First run out at Ramsey and look at the fingers in ears.
This was to be the first outing for the Chester Harley Davidson Destroyer.
Before the first outing over at Ramsey, we decided to get the bike out of the van and check it over I know it had all been done at the shop before we left but, well, I’m riding it. So, I need to make myself comfortable with what I’m sitting on.
A critical part of the chassis set up on this type of bike is the ‘wheelie’ bar set up. If they are to low the rear tyre will unload and spin. If they are to high the bars hit the floor very hard and that again will unload the rear tyre and cause wheel to spin.
So down on the seafront in Douglas for a bit of early evening spannering to settle my mind, we fitted the wheelie bars on and set up how we thought they should be set. Within about 10 minutes of starting work a large crowd had formed, normal really in Douglas, I’ve spent many a long night rebuilding engines there with passers by intrigued at how someone can build or prep a bike to race with nothing more than the sea front for a workshop.
Many questions were asked during the hour or so we had the bike out, the best question is always. “What does it sound like”?
“Loud”. Is always the answer.
To be honest the only way to explain the sound is just to start it up. Well it would be rude not too.
The start up was an absolute screem, a couple of guys who had been chatting with us were standing quite close…. Up until the engine boomed into life with an explosion of sound. One of the guys literaly jumped off the floor onto his mate nearly crushing him. We couldn’t stand for laughing.
That was enough fun for one day.
Race day. The Mad Sunday sprint at Ramsey.
Well this was the big day, the first outing for the Destroyer and the first time one would be raced on the Isle of Man, and a first for me too. I had never ridden a bike with a square slick and wheelie bars.
During the few days prior to the Sprint I had spent a great deal of time with Trevor Duckworth, one of the UK’s most respected racers, one who had won many championships over the years and who also set many world speed records, he still holds 17 of them. He also organises the Straightliners Championship.
This is one man who over the years I have been racing has inspired me the most. As I said earlier we had spent time chatting about the bike and how to ride with the wheelie bars, a very different method of riding indeed, to what I am use to.
After checking the bike over and having one last pep talk from Trevor it was time to try my first run on the bike.
So here we were, ready for the burn out, on my other bike its quite easy to do, but the Destroyer has a very grippy slick tyre on the back. I needed a little assistance to get it spinning to get some heat into it. Trev and one of the start line crew just took some weight off the back off the bike to help get the tyre spinning, a good burn out completed and I backed the bike up onto the rubber just laid down. I glanced at the spectators stood by the start line fingers firmly jammed in ears.
I looked at Trev, Im sure he sensed some nerves he just smiled and shouted.
“If it all goes sideways don’t shut off just hit another gear and maul it straight”.
Now this wasn’t something that we had discussed before, what a thing to just casualy drop on me now.
Right then, no time for wimping out now, roll the bike into stage, open the throttle onto the stop and let the clutch out, no slipping the clutch just let it go and hang on.
Holy C**p, this thing nearly left me at the line whilst it went its own way, and then it happened, the track is on a camber and the back wheel started to spin and slide down toward the kerb, in my head I could here Trev shout hit another gear, I hit 2 and mauled it back on line, Phew going straight….ish at last.
The rest of the day was spent learning how to ride the bike, finishing up with a 6.7 @ 112 over the 1/8 mile. The only problems of the day were the gearing and the rev limiter being set to low.
Awesome experience for sure.