Honda CB500 race bike

[stuartb]

Proper sized man cave right there!


- Alex

I was thinking that too...

Stuart's Galaxy sent this !

 

[Wull]

Weather was crap today so decided to a few jobs to the bike. Oil and filter change, redo the lock wire and try and do something with the front brake.

As per usual it didn’t go to plan. I did the oil and filter change then when I went to start the bike to check for leaks it wouldn’t start. I tried and tried and it just wouldn’t fire up. Started off with the usual checks.

Fuel = check
fuel tap = check

So I whipped the tank off and checked the plugs, bone dry. Checked them to see if they were sparking which they were. I checked to see if fuel was getting to the carbs which it was so the only plausible explanation I could think of was blocked pilot jets. Which made sense considering when I got back from Oulton Park in mid November the bike got out away and hasn’t been started since.

So I took the carbs off, took the float bowls off and removed the pilot jets which were blocked badly. Cleared them with the air line and put it all back together. Bike fired up and was running sweet, finished off with checking for leaks, then finished the lock wiring. Did the brake, couldn’t get it any better.

A few jobs to do next weekend and the bike will be good to go, heading to East Fortune on the Friday night ( 15th )

 

[stuartb]

Pretty satisfying repair..bank of carbs, float bowls, jets... nice wee blast back in time..




Stuart's Galaxy sent this !

 

[Wull]

Last wee update before heading off on Friday for East Fortune.

Bike is ready to go, last few jobs complete. Dropped the 50/50 coolant on Sunday there and replaced with deionised water. I had forgot to lock wire the sump plug from the previous week so I did that. Completely lock wired now. A few bolts replaced.

Only thing left to do which I always do before loading the bike is check all nuts and bolts and that’s it.

Transponder arrived, don’t need that for the test/practise weekend but that was the last thing I really needed, after this weekend I’ll be putting on a new set of tyres ready for the 1st race weekend.

I’ve stuck in my entry for the first round and after this weekend I’ll stick in my entry for the first round at Knockhill.

Had a mare yesterday, decided to check the mot on the race van and it ran out.......yesterday! Panic stations! Windscreen washer wasn’t working, common fault with the sprinters where when you press the switch nothing happens, wipers don’t even come on. I had previously checked all fuses and relays and they were all good, so decided the problem was within the switch on the stalk itself. I managed to book it in for an mot tomorrow morning at a mates garage and thought he’d let me away with the washers but he wanted me to fix it.

So yesterday I set about fixing it, tested the pump which worked so used an existing switch on the dash that had no use but had a 12v feed and wired that to the pump, and used the existing earth on the pump plug and jobs a good’un.....

Fingers crossed it passes and there’s nothing else, van seems good but you can never tell. If it fails, I can get a shot of a mates van but it’s nit very big and I won’t have an awning.

 

[Wull]

Weekend has been cancelled.

 

[Wull]

I will be up Knockhill tomorrow for the riders assessment and test day. Will be glad to get this over and done with so I can concentrate on the first race weekend.

 

[fast_ryan]

Rider Assessment

You have nothing to worry about. All the instructor will be looking for is competent riding on the racing line coupled with a good awareness of what?s around you on track.

 

[Wull]

Well that’s it done now.

Arrived at track for roughly 07:30 and got everything set up. We started the classroom stuff at 09:00 whilst all the racers doing testing started at 10:00

Once we did the classroom stuff we headed to the scrutineering shed where all our bikes were and were shown what happens and what they are looking for. At 11:45 we headed out for our rider assessment then once that was done and everyone had passed we were given open session time until testing resumed.

I had booked on for the afternoon so went and signed on and headed out at 13:50 in my relevant group. The conditions were mixed but it was good experience with having to swap the wheels over quite a few times, wet to begin with then on with the dry wheels. It started to rain immediately after I had swapped them over so back on with the wets. Then after the next session it was time to put the dry wheels back on.

First race weekend is at East Fortune on the 13th/14th April

 

[Wull]

Best lap from the test, 1:04:07 I’m fairly confident there’s a few seconds out there, hopefully.

https://youtu.be/4PLPfj00h58

My exhaust bottoms out but 99% it’s absolutely fine, it doesn’t unsettle the bike but this one time it did, not sure if it’s because of the slightly different line but it unsettles the bike and had me thinking I was going down. I’ll need to address this, I’ll orobably swap the system out for a better one as the end can gets in the way of my foot as well.

https://youtu.be/9mIme-PJ_TM

 

[Wull]

Thought i?d add some race reports from the season so far


Well that?s the first ever race weekend done and dusted with and what an experience. East Fortune is a total different ball game to Knockhill with some proper fast corners, so that took me a while to adjust to. Temps were cold but it was dry, I think track temp on the Saturday morning was 8 degrees.


