AHMRA Broome Tioga MX , June 27-28

[tooclose racing]

Greetings guys and gals - a very sore Roberto Racing Team reports to you on Sunday morning after the Saturday race on the B-T grass track.  I raced in 125 Classic and 125 Sportsman (Race 2 and 5) classes and enjoyed some good racing, fought a sick bike, and..brought home 1st and 2nd respectively (Intermediate)in the two classes above.

Observation about 125 Sportsman - as most of you probably know, AMA Vintage Days is running a 125 class based on Sportsman rules.  Four  guys with nicely prepped Elsinsores, a TM and a YZ just checked out yesterday - sure, three were Expert and cleary expert riders...but I've kinda lost some of my enthusiasm for RACING my 125 at Mid-Ohio Vintage Days.  I"m such a competitive wienie, and showing up and lining up with these guys is gonna be a challenge.  Now I know what some of you must have felt when the Elsie and YZ showed at the local MX races in '74.

After the CC race (Gorilla Duct tape wrapped around crack in pipe, broke chain, and missing tooth on sprocket), I grabbed a sprocket from Al Buehner, a Parts Unlimited chain from my local shop ($25 - what's not to love?), and decided to go with the racing exhaust pipe that Terry Everett has been advertising on his website (see Supplier list).  I had about ten questions for Terry about the pipe, but bottom line is I think the pipe is a Circle F (stamped in silencer) - struggled a wee bit with mount up, but she mounted up.  Ran the bike back and forth behind local elementary school and I thought I was ready to go:



The poor quality of the above photos is explained by the fact that the Blackberry my company makes me wear has seen better days - the lens hasn't worked well since I dropped in the woods last fall while raking leaves at camp and found it a couple hours later when- miraculously - I stepped on it dragging the final load of leaves into the woods.  But anyway...

Race morning at B-T looked ugly - we have gotten a lot of rain up here in the Confederacy (uh...Iroquois) and the hillside/field that the track is laid out on truly looked like it was still holdiing on to most of it.  I was profoundly depressed about a race day that was starting to smell like Allen's Farm 2009.  I didn't count, but I'm guessing there was maybe 75-100 vintage bikes that had shown up for the day.  As far as Pentonville goes, there was mine and a Mint 400 and that was it.

Went out for practice and was somewhat relieved that a lot of the track/grass was holding up well with just a couple of "ugly" mud "run and gun" areas.  But that wasn't what concerned me.  What concerned me was my top end felt weak - not blatting, but just signing off a bit.  My best attempt at a plug chop back at the pits revealed a dark plug -not wet, but not brown.  I'm staring at the Circle F pipe and just thinking..."for chrissakes.....".  I - of course - carry no spare jets, that would mean I was prepared...come on!  I had set up my 28mm Mikuni based on the specs posted at this site with a 160 Main.  My very friendly TM 125 neighbor had a 140, but no 150, so I dropped my needle TWO notches and went out for the first Sportsman race.  

Good field - between the Sportsman and the classics that showed up, we had about 10 or 12 bike start.  I blew my start, missing a gear in a very techical switchback/uphill/whatever that gets you from the B-T National starting gate (very cool, I mentioned this last year) and easily giving up my 4th into the first-turn status.  I actually stumbled and fumbled a bit more but finally got some mo-go going, found my pace, and concentrated and finding the fast way around a very technical and fun track.  Passed some guys and found myself alone.  BUT...short straightaways and a long uphill that I can normally upshift on were..a bummer.  The Six Day felt weak - it wouldn't stay on the pipe going up the hill!!  She felt okay 1/4 and 1/2 throttle and I just shifted early in some sections to ride around the power loss.  I later found out that I finished 2nd Int, with the four guys I mentioned at the top (plus HS ace John Frackelton on his C-A 125) in front of me.  I felt good, but only had about 30 minutes until my next start.

And now...this important commercial message: Wife happy, life happy- I gotta sign-off and do Sunday chores.  More, later!

[tooclose racing]

Part Two...sure enough, I'm lined up for the first 125 Classic moto about a half hour after Sportsman. It's a two gate start with Premier bikes gated 2nd after the 125s and 100 Sportsman.  There wasn't a big 100 field this year - last year there were some very trick 100cc Super Combat Hodakas.  Two 4 stroke SL's to my left, 4 or 5 other 125s/100s scattered around.  I look closer and one of the SL's is totally cool -the SL motor is mounted in an Elsinore frame/tank set-up! The other SL looks pretty tame except for the his Works shocks, but I note the black Expert sticker on his helmet.  

