I swapped some emails with the chief sector marshal who dealt with my racing accident on the Isle of Man. I asked him what happened (as I have no memory) and he replied with: "As for what happened, well, you appeared to come into the kink before the bridge too quickly and when you realised you'd overcooked it you sat up and grabbed the front brake. When passing our point at the end if the coast road your back wheel was a couple of feet into the air and you were starting to go over the front. At this point you parted from the bike and it scuttled off to the left, clipping a bank and running back across the road and hitting the other side quite gently. Unfortunately, that was the only gentle bit of the incident. You, having parted from the bike, flew through the air at about six foot straight into a telegraph pole, which I swear is now bent backwards slightly! The pole protector was hardly marked by the way, so thanks for that! Given the force of the impact we initially feared the worst, but we never give up, so on reaching you we got to work and one way or another got you sorted and away in the ambulance (with a Police escort no less!). As the scruts needed to take the bike and measure up the scene, and we had to do statements for the Police, things were a bit delayed, but once we got underway again we soon got messages back through the Police and the Medics that you had perked up a good bit on route to Nobles, which cheered us all up no end!" So, it looks like I 'did an Ace' I've added this, and a few other bits, to the blog at www.champ.org.uk/blog/ -- Champ ZX10R | GPz750turbo | GSX-R 600 racer My advice as your attorney is to buy a motorcycle To email me, neal at my domain should work.
No idea. They just do. Even on the IoM. -- Champ ZX10R | GPz750turbo | GSX-R 600 racer My advice as your attorney is to buy a motorcycle To email me, neal at my domain should work.
heh. Imagine Lorenzo's crash, on a narrow country lane lined with dry stone walls and, er, telegraph poles... -- Champ ZX10R | GPz750turbo | GSX-R 600 racer My advice as your attorney is to buy a motorcycle To email me, neal at my domain should work.
Presumably the protection it offers is limited, not least because of the number of poles to be protected. Not like a race track, say.
*phew* when I read the subject line, and saw it was from you, I thought this was going to be a "i'm never riding again" post.
I thought this was a no-no, and the best thing to do when you go in too hot is keep on the gas and try and lean it more? I suppose you don't remember if that was an option at the time. -- TD 1991 VFR400R NC30 (black and red) 2001 ZX-9R (red and black) 1999 M5 (neither black nor red) Missing: SOB, Unreliable Italian exotica, Lardy tourer
heh I thought it was going to be something along the lines of "who on earth is [insert household name]?"
heh. No chance of that. I'll always ride bikes - it's part of who I am. I have said that I'll not be racing again. By which I mean, racing on a roads circuit. Probably. -- Champ ZX10R | GPz750turbo | GSX-R 600 racer My advice as your attorney is to buy a motorcycle To email me, neal at my domain should work.
It's not obvious from the description above, but the sequence is fast and bumpy right followed by a slower left. You go as fast as you dare thru the right, and then brake hard and change down two for the left. From Andy's description, I suspect I arrived in the braking zone for the left just far too quick, and didn't even start to make the corner - just braked like a mother fucker and went straight on. -- Champ ZX10R | GPz750turbo | GSX-R 600 racer My advice as your attorney is to buy a motorcycle To email me, neal at my domain should work.
There's an interesting (to me) parallel here with my dad, which I've only just realised. He was a very successful club racer in the 50s & early 60s, winning numerous races on a variety of Vincents on both circuits & road tracks. Despite his success, he never took it too seriously, choosing to ride to the circuit, race, then ride home again, like many in those days. Towards the end of his 'career' the TT call was getting very strong, so he decided to give it a go. But my elder brother was due a few months down the line, so mum veto'd the TT dream. Dad looked for a new challenge by giving sprinting a go, won 21 of his 23 races, then packed up racing for good. He's never said it, but I suspect he still regrets not ignoring his orders & doing the TT. There may be a moral there, & it may apply to you - I really don't know. The TT is the pinnacle of road racing, & road racing is what you do best, so will you be kicking yourself in 30 years time if you have another opportunity to do it but don't? -- Krusty www.MuddyStuff.co.uk Off-Road Classifieds '02 MV Senna '03 Tiger 955i '96 Tiger '79 Fantic Hiro 250
No, but I'm sure you'll squeal to her on Facebook -- Champ ZX10R | GPz750turbo | GSX-R 600 racer My advice as your attorney is to buy a motorcycle To email me, neal at my domain should work.
That's fascinating. I'll admit to being slightly jealous. Mind you, my dad rode a few seasons of speedway. I regret it already. But, I won't be fit to race again until this season is over, which means I won't have done the six races necessary for a 'TT Mountain Licence' for 2009. Which means I'd have to spend 2009 doing that, for a 2010 TT. Frankly, I'd feel a bit of a **** saying to my nearest and dearest "you know that thing that nearly killed me? Well, I'm going to give it one last try..." On top of that, until I get back on a bike, I'll not know how I feel about deliberately trying to go fast, if you see what I mean. I might have the fear now. -- Champ ZX10R | GPz750turbo | GSX-R 600 racer My advice as your attorney is to buy a motorcycle To email me, neal at my domain should work.
What? I haven't seen anything about this. -- Dave GS850x2 XS650 SE6a "It's a moron working with power tools. How much more suspenseful can you get?" - House
