So, hi from sunny Brands! Hugh (955SP) and I did Brands CSS today, Hugh in L4 and I did Level 2.
The day started with a good briefing, reiterating that we were training on track, not racing or pushing the limits. I was assigned to the instructor I had at Stowe and had a great time with him, learning a lot.
I took little asbo along for it's first outing since major surgery and was torn between concern at the awesome power (140.7 at the wheel without and 138 something with baffles) and anticipating the opportunity to ride it again.
The group I was in was of mixed ability; some quite slow riders, some faster riders
Excellent tuition and training all made sense. One session had us going where we flet uncomfortable, so my instructor Squirrel (I kid you not) had me riding the kerbs and at Druids had me on the plastic matting after the kerb. That earned me a black flag and the CSS marshall in the pits would not believe that I'd been told to go there:
You were riding on the grass
My instructor told me to
Your instructor would not have told you to ride on the grass
He bl**dy did!
(repeat ad nauseum)
At the end of the day, I was much more comfortable on the bike and lapping faster and with less drama than before. Well worth the outlay.
And asbo. Noise testing reported 98db - that's from a 998RS 60mm system with MHP custom db killers costing 3 bhp. On track, what a fantastic tool. Turning in as well as before, but with a relaxed midrange and awesome top end. It has a close ratio Corse box with an incredibly high first gear. Druids was 1st and if I really wanted to it would do Paddock hill, Druids and Graham Hill in first. Second + were awesome - just twist the throttle and keep dancing on the pedal. SOO fast between the ratios.
Just one issue: the bike was tuned by PDQ in Slough. Did a great job, very professional, but in the third session I was black flagged (above). The marshall in the pits noticed flames - and my leg was burning. The lambda sensor plug had come out. So it looked like it was game over for the day and a lot of money wasted. Fortunately I found it on the swinger, so I was able to put it back properly. Riding back to park the bike for lunch, the other one came out. So no lunch for ingeneri Jerry. Don't know what happened and I'm not blaming PDQ (who denied all knowlege), but once I had tightened them, they didn't come out for the rest of the day.
Obligatory pics!
Riding the kerbs - rear wheel:
and the front:
I was going to pop in at Box, but a guy came off in one of the early sessions and I took him back in my van. Andy very kindly strapped both bikes in the van, but the damaged trumpet came over all spotty yoof faced with gorgeous italian model and tried to jump poor asbo twice on the way back.
Thanks for reading! Enjoy.