Tony O'Brien Vespa 90 SS : Vespa Tuning: Vespa Racing

The ‘big one’ and maybe the most awesome track we will attend this year. This is the place the great Ayrton Senna showed the world how to race in the rain in 1993.

I have only raced once here. It was in 97 I think. The motor seized massively if I recall and I was sideways down through Craner curves before saving it and parking it on the tyre wall!

The bike is up geared and set to run well over 100mph. The clutch seems to be sorted after the second race at Mallory and of course Charley Edmonds has had it on the ‘brake dyno’ for hours with no issues. So I arrive.. Keith Terry (ex Kegra) is already there and has kindly taken my bike for me. Its parked outside under the awning awaiting me to fit the seat and get my leathers on.

The meeting itself has to be a priviledge. The Bsso group is in support of the International Superstars Touring Car series. I wonder what these guys will make of us? Practise starts and only 3 laps in the primary gear lets go and I have lost all drive. The wait for the van to transport me back seems to take forever. Stripping the motor reveals an out of spec primary gear that does not have the correct

interference to the crankshaft. The issue now is the only other gear I have will undergear the bike by some 5mph or so. This is not too good and I am thinking what to do. Just then sponsor Norrie Kerr arrives with the bike in bits and me rushing around. No choice but to run the 27 tooth cog and do my best. Norrie has yet to see this bike in action. No pressure then… don’t know the circuit… not ridden anything on two wheels since April… and the legend Mr Kerr himself is here!

Onto the grid… I notice to my left a porsche team are hanging over the wall with a bemused look on their faces… oh well.. what to do eh! The lights go off and I do my best to launch my bike with its very high first gear. Finally its off and into its stride. Starting 16th somehow I get to 2nd behind Guy Topper before Redgate. I tuck in behind and intend to use him to teach me the track. After two laps I am still in touch-just. But now the front brake is fading and I am finding my rusty riding is letting me down a touch. I definately need more track time on this bike. The next lap the rear suspension has overheated and is coil binding on acceleration and bucking me out of the seat. Time to back it off before I get hurt I think and with one lap to go the Group6 machine of Doug Turner comes by. So A third from 16th.. thats ok I suppose. But definately some work to do on the bike suspension and braking wise.

 Between races Norrie makes an appearance and has a sit on the Hornet.

This is the first time Norrie Kerr of Ve Uk has seen the bike and it go. After some advice from him I am set for race two… I look up and the same Porsche Cup team are there this time waving and snapping the bike.. I give them a little nod back not sure if they are laughing or praising the bike?!! 🙂 The race starts and this time its a pack of 4.. its Guy Topper,Charley Edmonds, Doug Turner and myself out at the front. For four laps I stay with them until again the brake starts to fail and the again the rear shock stops working.. Even though I manage to shave 2 seconds off the lap time (thanks Norrie) which was an average speed of 72mph. I finished 4th this time but I am well happy with the result  and as I cross the line I see loads of touring car mechanics waving and applauding as the scooters go past the chequered flag. Nice touch and thanks guys!

The next meeting will be Mallory at the beginning of September. So time for a new brake caliper and cooling duct as well as a rework of the suspension!

ps… the bike won best prepped machine 🙂

Thanks to all those who voted… and to Lee Hollick,Davy and Shaggy for the pics.