January round up…

Firstly let me thank you all!

10,000 of you have looked at the Peterbetabiker blog

since its inception in March 2008.

Amost 1000 a month,250 per week!!!

INCREDIBLE

Whats new?

Well I sold the FZR 600

to a local French guy

who doesnt get a full licence until April 09!

I made a decent profit on the bike

and bought a classic Honda.

A 1975 K2 Honda 500 Four

in fact.

Whilst not concours it is in great

original condition.

The four pipes are good with no dents or rot.

lovely colour-metallic gold

Recently serviced,it is ready to roll.

I,m looking forward to going on some classic club runs.

OH,and I bought another Elise!

Bright red this time.

Low mileage and very well serviced

its faster than the silver one I bought.

Could be the 160 throttle body and K+N filter.

It gives a claimed 12HP increase.

Certainly a bigger mid range!

At the other end of the sporting spectrum,

I bought a lovely Volvo 850 estate!!!!

£1000 for a low mileage,top spec UK model.

RIDICULOUS

PLUS

UK cars are effectively 30% cheaper

due to the fall in the value of the pound

against the EURO.

For French residents it means UK cars/bikes

are a real bargain.

Except UK dirt bikes!

Why are they still so dear ?

Everyone predicted

that they would be given away

after the restrictions on green lane access

and local authority restrictions

on motocross meetings.

I havent seen any bargains,have you?

Anyone out there had a TVR chimeara?

I fancy one and need some pointers from owners.
ps anyone interested in my housebuild
-take a look on flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/33883422@N03/

Cheers:P

“just popping out dear……..”

Mrs Betabiker was dismayed!

No beef for Sunday!

CATASTROPHE!

“No problem dear,despite it being Sunday morning

and we live in the middle of rural France,

I feel I can find a solution to the problem”

I fuel up the 2 FZRs,

Find the rucksack,

and with son John on board the FZR400

me on the FZR600

head off for Brantome,40 miles south.

Fantastic, quiet,sinuous roads,

virtually no traffic

and a sunny warm day-25 degrees.

We play tag -never less than 70mph,

never more than 100mph.

The 600 FZR pulls like a train,

with no discernible powerband.

When needed,

a shot of acceleration is easily gained

by shifting down a gear.

It does have to be said that the 600 demands some input

in the handling dept.

Whilst very stable,

its 189 kgs bulk requires

an involved effort to hussle through the twistys.

I was aware that I was “counter steering”

(turning the wheel slightly

in the opposite direction

as the cornering move commences.

It is normally an operation done unconciously,

but once you know about it,

you notice when you are doing it!)

ANYWAY

together with the counter steering,

I needed to “push” the bike down in the corners

pressing down on the inside foot peg

and applying pressure with the bum cheek !

Arriving at a very crowded Brantome,

we had a quick beer at a shady bar

overlooking the river

bought the beef joint

( and some nice lamb)

Togged up and belted back.

great run,only marred slightly

by me getting stung on my neck

by a wasp caught up in my “Buff”

Was the beef good?

Bloody marvellous!

Val de Vienne circuit

Le Vigeant-Val de vienne motorcircuit.
Between Poitiers and Confolens
in the flat centre of France.

Considered a very technical circuit
and probably built with car racing in mind,
it is similar in size to Oulton Park

The main straight(the pits straight)
is 500 meters.
There are a plethora of continuous radius
and double apex bends.

The back straight is 300 meters long.
The track surface is excellent with very few bumps.
Exit views are very limited on many of the bends
and good track knowledge is vital.

The fast guys lap at around 1minute 40 secs.

Anns best time here on a stock FZR400 is 2minutes 24 secs.

By way of comparison,

none of our friends,
CBR 600 mounted
could better 2 minutes 36 secs!

The best trackdays are organised by TEAM 18
-the Pompiers(fire brigade)
-18 is the emergency tel no -like 999 in the UK;
They run a very successful
endurance road race team
and are all bike mad.

The days are seen as a legitimate way
of letting road riders test their machines
in safe,controlled , conditions.

Heres a piccie of me on Ann,s FZR400

Quick but soooo cramped

I had backache for a week!

