Racers really are a different breed

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Craig380
Expert racer
Posts: 1250
Joined: Mon Dec 01, 2008 2:52 am
Location: Manchester, UK

Racers really are a different breed

Post by Craig380 »

In the current issue of 'Classic Bike Guide' there's a track test of the Norton Rotary on which Steve Hislop won the 1992 Senior TT at the Isle of Man.

The tester, Alan Cathcart, said one of the problems adjusting to the bike was 1) the high idle speed and 2) the 'surging' of the rotary engine, both of which tended to keep pushing the bike forward when the rider wanted to get it stopped and turning in.

Cathcart said he consulted Ron Haslam, the legendary racer about what he did. Ron's advice was: "I used to brake really hard to get the back wheel off the ground, then apply a bit of rear brake with the wheel in the air to get the revs right down so it wasn't pushing me into the corner any more ...." :wth: :shock: :wth:

How do they even THINK about doing this sort of thing, let alone have the skills to actually DO it?

Mind you, Ron was once asked by another GP rider how he managed to go so fast in the wet. Ron's answer was: "I wind it on until the back end starts sliding, then I back it off a bit ..." Easy when you know how, isn't it? :mrgreen:
1976 GT380 - wounded by me, and sold on
2006 SV650S - killed by a patch of diesel and a kerb in Feb 2019
2017 SV650 AL7 - naked and unashamed
rngdng
AMA Superbike
Posts: 1769
Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2008 6:47 pm
Location: Blythewood, SC, USA

Re: Racers really are a different breed

Post by rngdng »

Yeah, those guys are nuts!!



Lane
If you stroke it more than twice; you're playing with it.

Too many bikes, too much time, ENOUGH SPACE, FINALLY! Never enough money.........
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