Preparation for Carole

So, it is now the 13th May, and I am back from my first race in Paris with the Proclassic series. An exciting and somewhat stressful weekend which started last Wednesday!

Wednesday, I worked from home, and good to their word my cylinders and new pistons were ready from the machine shop. I am now running pistons at 65.25, another complete rebore! Everything looked OK, and they had helicoiled my loose stud, and tested all the others.

Due to a cock up with the gasket order, Yam still hadn't received my gaskets, but they promised that Thursday they would be there. This was seriously compromising my running in time, as the plan was to leave for Paris on the Friday morning. Thursday afternoon came and went, with no news from Yam - shit! So Thursday evening Libby and I spent an hour making some base gaskets out of cornflake packets! This is OK as the originals are only paper gaskets, but you need to make sure they are the correct thickness as this can effect the combustion chamber volume, and hence cause detonation - dangerous!

Everything else went together OK, and come 11:00 pm we were ready for a quick test before loading up the trailer.... SHIT... it's leaking water.... from...... it appears that when I had replaced the clutch springs I had done something with a small "O" ring that seals a water hose going through the clutch case. Oh well, at least I have another one. So drain the gearbox, and water, remove the cluth cover, and yes effectively the diagnostic was accurate the 'O' ring had been munched... and SHIT the new one is not the right size. After some panic and digging around, I managed to find another one that was roughly right. Anyway at this time of night, we need to try something and go to bed.

This time, no water leak, and the bike started second kick. No time to try it and the neighbours are sleeping, so it's off to bed and we'll load the trailor in the morning.

6:30 am, after six hours sleep, we load up, and are off to Paris at around 7:15. The weather forecast for the weekend is not great, however it has been improving all week. We arrive at the Circuit de Carole at around 13:30, just in time to get in two free practise sessions at 15:00 and then 17:00. Fortunately there is a really nice little access road that goes completely around the circuit and should be perfect for running in!

We setup up the awning in 5 minutes, a great invention, although the wind is pretty strong, so we hold it down with large lumps of concrete that seem to have been left there for the purpose. With the trailer open and the awning and the car we have enough room, I park next to a guy with a very nice CBR1100 (air cooled) Franck Bachelet who introduces himself and gives me some advice for the concrete blocks, there are apparently lots of local Paris guys who will only be arriving on the Saturday.

The bike is going OK, although it seems to hesitate a little, but I am keeping to 6000 rpm, around the outside of the circuit. The first practice session on the circuit is OK. Everything is flashing past quickly, however I am learning the circuit, and getting the miles in, although I still have this hesitation. The second session, and there is definately a problem, it won't rev above 6K, and is hesitating badly....

After some interesting conversations and lots of discussion with some knowledgable folks, could be anything, from an air leak (oil seal on the crank) to bad oil (!). Anyway I go back to my old troubleshooting skills, and ask myself what has changed! The only thing that seems valid (and that I can do) is change back the main jets to a standard size, remember I have gone up a size to try and cure my recurrent seizes. Anyway that is what I do, so rip off the carbs, change the jets, and re-assemble everything. The plan is potentially to get a few more external laps in to finish the run in.

We can't start the bike, and it starts to rain.... A great weekend this is going to be! Libby and I pack up and go for a pizza - things will be better after a nights sleep.

Most people from out of town, are sleeping over in the pits, so there are people barbecuing, quietly talking and generally having a pleasant evening. We are sleeping in the back of the car, so we install ourselves confortabley in the back of the Espace, and "lights out".