Went out in practise on Saturday morning and did a 1:18.9 then qualifying before lunch I did a 1:16.1 which got me 24th position out of 39. I wasn?t overly pleased but I knew there was more time to come off as I got used to the place.


Race 1 I got an ok start and plodded away, didn?t feel like I passed that many but finished in 20th with a best lap of 1:15.5


Due to crashes and countless red flags in the races after we never got any more races on the Saturday. So on Sunday the schedule was 3 races for us, so out in race 2 in the morning I felt as if I got a better start, I felt as if I was battling with others more and generally felt I was going much better and faster, starting to get the hang of it. Ended up in 20th again with a best time of 1:15.5 - I came to the conclusion that because that was our first time out on the bike that?s why it felt so fast.


Race 3 I got the head down and made a better start, felt proper good making some good moves, nice and safe, getting the wheel ahead in good time whilst making the pass. Finished in 18th with a best lap of 1:14.09 - I was pleased with that, still felt as if I had more time to make up.


Race 4 I got a good start and from the get go it just felt so much better, was making good progress and sticking with a few who I struggled to stay with in the race before. I was in 17th position right on the rear end of 16th and 15th, comfortably keeping with them but not thinking about making a move, I was strong through esses 1 and 2 but not really the place to make a move but on lap 5 at the hairpin I went down, best place to go down, not sure what happened, it was as if the rear came round but i was absolutely fine and the bike just needs a peg and brake lever guard. I?m just pissed off because if I finished the race I?d have gotten 2 signatures for top 50% of finishers but I?ll have to wait.


So all in all a cracking weekend, it?s a very competitive class with some proper fast folk, at the moment I?m running mid pack but I?m hoping at Knockhill I?ll be a bit better, going by times I?m closer to the others round there than at East Fortune but in a racing environment who knows.

 

[Wull]

Lengthy race report.


This is my second race weekend as a newbie, the first being at East Fortune 2 weeks ago.


So this was the 1st round of the KMSC season which is effectively the 2nd round of the Scottish. I arrived early on Friday at Knockhill to get set up and to get the bike ready after crashing out of race 4 at East Fortune. The bike was relatively fine, just a brake lever guard, r/h foot peg and brake lever peg and that was it. I was having issues with the exhaust grounding out and that may have contributed to the crash as it does unsettle the bike occasionally, so I had purchased a Shep?s system which sits slightly higher and would remove that from the equation if I were to crash again.


So I got the bits I needed from Garfield and got the bike ready. My best time at Knockhill during a track day was a 64s flat so that was the goal to beat that, plus I wanted to finish top 50% of finishers as that gives you a double signature on your card. I had narrowly missed out at EF which was decent I suppose as I had never been there.


So morning practise I headed out with wets on as it was still damp but came in, it was too dry. So on with the dry wheels, warmers on then qualifying, I stuck in a 1:03.5 which was 0.5s quicker than my best time. That got me 16th out of 38. The grid is 32 so the other 6 got put in with the 125?s etc.


Race 1 was a wash out, I got a horrendous start and just went backwards, thankfully loss went down and I managed a 15th which meant I started the next race in 15th, also my first point. That was the Scottish race, the next 2 races would be the KMSC races and then the final 4th race would be the 2nd Scottish of the weekend. We didn?t get another race on Saturday so 3 races on the Sunday.


Sunday morning the track was still wet but I had a gut feeling by the time we went out it would be dry, so I stuck the dry wheels on, warmers on and waited. There were some practise for Sunday only riders and then 2 races before our first of the day, everyone was going out on wets but the race before (lightweights) they were 50/50. Our time came and a few had opted for wets, big mistake, a few came in after the warm up lap, Colvin had jumped on to his dry back and straight back out whereas I know that Mark Laing had to miss the race. I got a decent start and finished in 13th meaning I?d start the next race, race 3 in 13th position. The race got red flagged with 2 to go and I narrowly missed out on top 50% again by one. Annoyingly I was all over 12th and would have passed, so that was a bit deflating but still pleased. Best lap time of 1:04.1


Race 3 which was our second of the day I got a cracking start and made a few passes but got passed a few times as the race went on, I finished in 14th of 28 finishers so finally got the double signature, I was proper chuffed. Best time of 1.03.1


