2011 Seasons conclusion

Hi all,

it's a long time since I've updated our blog but that didn't mean we've only been sitting on the sofa all that time. First the results of the 2011 season:

Finnish championship 5th position
Estonian championship 15th position
Estonian cup 12th position
Latvian championship 15th position
Latvian championship Veteran class 3rd position

All together we participated at 22 races including two world championship events. At the start of the season we had some technical problems and missed too many points there. We listed what went wrong and with the implemented improvements and better preparations for next season our goal is not only to finish all the races but also to improve our results.

2012 we'll be riding together again for an other season. Mikael has been training with driving the sidecar by himself but needs more time on the bike before he can participate in races. What did we do those 3 months? First we took 2 weekends off, did sleep long in the weekends and just be lazy (yes on the sofa). The intensive season of 22 races in 5 months was feeling mentally and fysically, not to mention financially.

Then we picked up training again and during these sessions we tested some changes to the carburetor. Mikael started to drive with his friend Marko. Well first I made many laps with Marko to get him used at the job as a passenger and then I swapped my role and was passenger for Mikael. I've never been so many laps doing that job and it's not easy to move quickly and ligth as a feather from side to side. Then after a while Mikael and Marko started to drive together.

I also tried the left hand sidecar of Jani  and Arto but that was unbelievable difficult to ride. Everything felt wrong, only one lap and quickly back to the paddock. Our training sessions ended at some moment when the gearbox started to give problems. The weather was getting worse and the clubs started to close the tracks. For this reason Mikael and Marko weren't able to spend more time with driving the sidecar. We decided to take the sidecar apart because the frame needed to be fixed and I also wanted to have some changes made. The rocks and stones had badly damaged the tubes under the engine and the left feet rest isn't much better. A new paint job and it's ready for the new season again. All in all the AYR frame has been very reliable during the season.

December the 9th I took the ferry to Tallinn and brougth first the frame to Are Kaurit, AYR manufacturer, to get it ready for next season. From there I continued to meet an Estonian team, Ivanov/Jalas and together we travelled to Latvia for the price ceremony of the Latvian championship. We had very bad weather during our trip and it took longer then expexted. The price ceremony was in Vecumnieki near Stelpe.

The Latvian federation had organized a big happening and there was a very relaxed atmosphere.
Unfortunately Mikael became ill the day before and had to miss all the fun.

For the moment we're waiting for the frame to be ready and are looking for rebuilding one engine to have a longer stroke. This is one of the changes we must make to be more competitive next season.

Untill the next post I would like to thank especially our sponsors for their support and hope they will stay on board and continue with helping us to achieve our goals next season.

Best regards,

Stephan

Porvoo field trip 17.09.2011

Hi all,

Last Saturday we went to Porvoo to spend the afternoon riding at a harvested field. This would have been a great opportunity for people interested in sidecar motocross to give it a try. The track was winding nicely around the field with a lot of smooth corners. In spite of some publicity only a small group arrived at location, less then 30 persons. We still had a good time and people tried the jobs of driver or passenger and rode different hacks.

Regards,
Stephan

Pictures from Porvoo

Pictures Gulbene, Latvia

Our thanks to Panu for taking these pictures

Gulbene, Latvia

Regards,
Stephan

Orimattila, final round for the Finnish Championship

Hi all,

this was the last race for the Finnish championship and also for this season. After 22 races it's good to stay at home again for the weekends (for a while). The whole week prior to the race it has been raining regularly. The track was very soft and heavy but ride-able. The Orimattila track is half sand, half clay. With reinforcements from Estonia and Sweden 12 teams arrived at the paddock. The exemption of the entry fee for foreign teams had attracted their interest. Maybe this example will be followed by other organizers next season and hopefully there will be no overlapping events as many as this year.

Back to the race; as expected with the short stroked Husaberg engine there's not much to prove when confronted with a soft and heavy track. 10th position in the training and one team crashed and was out of the race already.

Before the first start the organization cleaned the worst mud from the track and that helped a lot.The start was as expected, we just followed the others in the first corners. The positive thing of arriving with a little delay is that you can avoid the first corner pile-up and pick up a few places. But in this soft sand and clay it's not taking very long before the faster teams start to re-pass. We ended up behind the Swedish team and started to push for a pass. They used a fat two-stroke Zabel and at every straight they made a gap we were able to close in the corners but didn't get the opportunity to finalize it. After the first lap the rear brake pedal was blocked by mud and didn't operate anymore. Then after 2 laps we started to hear a strange metallic noise that became more and more frequent the next laps. And after four laps a tube from the cooling system popped off. That was the end of our part in this heat. Luckily it happened on the starting straight, short walk back to the paddock.
We pushed the hack back to the paddock and found that Pöllänen/Lehtinen were also there with a boiling engine. When we checked the sidecar we noticed that the rear sprocket was completely worn out and the chain had jumped causing the metallic noise we heard. The wet sand had shortened the sprocket's life remarkably.

