Monday, November 29, 2010
Saturday, November 27, 2010
2010 Nov Wakefield Park, 3rd in class and 3rd in 1hour race!
What a weekend! After getting hit at eastern creek from the outside by a maniacal modern desperate to not be beaten by a Retro, I found the exhaust had been broken! Off to the exhaust place near work and $20 later it's fixed. Ready to go!
For a change, I was packed and ready 24 hours early so I took it all to work so I could leave from there.
Saturday am was tender steps on the bike, getting the feel for it seeing it had not been raced here. It was awesome! Everything worked well all weekend. Still had the same old dunlops on from the Creek, and they were still gripping well at my pace.
Brett Clarke and Nigel Taylor were at the head of the pack about 8 seconds ahead, but hey, they're both A graders on superduper superbikes.
Between races 1-4 I finished I got 3rd in class. My racing got better and better as I got more and more familiar with the bike. It was a pleasure to ride even though it's quite underpowered, being an almost toally stock motor still with the original type twin muffler road exhaust. Worked well apparently a couple of times as people couldn't hear me at their heels and didn't open the gap allowing me to sneak in under or around them.
There are videos available for your viewinig please on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/user/zoltanp1967?feature=mhum
The 1 hour race was awesome! I forgot to set the camera up for the Le-Mans start, and pressed the start button on about lap 3 I think. There's some good dicing, with my positions moving between 7th to 11th and back to 5th, before handing over to Stewar Lomax. Stu normally rides a 95 YZF750 and got 2nd in class for the day in the heat races. He enjoyed the FZ although it is very different from his superbike spec yzf. He got within half a second of my time on it, not bad on a strange bike he didn't want to crash.
There was even a safety car slowing progress for a few laps for Stu when one of the riders fell off and needed to be checked. He was fine.
The other chaps from Team Cooranbong had various results: Martin on the T750 went better and better, and only ran off once. However Graham's bike played up with a fuel supply problem and he spend most of the weekend working on it. Had it mostly sorted by the last races.
Again Thanks for the support from Vanessa's Hourglass Photography, PIRTEK NEWCASTLE / HUNTER and the warmers from Emtek worked well.
The next race isn't on for a couple of months, I'll post something on the RetroRacing website.
For a change, I was packed and ready 24 hours early so I took it all to work so I could leave from there.
Saturday am was tender steps on the bike, getting the feel for it seeing it had not been raced here. It was awesome! Everything worked well all weekend. Still had the same old dunlops on from the Creek, and they were still gripping well at my pace.
Brett Clarke and Nigel Taylor were at the head of the pack about 8 seconds ahead, but hey, they're both A graders on superduper superbikes.
Between races 1-4 I finished I got 3rd in class. My racing got better and better as I got more and more familiar with the bike. It was a pleasure to ride even though it's quite underpowered, being an almost toally stock motor still with the original type twin muffler road exhaust. Worked well apparently a couple of times as people couldn't hear me at their heels and didn't open the gap allowing me to sneak in under or around them.
There are videos available for your viewinig please on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/user/zoltanp1967?feature=mhum
The 1 hour race was awesome! I forgot to set the camera up for the Le-Mans start, and pressed the start button on about lap 3 I think. There's some good dicing, with my positions moving between 7th to 11th and back to 5th, before handing over to Stewar Lomax. Stu normally rides a 95 YZF750 and got 2nd in class for the day in the heat races. He enjoyed the FZ although it is very different from his superbike spec yzf. He got within half a second of my time on it, not bad on a strange bike he didn't want to crash.
There was even a safety car slowing progress for a few laps for Stu when one of the riders fell off and needed to be checked. He was fine.
The other chaps from Team Cooranbong had various results: Martin on the T750 went better and better, and only ran off once. However Graham's bike played up with a fuel supply problem and he spend most of the weekend working on it. Had it mostly sorted by the last races.
Again Thanks for the support from Vanessa's Hourglass Photography, PIRTEK NEWCASTLE / HUNTER and the warmers from Emtek worked well.
The next race isn't on for a couple of months, I'll post something on the RetroRacing website.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Eastern Creek, Retro vs moderns = 3rd place trophy!
