive one, 15k I think. One of a handful made for Honda
Brilliant race, mostly following Adam Wilson and Charles Watson, both on Ducatis. Managed to keep close and took Charles twice but he got me back both times.
Got the fast corner going onto the s/f straight right on the next to last lap and gained about 10 yards on them - if only I could have done that on the last lap as well!!
Finished a big grinning 10th!