The second start was a repetition of the first. 2 teams got technical problems in the first lap and we held the last position during the whole heat. There was never a real change to close the gap with the teams in front of us. I decided to save the engine and just finish the race. Behind Pöllänen/Lehtinen we ended at the ninth position. In the total standing we dropped one position and the fifth spot is the result of our efforts this year. 2 DNF's did cost us points but also a problem was that all the races this year in Finland took place on muddy and heavy tracks where our engine wasn't the best choice.

For now we continue with training sessions and Mikael starts to drive by himself with a friend of him. I'm going to have a good beer and intend to test some other team's equipment. Next Saturday we've planned to have a test day on a farming field in Porvoo. Hopefully we'll see some new faces interested to give sidecar motocross a try.

Regards,
Stephan

Results Orimattila 10.09.2011 (sv = sidecars)
trip Orimattila 10.09.2011

Gulbene, Latvian Championship 04.09

Hello again,

This was the eight and last race of the Latvian championship series. At Saturday we took the 10:30 ferry to Tallinn. Panu was travelling with us and let's hope his pictures succeeded. The team of Aronen/Mantila had left earlier that week to Denmark for the Slagelse GP. Because we weren't in a hurry we crossed the Estonian/Latvian border at Mõisaküla, a little bit of sightseeing trip. We had dinner in Park Hotel Bruzis, Smiltene. We've been there before and the restaurant serves good food.

It started to get dark when we continued for the last 100 kilometers to our hotel for the night. I had booked a hotel based on location and price, you know our budget is always pressed and the choice this time was hotel Grasu Pils located near Cesvaine.

Finding this hotel in the dark somewhere in the countryside was not easy. Luckily Panu had his navigator with him and even with it's help we were in doubt when following gravel roads deeper and deeper in the dark countryside. But then in the middle of nowhere there it was... suits us good. A manor from the 17th century. In Latvia and Estonia you can have a wonderfull holiday travelling around especially when you like history and architecture.
Driving trough the place Cesvaine we passed the local palace, yes a palace! Unfortunately we didn't had time to have a better look at the surroundings and these buildings. It was sidecar motocross for what we came for.
The next morning it was only a short trip to the Gulbene track but there were many dark and low rain clouds with now and then deep fog over the road. We've been before in Gulbene and the race was canceled halfway due to the bad conditions.

Arriving at the paddock we were happy to see that the track was okay. Well watered of course but no deep mud like 2 years ago. The sun broke trough and it was warming up slowly. The Gulbene track is mainly based on reddish clay, traditional for Latvia, and a few corners with deep sand. There's a steep climb in the mid section of the track. Only 12 teams had found their way to Gulbene. We achieved the 10th position in the training.

The starting area was still very soft and we ended up in the back of the pack. We passed quickly Vâpa/Macs but then we weren't able to pass Ivanov/Jalas. Lap after lap we tried to cut the corners and pass them from the inside line but they kept the door closed.  In the last part of the heat a Latvian team got stuck in front of us for a little moment and we used this situation to get aside but the Latvian passenger was running in front of us to his waiting driver and I had to shut of. After that we didn't get a change to pass whatever we tried. It was a good race only I would have liked to make the pass we intended, 10th position for us.

For the start of the second heat I did choose a different place behind the gate because the surface was a little bit harder there. This helped and our start was much better now. Halfway a Latvian team passed us and we had Ivanov/Jalas behind us. At lap 6 they passed us at the sandy part of the track. We just didn't had the power to get a good drive out of a corner with deep soft sand. The next corner they had the inside line and that was it. Again 10th position for us.

After the race we had a little party with cake and champaign to celebrate the new Veteran class champions, Vâpa/Macs. In the final standings for the Latvian championship we ended at the 15th position and for the veteran championship we became third. To bad we had to skip 2 races because of overlapping events in Finland. This plus 2 DNF's at the first 2 races in Latvia made our changes at a better end result very difficult. On our way back we stopped once more in Smiltene at Park Hotel Bruzis for dinner. Our hotel was in Valmiera from where we continued the next morning to Tallinn.

