East Fortune 2024

It was time for the annual pilgrimage North. With the van loaded and fully fuelled we headed up the A1 to East Fortune.

Once we got there we had a great success in finding parking on the concrete, and even more success with putting up the awning properly now that we had the instructions and knowledge from the supplier.

Scrutineering all passed it was soon time for first practice, which went well, and we felt the extra punch having dropped the final drive ratio as the circuit is short. We had a minor issue with the clutch dragging but it was adjusted. The other thing that was strange was the behaviour out of the hairpin, but a conversation was had over getting more weight onto the front of the bike so Mark had more control.

Next up was qualifying, with an internal goal set of knocking 9 seconds off the pace from last year (10%) which we did achieve, and were still experimenting with line and methods of working the track. With the weight being brought forward out of the hairpin, there was some excellent drive towards the chicane.

It was finally time for the race, with the sidecar 2 rows in front of us stalling on the grid I have no idea how we and everyone else missed them, even the start marshal was looking very worried, I’m sure I saw his hand twitch towards the red flag.

We zoomed off into the first corner catching back up with a few due to having to take the evasive actions. Powering out of the first corner the engine went to Deuggah duggah…. we promptly pulled over to the side off the track unsure what we had broken. After finally getting recovered and having to have the push of shame back to the pits we knew something was not right, all the gears still worked, the drive shaft wasn’t broken, but the engine would not turn over. The decision was made that it was time to put everything away and open a beer, something had gone inside the engine that we do not have a spare of. It turns out that if both pistons are on the same part of the cycle it is pretty terminal. (Anyone got an R75 crankshaft?).

Thank you to all the people who offered to help and support on Saturday afternoon, and also to those who when we went nope the crankshaft is snapped understood that we were not going to strip the bike at the trackside.

All in all not a great weekend, the search is on for a crankshaft, and if we can ever find a spare engine!

So what did we learn?
The lorry will do about 400 miles before it needs an LPG fill up.
It takes a loooooong time to fill the LPG tank from empty!
We can put the awning up and down quickly and finally know how to do it.
Lighting inside the awning is really nice!
How to keep the front end of the sidecar down.
Some days are just one of those days.


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