Posts Tagged ‘Isle of Man’

Turbo bikes are go!

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

Martek turbo

Martek turbo
◄ Back
Picture 1 of 3

What to mention then?

They always say bad winter good summer don’t they? Well they aren’t wrong are they? There is no winning with the English, though and I’m realising I’m not designed for the heat.

I reckon it must be over a month since I wrote something, sorry. After a bit of an accident at this years TT, it meant a week of not a lot besides film watching, turbo training on a pushbike, and making a plan of attack of stuff to do.

Ta very much to Katey for getting me this League of Gentlemen film, a quality piecethat I would put up there with Jackie Brown, Dumb and dumber and maybe even Pulp Fiction.

After a week off work and not being able to race for a few days, it got me thinking of another way to get a buzz. What do you reckon to this Martek turbo I got hold of the other week? If you want scaring this is the tool. It’s based on a 91 GSX-R1100, fitted with fuel injection, Martek frame and swing arm, suspension and brakes money can’t buy, and a turbo. It makes 320bhp and does wheelies off the throttle in top gear. She is proper, just on with getting her painted so I’ll get some better pics up when she’s 100% finished.  Oh, and my mate Yim has got me a nitrous system to put on her, so my goal now is 500 bhp. I’l keep you informed. It’ll end it tears I’m sure.

I wasn’t allowed to race at my favorite meeting of the year, the Southern 100 in the Isle of Man, but thanks to George I still got across for a look. I met up with a load of the Southern Free Riders and had a shandy or two while watching from Stadium Corner. They’re a sound set of lads, but I reckon they’ve got a load of work to do with me on the drinking front. I’m not designed for that either.
I know there isn;t a lot to mention on the racing front.Getting someone to pass me fit has been a bit of a job. While over in the Isle of Man I went to see Isla Scott, the island’s top physiotherapist. She had a good look over the job and after a bit of a wrestling match, she recons I’m now fit enough to get back on a motor bike. Phew, I’m sure racing will be a bit safer than trying to get 500bhp out of my new bike anyway. It’s looking like Brands Hatch BSB will be my next run out, just before the Ulster GP. Job will be right.

Thanks for all the support I got after the crash. It meant a lot to me.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Blogs by Guy Martin, Martek Turbo, Southern 100 | 41 Comments »

Scarborough Report (and a new (old) stationary engine)

Monday, April 20th, 2009

Allreet folks? What’s the latest out your way? A bit to report around here. Just in the Isle of Man at the mo, doing the TT press launch. Not really my scene, but the TT is where I go and enjoy my summers racing the most, so it’s a small price to pay. Another day off work I know, but we’re not here for a long time, we’re here for a good time. I learnt that saying off Dwyer Agnew, the legendary Irish road racer, good eh?

Well, we had a busy week at work last week, made even busier by me and my dad getting stuck into building my superbike after work. We built the bike as if it was going to the TT, big tank, small rad, loads of lock wire and the usual stuff. We used Scarborough as a bit of sort of bedding in job. We learnt a lot, some good, some bad, but it’s left a lot of food of thought. Like our big 24 litre tank, work of art it may be, it’s just too big to be able to muscle the bike. So it’s back to the drawing board to try and sort out another way of storing the fuel. New type of forks aren’t really floating my boat, but this isn’t really helped by the big tank, the fuel inside acts like a big bow wave when braking so doesn’t help the front tyre when braking. That’s probably why I ended up in a hedge bottom at Scarborough. Oh well, if you’re not crashing your not trying, eh?

We won the last race though, so that meant we had a celebratory McDonald’s on the way home for me, Johnny and the farmer’s daughter. Usually I’d rather eat my own todger than a McDonald’s, but there is a time and a place isn’t there?

Here’s some pics. Back of the van racing is the future. New stationary engine, well new to me, reckon it’s about a 1940′s BSA. Birmingham Small Arms, or as my aunty says, Bloody Sore Arse, or Bits Stuck Anywhere.

Race photos by Andy Graves
(By the way, click the Yellow update at the side to read Phil Wain’s report of how the meeting panned out and see more photos)

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Toys, racing | 19 Comments »

TT Update

Monday, June 9th, 2008

There is nothing left to say other than I’m truly pissed off, not a bit, but proper pissed off. We’ve had nothing but bad luck since I stepped on this place, I must have really pissed someone off in a past life. Between cranks snapping, engines blowing up and electronics going tits up, there is not a lot I can salvage from this years TT. Oh well, it could have been worse, I could have been rogered up the wrong ‘un by a saber tooth monk, but I wasn’t, so I’ll look on the bright side.

I’d like to thank everyone who left me a note after reading my blog. I read ‘em all before racing, it’s mint to see the amount of support I’ve got, better than the support we got from a certain bike manufacturer, but I’m sure it’ll all come out in the wash. Keep the messages coming. Oh and just a quick one, what do you think,megaavalanch or Southern 100 on the Isle of Man, thy’re on the same week. Bugger.

Tags: , ,
Posted in racing | 122 Comments »

Another TT photo

Monday, June 2nd, 2008

Photo: Andy Graves

Tags:
Posted in racing | 10 Comments »

After Monday’s first race

Monday, June 2nd, 2008

Photo: Andy Graves

I struggled with the gears on the Superstocker in this morning’s race. I think it was me not being man enough after riding with the quickshifter on the superbike. It came good for the second half of the four-lapper though. It was jumping out of gear early on though. Me and McGuinness had similar problems and we were both leaving big black lines when the tyre locked.

I was sixth on the first lap. What was that all about?

But it’s going the right way. My mechanic Andy found a lucky penny this morning so we taped it to the airbox of the Fireblade this morning. I’m hoping they’ll put it on the CBR600RR for this afternoon. We’ve all become very superstitious.

(This photo is by my good mate Andy Graves from Saturday’s race. We’ve been having trouble with the tinterweb and haven’t been able to get photos up. More to come).

Tags:
Posted in racing | 28 Comments »