Regards,
Stephan

Trip Gulbene 3-5.9.2011
Results Gulbene (bv = sidecars)

Tihemetsa 28.08 Estonian Championship

The fourth and last race for the Estonian championship was held in Tihemetsa near Pärnu. A short trip this time and our hotel was located in Pärnu were we arrived Saturday early in the evening. We had time enough to go to the paddock and walk the track. Aronen/Mantila joined us during our exploring trip. The Tihemetsa track was sandy and laid out partly between trees.

Based on my origin I should do very well at a track like this but I prefer harder tracks actually. On a track like this the bike is very lively and in combination with a short stroked engine it's very demanding to keep up enough speed all the time. 18 entries and last position for us during the 2 training sessions. The difference with the teams in front of us wasn't very much but I knew that when the track wears out, we wouldn't be able to close the gap.

Second row start and I didn't really push because we didn't had any change to prove something here. It started to rain and my tear off system's cord broke on top of this. We struggled until halfway but then my vision was so bad that it became necessary to remove my goggle. we did the exchange trick again and with a clean goggle riding got immediately much better. The faster teams had started to double us already but at the last stage we were able to hold on and follow them for a while. It hadn't any influence at our result any-more but just a good training to develop some extra speed. 16th position due to 2 teams that didn't finish the race.

For the 2nd heat we had our concerns about a steep climb in deep sand directly after a sharp rutted corner. During the exploration lap no problems there but it was clear that we couldn't afford any little mistake at that part of the track.
During the first lap it went totally wrong for us as we feared. A team was stuck at the inside line and I switched to the outside line. Only the wrong line, suited for a solo-bike but not for a sidecar. We got stuck too and we pushed/rolled the bike back downwards. We decided both that there wasn't any change we could complete this heat without getting stuck again at the same climb and called it quit. We watched a few laps how the other teams did at this difficult part of the track. The big two-stroke Zabel engines have so much power and enable the use of fat rear tyres that it's just a matter how much the driver can handle. A very large four-stroke walks easily without screaming the engine to the top.

After the race we rode back to Tallinn with Aronen/Mantila who finished 2 times 5th good for 5th overall. In the final standings we held the 15th position. We had the night ferry back to Helsinki. 2 races to go.

Regards,
Stephan

Results Tihemetsa 28.08.2011
Trip Tihemetsa

Maria's pictures from Kegums

Pictures from Kegums GP 06082011

Stelpe 21.08, Latvian Championship round 7

Hello

Saturday afternoon the 14:30 ferry to Tallinn with the team of Aronen/Mantila. During our drive to Kekava, were we stayed for the night, we tried the restaurant at the Estonian/Latvian border, Ikla. It was exactly the same food as at the gas station in Häädemeeste, maybe the same owner?

The next morning we had optimal weather for racing, about 20 degrees Celsius. During the night and the day before it had rained rather heavily and the track was in the training session very soft. It looked like that it was going to be a good day for the large 2-stroke Zabel teams, the difference with the 4-strokes was remarkable. Luckily the sun came out and the track started to dry and that made it even for everyone. Due to races in Estonia and the GP in Russia, only 11 entries with 3 veteran teams. 10th position for us in the training with a huge gap between us and the fastest teams.

Our start for the first heat wasn't very good, I tried to leave the gate a little to early and had to correct. The soil after the gate was still very soft and at the last position we entered the first corner. In the next corners we did pass 3 teams but before completing the first lap 2 teams re-passed us already. After the first lap we started a battle with the Latvian team, and 2011 Latvian Veteran Champions, Vâpa/Maĉs that would last till the finish line. 4 times our positions exchanged but this time we did draw the longest straw. At the end of the heat we closed the gap with the team in front of us but at the finish line still 3 seconds to short.

Our mood was very good for the 2nd heat after the good racing before. The start didn't improve but we ended up in front of Vâpa/Maĉs and directly behind the Lithuanian team Ziukas/Davidonis. This team is a very hard nut to crack and we really wanted to beat them this time. In front of us a Latvian team and with 4 teams it was like a train bouncing over the track. The Latvian team was passed after a few laps by Ziukas/Davidonis and we needed an extra lap to do the same. We tried hard to close the gap again but lacked 10 seconds at the finish line (as in the 1st heat). The last round for the Latvian Championship is in 2 weeks in Gulbene, maybe we will succeed then.

