The first thing that happened was - i built a new frame. Actually I built 2 because I made a silly, expensive, and time consuming mistake on the first one after setting the jig up wrong. And finally realised I needn't have built a new one at all. The only only positives I can pull from the whole experience are ... I'm now dead good at bronze welding, and the new frame has a couple of refinements making it sit better with the engine now 1.5in further forward.
Oh, and it seems to handle just fine too!
Easter was meant to be the first test but the weather was bad and the faster classes didn't run at all. The next event was the non ACU round - the main event, which we entered as there's a lack of meetings now Shakey has gone. We had a few small issues but went quicker each time, running a best of 7.5, sadly not good enough to qualify.
On to the Summer nationals, a well attended event and half the field now running 6's. We made 3 runs with a best of 7.5 again but on the 3rd qualifying run an ignition pickup came loose causing the bike to cut out violently, and then come back on, possibly with the timing being out which caused a holed piston. Back in the workshop I stripped the engine to find the cases also damaged, cracked on the same cylinder.
It's been a long time since we damaged any cases or pistons, do they had done well considering. With no spare 85mm pistons I've decided it's time to build the bigger capacit engine I've been gathering parts for. It should make a fair bit more power, which is what we need now to complete in a much faster classes than previous years.
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