Time to give racing another go

[freeridenick]

Eye test sorted today. BEMSEE membership done and my race license reapplied for. Just waiting for the booking info from the MZ250 club and I'll be signed up and getting ready to head off to Cadwell on 24th to 26th June.

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[sirch345]

I bet you're looking forward to that

Chris.

[popkat]

🏍 do you think you’ll get big air over the mountain .
I raced a few times against a bemsee mz multiple champion last year, he was on an FZ600 and won almost everything in class, a very fast rider.
They use a lot of TZ parts I believe and are a well sorted class been going for well over 20 years.
Good luck with it Nick and have some fun out there



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[freeridenick]

Yeah, I reckon it should be a laugh.

I've seen pics of them pulling big wheelies over the mountain but air, I think not . They're fast though and close racing. I looked at a report from 2019 and the top 15 or 20 riders are all running within 3 or 4 seconds of each other, lap time-wise. Anything under 1:50 looks fast with one or two guys under 1:45. Quick that on those bikes. Especially when 1:45 was about the quickest I ever went on the Firestorm.

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[AMCQ46]

Good luck Nick, I had a great time MZ racing, as said above it is really close racing. But it was 30yrs ago I was doing it and I know there has been a fair few rule changes since then so anything I might remember. Will be feck all use to you......


But All I will say is that I still holed the lap record for that class round 3 Sisters track (but mainly because they haven't raced there in 25yrs)

[lloydie]

Good much and have fun

[freeridenick]

So my first proper go at racing is done. Three days in the sun at Cadwell with a great bunch in the MZ 250 club. There were some ups and downs, in very quick succession at one point, but it was a great weekend that's got me thinking.

I arrived Thursday night and got introduced to my bike, mechanic (yep, I had a guy looking after me and the bike all weekend), and instructor. The bikes are shockingly small, having never ridden a smoker I didn't know what to expect but it was like pushing a kids bike around. Practice on Friday went well and I kept getting faster and faster. The lines are the same as on the 'Storm but gears are completely different, as was the corner speed I was carrying. I was much faster through Park, Hall Bends and the Hairpin than on the Firestorm but it felt rock solid.

Race day 1 was a mixed affair. Qualifying was OK but I pulled in early with no 3rd gear. An hour later we'd swapped the engine in time for the race but I went backwards off the start. Clear space on lap two got me back up to speed and catching a group of four who were fighting for fifth. I never got the chance to play though as I high-sided out of the Hairpin. Who knew a 28bhp bike on Moto3 slicks could do that.

Back out for race 2 and I was up the grid having put in a 1:56 lap in race 1. I was nervous though and ended up 10th doing 2:02 laps. The next day I didn't even get past the finish line on the out lap in morning warm up. An oiled up plug was the cause and again I was amazed how many people in the club gathered round to help work out the problem. This was a recurring theme with everyone who had problems in our paddock.

In race 3 I finished 5th with more 1:56 laps and a good battle with a fellow mid-pack rider. I was gutted to have the bike stall in the collecting area for race 4. There were three of us lapping around the same time and I was looking forward to a good battle. Still, a DNS to go with race 1's DNF, an engine swap and mixed race results was a pretty accurate experience of racing.

All in all it was a great weekend and if anyone fancies a go at racing definitely try the MZ experience. It's racing for old blokes with masses of fun and support.

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[AMCQ46]

sounds like you had fun ... corner speed is the game with those bikes

interesting that they are allowed slicks now, that will make corner speeds even better

[gilson]

So my first proper go at racing is done. Three days in the sun at Cadwell with a great bunch in the MZ 250 club. There were some ups and downs, in very quick succession at one point, but it was a great weekend that's got me thinking.

I arrived Thursday night and got introduced to my bike, mechanic (yep, I had a guy looking after me and the bike all weekend), and instructor. The bikes are shockingly small, having never ridden a smoker I didn't know what to expect but it was like pushing a kids bike around. Practice on Friday went well and I kept getting faster and faster. The lines are the same as on the 'Storm but gears are completely different, as was the corner speed I was carrying. I was much faster through Park, Hall Bends and the Hairpin than on the Firestorm but it felt rock solid.

Race day 1 was a mixed affair. Qualifying was OK but I pulled in early with no 3rd gear. An hour later we'd swapped the engine in time for the race but I went backwards off the start. Clear space on lap two got me back up to speed and catching a group of four who were fighting for fifth. I never got the chance to play though as I high-sided out of the Hairpin. Who knew a 28bhp bike on Moto3 slicks could do that.

Back out for race 2 and I was up the grid having put in a 1:56 lap in race 1. I was nervous though and ended up 10th doing 2:02 laps. The next day I didn't even get past the finish line on the out lap in morning warm up. An oiled up plug was the cause and again I was amazed how many people in the club gathered round to help work out the problem. This was a recurring theme with everyone who had problems in our paddock.

In race 3 I finished 5th with more 1:56 laps and a good battle with a fellow mid-pack rider. I was gutted to have the bike stall in the collecting area for race 4. There were three of us lapping around the same time and I was looking forward to a good battle. Still, a DNS to go with race 1's DNF, an engine swap and mixed race results was a pretty accurate experience of racing.

All in all it was a great weekend and if anyone fancies a go at racing definitely try the MZ experience. It's racing for old blokes with masses of fun and support.

Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

Brilliant!

[sirch345]

So my first proper go at racing is done. Three days in the sun at Cadwell with a great bunch in the MZ 250 club. There were some ups and downs, in very quick succession at one point, but it was a great weekend that's got me thinking.

I arrived Thursday night and got introduced to my bike, mechanic (yep, I had a guy looking after me and the bike all weekend), and instructor. The bikes are shockingly small, having never ridden a smoker I didn't know what to expect but it was like pushing a kids bike around. Practice on Friday went well and I kept getting faster and faster. The lines are the same as on the 'Storm but gears are completely different, as was the corner speed I was carrying. I was much faster through Park, Hall Bends and the Hairpin than on the Firestorm but it felt rock solid.

Race day 1 was a mixed affair. Qualifying was OK but I pulled in early with no 3rd gear. An hour later we'd swapped the engine in time for the race but I went backwards off the start. Clear space on lap two got me back up to speed and catching a group of four who were fighting for fifth. I never got the chance to play though as I high-sided out of the Hairpin. Who knew a 28bhp bike on Moto3 slicks could do that.

Back out for race 2 and I was up the grid having put in a 1:56 lap in race 1. I was nervous though and ended up 10th doing 2:02 laps. The next day I didn't even get past the finish line on the out lap in morning warm up. An oiled up plug was the cause and again I was amazed how many people in the club gathered round to help work out the problem. This was a recurring theme with everyone who had problems in our paddock.

In race 3 I finished 5th with more 1:56 laps and a good battle with a fellow mid-pack rider. I was gutted to have the bike stall in the collecting area for race 4. There were three of us lapping around the same time and I was looking forward to a good battle. Still, a DNS to go with race 1's DNF, an engine swap and mixed race results was a pretty accurate experience of racing.

All in all it was a great weekend and if anyone fancies a go at racing definitely try the MZ experience. It's racing for old blokes with masses of fun and support.

Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

Good to hear you enjoyed it

Chris.

[popkat]

Great that you enjoyed it, racing is such a buzz what ever you ride


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