Wow! after months of tinkering nd rebuilding, we hit the track at Easter Creek Raceway for a round of the Honda / R-Jay's Series with St George Mcc. Retros are invited, though entries are a little down as everyone's saving their bikes for the big Post Classic meeting at wakefield for the following weekend.
Retros are to line up on the same grid as up to 2004 Clubsport bikes. This should be fun! And it was! it's not often I have had to start near the backend of a grid, but my aim to carve through and pass on the outside where possible paid off.
The bike shows great promise, and after fixing a loose airbox robbing my power during qualifying, it fares ok in race 1. race 2 was also similarly fun. So I figure to maximise my fun, I'll cross enter into the modern a-d grade grid! Sunday's first practice results ina lost gearchange circlip, quickly remedied for first race. After a promising start, the bike runs out of puff! In I come, working madly, checking basics to spark plugs. Nothing concrete is found, and the bike fails even more in Sunday's first retro race. This time the problem is found: a dodgy earth to the fuel pump!
For the rest of the day the little old fz750 fares very well. At the end of the day, even though a couple of races are missed, I win a 3rd place overall trophy for solid finishes in the good heats. Apprantly I was not the only one with mechanical gremlins, and a couple of falls by others placed me in the points. Fair enough, you've gotta be in it to win it and all that.
Thanks to my sponsors, Hourglass Photography, Pirtek Newcastle and Emtek Racing Accessories!
NEXT race: this weekend, nov 20-21, at Wakefield Park near Goulbourn.
Zoltan
Retros are to line up on the same grid as up to 2004 Clubsport bikes. This should be fun! And it was! it's not often I have had to start near the backend of a grid, but my aim to carve through and pass on the outside where possible paid off.
The bike shows great promise, and after fixing a loose airbox robbing my power during qualifying, it fares ok in race 1. race 2 was also similarly fun. So I figure to maximise my fun, I'll cross enter into the modern a-d grade grid! Sunday's first practice results ina lost gearchange circlip, quickly remedied for first race. After a promising start, the bike runs out of puff! In I come, working madly, checking basics to spark plugs. Nothing concrete is found, and the bike fails even more in Sunday's first retro race. This time the problem is found: a dodgy earth to the fuel pump!
For the rest of the day the little old fz750 fares very well. At the end of the day, even though a couple of races are missed, I win a 3rd place overall trophy for solid finishes in the good heats. Apprantly I was not the only one with mechanical gremlins, and a couple of falls by others placed me in the points. Fair enough, you've gotta be in it to win it and all that.
Thanks to my sponsors, Hourglass Photography, Pirtek Newcastle and Emtek Racing Accessories!
NEXT race: this weekend, nov 20-21, at Wakefield Park near Goulbourn.
Zoltan
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Progress report & New PERRINI Leathers
Hi all. The Fz is coming along fine. Prepping the wiring to race spec, removing all unneccesary components; wheels and some fairing is painted in Marlboro colours; waiting for side fairing and seats; Had it running the other night with semi-prepped wiring to check all systems are go, and it sounded great. WP rear race shock feels very good since coming back from being fitted with a remote reservoir, allowing compression adjustment; new wheel bearings are going in; fork OD has been machined to allow dropping the bike down if desired to improve geometry, though we will see what it does on track first.
Got a new pair of leathers recently; PERRINI form the US. They feel great and are custom made for me. Contact me and I will let you know where to get them from. They are very good value, coming under $500.
Vanessa at Hourglass Photography is very excited - as so am I - seeing we're setting up a shop at Carey Bay, near Toronto! More later.
Organising signage for Pirtek and Hourglass for the leathers and the bike. Should be all GO soon!
Got a new pair of leathers recently; PERRINI form the US. They feel great and are custom made for me. Contact me and I will let you know where to get them from. They are very good value, coming under $500.