For us it was second overall in the veteran class and Aronen/Mantila did good business by taking the overall win with a double for the first time in Latvia. Back to Tallinn via Kekava for a good meal. 01:15 we arrived at the Dzingel hotel and found still some energy for a beer, at least.

Regards, Stephan

Results Stelpe (bv = sidecar)
Trip Stelpe 20-22.08

Kiviõli, Estonia 13-14.08 our second GP

Hello,

back again from our second and last GP. Friday morning August 12th we and team Aronen/Mantila took the 10:30 ferry to Tallinn. The Kunnas family followed us with the next ferry. The three days home I had used to fix the 570 engine. We tested this engine earlier the week before Kegums but we did run in problems with the gear selector. This engine has a little extra power on top and with the large up-hills in Kiviõli we could use that little extra very well.

After the technical inspection I noticed that coolant had mixed with engine oil. To change the water pump seal it was necessary to remove the clutch cover and flush the engine with fresh oil. Many other teams were also still working Friday evening at their bikes, we weren't the only team. With the technical inspection no problems for us again.

The Kiviõli track is laid out on a large hill created by mining and the track's surface is coarse gravel. This stuff is power consuming when moist but can manage a lot of water and there's almost no risk with getting stuck. The 570 engine did run nicely and I was happy with the extra performance. We were placed in the A group with 21 teams. The track was very fast and a few jumps rather tricky. For me this track was more demanding than Kegums last week.

In the pre-qualifying training we finished like in the free training also at the the 20th position but we noticed that the engine started to smoke from the exhaust. Also restarting was more difficult. When waiting for the start practice the engine started to boil thus we pushed the bike back to the paddock. With the help of the Kunnas family we changed the 550 engine back in less than 1½ hour, that gave us still more than half an hour before our qualification heat started.

It started to rain properly when it was time for the start of the qualification heat. Second row and we did choose the inside line. We didn't run in problems in the first corners and finished the 1st lap at the 19th position. After 3 laps it was again a battle between the 3 veteran teams for many laps until my goggles became very dirty and the clear vision film didn't transport any more. I removed my goggles and we drove the last 2-3 laps at an easy speed on the last position. The difference between the 550 and the 570 engines was noticeable especially at the final part of the up-hills.

In the last change training we tried to prevent finishing at the last position but didn't succeed. We started a last effort but when landing after a large jump my left wrist got hurt and after this lap we had only one last change for a good lap. With a sore wrist we were still able to improve a little but not enough, last position for us.

The next day we enjoyed watching good racing and we all took the same evening ferry back to Helsinki. My thanks for the Kunnas family for their help and food when we didn't had time to prepare something by our self when fixing the bike. Aronen/Mantila scored a 15th position in the 2nd heat and collected again points. About our GP experiences I can say that I'm still satisfied. We enjoyed racing during a big event and we managed to perform without crashing or becoming a road block for the faster teams.

Regards, Stephan

Result GP Kiviõli, Estonia
Trip Kiviõli, Estonia

Kegums, Latvian GP, 6-7.8

Hi again,

this weekend was our first ever GP held in Kegums. We took the first ferry to Tallinn early in the morning at 7:30 and with us travelled Maria, my daughter, and the Kunnas family with their own truck. Our little convoy travelled first to Pärnu to do some shopping. With 2 days in the paddock we needed more food and drinks than normally. We weren't the only teams stopping in Pärnu, some Estonian sidecar and Quad teams were also parked in front of the supermarket.

We continued to Häädemeeste for a lunch and from there straight to Kegums. On the ring road around Riiga was a lot of construction work and the trip took a little longer than expected. In the paddock we found a nice spot with shade for most of the day. We took the sidecar for the technical control and passed without any problems. After that we build up our camp with the several tents. We prepared dinner using only a single cooking plate and in combination with salad not too bad either. The team of Aronen/Mantila joined us some hours later that evening. First night sleeping in a tent is never a success for me and in combination with an early start I didn't sleep very well. The others had no problems and had a good night rest. In the morning my wife, Ria, and a family friend joined us to give some mental support.

The official entry list showed 47 teams but only 37 teams actually entered the event. We and Aronen/Mantila were placed in group B for training and qualification. Also some other competitors from national Estonian and Latvian races were placed in the same group. During the first free training we concentrated at improving our speed at the jumps. This track is so much wider and the jumps much higher than we are normally confronted with. We had the last position but during the next pre-qualifying practice we improved and moved up one position.