For race 4 we were back to the Q positions so I was back to 16th. I got a cracking start and was feeling confident, I was feeling good, I had adjusted the tyre pressures after being told to and I felt it was working really well, I felt there was a 62s lap in me and I was going really well, but on lap 5 the race was red flagged and then a crazy incident happened. I was behind Calum Pert and Colvin was behind me as we turned into Duffus, it was at this point we seen the red flag and Calum for whatever reason drastically slowed up whilst coming across to the right completely blocking me, I had nowhere to go and had to try and brake like hell and move over which meant going on to the grass, at the point where I entered the grass I got hit from behind, I managed to stay up but wasn?t sure what had happened. After grass tracking and coming back on after Mcintyres I looked back to see Colvin lying flat out, he ended up in hospital, broken ribs, broken bones in both hands and generally messed up. Obviously Colvin like me had nowhere to go and wasn?t as fortunate as me. I was furious with Calum, I couldn?t believe he did that. Race control saw it differently, they believed he ran wide at Duffus towards the kerb and had to slow up and come back across, my opinion - UTTER TOSH! But it is what it is.


I knew there was something up with my bike as I could hardly get my foot on the peg and when looking down the exhaust was sticking much further out than usual. We were kept in the pit garages but I was hoping it would be a result, but nope. So called the race official over who then got a scrutineer, he wasn?t happy with the position of the exhaust so whilst they held the bike I kicked the bracket and got the exhaust back into place.


They held us for ages whilst Colvin got carted off, the actual incident that caused the red flag was at the hairpin, I don?t think any of them were hurt or overly hurt, but on the in lap someone was lying on the track. So they decided to run another race and for us to come back out again for 1 warm up lap then 5 racing laps. So back to the awning to stick the warmers on.


Back out and a decent start, same again dicing with my mate Mark Laing and Calum who caused the incident in my opinion. I could see where I was stronger but couldn?t make the pass, I did pass a few times but Calum would just pass again on the straights, he?s 9st soaking wet so nowt you can do. Finished the race in 12th with a best time of 1:03.5


I reckon my time earlier would have been better but that gets scrapped.


So 4 top 15 finishes meaning pints in every race, I?m pleased, happy with how things went except for my mate Colvin, gutted as we were having good scraps, I felt comfortable around him when making a pass and I?m sure he felt the same, he made good passes on me and then baw bag came along and spoilt the party.


Anyway I can?t wait for the next round.

 

[Wull]

A few more pics from the race weekend

 

[Wull]

KMSC Round 2 race report. Reverse direction. Currently sitting 12th in the KMSC.


May 25th-26th


Weekend started off as normal, headed to Knockhill for roughly 9am to get set up next to my mate and his old man, I was going myself this time so it was purely for us helping each other. Got set up and then relax, except for a set of pads that I had to fit but that was it. Until we noticed the big gash on my front tyre, panic stations. Round tin Garfield for a new front to be put on. Then relax.


Friday was a cracking day but the forecast for the weekend was grim, Saturday morning was dry for practise and Qualifying, I didn?t feel as if I went that well in practise but I was bedding in a new front tyre and pads so I shouldn?t have been expecting too much, plus the temp was rather low. My best in practise was a 1:05 something.


Headed out for Q and from the word go it was manic, getting held up everywhere, it was pandemonium, in hindsight I should have came in and then went back out for clear track but didn?t bother, I think it was the 4th lap I got wiped out at the hairpin, I was furious as I didn?t feel as if I got in a decent lap but thankfully I had. A 1:02.2 seen me qualify 9th out of 27 I think, it may have been 29 but I can?t remmeber. 3 of us had went down at the hairpin, thankfully the bike wasn?t too bad, off to the medical centre then scrutineering. All good!


Then the rain came, race 1 was wet and after my 1st race at the last race weekend I told myself to get a grip and push. I got a terrible start as usual but started to make up some positions after losing them and then on the 3rd lap I had what I thought was a mechanical but it wasn?t, I slowed up after the hairpin to have a look and ended up back in 20th. Idiot!....I fought my way back to 16th with a best lap of 1:08.4


So for the 2nd race which was still wet I was now starting from 16th. As usual I got a less than desirable start with a few passing but then I got the head down and went for it, I felt awesome, the bike felt great and I felt as if I was passing lots of riders. I finished in 9th with a best lap of 1:07.8


I also got my double signature for being in the top 50% of finishers in race 2 which is pretty much my goal every race weekend.


On Sunday it appeared to be even wetter with heavy downpours through the night, a few thought it would be iffy about going ahead but it did, we were all giving practise on Sunday because of the conditions and I decided to head out and ended up going rather well, putting in a time of 1:07.5 so I felt good.