Vanessa at Hourglass Photography is very excited - as so am I - seeing we're setting up a shop at Carey Bay, near Toronto! More later.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
4 Hour Team relay; 200kph crash, sunshine and hail
(leaving pits at a change point. This is me; black helmet, white number plates.)Hi all. Martin Balls asked me to ride in this 4 hour team relay on his K3 GSXR750, as well as Steve Butler and Graham Allot (K2 1000). The race is basically a 2-4 member relay; no refueling is allowed on pitlane, so the idea is to relay bikes as well as riders, hence the 2 bikes. We would have ridden the fz750 but it's not quite ready for racing; the rear shock needs improvement and needs racewiring and paint. Greg Dunn (Mr Bones) and Steve's son in-law Mark were crewing...Thanks to PIRTEK NEWCASTLE and Hourglass Photography, partial funding was organised and off we went. Wakefield is in the middle of freezing sheep country, and it rained all week. The track started drying out on saturday at practice, and seeing that Graham and Martin had never raced, if rain was going to be the order of the day, they asked me to do more laps not less... so wet practicing we go.. Intermediates were put on; treaded tracktyres; but well into the first session the back came around for me at about 210kph and while i did manage to drift it around turn 1, and straightened it upright, I ran out of room and went onto the mud. Slide left, bounce right, oops this ain't good! Time slowed down and I stepped off it and pushed it away, not wanting it to hurt me anymore than I expected to be hurt anyway. After the bike flipped mid-air and landed and I stopped sliding (keeping my helmet up to avoid damage) I stood up and was amazed that I was able to! In fact I felt no pain at all! Good old worn out Walden Millers (aust made for MCA about 15 eyars ago?) and the back protector! The bike also looked OK, apart from more mud than I've ever seenon a roadbike, and some obvious cracks in the fairing and one slightly bent handlebar. Yet not even the screen was broken! I checked it over, fired it up and rode it back! Thanks to my gueardian Angel, we both came out of it reasonably ok. Back to the pits, hose her off. Lucky someone brought the fibreglassing kit and ducttape! Thanks to the crew, Martin rode it for the rest of the day! Steve and Graham also went out on the 1000 to get some laps in. RACEDAY: we each had a session to warm up. It was decided that while Steve would qualify on the 1000, Graham would start the LeMans start with help from Martin. After all, this whole exercise for their initiation. And what a way to start racing: leMans start, endurance race, team relays, imminent rain, wetspots on the track, A grade superbikes mixing with many D graders and some first-time racers! Graham made a good start at the rear 1/4 of the field,and settled into a rhythm. good effort considering this was not only his first LeMans start, but his first race start! All went well, everyone was setting slightly faster and faster laps and settling into racing. Steve and Martin all had their stint, and while Martin had a couple of wobbles and ran off the track a couple of times when spooked by fast passing supers, he managed to keep it upright, with some huge bruises around the inside of the knees/thigh to show for it from the bike slapping him around. When my turn came, I picked up some positions and passed people while being passed by the Superbikes. Then a couple of guys crashed and the pace-car came out, so i signalled to come straight in as per the plan. The rider / bike change went smoothly and we had graham out again for his second stint. While the riders were out, we discussed the imminent rain circling around the region. You could actually see the rain a few Ks away, but the clouds kept being blown around the track. I reckon Barry Sheene was giving it his best to delay rain, but ran out of puff with about 20 minutes to go, when suddenly it hailed and poured at the same time, with most riders out on slicks! There was a mad rush on to finish putting the wets on the 750 while graham circulated in torrential water on slicks. What a job! he kept it upright for about 3 laps before coming in and sending Martin out on wets for the first time in his now 3hr 45min racing career :) And that's how it was finished: with rain bucketing down. This was the first time I'd done the 4 Hour relay and I thoroughly enjoyed it and plan to do it again next year, but definately on my own retro bike.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Bikes I raced before early 90's Retros
I started racing after having a hotted up roadbike - a cb750 with 900 carbs, exhaust, GPZ750 fairing, 900 antidive forks with the bigger brakes etc - and hearing of a rider training day at Oran Park. This must have been about 1991. So I took my roadbike and had a ball - taking instruction on racelines, braking and launch control etc.
Turned out Wayne Gardner was there overlooking our progress. half the bikes were racebikes - mostly 250s and 600s. I heard that there was a move to allow CBs etc to race seperately under the Forgotten era title, so I decided to build a seperate bike: a CB900 was built. This was raced for years with good results and many friends were made. I went through probably about 4 versions of these bikes in various specs and moved from 900cc to 1100cc engines. I also built a 1220cc version with sponsorship from Caltex-Havoline Oils by Metropolitan Fuels Sydney. I met my now wife vanessa at a trophy presentation, went to phillip Island, then New Zealand for the 1996 TT (6-2-1 finishes=second overall), raced at Bathurst in 2000, in the Formula Extreme nakedbike series, as well as the Post Classic NSW series.
