Sam Matthewman races a Suzuki TL1000S-based racer in hill climbs, and we’ve conned him into writing about his season, starting with the Prescott Hill Climb.
Well after what seems like an eternity over winter in the shed reincarnating my heavily modified Suzuki TL1000S for the 13th year in succession, it was finally time to put the tools down, sweep the swarf up and swing a leg over it.
A handful of finger numbing 10 minute stints at Teeside Autodrome in the rain and sleet two weeks previous didn’t really reveal anything other than the new 1200 engine was bloody fast and the new rear suspension was anything other than compliant and plush!
A quick call to my friend Gareth from Reactive Suspension (who handily lives round the corner) dropped off a new spring the following day. With that fitted it was clear the damping was too heavy too, so out came the shock for a handful of shims removing.
Which brings us to Prescott Bike Festival (April 7, 2013). An event organised by the Nationwide Association of Blood Bikes and the Severn Freewheelers. Because we race at Prescott with the National Hill Climb Association, they kindly invite us to come along as something of a celebrity status and ‘show the crowds how the experts ride the hill’, or something like that.
Now lets get this right, I’m certainly no expert having only ridden there for two seasons and as for celebrity, I’m definitely not a white veneer, fake tan, brown leather jacket with a classical singer hanging off my arm kinda bloke (you know who I mean). However, who could resist a bit of chest puffing and a few runs up the famous Bugatti Owners Club Private Race Track in front of a few thousand spectators! Would be rude not to.
However, even as a kid on my Grifter, the merest sight of a camera or cheering spectator would quickly see my enthusiasm outrunning my talent. And this was bearing down hard in my mind for this weekend. A new chassis, new engine, rusty rider and cold intermediate tyres that haven’t turned a wheel since September last year were about to be thrown into a 3rd gear knee down left-hander in front of 6000 people – what was there possibly to worry about?
Happy Hour duly arrived and a quick burnout to remove the blue hue from the rear tyre and I was ready for my photo with the big chested brolly dolly. Much to my dismay, it turned out only the paying public got that ‘service’, so I rolled up to the line a little deflated (unlike her chest). It then occurred to me after seeing how narrow the track looked that I hadn’t walked it the evening before to refresh my memory, instead choosing the alternative night-before preparation of lasagne & chips in the clubhouse washed down with a couple of pints of Thatchers, watching the MotoGP qualifying.
With a mince and pasta turtles head edging ever nearer, I grabbed first gear and snaked my way off the rather dusty and slippy line towards the dreaded blind first corner. With knee skimming tarmac, the bike miraculously stuck and it was game on!
A pedestrian loop of Ettore’s Bend, I then short shifted to third and let the 158bhp of the 1200 loose. After a quick side step and an arse-off-the-seat moment, it hooked up fired downhill towards Pardon Hairpin. With the crowds of the VIP tent in my peripheral vision, I ran into the turn super deep, rear end chattering. Between the cheep-cheep of the rear tyre trying to lock up, those lining the circuit must have been able to hear the shouts of “shit shit shit, you cock” omitting from my Arai. Thankfully the steep entry scrubbed off speed and, to the inebriated spectators, it probably looked planned. After that the rest of the run was taken slightly more sedately and a little wheelie for the cameraman near the finish.
The lack of real celebrities meant I got to have a few more goes until I started to get embarrassed by the amount of track time and, dare I say, personal fitness.
Next stop is Loton Park near Shrewsbury for my first National Hill Climb Association (NHCA) championship round on the 13/14th April. I hope my rescogs stickers arrive in time…
Turtles head..classic…enjoyed that 😉