Magny-Cours Bol d'Or Classic

So back from the weekend at Magny-Cours at the Bol d'Or Classic weekend. Libby and I were signed up for the parade laps. Six sessions, 2 per day on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday. We got there around 11:00 am on the Friday, and got straight to the sign-in desk, as our first session was at 13:30. The bikes also had to go through a rudimentary scrutineering, with our equipment. All that was done, and the stress was increasing (for Libby) this was her first time at a big event, and the first time at Magny-Cours. She was now managing to start the bike on her own, so I think she less anxious about sitting on the pre-grid.

The first session was great, I stayed with Lib for the first lap - trying to show her the way around. There were at least 3 other RG 500 in the session, but I was the only one really opening up! The bike was great, with really nice power above 7.5K all the way through to about 11K. I wasn't pushing it in the first laps as I had taken a complete guess at the main jet sizes (260 all round). I was really careful to choke the bike at the braking for Adelaide as the end of biggest straight. I cut the igntion at the end of the session to try and preserve some colour on the plugs, which turned out to be a really nice chocolate brown, although the left cylinders were slightly lighter than the right side - don't know why? Chris (bruv.) arrived in the afternoon, and we went out for the second session at the end of the afternoon, and had a great time, I started to really open the RG up, as the jetting was near enough right. Still a big hole before 7.5K I will try to raise the needles for the next session. I had put on a second hand rear Pirelli SuperCorsa I had bought off ebay, which I completely forgot, so it was operating OK. The temperature hung around 71 degrees centigrade which I was well pleased with, although I am not sure if this is a result of the new radiater cap or because of something else - that is the problem of changing loads of stuff at once. In the evening the classic and post classic bikes were out for qualification for the Bol d'Or, and we were surprised to find some of our mates from ProClassic, so we followed with interest the qualification sessions

Quite a good event with a jumble and some professional stands (I bought some new ear plugs - 18 Euros so I hope they are good). I also found some rubber caps for some brake bleed nipples that I was missing. There were also some interesting clubs there, with Ural side cars, Z900 club etc..

Saturday we had another two sessions, unfortunately I lost the front end going into Estoril, which is a long fast right hander leading onto the Golf straight. I don't know why, maybe some oil on the track, I was in a higher gear than normal so perhaps I didn't have enough drive going into the bend, anyway I found myself on my back looking at the bike sliding away into the gravel trap!

After a brief trip in the breakdown truck back to the pits, I inspected the bike, and too my relief there was not much damage. The right hand side fairing was scraped, the carbon air deflector had worn through, and one carb was a little scraped. The main damage was taken on the footrest and clipon, and brake lever which had snapped. The worst was trying to clear out all the gravel - it gets in everywhere, I recovered a couple of stones from in the bellmouths, but the rotary valves were all OK, and the engine turned over nice and smooth by hand.

I replace the brake lever, and the footrest, bodged some tape over the fairing holes, stuck the air deflector back on and we were ready to go out again!

Libby didn't want to go out in the last session, so I took the 350 out, which was good fun, although I really need to back off the gold valves a couple of turns as the front end chatters considerabley.

With night falling, the rain started, and we watched the Bol d'Or first round race, which was wet to say the least - shame!

We have rain all night, and we were due out at 8:30, but we both decided to stay in bed! The rain continued into the morning, and we decided to abandon ship. We packed up everything in the wet, and made our way home!

Now the carbs are setup for (2 notch from the top) for C-en-T in a weeks time, so I will test them there!

Technical Update - Pickup, fairing molds etc...

Been busy in the garage again, trying to get the RG started. Since installing my Dent pickup I have only managed to start it once - after much sweating on the kickstart!  And even then it didn't run right. Mark actually replied to my email, although just reassuring me that it would work - if the gap was right. I will wait 'til after the Magny-Cours weekend before playing with it again. He didn't tell me what the gap should be, but discussions on the Gamma list would lead me to testing with the plugs out and trying different gaps, until I can get a decent signal from it. Have re-installed the original one which fired the bike first time, I quickly checked the carbs (balance), and adjusted the tickover slightly - I will need to do this again before packing the bike in the van.


I need to remember to switch ignition programs.....

As far as the molds are going I couldn't remove the clay plugs without damaging them, so I just soaked them in water, and they came out as liquid mud! The molds are OK... still a few bubbles and stuff but they are alright for a first go - I am sure I will have to create some more.

Anyway you can see them here with 2 layers of carbon weave which will have to be trimmed off this evening and then I need to think about how I am going to attach them to the fairing.