After a 6 year absence from racing, I decided to move to a newer class: try my hand on the awesome YZF750 we used to fear! Having said that, we are going to rebuild a CB for forgotten era racing from all my spares - sometime...
Early days of CB racing: me on #6 with my 'flying wings' goof, with Roger on Wayne Fox's #52 Cb900.
That's me -relaxing- in the pits. Not sleeping!
This poster was a promo poster when being sponsored by Caltex as well as the other businesses mentioned, including my own pest Control business.
Some of the best races were dicing with Tim Lilley on his NRC Ducati
At Wakefield Park in 99.
The above bike is roger Quinlan's Ex-graeme Crosby's Moriwaki Z1100. I had the privilage of punting this around Eastern Creek, now in retrospec finding the handling amazingly like my yzf750's - smooth and balanced - not the same on the brakes, but this was allowed fro by the huge horsepower over a 750. thanks rog
At the Formula Extreme Nakedbike rounds - we even got TV coverage!
I'm at the front middle grid position at Eastern Creek here: had an awesome day with consistent 2nd positions to Tony Marsden on his very hot GSX1100.
Turned out Wayne Gardner was there overlooking our progress. half the bikes were racebikes - mostly 250s and 600s. I heard that there was a move to allow CBs etc to race seperately under the Forgotten era title, so I decided to build a seperate bike: a CB900 was built. This was raced for years with good results and many friends were made. I went through probably about 4 versions of these bikes in various specs and moved from 900cc to 1100cc engines. I also built a 1220cc version with sponsorship from Caltex-Havoline Oils by Metropolitan Fuels Sydney. I met my now wife vanessa at a trophy presentation, went to phillip Island, then New Zealand for the 1996 TT (6-2-1 finishes=second overall), raced at Bathurst in 2000, in the Formula Extreme nakedbike series, as well as the Post Classic NSW series.
After a 6 year absence from racing, I decided to move to a newer class: try my hand on the awesome YZF750 we used to fear! Having said that, we are going to rebuild a CB for forgotten era racing from all my spares - sometime...
Early days of CB racing: me on #6 with my 'flying wings' goof, with Roger on Wayne Fox's #52 Cb900. 
That's me -relaxing- in the pits. Not sleeping!
This poster was a promo poster when being sponsored by Caltex as well as the other businesses mentioned, including my own pest Control business. 
Some of the best races were dicing with Tim Lilley on his NRC Ducati
At Wakefield Park in 99.
The above bike is roger Quinlan's Ex-graeme Crosby's Moriwaki Z1100. I had the privilage of punting this around Eastern Creek, now in retrospec finding the handling amazingly like my yzf750's - smooth and balanced - not the same on the brakes, but this was allowed fro by the huge horsepower over a 750. thanks rog
At the Formula Extreme Nakedbike rounds - we even got TV coverage!
I'm at the front middle grid position at Eastern Creek here: had an awesome day with consistent 2nd positions to Tony Marsden on his very hot GSX1100.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Fallen rider rescued
What a Saturday! After lunch about to turn last corner into my street, I see a horse walking down the road coming out of the bush - with no rider on the saddle! I figure that's not good as the rider must be hurt somewhere! So I pull over, go sweet-talk the heavily sweating huge beast, lead it back to my place, tie it to the front tree, Vanessa calls the cops, I fuel up 6YO daughter's 70cc zuma, ignore the half flat rear tyre, and no front brake lever assy - off to get replaced - and ride around the corner to the foot of the watagan mountains looking for the rider, presumably injured. Turned out choosing the minibike was perfect, as there were washouts I had to cross where the horse had come down that I would not have made on my bigger bike.
Following horse hoof trails into the mountain, sorting old from new and up from down, I finally get the one of the trails at the top and find a bloke looking for the horse who says the rider is up top of the mountain. So more flat-tyre no clearance firetrail riding later, I find her up the track on her belly with a back injury. Basic first aid check later, figuring she's not spinal injured, but maybe done some discs and muscles? Ambos have been called. Waiting, talking, waiting....
