Greeves Championship 2015

[ADickerson]

Well done John for saving our friend from further punishment. Have to confess to coming across the rider doubled up and motionless on the approach to the hairpin. Not having your vision I continued on with a very uncomfortable feeling about doing so and was relieved to see the flags go up to stop the race. It's easy to forget that a red flag goes up not only for the safety and protection of a rider/s but for the SJA volunteers and officials as well who may be called to attend the incident.

It’s great to see all the footage and banter being posted recently giving an insight into the joys of Pre65 meetings. It’s a wonderful sport in which we have the privilege to enjoy riding machines from a previous era in a friendly environment. It’s not World or European Championship stuff but it is competitive all the same and we all want to do the best we can. Equally we also want to wake up in one piece come Monday morning.
According to club rules riders should wear period clothing However since that time advances in protective equipment have seen body armour, full face helmets, neck braces and the like being worn by many riders. While they have the positive benefit of reducing the risk of injury they, unfortunately, also tend to make one feel invincible and inclined to take greater risks.
So guys, while you are all busy knocking yourselves about please spare a thought for those of us who choose to wear period costume of the day and who ride with a little more caution accordingly

See you all on the line at Woodford.

[brian killick]

woodford regs

as a new member i met the rep at marks tey on sunday and was given the championship details. how can i get hold of the regs for woodford meeting, looked it up on the map as it says woodford, northhants, just off the A14
but it seems to be just southeast of kettering, had a magic days racing and forgot just how hard it is, but then it has been 38 years since my last ride,lol

[ADickerson]

Hi Brian and welcome, if it was your first meeting in 38 years, how is the body feeling today. With regard to regs for Woodford please find the link below to the AMCA website and click on Regs for Scrambles. See you there.

http://www.amca.uk.com/

[michaeleustace]

Race 3 footage

Not my best of meetings I must say, chain came off in practice I think because it was too loose so I tightened it as much as possible given the amount of adjustment I had left on the adjusters.

First Pre60 race was having a good ding-dong with (I think) Pete Griffiths and as I nailed it on the finish line in an attempt to pip him, the bike (as Murray Walker once said) “got into a terrific broadside” and the chain came off again, but this time the rear brake plate span around because I'd forgotten to tighten the blasted torque arm bolt up tight against the swingarm. So the rear brake was jammed on.

This bent the rear brake arm that bolts onto the brake plate and also bent the brake rod that connects the brake to the brake lever mechanism under the back of the engine.

Thanks to my good friend John R and Step-Dad Kevin, we managed to bend it back in place with a spare bolt fitted to the torque arm (tightened up using the fist of Thor I might add) so I had just enough rear brake to do something with.

That lasted until during the third Greeves race when I was leading Scotty (great racing with you again mate BTW) it just stopped working coming into the hairpin - you'll see in the video below - and he got passed. Nonetheless, I think Scott would have got passed anyway as he was quick quick quick on the Hawkstone.

I also forgot (why do I do it to myself) to clean the air filter before the meeting so the bike just didn't feel like the comparative rocket it normally would be – starving the bike of air. My resulting starts were abysmal and thanks to Adrian's suggestion of unscrewing the pilot air screw a half-turn, this seemed to help. Lesson learnt (again) for next time.

Here's my onboard footage from the 3rd (as Kim put it) sprint race
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceh0EgkOtvM

Scott - I agree with you re the clerk of the course being a bit red-flag-happy. Correct me if I am wrong but it felt like if the CotC saw a bike on the floor then up came the red flag regardless of whether the rider was moving and up-and-about.

I liked the track layout, actually one of the best yet I would say. I personally like all the high-speed jumps (by that I mean jumps you take in 4th gear) but I really think the bike got an absolutely hammering as the place is getting very bumpy, what with all the criss-crossing over of previous track layouts.

This is very apparent when you look at the gap in the field between the Griffons and Hawkstone’s - in my video you can see all the Griffons just blast over those horrible "ditches" that were shortly after the start, whilst us Hawkstone riders have to ease-off. When you compare it to somewhere like Sproxton, which is nicely graded, I was able to get 3rd, even 2nd coming out of the first bend because I don't have to ease off the gas.

Anyway, looking forward to Woodford. Round 2 of the British Classic Sidecar Championship will be there, and if you saw them at Mortimer last month, you will know we are in for a treat with over 20 outfits on the startline. Pete Griffith said they have widened some of the circuit to cater for them so should be great to watch.

[scott151]

An eventful day

I agree mike, the start straight was hard work.... You could soon come unstuck if you were not careful, on my only ride on the 360 I just kept the throttle open...

The bloody clubmans races were full of crashes as normal, I thought they were just having a careful ride round

You were going well though mike, you need to look at your forks though matey, they look like they are sagging bad....

All good fun though never the less..

