Racing again (at last)

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FastFred said:
Just for information, my Honda 350 k4 makes 50bhp unbaffled which is a top spec engine. I have it rebuilt every 700 miles including crank strip and check. A modern TZ350 crank now can do 1000 miles. It's all about state of tune at the end of the day. I might enter Darley later on.
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I don't tink so, a TZ crank needs rebuilding every 600 racing miles, or the flywheel will move on the crankpin and pitch you off! Don't ask me how I know. . . . .
 
Finally able to sit down after last weekend (work, sorting bikes and just plain knackered of the old fart kind). Just to add to Ralf's report. This was my first time at Cadwell and my very first race. I had got to Snetterton end of last year, it was a bit of a disaster, the clutch gave up as did the ignition. I just made it round once to pull into the pits with a dead engine as the leader flashed past (Hodge on a TZ750), it was a push back to the trailer and an early bath. (The Sunday was a washout due rain so maybe fortunate!).
Those problems have been resolved and the bike performed flawlessly at Cadwell, not sure the rider did but at least 50% of the way there. I had a couple of embarrassing moments. The first was not recognising Ralf when he pulled along side in the muster area, I was distracted as I had left the choke on and the bike was sitting at 3000 rpm, it seemed to take an age before they released us. I used a lot of fuel on that practice.
The next was just before race 2, I pulled up next to my mate, and the engine died. I knew immediately what it was, I had forgotten to turn the fuel on!!. So followed much huffing and puffing with the marshall's help trying to bump it. Thankfully I was offered the use of rollers which got me going again.
Race wise it was not uneventful, the first race was delayed until after lunch from initially being the second race, due I believe, someone spraying everyone in oil. The second race was delayed due clearing the track, involved an ambulance!. Both times required sitting on the grid with engine running and worrying about it getting too hot.
Both races were fairly lonely affairs, I continued to bottle it before Coppice, having walked the track I can understand why you can take it flat out, difficult to persuade the right hand of this fact when approaching at speed. Cadwell even to my eye is a technical track, camber changes, vertical climbs and descents, blind corners and multi apexs. My favourite bit turned out to be the Mountain, maybe a few years going flat out at and over sand dunes helped. I think I did one overtake which was on the Mountain.
Time wise 2.11 in timed practice, chatting to some of the experts I thought I should get that down to 2.05, and second race I did. Darley Moor next! Maybe see some of you there, my number is 71. I plan on entering the Classic Formula 750 again, plus Classic 1300, just as there is no substitute for race time.
 
Bernhard said:
Having once owned a TZ 350, It's no hardship to get it that way on a 2 stroke, all I used was a dial gauge in the plug hole to time it before tdc, its having to carefully run in new piston rings, and not set the carbs up weak.like all things that get old, electronic ignition systems have a limited lifespan.
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With a two-stroke, the jetting is so important that even the slightest change in the ignition timing can spell disaster. Using methanol fuel usually gives you twice the margin for error when compared with petrol. In a two stroke, it is as difficult to get perfect as petrol. With a large four-stroke, the tuning is much easier. In the old days, if you raced Yamaha two-stroke, everything cost $1000. I hate to think what it would cost now.
 
All this talk of TZ350's is turning me back to the "dark side"! 40 years ago I sold up all my Norton stuff, aproddie race commando and a seeley rolling chassis in order to buy a Spondon TZ350E , could this be History repeating?
 
Bernhard said:
I don't tink so, a TZ crank needs rebuilding every 600 racing miles, or the flywheel will move on the crankpin and pitch you off! Don't ask me how I know. . . . .
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I'm not talking about a standard crank Bernhard
 
