CAN-AM SPYDER RT - Cycle Torque

editoriaL
ThE PiTS
I RECKoN most race fans,
whether it be motocross,
road racing or even V8
supercars, have no real
idea of the life in the pits.
Tension, frustration, glory
and elation are all part of
the game but making sure
your rider or driver is ready
to race is often harder for
the team than it is for them
to be on the track.
Of course this all depends
on the conditions of your
particular pit. If you are
working for a Formula
One team it would mean
clean garages, with plenty
of space, pretty girls, nice
catered lunches and good
motels.
The other end of the
spectrum could be a
motocross meeting in
country Australia, where a
Quikshade, sangas and soft
drink is all the comfort you
get. Spare parts in plastic
tubs and a small box filled
with tools from Supercheap.
Your mechanic in the dusty
pits? Well, that would be
your dad most likely.
In club racing it’s all done
for the love of it. You tend to
see more and more people
wearing race style shirts
with their team emblazoned
on it, and maybe some
sponsors, but generally each
race meeting is a juggle
between what’s absolutely
necessary and what isn’t.
Your income usually
dictates where you
sit between these two
scenarios, whether you
are driving a beat up ute
or Hiace van and sleeping
in the back of it, or if you
are turning up in a new
Mercedes jumbo van and
living it up at a nice motel.
But whatever your income
stream, it can still go either
way in the pits and on the
track. Take the recent World
Superbike round at Phillip
Island for example. Paying
spectators see the action on
the track but in many ways
the real action and drama
is in the pit garages. Cycle
Torque was there to race in
the Superstock 600 class and
we had a shocker, but we
weren’t the only ones.
I’ll give you a snapshot
of what happened to five
bikes sitting side by side
in the pit tents at Phillip
Island. The riders and
their teams experienced
everything from elation to
deflation. Often the pressure
can feel overwhelming,
and it matters not whether
it’s forced on you or self
inflicted, the stress levels
can be high.
Three different brands of
motorcycle covered these
five and the space between
each one was minimal.
Packed in like sardines,
two bikes and gear, people,
tables, tyre warmers, tools
etc were packed in a 6x3m
section. At the track you are
often working on the bike, if
only to put in fuel or check
tyre pressures, but you’re
always doing something.
Practice and qualifying
went well enough for each
one of these five riders but
38 - APRIL 2010 www.cycletorque.com.au
TORQUING BACK
LETTERS
at not the run completion events but of hire qualifying the we Yes had I know lane people (same will electrical say issue again – self
facilities to the clubs that this is changing but I
a brake then run hose the jump events ship. and Whose do fault can assure inflicted), you as a person one bike crash and three
all the work etc as now.
who mixes with a lot of
was that? Well number one mechanic good results. More frantic action in the
If all the funds collected in uential people not
– me. from In the the charity rush to rides change around tyres after involved in pits, motorcycling one team it trying to trace the fault
the country were directed to de nitely is not. For many
practice Keep Kids to make Off The it Street, out for qualifying how years I I have and suggested one team a repairing a crashed bike,
long would it take to achieve charity be formed named Keep
positioned one of the front brake hoses all within a metre and a half of each
a facility like Lakeside
Kids Off The Street. The idea
under Raceway, the front which guard was recently rather than of over this is other. all motorcycle No room, frustration and much
up for sale? I doubt if it charity is directed to this
it. would Out my take rider more went than two for qualifying and the sole head purpose scratching. of this But we are all friends
years to accumulate enough charity is to own real estate
and when he returned and stopped to and you just accommodate each other’s
to purchase such a facility for motorcycling.
have and the within control 10 years tyres a checked, similar the hose needs in such a small area.
facility in each state I feel
attached would be itself achievable. to a hot tyre and ripped Magee defence We all had a long wait for race three.