Scotty

[Kim275]

Hats off to Brian making his comeback after 38 years !! and welcome to the Greeves Championship ! - come and say hello at Woodford - I am rider no 275 - we always have a fine collection of sausage roll's (and a broken collection of various Greeves) at race days

Michael thanks for posting the race 3 vid - good to see it from another angle........looks like you had a few gremlins that didn't help you...can I suggest you lay off the Champagne the night before? or put more in your tank ?
I agree with you Marks Tey is getting tough and rough - and on a Hawkstone that will make it harder work than on a Griffon but that is the name of the game. Hopefully better joy at Woodford !

Good point re the air filter - easily done - and that will slow you right down

I am still bemused why my MDS keeps on pinching up and overheating
will try your tip see if it runs different without the air filter - maybe that is the problem and I will also try bigger jets (although it already has a 107 needle and a 320 main and 45 pilot ....)

Thanks for chipping in Scott great and stylish riding as usual on both the Hawkstone and the Challenger.

Adrian - we will as always look out for you in your classic attire!
(in fact you are hard to miss) and I echo your words about the fun and camaraderie of the pre65 racing scene
See you all at Woodford
Cheers Kim

[ADickerson]

Hi Kim, thanks for the welcome reassurance regarding us riders in period clothing. Although I do just wonder how to take the phrase "(in fact you are hard to miss)", does that mean you actually aim for me.!
Sorry to learn of problems still with the MDS, I am unsure of the carb you are using although by the main jet size(320) suspect it to be a concentric(If its a monobloc the main jet needs to be around 400). When compared to my own(square barrel MDS) the jets in every case are bigger so the over heating problem is unlikely to be due to weak mixture. Perhaps it's down to timing or, unlikely I know, have the transfer ports been heightened recently with blow back through them causing the heating issue.

Hi Mike, glad to hear help was on hand to get you going again after the Pre60 incident, for sure the bike sounded crisp on the race or two I watched you in from the side lines. If it's any consolation I don't think my day was any more successful. In the first the bike was making some unusual banging noises so came in after a couple of laps. Turned out to be only the head blowing so rectified by simply tightening down again. But by the time I'd found out and sorted it I'd missed my next outing. In the third Greeves race I found myself following 153(I think), when young Scottie came past me. When it came to the over taking him he overcooked it on the inside of a tight right hander and locked up, 153 couldn't avoid him, so with man and machine straddled across my path I too came to a stop to be hit from behind by Steve, Scotties dad. The upshot of all this being that Scottie somehow managed to keep his engine running and shot off into the distance leaving the three of us with stalled engines. So thanks Scottie, I'm thinking of renaming you Domino!
In the last race of the day I lined up at the start only to have the throttle cable snap just before coming under starters orders. But hey, still a great day all the same and no serious harm done to either man or machine.

[scott151]

Sorry Adrian,

I didnt realize I caused that!! Appologies, I was trying to make up for a bad start....

In my defence, I wear period clothing...

Scotty

[ADickerson]

No problem Scott, it's all part of racing and no doubt I've done something similar in the past(or may even do in the future). I only included it as it seemed typical of my experiences of the day. Good to see you going so well and keeping the spirit of Pre65 alive on the clothing front.

[Kim275]

Hi Kim, thanks for the welcome reassurance regarding us riders in period clothing. Although I do just wonder how to take the phrase "(in fact you are hard to miss)", does that mean you actually aim for me.!

Haha - meaning you are stylish, distinguished and distinctive - rather than target practice

[ADickerson]

Kim, !!! Philately will get you every where!

[Kim275]

Woodford Wet and slippery - but a great track

The Greeves Championship rode into Woodford - nr Kettering- courtesy of the Northampton Classic MCC......great track for classics - flowing challenging...and the deluge at lunchtime made it slippery .............I have some good footage of a battle with Griffon Slayer in Race 1.......he pulled out with loosening barrel studs.....same in race 2..........and by race 3 my griffon had blown its base gasket...but still got some good points thanks to Mike Bell lending me his HAwkstone....although confusing as Mike..# 270 battled with me #270 all race long !!

Matt McCulloch was man of the meeting and the Greeves- seemingly riding just as quick in the slop as in the dry - well done Matt.....

Will post footage when I can - Cheers Kim

[Kim275]

Chesty Cam Footage of Race 1 and Race 2

Race 1 - Good Battle with Richard Hayward - the Griffon slayer...who would have but struggled with barrel studs working loose...........He was on my rear wheel for 2 laps...getting past juts before the last lap flag....

https://youtu.be/HnZ41gBr_K0

Cue Lunchtime and heavens opened big time ....and into race 2 it was wet and slippery...........Matt Mcculloch was superb in the wet......filled in my goggles and camera into the first bend.........struggled to see - but onto the grass at the top of the circuit Graeme Smith - shoots past - and then does a speedway special into the ropes........
Great days racing - looking forward to Gosfield next Sunday - see you all there......

https://youtu.be/mQ1ak5sFcFY

[scott151]

Great footage Kim

Looks a lovely course, really old fashioned and much better for it....

Scotty

[Kim275]

Oversll standings after round 9 Gosfield

Just received from Dave Harper