Round 2 – Southern Downs Championship 25-28 July 2009
Thursday…
Edu arrived early. And I’m still walking around in boxers with a toothbrush in my mouth. I throw some clothes on, shove the rest of my gear into my bag and we’re off for a hearty breakfast in West End to discuss the plan of attack for the day.
I need to do some work on the monster. Its raceworthy as it is, but I’d like to get the new forks in if we can. Oh, and I probably should change the oil, seeing as how I haven’t even looked at it since I bought the bike.
A quick explanation of the Monster for those yet to experience it in all its goodness; The rest of Team Hustler have built magnificent, purpose built race bikes based on the some of the finest pieces of engineering ever to come out of the Ducati Factory in Bologna. I, on the other hand, bought a bottom of the range, bog standard, 15 year old 900M and replaced the head light with a red plastic number plate. Don’t tell the scrutineers, but its still got the horn under the steering head. I’ve keeping it on so I can part the masses into turn one.
As I bought it. The only thing we've changed here is the pipes and the tyres.
Living 1500km away from the race track, it was always going to be a little tricky for me to build a properly prepared bike in my garage, get it to the track and then home again in a weekend. Apparently, you can’t take a race bike onto an airplane as hand luggage. So many thanks to Gabby for driving me to the coast to find it, Cori for driving down to pick it up, (and Ed for occupying the passenger seat, with a massive hangover) and Katy and John for finding some space in the shed to store it.
I’d been meaning to swap the forks out for a set of adjustable Showa’s but there always seemed like other more important things that needed to be done in the limited time I had to work on the bike before a race weekend. Important things like engine gaurds and lockwiring that would allow to pass scrutineering and be allowed on the track. So improving the handling and performance had taken a back seat so far.
The forks and clip-ons went on without too many problems. It would have been a little simpler if I’d used the left fork on the left side rather than the right, but Ed was kind enough to point out my short comings and help swap them round the right way.
Swapping out the stock forks for fully adjustable Showas with clipons.
Changing the front sprocket was even easier, primarily because there was no retaining clip holding it on! I’d been to 2 track days and a race weekend with my front sprocket held on by gravity and God’s good graces. You gotta love grey import bikes. Huge thanks to Bob from Brisbane Ducati for raiding a brand new monster to get me going.
By the time Cus got home from work, we were all but ready to go. But while we loaded the mighty Smurf van and headed off into the early evening for the motorcycling Mecca of Warwick, Cus was heading around to Phil’s place to finish putting together the TT. The night before its first track outing. Nothing like cutting it fine Cus, I love your style.
It’s only a couple of hours drive to Warwick so we got to Pete’s place with plenty of time for a few beers before bed. Then a few more. Then there may have been some bourbon; and possibly some rum. I distinctly remember some Dropkick Murphy’s and a Didgeridoo before I tucked into my swag for the night.