Ambo's walking up hill a bit later carrying lots of stuff by hand and puffed out as their ambo won't do 4wd stuff. 5 minutes later the Westpac Rescue helicopter's dropping surgeon and paramedic in through trees 50m away from us, with 4wd ambo coming up to get her to take her to the empty paddocks next to our block for a pick, to fly to john hunter hospital...
Horse was huge and was moved into our backyard, after I left, in case the chopper spooked it. Turned out another rider, the guy I met at the bottom, was riding his horse and her horse got spooked and bolted from under her when it noticed the other riders... Sienna had a ball playing with the horse, feeding it grass and carrots and walking it around the backyard, saying 'there is enough room, can we have one?' ...She's a real natural with horse. Later we went over to a friend's who has just got a new horse after it was neglected by the previous owner. It initially would not let them come within 10m, and now they can only get within 1m of it most days. Sienna was rubbing it's shoulder in 10 minutes with the horse later coming right up to her to walk past next to her. i hope she grows up to be just as confident with horsepower!
I don't have photos from up the mountain...
There's a saturday you don't have everyday!
z
Following horse hoof trails into the mountain, sorting old from new and up from down, I finally get the one of the trails at the top and find a bloke looking for the horse who says the rider is up top of the mountain. So more flat-tyre no clearance firetrail riding later, I find her up the track on her belly with a back injury. Basic first aid check later, figuring she's not spinal injured, but maybe done some discs and muscles? Ambos have been called. Waiting, talking, waiting....
Ambo's walking up hill a bit later carrying lots of stuff by hand and puffed out as their ambo won't do 4wd stuff. 5 minutes later the Westpac Rescue helicopter's dropping surgeon and paramedic in through trees 50m away from us, with 4wd ambo coming up to get her to take her to the empty paddocks next to our block for a pick, to fly to john hunter hospital...
Horse was huge and was moved into our backyard, after I left, in case the chopper spooked it. Turned out another rider, the guy I met at the bottom, was riding his horse and her horse got spooked and bolted from under her when it noticed the other riders... Sienna had a ball playing with the horse, feeding it grass and carrots and walking it around the backyard, saying 'there is enough room, can we have one?' ...She's a real natural with horse. Later we went over to a friend's who has just got a new horse after it was neglected by the previous owner. It initially would not let them come within 10m, and now they can only get within 1m of it most days. Sienna was rubbing it's shoulder in 10 minutes with the horse later coming right up to her to walk past next to her. i hope she grows up to be just as confident with horsepower!
I don't have photos from up the mountain...
There's a saturday you don't have everyday!
z
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Oran Park on-bike video
Helmetcam video of me going out behind Yogi's 2006?Zx10r. Move forward to the 1m20 mark for trackentry. The little Yzf750s good value for money despite being blown off down the straight... of note is james Spence's crash behind me around the 7m mark...you'll hear it on the audio... I thought i was gonna get Tboned...you can see them on the next lap off the track...
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Oran Park Rideday photos
Hi again. There are about 40 odd photos from this day at: http://s182.photobucket.com/albums/x116/zoltanp1967/?albumview=slideshow
Vanessa wasn't there to take photos of everyone, just our gang, but managed to get some pics of a fair other numbers. If you wish, feel free to download a copy and even email her at vanessa@hourglassphotography.com.au if you wish to get some large format pics printed off in pro finish. Butler, we're charging you double ...
enjoy.
Zoltan
Vanessa wasn't there to take photos of everyone, just our gang, but managed to get some pics of a fair other numbers. If you wish, feel free to download a copy and even email her at vanessa@hourglassphotography.com.au if you wish to get some large format pics printed off in pro finish. Butler, we're charging you double ...
enjoy.
Zoltan
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Rideday, Oran park, Jan 9th 2010
I'll update more later, but for now: Awesome day, hot as hell, had bro-in law Glenn and mate Rick (ex-FZ750-not-going-yet) also riding my Yzf in different groups. Thanks to Steve Butler we stuck some almost new Bridgie slicks on and the bike behaved very well and held up to many modern machines, other than the main straight at times... we'll work on that this year hopefully with more powere one way or another.
Thanks to James n Vinne, Mark N Tony and all other flagging on such a hot day ...