We had to start from the second row for our qualifying heat and we did choose the inside line behind the 2 Latvian top teams. When we rode over the gate these teams were already halfway on the starting field! In the second corner a British team, the Millard brothers, crashed but we had no trouble with our inside line. The first 2 laps we completed at the 14th position but then the British team passed us and a little later a Lithuanian team succeeded too. During the race 2 teams got mechanical problems and we finished at the same position as we started, 14th. Because the first 12 are placed directly in the final we had to ride the last change qualifying practice.

During the last change qualifying practice we were not able to close the 9 second gap with the 8th and last classified team. 9 seconds is a very large gap and we have to improve many, many things with our riding first. Also the order with the 3 slowest teams didn't change and we called it a day and after 6 laps we went back to the paddock. Altogether we were satisfied with our riding. We had the feeling we jumped much better and at certain points kept the throttle longer open. It was time for a shower and a cool beer.

We went with the family to a restaurant for dinner and returned later to the paddock. We had a few beers and that night I slept much better ;-). At Sunday we had a good day watching the races and Aronen/Mantila ended 15th and 16th in the heats, a very good performance. Via Sigulde, were we had dinner, we drove to Ainaži for our hotel. In the morning we continued to Tallinn with a stop at the Pärnu beach. Next week our second GP in Kiviöli, Estonia.

Regards, Stephan

Results Kegums 6-7.8
Trip Kegums 5-8.8

Toila, Pühajõe, last race for the Estonian Cup, 31.07

Hello,

this was already the last event of the six races for the Estonian Cup 2011. We did miss one race, Laitse, because of overlapping events in Finland. At Saturday, waiting for the ferry, we heard over the radio that very heavy rain showers over Tallinn made traffic very difficult. After some phone calls we heard that the situation was better in Eastern Estonia and decided to go on board. Arriving in Tallinn it was raining as expected but when driving in the direction of Toila the weather was getting slightly better. We had a room in a hotel in Jõhvi, only 10 minutes from the track.

We went for a look at the track and it wasn't a very promising view. Mud in all colors you can think. The track was clay and grass based situated around a small valley. When dry probably very interesting but now it looked horrible with those muddy up- and downhills.

The next morning the sun started to show and made an effort to dry the track. During the training session it was unbelievable slippery in the corners. Our front tire was covered with a layer of clay and no knobby to show, like a road racing tire. We went once on our side in the mud to give the shirts a new design. Not a good time for us. From 17 teams 16th (and that only because one team's transponder didn't work).

The track started to dry up and when it was time for our first heat only a few places were still muddy but it was much better, read easier, to ride. Second row start and we could squeeze via the inside line to a better position. At the beginning of lap 2 the Husaberg engine stalled once again when coming out of  a corner. We could restart and begin to save what we could. Some other teams had to face their own troubles and we ended as we started, twelfth.

The second heat we started from the first row but at the out side line, no chance. It was a chaotic race with many teams confronted with problems. We were at the 13th position after lap one and at some moment 11th to finish 12th. Halfway we were trying to make a pass at a team in front of us but they got stuck in front of us at an uphill. Nothing else than rolling back downwards and retry the climb. We passed the other team this way but it was a little comic to do it that slowly (in lap times).

We finished both heats at the 12th place for 12th overall and in the final standings for the Cup... 12th. After washing the bike we drove to Aegviidu what starts to be our standard basic camp for our trips in Estonia. The next day the ferry back to Helsinki and direct to the workshop to swap the engine. This week some testing and Friday we start for the Latvian GP in Kegums.

Regards,
Stephan

Results Toila, Pühajõe 31.07 (kv=sidecars)
Trip 30.07-01.08
Pictures from Toila, Pühajõe 1
Pictures from Toila, Pühajõe 2

Double race weekend Finland and Estonia

Hi again,

I needed some time to revive from this heavy double weekend. With high temperatures in Heinola and long heats in Jõgeva I could feel all the seconds we've spend on the tracks, almost 3 hours riding all together.

At Saturday the weekend started in Heinola, Finland, for the Finnish championship together with the Classic MX Cup. There were only 7 entries in the modern sidecar class. The classic sidecars had 15 entries. It's very nice to see and hear those pre '85 hacks on the track. Temperature was over 30 degrees. The track was shortened and we didn't ride the long washboard.

