Broadford
Rideday Saturday
19th November, 2005
(promoted
by Preston Motorcycle Club)
Bill Wee had already settled in to the under-cover pit sheds. I arrived by car and trailer and Bill introduced me to a couple, Alex and Robyn. They had been very helpful to him, adjusting his VTR’s suspension, dropping his forks through the triple clamps 10mm and setting his rear spring higher. Bill was ecstatic about the changes.
I spotted a great travel set
up, just what I pictured having by Xmas (not to be this year). It was an old 16
foot caravan with a ramp door added to roll bikes up. It turned out to belong
to Alex and Robyn and Robyn kindly gave me a tour after I started asking her
what sort of strenghthening Alex had done to
accommodate the weight of their two bikes. They have managed to keep the
original stove and sink, a wardrobe and bed and yet still manage to fit her VFR400, which
she will be riding today, practicing for the interclub races tomorrow, and
Alex’s 1000 he is racing tomorrow. He is one of our eight instructors today,
along with Dean from Redwing on the Go Show superbike.
So plenty of one-on-one tuition.
Riders are divided into
three groups: (i) Road bikes for those that want to
do their own thing; (ii) Race bikes practicing for tomorrow; and (iii) Race Tuition
for those that want to try and learn something at the same cost of $135. I reckon
it is good value. We were also lucky to have Adam ‘Crusty’ Furgusson
up the front of the classroom. What a bonus!
Twenty minute sessions on
the track might not sound much but I was getting drained by the last
couple of laps, noticing my concentration waning. And like I
said, plenty of one-on-one if you wanted to slot in behind an instructor.
The BBQ lunch was a good
time to look through the pits while all the bikes are stationary.
There was also a BBQ after
the last session to encourage riders to hang about for a while and shake off
their race-face before going back out on the road. It was a good chance to meet
the club members and racers, seeing as there were a few staying over for Sunday
racing.
Preston Motorcycle Club only
organize a couple of these a year. No cops, no gravel, no dickheads. I had
blast.
Lyn Duncan