Update - The first race
Wow, so much has happened since I last existed in this world. Nothing major, just action packed weekends in the last little while.
On the 17th (June) we headed down to Shannonville for the first Vintage race of our season. I wish I had taken pictures of the progression of bike building that took place for the month prior.
Hubby had gone up to the local cycle salvage (Lina and I call it the motorcycle graveyard) on or around May 18th. I wondered what he was up, yes, but I have faith in his ideas. Hubby however, kept shaking his head and saying things like "this is nuts" and "this is funny". See he had it in his mind that it was about time that he got off his butt and built his own bike. He has been borrowing Jody's bikes to race. Last year he bought an RD off a young kid and rebuilt that to race but he wasn't able to race it because he crashed and broke, dislocated and fractured his left wrist. Jody did race it and did well, but Hubby hates the unreliable-ness of 2-strokes, so the bike is sitting in our garage this year.
Anyway.... He chose two Honda CB350 frames. I say frames because other than having engines in the frames, there was little else on the bikes. He was able to peel the seat off of one which exploded in a puff of rotten sponge and only one of the bikes had the front end on it. To get them into the van he had to rock the frames back and to get them uprooted from the grass that was growing through them. So they came into the garage to join the pack of bikes. (We have about 12 motorcycles in the garage now - 3 of them are Linas). Over one month Hubby had an engine rebuilt, the frame sandblasted and repainted, found a front end, stole parts off the RD (tire, wiring, etc.) and voila Wednesday before we leave, they start it once in the rain. Thursday before they leave they get it running on all cylinders and then Friday we pack up and leave.
It was a great weekend, didn't sleep much on the Friday as a million mosquitos made they way into the trailer and the noise of their buzzing (and biting) drove up nuts!
Hubby and Jody raced in the P2 Light class (one up from the bikes abilities - Jody races a CB350 too). Jody finished first after starting from the back of the grid and Hubby finished 5th! Yay little bike. That was after Jody blew the engine the day before during practise and they had to borrow another engine from another racer and install it. Hubby had to continuously work bugs out of his bike too. They also raced the P1 Class (the class their bikes were meant for) and Jody finished 3rd and Hubby 4th. It was all great fun to watch. At one point they were side by side and afterward Hubby told us that he actually reached out his leg and pretended to kick Jody. It's great to see them able to race the same class together for once.
The next race is on July 23 and 24th in St. Estache, Quebec. We are unsure that we will be able to make it - due to the travel.
On the 17th (June) we headed down to Shannonville for the first Vintage race of our season. I wish I had taken pictures of the progression of bike building that took place for the month prior.
Hubby had gone up to the local cycle salvage (Lina and I call it the motorcycle graveyard) on or around May 18th. I wondered what he was up, yes, but I have faith in his ideas. Hubby however, kept shaking his head and saying things like "this is nuts" and "this is funny". See he had it in his mind that it was about time that he got off his butt and built his own bike. He has been borrowing Jody's bikes to race. Last year he bought an RD off a young kid and rebuilt that to race but he wasn't able to race it because he crashed and broke, dislocated and fractured his left wrist. Jody did race it and did well, but Hubby hates the unreliable-ness of 2-strokes, so the bike is sitting in our garage this year.
Anyway.... He chose two Honda CB350 frames. I say frames because other than having engines in the frames, there was little else on the bikes. He was able to peel the seat off of one which exploded in a puff of rotten sponge and only one of the bikes had the front end on it. To get them into the van he had to rock the frames back and to get them uprooted from the grass that was growing through them. So they came into the garage to join the pack of bikes. (We have about 12 motorcycles in the garage now - 3 of them are Linas). Over one month Hubby had an engine rebuilt, the frame sandblasted and repainted, found a front end, stole parts off the RD (tire, wiring, etc.) and voila Wednesday before we leave, they start it once in the rain. Thursday before they leave they get it running on all cylinders and then Friday we pack up and leave.
It was a great weekend, didn't sleep much on the Friday as a million mosquitos made they way into the trailer and the noise of their buzzing (and biting) drove up nuts!
Hubby and Jody raced in the P2 Light class (one up from the bikes abilities - Jody races a CB350 too). Jody finished first after starting from the back of the grid and Hubby finished 5th! Yay little bike. That was after Jody blew the engine the day before during practise and they had to borrow another engine from another racer and install it. Hubby had to continuously work bugs out of his bike too. They also raced the P1 Class (the class their bikes were meant for) and Jody finished 3rd and Hubby 4th. It was all great fun to watch. At one point they were side by side and afterward Hubby told us that he actually reached out his leg and pretended to kick Jody. It's great to see them able to race the same class together for once.
The next race is on July 23 and 24th in St. Estache, Quebec. We are unsure that we will be able to make it - due to the travel.
posted by ria at Monday, June 27, 2005
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