R1Dave's first season of racing.

[Count Steer]

Cracking read, thanks.

V interesting about the geometry and the arm pump.

about the helmet at Brands but maybe that's part of how the impact energy was absorbed? Glad you survived to ride another day.

[Noggin]

Holy fuck that sounds awful! Well, the accident/injury bit! Congrats on the dad bit and the third!

Endurance is aces - have loads of fun Look forward to more write ups

[Tricky]

Top thread Dave, dunno how, but I had missed most of it and forgotten that you'd had a bit of Bandit fun , and was just thinking of you as an R1 man

Roll on Saturday eh!

[weeksy]

Excellent reading! Thanks for the time and effort

[R1Dave]

Cracking read, thanks.

V interesting about the geometry and the arm pump.

about the helmet at Brands but maybe that's part of how the impact energy was absorbed? Glad you survived to ride another day.

Thanks Count Steer!

honestly the difference was incredible, i think having fatter grips really helped too. i've big hands and it's so much more comfortable now.

With the helmet, you're absolutely right, it did what it was designed to do, the force transmitted through it must have been huge, it was a HJC RPHA 11, so now i have a RPHA 12 .

[R1Dave]

Holy fuck that sounds awful! Well, the accident/injury bit! Congrats on the dad bit and the third!

Endurance is aces - have loads of fun Look forward to more write ups

Thanks Noggin Can't wait to get stuck in, really looking forward to this coming weekend though and just riding without any pressure, i shall of course do a little write up.

[R1Dave]

Top thread Dave, dunno how, but I had missed most of it and forgotten that you'd had a bit of Bandit fun , and was just thinking of you as an R1 man

Roll on Saturday eh!

Yeah i bloody loved that Bandit bought by a nice guy who's racing it still i believe, James Taylor, i'd love to give it a go again next year if i can find the time. Can't bloody wait for saturday, i'm there for friday test day too if you're about.

[R1Dave]

Excellent reading! Thanks for the time and effort

Thanks Weeksy,

Was talking to Alan Holland about you last time i was there (a month or two ago) just wondering if you guys were doing a weekender there or not.

[R1Dave]

A few pics before bed.

The Awards ceremony and be collecting my trophy and prize money, i'm in the dashing blue suit with red tie


My year summed up


How the R1 looked after first getting rebuilt


And how it looks now



And finally, the newest additon to the garage, a 2024 Anniversary, when yamaha confirmed there'd be no more new R1s, i had to get it! i've used it a few times to work, or some sunny weekend blips for brews and banter, but it'll spend most of it's life on display in the man cave.

[Dodgy69]

Nice camera work aswel, still don't know how they work.

[Tricky]

Top thread Dave, dunno how, but I had missed most of it and forgotten that you'd had a bit of Bandit fun , and was just thinking of you as an R1 man

Roll on Saturday eh!

Yeah i bloody loved that Bandit bought by a nice guy who's racing it still i believe, James Taylor, i'd love to give it a go again next year if i can find the time. Can't bloody wait for saturday, i'm there for friday test day too if you're about.

Yup, will be driving up later on tomorrow and setting up in the garage early eve - We're in the Holiday Inn just up the road for the duration.

[R1Dave]

Back after an awesome weekend of racing, even got to meet Tricky (Great to meet you buddy and you did well!)

So as you mat have read, i was joining the True Heroes Racing team for this round, the plan is to get involved and hopefully join the team fully when possible.
While there was no pressure on me for these races, i did want to show the guys that i could put together a decent lap, but doing that in the Phoenix Open class isn't easy, there's some very very fast riders in that group, plenty with experience in BSB, Superstock etc.

In our garage alone we had Dave Mackay, who's been a part of the True Heroes team for ages and only recently stopped racing BSB superstock, then we have Leon Wilton and Charlie White, both currently in BSB on the Ducati V2s..all very quick lads.

Test Day

Went well, settled in with the team and how they operate, got the bike ready to go, using a worn set of Dunlops KR108s (my preferred tyre) with a fresh set to go on for racing.
Took it easy for the first couple of sessions before starting to push on, i've raced the national layout a few times now, and for whatever reason, i seem stuck on 1.14s, but was happy to see me in the low 1.14s with very worn tyres at the end of it, hopefully race pace with see me knock some more time off.

Saturday

Qualifying and Race 1

Couldn't for the life of me find a clear lap, finished starting 26th on a grid of 35, not ideal, but i was much closer to some of the True Heroes guys than i thought i would be.

Race 1

Got off to a good start, battling with Leon Wliton down through craners and into the old hairpin, got past him into the chicane and tried pushing on, only i pushed on a little to hard, out braked myself in the chicane and dropped back from 19th to 32nd, got my head down and crossed the line in 28th, dissapointing, but this is racing.

Sunday

Race 2

Starting from 28th on the grid, a good start, tucked in behind Leon and another rider and just watched his lines for a gap, i'm not one to blow my own trumpet, but i know i'm good on the brakes, especially into T1 Redgate, so i make a more there an sail up the inside, now i'm on Leon's back wheel and pass him into the Chicane, i continue to press on, crossing the line in 18th just behind Charlie White, up 10 position from the start and into the low 1.13s, happy with that.

Race 3

18th on the grid and right behind Charlie, a decent start, the first lap is always chaos but i start making moves straight away, i pass Charlie in to Coppice on the brakes and keep going, crossing the line in 12th, so bloody happy with the result, Rookie 1000s was great and tough going, but this is up a league again in pace, so i'm just happy to be able to stick with them.

Here's Race 2



And Race 3


Footage captured using the insta 360 GO 3S with our in helmet mount.

Cracking weekend and i can't wait to do it again.

[Skub]

Brilliant stuff,I really enjoyed that. Thanks for sharing.