Ducati Sporting Club UK > DesmoDue Race Series > DesmoDue - General Questions and Chat > Castle Combe

[MLC Racing]

I hate suspension especially forks. I hate the fact that I feel like I'm being a nerd keep moaning about them. You guys that can ride around these type of issues - much respect
ME.. well..whether its Maxtons, Showas, Marzocchi.... if they're not right.......arrghh twisting my melon man!
Took my rear ohlins shock to the South of France to get it sorted by a mate who is a god in this field in my opinoin.
But the forks......Been to Maxton countless times with a number of set ups for the DD bike and I have hated every one. I have cocked about with them for over 3 years. Even disassembled the shim stack in the paddock at Assen at 7 o'clock at night in search of the 'Holy Grail' (Thanks for the help Pete Yates).
April this year rode my S4 monster to Toulouse to watch my local rugby team and took a fork leg from the desmo with me. Dave (the Guru) Parkinson works his magic and sends me home armed with the parts and info to make the changes to the fork still in blighty. and voila xxx. I love my bike.
The Oulton round helped me set oil levels etc and yippee..
By the end of Oulton I was more or less equalling my Oulton laps from last year.
Doh.
Lies, damn lies and statistics!!

The bike actually felt much more controllable though.
One or two more minor tweaks for Castle Combe. Its a habit now. I can't help it and I hate myself for it.

1st allcomers practice, rear shock all sloppy and a really sore knee that I can't bend. Apparently my son Max saw this black twiddly thing on the rear shock and turned it. "It didn't do anything" he said so he kept on turning it, got bored then went to play with his mates.
Rear shock now sorted but my knee meant I couldn't move on the bike.
Did the dd practice only because my Mrs massaged my knee and put the blocks from the cooler box in a bandage on it. She was a top girl this day as it would have been dangerous for me to race with the knee as it was. After 1st practice I was sulking and prepared to go home and pout for ages.

Race 1
Qualified 12th I think. Next to Skids anyway.
Got a start...., clutch grabbed and then the bike attempted to wheely. I say attempted as with over 16.5 st on it, 57bhp aint ever getting too high.
Saw Skids take avoiding action as the chain was draping from the bike in front. Don't know if it was a chain link or a stone the brushed my helmet but the melee was now behind and Mad Andy Challis in front.
620's seem to have more of the torquey thingies than the class B's and while I wasn't making too much ground on Andy on the straights, managed to eek a little closer on the corner exits, until with good drive out of the last corner managed to pass on the rhs down the start/finish. He says I startled him but there was no one more surprised than me.
Different class of bikes so he had no need to push to get me back.
Finished 7th. But my knee was really, really sore.

Race 2
My Mrs once again worked her magic between races! (keep it clean guys!) and I felt ok for DD2.
Got a better start only to see Skids do better than me. Chickened out in the first corner as usual but managed to pass a few people (620's are like cheating really) got upto Skids. Managed to follow for a lap or so then as Kev showed commendable caution approaching and passing a slower rider
I was able to miss my braking marker and pass him (fear and lack of ability is all it was).
It felt a little lonely after that. Once again, I expected Kev or someone to show me a wheel but no.
7th again but my fastest lap was 2 seconds or so better than the last time we where at Castle Combe so dead chuffed really. My knee is agony!!!

And I now love my forks. My forks are ace. Nearly 4 years of torment but finally a bike I feel I can like.!!
'til Pembrey that is, then I'll have another look for another 'Holy Grail'

See ya.