Steves said:
Finally able to sit down after last weekend (work, sorting bikes and just plain knackered of the old fart kind). Just to add to Ralf's report. This was my first time at Cadwell and my very first race. I had got to Snetterton end of last year, it was a bit of a disaster, the clutch gave up as did the ignition. I just made it round once to pull into the pits with a dead engine as the leader flashed past (Hodge on a TZ750), it was a push back to the trailer and an early bath. (The Sunday was a washout due rain so maybe fortunate!).
Those problems have been resolved and the bike performed flawlessly at Cadwell, not sure the rider did but at least 50% of the way there. I had a couple of embarrassing moments. The first was not recognising Ralf when he pulled along side in the muster area, I was distracted as I had left the choke on and the bike was sitting at 3000 rpm, it seemed to take an age before they released us. I used a lot of fuel on that practice.
The next was just before race 2, I pulled up next to my mate, and the engine died. I knew immediately what it was, I had forgotten to turn the fuel on!!. So followed much huffing and puffing with the marshall's help trying to bump it. Thankfully I was offered the use of rollers which got me going again.
Race wise it was not uneventful, the first race was delayed until after lunch from initially being the second race, due I believe, someone spraying everyone in oil. The second race was delayed due clearing the track, involved an ambulance!. Both times required sitting on the grid with engine running and worrying about it getting too hot.
Both races were fairly lonely affairs, I continued to bottle it before Coppice, having walked the track I can understand why you can take it flat out, difficult to persuade the right hand of this fact when approaching at speed. Cadwell even to my eye is a technical track, camber changes, vertical climbs and descents, blind corners and multi apexs. My favourite bit turned out to be the Mountain, maybe a few years going flat out at and over sand dunes helped. I think I did one overtake which was on the Mountain.
Time wise 2.11 in timed practice, chatting to some of the experts I thought I should get that down to 2.05, and second race I did. Darley Moor next! Maybe see some of you there, my number is 71. I plan on entering the Classic Formula 750 again, plus Classic 1300, just as there is no substitute for race time.
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Well done for getting out there and racing, it gets easier and a bit less stressful as you get more accustomed to all the signing on, noise control, inspections etc. See you at Darley.
 
FastFred said:
Well done for getting out there and racing, it gets easier and a bit less stressful as you get more accustomed to all the signing on, noise control, inspections etc. See you at Darley.
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In Australia, some clubs run 'senior's meetings'. You can turn up on the day and theoretically if the age of bike and rider total more than 90 years, you can race on a single-event licence. In effect, even the kids get a ride . The race classes are very loosely defined. It is a lot of fun. - Trouble is that some guys need a championship to boost their egos, then they don't really race anyway.
 
There is an easy way to win historic races - just run your TZ350 on methanol. The wear rate is horrendous, so why would you bother ?
 
Steves said:
Finally able to sit down after last weekend (work, sorting bikes and just plain knackered of the old fart kind). Just to add to Ralf's report. This was my first time at Cadwell and my very first race. I had got to Snetterton end of last year, it was a bit of a disaster, the clutch gave up as did the ignition. I just made it round once to pull into the pits with a dead engine as the leader flashed past (Hodge on a TZ750), it was a push back to the trailer and an early bath. (The Sunday was a washout due rain so maybe fortunate!).
Those problems have been resolved and the bike performed flawlessly at Cadwell, not sure the rider did but at least 50% of the way there. I had a couple of embarrassing moments. The first was not recognising Ralf when he pulled along side in the muster area, I was distracted as I had left the choke on and the bike was sitting at 3000 rpm, it seemed to take an age before they released us. I used a lot of fuel on that practice.
The next was just before race 2, I pulled up next to my mate, and the engine died. I knew immediately what it was, I had forgotten to turn the fuel on!!. So followed much huffing and puffing with the marshall's help trying to bump it. Thankfully I was offered the use of rollers which got me going again.
Race wise it was not uneventful, the first race was delayed until after lunch from initially being the second race, due I believe, someone spraying everyone in oil. The second race was delayed due clearing the track, involved an ambulance!. Both times required sitting on the grid with engine running and worrying about it getting too hot.
Both races were fairly lonely affairs, I continued to bottle it before Coppice, having walked the track I can understand why you can take it flat out, difficult to persuade the right hand of this fact when approaching at speed. Cadwell even to my eye is a technical track, camber changes, vertical climbs and descents, blind corners and multi apexs. My favourite bit turned out to be the Mountain, maybe a few years going flat out at and over sand dunes helped. I think I did one overtake which was on the Mountain.
Time wise 2.11 in timed practice, chatting to some of the experts I thought I should get that down to 2.05, and second race I did. Darley Moor next! Maybe see some of you there, my number is 71. I plan on entering the Classic Formula 750 again, plus Classic 1300, just as there is no substitute for race time.
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Nice one Steve, I got to watch the race after dinner although I didn't see you until the last lap.

