BIKE RACKS FOR BIKES

First Superbike race in the bag!!

After an hour and forty-five minutes later, two pit stops, maximum physical effort, one really close call over a 100mph+ jump, I've come.... 11th!

Would you believe that on a true stock Superstock bike, a front treaded DOT tire, rear slick (harder than before), after all the dust settled I came, are you ready for this?, .5, 1/5 of one second, after the entire race, out of 10th overall. Aarrgh!! :) It's all good.

My bike was running out of gas near the end of each second lap, in a six lap race, so I was 'jug jug jug' for the last few miles before each pit stop and the final checkered flag. This cost us a top ten. We could have also easily made up another 1/2 second if we poured the fuel a little faster on the refills on each pit stop.

I lost time in the first lap trying to get me head back up to speed, I was also getting some dangerous arm pump from the bumpy surfaces. I got stronger every lap, strange. Many of the men just in front of me got slower and I zapped them. Heh heh. I was basically the first Superstock bike directly behind all the full factory Superbikes and top real road racers in the world. I'm happy enough, albeit gutted on the NEAR top ten.

There were a couple fallers near the end of the race, two of them I had to swerve aggressively to avoid debris and bodies on the racing line. Ugly ugly stuff.

There were so many fans lining the track, a truly awesome sight. A beautiful day, it seemed there were 600 people in each of the 266 corners. Sometimes they wave frantically as you go wizzing by and you wonder what famous dude is just on your arse. That, or are you really doing good enough to deserve such a thing? Apparently, an American dicing for a top ten got a few of the tipsy spectators to egg me onward. Cool.

The two remaining American newcomers finished last and second to last. Not sure why. But they came home safe, good on them.

The race was very very difficult physically. Riders were wet from sweat at the end, lots of hugs from their mechanics as they pulled into the pits, thanking them for not hurting themselves. I learned a long time ago that the team members are effected greatly when their rider and friend get hurt or killed. The TT is a selfish affair, on the rider's part.

That's all I got. Pretty happy, with that slight 'err' for not finding one lousy half of a second in to hours for the top ten. But to be fair, you're never really happy, are you? If it's not a top ten, it's a podium. If it's not a podium, it's a win. If it's not a win, it's a new track record. Racers.

Moto Grand Prix World Champion Valentino Rossi was here today with great media fan fare. He was on the radio and nightly television show today....Gobsmacked. As you can imagine his high-pitched clown-like Italian voice, "It's just a, ah, just incredible. I cannot believe it. It's more than scary. I'm so now impressed with John McGuinness for winning. He iz, a, ah a Gladiator. Completely. Unbelievable." Big grins from all within ear shot of his words.

We're on for our first electric bike practice on the morrow, then our all important Superstock race later in the evening, which my main bike is optimum for. Wish us luck, I, want, a, friggin, top ten finish. Let's do it.

Mark

Ps, I sar our MotoCzysz electric bike last night in person for the first time. Seriously, it's beyond expectations. The owner asked me not to tell anyone they've spent $xxx,xxx on it thus far. So, don't tell anyone. Holy hell.

I don't have time now to describe everything that's cool about it, just believe me when I say it's clean, sano, perfect, modern, gorgeous, intimidating, compact, expensive, hopefully functional, custom, the works. If it finishes we should win the first ever "eGrand Prix" ever. First practice, first ride ever, tomorrow afternoon.

Oh, and he 'started it' up for me this afternoon, it sounded like a loud Tie Fighter from Star Wars roaring through space - just sitting there on it's rear swingarm stand. Yikes! Will it be rideable?

(This photo was provided courtesy of IOMTT photographer John O'Keefe. I asked him how fat Mark was going here and John replied: "At this point they are averaging 140MPH and slowing down to about 45MPH for the bridge, then accelerating to 190MPH on the straight past the Sulby Glen Hotel." As Mark would say...FOOK!

Here's my aluminum road bike, equipped for light travel in semi-remote areas with deep night riding.