All sorts turn up
-kids on 125 screamers,
pukka racers,
even seen a guy on a boxer BMW
with panniers attached!
He was no slouch either!

Riding kit is optional
-from full leathers to jeans and trainers!
As long as you are insured
and the bike has all the legal documents
-your safety is YOUR responsibility
(Typical French pragmatism)

5 sessions of 25minutes are the norm.
Same as UK trackdays except for the cost-80euros(£50)

There are some seriously quick French riders!
Probably because they have grown up with bikes,
riding mopeds from 14 years old,
riding skills seem high.

I cant remember ever seeing an accident
stopping play during one of the sessions

Le Vigeant also hosts some interesting events.
In July there is a charity day hosted by the Ferrari Owners Club
-200 Ferraris and other exotic cars
-quite a sight;

The best weekend is the “trofeo Rosso”
-an exclusively Italian bike only gathering

-19th and 20TH July
All day track sessions enable fans to see classic Italian machines
(road and race)
being used as they were intended.
I hope to attend again this year
If I do

-I,ll show you some photos,later.

(Bit pressed with the housebuilding work

-keep watching )

Bye for now:P

FZRs R,US

His and Hers.

600 and 400 FZR YAMAHAS

Anns a 1988 FZR 400 SP-limited edition,

racer from a crate 400.

Loads of special parts

-close ratio box,

alloy frame,

super brakes,

exotic metals;

Mine is a 1992 standard 600FZR,

well maintained and in super condition.

-one lady owner from new.

Despite an horrendous 2 day journey to fetch her from Alsace

on the German border

-I am well satisfied with the bike.

It should make a useful trackday tool

and is nice for a blast on a sunny day.

Incidentally,many thanks to all you bloggers out there

-the next few days

will see me break the 2000 visitor marK;

I must be saying something of interest,to someone.

I found this old photo-

Ann and son John, aged 5  and a Honda CX 500/Squire outfit circa 1986.

Where do the years go?:P

Update April

BUSY, BUSY, BUSY!

Back to the UK in the Hymer next week for 10 days.

Loaded down with 10 dozen bottles of wine and over 40 wine boxes for relatives!

I am hoping to do a deal on another running FZR600,scruffy but sound,for £250.

(to be picked up on another trip)

Managed  to fit a goodridge braided brakehose system

to the FZR racer today and

after a 2 month wait for the fiberglass race seat

-took all the plastics to pal Nick to be sprayed.

I,ve plumped for Yamaha red/white and black

-with R/W/black speedblock graphics.

Got the club and FFM racing licence applications so all is looking good.

The weather has been AWFUL for weeks and we havent been out on the trails at all-TOO WET.

Took a couple of days out to camp in the Dordogne-so beautiful!

Sarlat,Domme,Rocamadour-sensational.

Although only about 100 miles south,

it is so much warmer than here in the Limousin.

We are thinking maybe we should move down there.

We,ll see.

OH nearly forgot

-I,m bidding on a yummy SP370 based race bike on UK ebay

-hope I win it.

What do you think?

update

I thoughtI,d just update y,all……..

I had to fly back to the UK for a few days as my Dad(83) has just had a mini stroke.

Apart from ”waiting in Gods waiting room” as they say,he seems OK.

Although it sounds mercenary,the trip was useful

as I managed to source an FZR Yam 600 for a mere £250 off an old mate-Micron can,

good tyres and an MOT -not bad eh?

The weather here has moved from spring back into Autumn-gale force winds and torrential rain.We tend to forget but EVERY march the weather seems to follow the same pattern.

The campervan is a whisker away from being Legitimate -€700 out of pocket,5 months and 3 major inspections already done-but heh”c,est l,Europe!”

(hoping to get away for a few days this week in the Hymer, to Arcachon,just South of Bordeaux -something about a patio set from IKEA?????? in Bordeaux)

The beta finally has a new registration number-ie legal at last.

The Pampera finally has a shortened shock for ”she of the short leg”.

(It transpired that 1cm reduction in shock length

gave a 3inch reduction in seat height-who would have believed it?)