Just had to look up where Coppice is and I agree it is a bottle corner, I decided last year it would be possible flat but I still come back a gear, I was asking a mate about it and he said to be careful because if you run out too wide it becomes negative camber and pushes you off the track, still, it doesn't seem to bother the real quick lads.

Still undecided about Darley, good possibility though.
 
Moto55UK said:
All this talk of TZ350's is turning me back to the "dark side"! 40 years ago I sold up all my Norton stuff, aproddie race commando and a seeley rolling chassis in order to buy a Spondon TZ350E , could this be History repeating?
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Hi Mke, I was with a mate of mine at Cadwell and he was on a Spondon TZ, suffering from off throttle chatter though. horrible smelly thing it is.
 
storm42 said:
We are not allowed to run methanol in TZs
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Neither are we. Is it a problem when fuel checks are only conducted at major championship events, as long as your fuel drum is labelled as containing petrol. You can smell when methanol is being used, however in pre-73 bikes, it is legal in Australia. Can you tell where a smell comes from at a race track ? One of the things which really makes me laugh at historic events are the cheaters. As far as I am concerned, I don't care what they ride, except when two-strokes get raced against four-strokes and vice-versa. I don't like that. Racing a TZ350 in our Period 5 is an expensive waste of an excellent motorcycle. Most of the other bikes are large 4 cylinder four-strokes. The exercise is pointless. I'd have loved to race the TZ350G which I sold to buy the 6 speed box for my Seeley. But I am too smart for that stupidity. It is not what road racing ever was.
 
When you road race, finishing ahead of certain bikes is important. In Victoria, there are a couple of other guys who race Seeley Commandos in Period 4 Historic, the other large four-stroke twins, usually run in Perod 3 which is a drum-brake class, or in Period 5 against the really quick stuff and go nowhere. Period 4 is dominated by 1100cc methanol-fuelled Hondas which can be beaten. But for me, beating them is nowhere near as good as beating the fast guys on the Seeley Commandos. It does not matter where you all end up at the finish of the race as long as you are ahead of the guys who are riding the similar bikes to your own - even if your race only involves three bikes at the back of the field.
If you see another rider on a bevel Ducati and you are on a Norton, you should try very hard to finish ahead of them.
 
When I raced years ago, I had a 500cc short stroke Triton which was deadly but uncompetitive against the Z900 and H2 Kawasakis in All-powers races. There was another guy who used to race a 650cc Triton which had been originally built by an A-grade rider. I still know him. He is what is known as a 'frienemy' - an ass-hole. I could never convincingly beat him. I could often get up beside him, but I could never get in front and stay there. However in struggling to defeat him, I learned how to race extremely fast - because we rode similar bikes, we had similar problems. These days the Seeley 850 is a very easy ride for me - I just get on it and go. That guy is still around, but careful to stay away from me with his motorcycle, these days.
 
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Right, Steve, Mike and Fred, my entries are in for Darley. Hope to see you all there. I might be riding in the Thunderfest the following day if Frank gets enough entries, the year is looking up.
 
Excellent, I am in races 6a and 7c, number is 71 though that may change. Will be looking for a tow (on the track) c u there Ralph, Mike and Fred.
 
Ralph, Steve, Mike and Fred,
I can't talk to you right now!
I would love to be there.
I will ask Al if he's racing.
Wow Commandos out there racing, how fantastic is that.
All the best
 
SteveA said:
They tell me there is a cure for that!!
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:) He went and had a word with Ant Hart and he said he has been trying to cure his for 2 years, he gets round Caddy in under 1:40 on his.

He has changed his clip ons this morning though and found the steering stem nut was about an 1/8 turn loose, that wouldn't help.
 
Have fun at Darley boyz... and do let us less fortunate / adventurous types know how y’all get on woncha?
 
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