It was getting near the first race, and I had never used the bike OR been on a circuit for a number of years. Time to find a track day! The nearest circuit to Grenoble is in fact “le Circuit du Laquis” , however they do not allow motorcycles and therefore I needed to look further a field. The circuit de Ledenon, is situated about 11 kms north of Nimes, about 2.5 hours from my house, and so on a blustery March morning the family (yes my kids and wife) accompanied me to Ledenon. The circuit organizes training days which are relatively inexpensive (16 Euros per 20 minutes), organized by sessions depending on your level (beginner or experienced).
When we arrived in the pits car park, to say it was windy would be an understatement, people who had camped had their tents blown horizontally! People were arriving, and leaving just as quickly! I queued up to book my sessions, a total of 4 as a start!
We unloaded the bike, my son, Oliver removed the centre stand whilst I tried to get into my leathers (after a heavy Christmas – this was difficult!). We had difficulties starting the bike, which was strange, as I had charged the battery well the evening before, and I got busy checking that we hadn’t pulled anything loose when we tied the bike down! Eventually we managed to push start the bike, and I made it to the pit lane for the start of my first session.
You have to imagine the scene a little, with me on my 24 year bike, with brand new leathers, amongst a crazed band of youngsters on everything from race prepared Yamaha R1’s to Ducati 999’s etc… you get the picture. After a very quick look at me and the bike the starter allowed us through in small groups, and suddenly we were OFF, I was quite happy staying towards the back especially as the wind was blowing me off line (what line?) at every corner, well at least 2 corners……
Coming up to a heavy left hander the bike suddenly started making a funny noise…. Clutch where’s the clutch….. sssszzzzz. Shit I think it’s seized! The nearest marshal comes running up flapping his yellow flag. I try to start the bike again (mistake) and it starts so I make my way gingerly around the track road. It stalls again, and I get picked up by the track van, and taken back to the pits, where I sit waiting for my pit crew to come back. Obviously with no centre stand I can not `park` the bike, and with the wind I don’t trust leaning it up against the car!! I am really pissed off this is not how I imagined it!
After some checking, I of course (clues are above) discover that there is no oil getting to the carbs…. BOLLOCKS…. I can not understand what the pump is doing but it is not pumping that’s for sure! OK what to do next. Having some sense for money I send off my pit girls (Carly and Lib) to sell me 3 other sessions, whilst I sink into depression….. I then had a brilliant idea! What if we take some oil out of the oil tank and mix it with the petrol in the petrol tank and see if I can start it? Not having bought any scientific measuring containers, we siphon “enough” oil, out of the tank to add it to the petrol, yes but how much petrol is in the tank, and what mixture should it be? Theses are all very sensible questions, to which I had no answer. The team made the decision to add enough oil, ---- until it smokes!!
Funnily enough, we kept adding oil, and it never really smoked at all…. But we got well past 3% (at least I think).
I had already missed the next session, and so we had lunch whilst contemplating the team strategy!
Déjà vu… I ‘ve been here before, surrounded by huge bikes, with tyres a lot stickier than mine… here goes. FULL THROTTLE!
The two afternoon sessions were conclusive. First conclusion – there are a lot of people out there quicker than I. Second conclusion – The &*^^%$# wind is too strong. Every bend against the wind was fine as it would push you into the circuit, the other side however was a matter of hanging on for dear life as you were pushed nearer and nearer the gravel traps – no fun at all! Well OK, I did have fun, but I really hope that not all circuits are on top of small hills in the direct force of the Mistral wind blowing it’s hardest.
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