James actually crashed right behind me when his modern radial front Brembo master cylinder failed... broke the 6 hour 3-rd place getter bike's frame. ouch. no one got rushed to hospital that day, which was awesome, especially as i was also involved in being on medical assist stand-by in the morning...
There were some other retro bikes, like 2 x fzr400s, one with a 600 engine. It's of interest that after 17 years of riding at Oran, I was still improving my lines a little. To no benefit, seeing this was the last rideday there for me ...
Saturday, January 2, 2010
6-Hour Support races, ORAN PARK RACEWAY
Thanks to Hourglass Photography and Campbelltown Motorcycles 2009 was celebrated by entering the Retro support races to the BELRAY Oils 6 HOUR, in which perseverence paid off with a 3rd place trophy.
PICTURES: click here to see them.
click here for results of the 6 Hour Races.
Heat results:HEAT 1: 1st-Steven Green zxr750, 2nd-Steve Butler FZR1000, 3rd-Ivan Hoey Bikewreck YZF750,
HEAT 2: 1st-Ivan Hoey Bikewreck YZF750, 2nd-Steven Green zxr750, 3rd-John Tween Bikewreck YZF750,
HEAT 3: 1st- David Gilyeat ZXR750, 2nd- John Tween Bikewreck YZF750, 3rd Steve Butler FZR1000
A no-start from Steve in one race + a dual-crash ahead of me in race 3 left me in the points! As the old folk always say, you've gotta be in it to win it! All crashers were OK too.
Friday's practice was extreme: the hottest day on record for ages, with temepratures of 45C, an extreme afternoon storm with me only on the track. Even the marshals were hiding! The old lighting tower got blown down even! This was actually the highlight of the weekend for me really, as I have never been in weather so severe! I was totally charged riding at walking pace through horizontal wind and gusting rain. I probably should have pulled in under the bridge, but it became a man-vs-wild thing! It was really something out of stormchasers on TV!
Saturday saw me overestimate some tyres which started sliding around at the back quite badly. I just couldn't get drive out of corners, resulting in 5ths, but a 3rd trophy as mentioned previously. It was a lot of fun though, sliding in the dry as if it was in the wet, and getting the nod and claps from lots of marshals. Yogi-Darren-Bear was quite excited to see sliding entries and exits under the bridge ...
OVERALL RESULTS: Congrats to John Tween for winning overall on his Bikewreck YZF750, to Ashley Whitehead on his 900 Fireblade for 2nd, with me on my yzf750 taking home the 3rd place.
PICTURES: click here to see them.
click here for results of the 6 Hour Races.
Heat results:HEAT 1: 1st-Steven Green zxr750, 2nd-Steve Butler FZR1000, 3rd-Ivan Hoey Bikewreck YZF750,
HEAT 2: 1st-Ivan Hoey Bikewreck YZF750, 2nd-Steven Green zxr750, 3rd-John Tween Bikewreck YZF750,
HEAT 3: 1st- David Gilyeat ZXR750, 2nd- John Tween Bikewreck YZF750, 3rd Steve Butler FZR1000
A no-start from Steve in one race + a dual-crash ahead of me in race 3 left me in the points! As the old folk always say, you've gotta be in it to win it! All crashers were OK too.
Friday's practice was extreme: the hottest day on record for ages, with temepratures of 45C, an extreme afternoon storm with me only on the track. Even the marshals were hiding! The old lighting tower got blown down even! This was actually the highlight of the weekend for me really, as I have never been in weather so severe! I was totally charged riding at walking pace through horizontal wind and gusting rain. I probably should have pulled in under the bridge, but it became a man-vs-wild thing! It was really something out of stormchasers on TV!
Saturday saw me overestimate some tyres which started sliding around at the back quite badly. I just couldn't get drive out of corners, resulting in 5ths, but a 3rd trophy as mentioned previously. It was a lot of fun though, sliding in the dry as if it was in the wet, and getting the nod and claps from lots of marshals. Yogi-Darren-Bear was quite excited to see sliding entries and exits under the bridge ...
OVERALL RESULTS: Congrats to John Tween for winning overall on his Bikewreck YZF750, to Ashley Whitehead on his 900 Fireblade for 2nd, with me on my yzf750 taking home the 3rd place.
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