|
Advertise with Classic Motorcycling Australia
| Author |
 Topic  |
|
| |
Current Topic Rating:  | Join the Forum to Rate this Topic at: Classic Motorcycling Australia Forums
|
|
|
john
Forum Moderator
Victoria
3130 Posts |
 Posted - 18 Aug 2004 : 2:01:44 PM
|
I thought you may be interested to hear about the sidecar action at this meeting. Normally people dont get much chance to be aware of what happens, they just want to make jokes about something they have not experienced. After this you may think differently and have a go!!!
Practise was a real learning experience as we did 4 laps with me learning the circuit, realising that the handholds were not where I imagined and that the forces on your body whilst moving are intense. It is a bit like doing stand ups on one leg in the back of a Ute, hanging on to one side only whilst your mates are flying around a car park trying to throw you out. On the left-handers I was supposed to hang out past the bodywork, but either the new carpet or my lack of skill meant I was continually pressed against the bodywork with my knees with the feet hanging out the back. With gale force winds in Sydney and 180k down the main straight the wind forces on your torso are immense.
Subsequent to practice we had a chat and Richard suggested I place a small peg we found in the tool box 50 high and 20mm in diameter at the rear to press against. I later developed a new attitude about small bits of steel as on more than one occasion I was prevented going out the back with it pressing against my toes. I watched the Modern sidecar passengers and wondered at their ability to fold out like a book and swing along the bodywork with ease.
Unfortunately in practise I slammed against the wheel guard when we braked from full noise the first time and injured my chest, which later proved to be a broken rib, but it seemed ok at the time and we continued on.
First race we grided at position 3 and forgot I was a passenger and did not weight up the back wheel, Max had trouble getting off the line but by turn one we had made up for lost time and as we swept around turn one with the head about 300mm off the ground, more experienced passengers are lower, I developed a new perspective about the world. I can say it does look flat, round turn 2, move to the right as we climb up and swing right, grappling for hand holds as Howard came charging through, teasing Max to try harder, I was trying to remember which way the track went as we continued climbing a hill prior to swooping down and right towards the rear of the complex. The acceleration forces increased as Max may have forgotten the green boy in the chair. Howard sat tantalisingly close as Max chased him up and over Corporate hill. I took the opportunity to rest and take on air as I watched the very experienced passenger Adam in front and wondered if I could learn enough tips in the next few minutes to help to get near them. Under heavy braking at the bottom of corporate hill I placed the left leg forward to resist the invisible force that snuck up front behind and invited me to go over the front. I do have strong legs so I resisted that urge as we swung right and powered to the right sweeper and then a tighter left hand bend, hanging low, for me, and seeing for the first time this long overwhelming straight downhill run. I could feel Max get a sniff of catching Howard as the outfit pulled from under my legs and belted down past Howard as if he was standing still, feeling the air trying to wrench me backwards whilst the brain was saying hang in there there’s more of this to come. I dropped my head to the floor and could hear the wind passing over just like a storm at the beach and feel my toes hit the track. I could hear Howard behind us as our engine revs altered as I dropped out the left hand side as we swooped around turn 1, pressing myself against the wheel guard in anticipating of the braking manoeuvre / duel with Howard. Max gave it a bit extra juice as we grunted out of the corner, I missed the change over and as we went up and to the right I shot out the left with the legs flaying. I believe I developed the strength of 10 men as I hung on enough to twist the right leg over and tap Max in the ribs to let him know I was in trouble. We slowed enough for me to swing back on the deck properly just in time to suffer the heavy braking again. By this stage Howard had shot away and Max was not happy I could feel the machine leapt out of the road as he punched through the air to reduce the gap, knowing that if we kept in touch we could sweep past them on the main straight. We eventually came third as Max slowed to let me stay onboard. We had a time of 2.06.
Race two was different, I negotiated ½ a second at turn two, learnt to keep out of the wind down the straight and was over the back wheel for the start. From 3rd place we shot to the front in a moment swung left and I could feel the rush of blood in both Max and myself. I was ready for the braking duel with Howard, we hammered through the “wiggles’ where Howard is good, he passed us somewhere, I was not capable of seeing where he was with the newfound grunt that Max was applying. We swapped places many times as my glasses fell down across my eyes, my head was pumping inside the helmet and I managed to stay on somehow as we swung one way and then the other, up and down hill accelerating and braking in some order I cant remember. We came second with lap time of 2.019 an improvement.
When Max mentioned he thought we had another 5 secs a lap to go I panicked. I thought it was best to retire with dignity and honour while I was ahead. I knew another passenger Chris Trounson was available and when they went out he upstaged me by getting the time down another 3 secs immediately, showing a good and experienced passenger does contribute a lot. With Chris’s greater ability the team won the remaining 3 races. He is good and finished up getting a ride on an F2 Modern machine as well which managed to get down to 1.53.
By Sunday morning the body was in lockdown, but a walk around the streets of Blacktown got things moving as I pondered the chance of a ride in my normal role if an opportunity arose. It did not.
Today I have a greater appreciation of the efforts of passengers, I have come to realise that there are limits to some things we can do and I shall stay as a rider in the future paying even greater attention to the design of the machine for the passengers benefit.
I extend a special thanks to Max Hooper for the experience it was something I would not have walked up to do, but I am glad I did.
|
John Daley Sidecar #68
' there are those who do, those who dont do and those who undo. We must lampoon the latter." |
|
|
acotrel
Advanced Member
Victoria
2147 Posts |
Posted - 18 Aug 2004 : 4:42:14 PM
|
| I once had a ride with Barry Marshall on the H2 outfit on alky. He had me stretched out in the sidecar, and I didn't have the strength to pull myself forwrd into it. The answer is you use your feet to find footholds. I found a good one - I put my foot on his which was on the brake! |
Is your machine authentic or merely eligible? |
 |
|
|
Patrick
Level 3 Member
Victoria
314 Posts |
Posted - 18 Aug 2004 : 8:10:56 PM
|
Thats a great post John, I was with you all the way! [hanging on]
If you don't mind I will send a copy to some of my mates they are bound to be impressed. |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
|
|
| Classic Motorcycling Australia Forums |
© 2000 - 2025 |
|
|
|
|
Topic Locked