For race 3, the first of the Sunday I got a decent start and felt good the whole race, the confidence in the wet has came back but there?s still plenty to improve on especially with regards to my initial aggression in the first few laps. I made some good passes and got passed by a few, a few fast guys had started further back so they had made their way up, in the end up I finished 12th after starting 9th but I was pleased with that. Best time of 1:05.8


For the 4th race it was finally dry, and we were back to our Q results so I was starting 9th. I got the usual start losing some places, I think I was back to 12th or 13th but on lap 3 I made a pass at the hairpin and then again the next lap making my way to 9th. By then I was too far back from the guys in front, but in the end up it was ok and I was pleased with the 9th place finish. Best lap of 1:03.6


So all in all it?s been a good weekend, now I?m 11th place in the KMSC table, the goal is top 10 finish. I?ve now got 5 signatures after 3 weekends, didn?t get a double signature at East Fortune.


Still plenty room for improvement

 

[Wull]

 

[Wull]

 

[Wull]

 

[Wull]

The 2nd round of the Melville and 4th round of the Scottish is this weekend coming at East Fortune. I’m fairly certain I’ll go better there now that I know the track but I have put on some weight since the last outing, so maybe not. I probably won’t do the last 2 rounds at East Fortune and concentrate on the last 2 rounds at Knockhill as I’m going better in the KMSC championship.

I’m currently lying in 11th position so my goal is top 10. I currently have 5 signatures so as usual the goal will be to finish top 50% of finishers for the double signature and to get rid of the bib by the end of the season.

I’m also doing the Endurance race at the end of the month which is teams of 2 over 100 laps. I’m using the R1 which is nearly ready to go, hopefully I’ll do a track day before then as I haven’t ridden it since September or October.

 

[phil]

Makes good reading, thanks for sharing, love it.

 

[Oli]

+1 ^

Thank you for taking the considerable time to document and update this thread @Wull
Great stuff [emoji41]

 

[Wull]

East Fortune race report.


2nd round of the Melville championship and round 4 of the Scottish.


I’m not doing well in either so no expectations other than trying to achieve the double signature and get quicker, better results.


We headed down on the Friday and got set up as usual and relaxed Friday, it was roasting on the Friday whilst we set up, almost unbearable. A bit of rain during the night saw a wet track for practise which would be my first time and the first time for a few round East Fortune. I took my time for the first few laps trying to get a feel before pushing and was 7th fastest, I took nothing from that.


The track was dry for qualifying except for a few damp bits. I really struggled, making lots of mistakes and running wide particularly at Railways and Hannah’s. I finally started to get it together and stuck in a 1:13.8 which saw me qualify 18th of 39 I believe. My best lap round there is a 1.13.5 which I did in race 4 last time I was there so I thought that was ok.


There was a heavy downpour but the track dried up before our first race, but we knew this would be our only race of the day because of the delays. I got a terrible and struggled as usual for the first few laps before getting the head down. I brought it home in 17th with a best time of 1:13.2 which I was pleased about. I got my double signature though as there were 38 finishers so that was my weekend goal competed already. Time to concentrate on results and lap times. My next goal was to get into the 12’s.


There were to be 3 races for us on the Sunday, the first race I did my usual and got a crap start, had a dice with a few chopping and changing and passed a few when s red flag came out, so the results went back to the last full lap and I came in 18th. Best time of 1:12.8 so finally got into the 12’s.


Our 2nd race of the day (3rd of the weekend) I had a cracking battle with a few but because of another poor start I finished 20th with a best time of 1:13.2


The last race of the weekend I decided I was going to pull the finger out and get a much better start, what tends to happen is after the 2nd lap I pull away and have the same pace as the guys who are now 10s ahead, if only I could keep with them to begin with. I got a cracking start, went round Pates well and aggressive then as we were turning in for Railways disaster, #79 who was ahead of me got sat up causing me to clip his rear wheel which caused me to sit up and then from the left rear #71 blootered me, somehow I managed to stay up but he went down. I’ve then ran off the track and the pain in my left lower leg was unreal, I thought it was broke, he’s obviously hit it. I coasted round with the leg dangling in pain with the intentions of coming in but I started to put weight on it and then after the hairpin I decided “bugger it” and cracked on.


I had a lively race, but it was lots of fun, like a track day for a bit, took me a while to catch the back of the group up but made a few passes before finishing in 29th out of 33. I think my first lap was a 1:44 or something like that. My best lap was a 1:12.9


Tbh it’s not been that bad of a weekend, struggling with my starts, and the first few laps but I’m sure it will come.