What a bene t to motorcycling I am a regular podcast
out when he rode off. That caused a In that time people were lounging
and this would be there
listener of yours and a long
frantic forever, run just around getting
time motorcyclist having just
the pits to procure around, some left the track and went
more facilities each year, clocked up 50 years since
spares. leaving We a borrowed legacy of enormous a full front brake my rst Honda back Monkey to their bike rented house and we
proportions to the future of ride that got me hooked for
system off Aark Racing for the first managed to put our bike in gear with
motorcycling.
life. I still after 54 years won a GP.
race and then also borrowed Ron of life can’t get enough
hoses off a the tyre warmers still on! Normally
Queensland of motorcycles and turn
World Supersport team. Thanks guys! to podcasts I don’t to enhance make my those sorts of mistakes.
As a motorcyclist all my
knowledge.
Everyone life including else many was years fine but the first I was listening Ages ago to the I happened to make a
race racing was and to bring being problems in the
latest podcast and was
to light. comment to the father of one of the
motorcycle business it has shocked to hear Darren Smart
Two always bikes concerned had electrical me that issues the which say that Kevin riders Magee’s in our group of five. “You win
motorcycle movement gives
remarks regarding the World riders are.
caused so much them to charity to miss and the yet start, the Superbike other Championships
races in the shed long before you get
three the had public good still results. basically Happy and were sad outdated. to the Now track,” Kevin, I may have said. I was
hate us while bureaucrats, as anyone would know, was
faces councils in the and five politicians pits. see a legend of constantly the sport reminded and of this statement
us as fodder for legislation hence deserves a bit more
Race two saw one bike start from pit many times over the weekend. Our
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families were sharing in the the Studio) same it’s rented on
the Cycle Torque website
house so I couldn’t (www.cycletorque.com.
escape his taunts. I
au/podCastList.php). You
did see the irony can also of it search all though. for Plenty Cycle
Torque in iTunes
of dramas for Team (www.itunes.com)and
Cycle Torque, and all
subscribe to our audio,
self inflicted. video and eMag podcasts,
all free – NP.
Well, our last race came up and once
again the gremlins Double in our standards
electrical
I have noticed what seems
system stopped to be us a double from starting standard the
regarding the law of wearing
race. The fastest helmets rider while out riding of the five got
motorcycles.
taken out while leading the race, so he
When our brother motorcyclist
wasn’t happy. who We wears also colours weren’t on his happy back
rides his bike in a funeral
but everyone cavalcade else was. he, I under could the go law, on
is not allowed to remove the
about the final results of each single
helmet as a mark of respect
rider but let’s for just his say mate. one rider won the
But the ladies of the other
round, one sexual rider didn’t persuasion score are any points
applauded and encouraged
and the other three were in between.
to bare all and ride their
Last year motorcycles Team Cycle without Torque helmets had
around the streets of Sydney
some good at results, the annual finishing Gay and well Lesbian in the
Mardi-Gras.
MRRDA series. Karma had to get us
Don’t get me wrong I feel
some time wearing I suppose a helmet and it is looks sensible. like it
Thank you for a great paper/
chose the first mag. round Great of price the too. ASBK to do
Henry Drap
it. I hope it pisses off for the rest of the NSW
season.
Send your letters to
chris@cycletorque.com.au
– Chris Pickett
The glory side of racing. Relaxed looks belies the intensity behind the scenes.
18 - APRIL 2010 APRIL 2010 - 19
against us.
respect than that I feel.
2010
I look forward to Kevin’s
input to the sport and it
has always been obvious that
he puts a lot of time and
effort into his broadcasts.
He ‘personalises’ what is a
very intense series and the
fact that he knows the riders
and they know him means that
often things that Kevin talks
about would mean that without
him we would have no idea
of what might be the real
story behind an incident,
for example other than the
of cial press release. I had
to have a bit of a laugh to
myself to think that someone
who is from a dirt bike
background by the sound of
your introduction would seem
to think he would know more
about WSBK than someone who
has raced them not to mention
Darren is entitled to his
opinion as we all are but I
think in the case of Kevin
Magee he should understand
that there are a lot of
people out here that think
Kevin is as important to
the game as the current day
Paul Manson
Wauchope, NSW
Smarty thought some
of Magee’s were a bit
outdated. If you missed
the podcast (CT #45 - Back
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