AND...I take note as the two SL's beat me silly to Turn One.  How big a motor are these guys allowed to run for chrissakes! [B)] We move thru the lower section of the Broome track and get ready to head up the hill when the red Elsinore/SL suddenly slows and he's looking down at his motor.  One down, one to go....by now the track is shaping up very nice with some fast lines and some technical feet up sections that are still a bit thick and rutted.  I have...no motor...but chase after the second SL and realize I can stay with him/catch him in the tight stuff and then he pulls me something terrible on a long uphill section that's on the front part of the course/lap.  It's a great race with the SL On Steriods, but I finally figure out where I can take him when we get to Lap 5.  But he doesn't make it to lap 5 as I hear a pop and HE slows and looks down at his bike.  Nobody else is near us and I get to take it easy for the last lap and take my first checkered flag/moto win on the Six Day.  Not bad for a bike that feels like it has a 75cc motor!

Back to the pits for a nice breather before my second Sportsman race (there were nine races total). Two of my friends finally show up to "help" at lunchtime from Ithaca and they arrive in style. Both are Technology/Shop teachers who teach their kids how to build and restore motorcyles.  There "daily rides" are a Honda CRF 450 Supermoto conversion w/Baja Design street lighting installed and a KTM 525 (560?) SM with trick everything.  They draw quite the crowd....I'm like "where have you guys been?  I'm dying here!"  They look at my bike, look back at me, and say "Dude - did you know your shock is blown?"  Sure enough, there is a dark goo/film/gunk all over one of my Red Wings and I picture Tom Hanks in the movie "The Money Pit".  What can I do but shake my head and smile...

We raise the needle back up one notch and I take a test run, but I'm still not feeling the love from my 6B motor.  I get a good start in the second Sportsman race, but the Fast Four (Two Elsies, One TM, one YZ) are riding smart and strong and pull away on the long uphill.  Frackelton is behind me on his Can Am for a little while but he comes by and I try and ride with him for a lap but he loves the technical sections (I merely like them) and weaves away from me by Lap 3 and I'm alone till the checkered.  Figure out later that I was 2nd Intermediate both Sportsman motos.

Three races down, one to go until I can drink beer.  I'm just too tired to fiddle any more with the carb, and bench-race with my Super Moto buddies until it's time to line up for 2nd Classic moto.  The trick Elsinore-based SL is missing in action, but about seven or eight of us head to Turn One at the start.....and that GD Expert Clark Kent SL is in front of me AGAIN heading up to the grass track!!  I'm thinking "come to Papa" my little (150cc?) thumper".  But he is not even coming back to me. I get done with Lap 1 (these were 5 lap motos) and I'm working hard to stay with him.  Lap 2 and he's got a half dozen bike lengths on me. Lap three and I'm thinking "I'm in school and he is the teacher...".  John Frackelton is on the back part of the track spectating in a slow-mo 180 turn and he's just laughing as I go by, offering me encouragement but I can tell it's out of pure sympathy.  Oh well....let's bring it home in one piece..and that's what I do.  I've been working some long hours at the office (dinner is in the oven) and haven't worked out much at all so I'm surprised/pleased at my pace overall.  Very displeased at my bike's pace but that's something I'll need to figure out later.  The Silver Surfer SL gets the Expert trophy and I get the Classic trophy.  They handed out some super-nice plaques BTW at the trophy presentation.

Interesting fact -I haven't crashed in a moto yet over this first year and a half of racing.  

I'll probably put a post up under Penton talk to solicit what you POGGERs think about my motor.  Mr. Friedel has already sent along a compression check/spec recommendation (thanks Tony).  Not sure what to do about the blown Red Wing - I'm guessing these are throw-aways AND I KNOW SEVERAL OF YOU are smiling and wondering why I haven't thrown these away already...but I got bills just like the rest of you.  

Gary Ellis - I may need you to mail me the Zokes off my MC-5. Stay tuned...

[firstturn]

Bob,
  Thanks for the great update.  As far as your engine just go with the basics.....Compression, fuel(proper setting...check the plug), good spark and proper timing.  Your updates are great to read[8D].

Ron Carbaugh

[Ernie Phillips]

Thanks Bob.  I always get a kick out of reading your race reports.  Congrats on the 1st place!!!!!!

Interesting Fact: You will Crash as some point:), you will miss gears  you will still have fun;)

Ernie P.
Chattanooga, TN