The race tyres have arrived for the FZR

(more than can be said for the Race seat off Ebay) and will be fitted this week.

Things are looking Up!

Several emails re trail riding breaks down here in the Limousin-email me at pkcheetham@wanadoo.fr to arrange a 1,2 or 3 day break trailriding;

The cost is approximately £100/£150 per day for food,accomodation,guiding

(120/150kms per day OFFROAD  riding)

Very informal and ridden at YOUR pace.

You need to book your ferry crossing,transport here(8 hours from Calais)

and provide your own bike.

There are no gates to open,no Ramblers,no traffic,NO STRESS-just good old fashioned greenlaneing to ENJOY!

Hasta la vista :P

Piste again!

TRACKDAYS IN FRANCE

The season is nigh. Book up now.
French trackdays fall into 2 main categories-”jour de securité” and “jour d,entrainement”.
The former are literally “safety days” and are organized by the fire services, police and the like, to allow riders to discover their machine’s limits in a controlled environment. In other words a normal trackday!

Cost usually 80/100 euros per day for 4 or 5 sessions of 25miutes duration. Protective clothing is recommended-leathers etc. However the fastest guys seem to often favour the protection of tracksuits and trainers-I kid you not!

Its quite disconcerting being pushed off the racing line by a guy on a BMW R1100 sporting a full luggage set-panniers and topbox mounted. This happened to me at Val de Vienne circuit a couple of years ago. French riders generally ride very well-starting at 14 years old on mopeds obviously helps,and seems to mean most French people are biker friendly, even if after 18 they gave up 2 wheels for 4.

You will need a driving licence, a logbook and insurance for the bike and a disclaimer filled in. You need to choose a group that matches your skill level-slow, medium, fast.

Jour d,entrainement
These are “training days” and can be “libres entrainement”, available to the public, with or without racing licences or days organized by the circuits themselves for licence holders only-check first. Some trackdays are organised for cars and bikes on the same day, with sessions alternating between 2 wheelers and 4 wheelers throughout the day. Usually the sessions are paid for on the day. Sessions normally cost 16 to 20 euros per 20 minute blast.
The days follow exactly the same format as the safety days-except possession of an FFM race licence means no compulsory insurance, as this is covered by the racing body.
Same paperwork, same timetable etc.
Protective clothing is strictly enforced on these days;
You will need- 1 or 2 piece leathers, integral lid, gloves, boots, rigid back protector and knee protectors. These items are compulsory.

Where and when?
A good start would be to visit www.motoplanete.com
The site features days at “Le Vigeant”(val de Vienne circuit near Poitiers)
If you scan down the arranged days and visit some of featured club websites,you,ll find other tracks listed.
Days are organized all over France-Ledenon, Ales and Nogaro in the south; Carol, Magny Cours and Dijon in the north.
Many circuits organize their own trackdays-visit their sites direct and book. A list of all French circuits is posted on the FFM website.

Two alternatives to check out are;
a) Croix en Ternois near Boulogne in the North-they organize their own trackdays direct via their website-the circuit is very convenient for those living in the south of England.
b) Check out Dunlopmotodays.com
Dunlop are renting circuits this summer, all over France, and offering FREE trackdays for riders on Dunlop shod bikes-NO REALLY!
Booking opens six weeks prior to each event and needless to say soon fill up-BE QUICK!
(typically, Dunlop dont make a tyre that fits the FZR 18inch rear wheel-only Bridgestone Battlax come in suitable sporty compound!)And of course, Bridgestone dont run training days, do they? (I never win raffles either!)
Well thats about it;

the FZR is now being repainted.
Tyres are ordered and a Goodridge braided hose kit in the post;
The logbook has been transferred and insurance paid for.
Anns FZR 400 is ready to roll;Later I,ll post some pictures of Val de Vienne trackdays for you.In the meantime here are some Cadwell Park pictures from the past-Ann on her Kawasaki Green!Honda RS125 and me on my old Honda CL305 , beautifully prepared and a joy to ride(thanks to Pete Rhodes at Honda Racing Services)
I,ll tell you more about this bike and some other favourites in a later post.

Stay on the Piste.