The training wasn't very spectacular, we were sixth and never able to beat Pöllänen/Lehtinen. With only 7 sidecars a really bad start isn't possible and we went trough the first corner at the sixth place. Already halfway the first lap Lindgren/Kiskonen lost their sidecar wheel and their race ended abruptly. On the second lap the team of Aronen/Mantila stranded with ignition problems. Only 5 teams left doing their laps without any good duels.

The second heat was almost a copy except that Lindgren/Kiskonen didn't lose any wheels but Aronen/Mantila stranded again with ignition problems at the beginning of the second lap. We followed Pöllänen/Lehtinen but they put every lap 10-15 meters extra between us and I couldn't close this gap. Unfortunately their engine stalled at lap 8 and they weren't able to get it running again. During the last laps it started to rain but too late to cool things down for me. With all the misfortune of the other teams we ended at the third place in the total standings.

Directly after the event with the ferry to Tallinn where we stayed for the night. We had an early morning start to drive to Jõgeva. The Jõgeva track is very technical with a part laid out  as a stadium section but not too difficult for sidecars. 20 entries and much cooler weather then in Finland the day before. Some rain showers but not during our sessions. 17th position in practice and a second row start for us here.

We did choose for the inside line from the second row and were able to avoid an hold up in the first corner. At the end of lap 1 we held the 12th position but then I made a classical mistake and put too much weight on the rear brake what resulted in a stalled engine. Quickly restarted and trying to save something. The different, cooler,  temperature did help me very much and we had a good speed. 2 teams had problems and fell out of the race. One team we re-passed quickly by our self and in the last phase of the heat we made a successful pass at an other team to finish at the 14th place. We were in spite of stalling the engine very satisfied with our riding.

Our start of the second heat wasn't as good but I didn't stall the engine either and that made up some. We started a battle with the Russian team Vasin/Vasiljev that would take the whole heat. At lap 4 we were able to make the pass but they followed us close and didn't give up. We had to push it all the time, no time to relax a little. With the start of the last lap 2 teams doubled us and I had to slow down just before a slow corner and that placed the other team direct in our rear wheel. The last lap was going to be very important. Coming out of this corner I noticed that our rear tyre was flat also on top of this! With a twisting sidecar there was no room for saving the wheel and we just pushed to stay in front of the Russian team. We were very lucky that the tyre stayed on the rim and we made it till the finish line to stay in front of them but I was totally exhausted after this heat. 11th position and we were more than satisfied with both heats.

The sidecar; the silencer broke trough the sidecar bottom, the sidecar swing bearings broke, the rear tyre flat and damaged, the engine leaks oil and has a very rough sound. But we made it till the finish, now some repairs to do.

Regards, Stephan

Results Heinola Finnish Championship (SV=sidecar)
Results Jõgeva Estonian Championship (KV=sidecars)
Trip 23-25.07

Mežvidi, Latvian championship July 10th

Hi again,

Yesterday evening back from the trip to Mežvidi. Mežvidi is located near the Latvian/Russian border. We left Helsinki Saturday morning already because we wanted to check a caravan rental but all the trailers were rented and not much to see. Outside Tallinn we were confronted with heavy rain showers with thunder and hail. At one point it was so bad that the passenger cars had to stop and wait at the side of the road. The only view was a complete white screen of water and riding was like crossing a river. Blasts of wind did topple trees along the road but luckily it didn't last very long and the sun was shining again.

Via Tartto we crossed the Estonian/Latvian border at Ape and continued to Rezekne for our hotel. We've been before in this hotel and I must say they have good food ;-), it's a nice place to stay. The next morning we started for the last part to Mežvidi but old memories sometimes cheat. On the the road sign was mentioned Moscow and without further thinking, it's East isn't it, I just took the turn and peddle to the metal. After 20 minutes we started to feel unsure because we missed some land marks we remembered from last last year and the railway crossing was definitely not a part of it. Back to Rezekne and now we had the correct turn at the roundabout (and a Latvian team in front of us to follow was a safe bet).

The track's first impression isn't very spectacular until you start driving and try to make good lap times. The soil is what's making this track so different. Very hard spots followed with soft power absorbing patches. The hard spots are very slippery after irrigation but it's necessary to control the dust, a challenge for the organization and drivers. 15 entries and for us 13th time in practice. The new settings for the rear shock made our ride more comfortable, no harsh landings and bottoming any more. We have to fiddle a little yet to get the smaller stuff under control but that's not too difficult with a good base to work from. Carburettor jetting was changed but still the same old problem of easy stalling.

The first start produced an explosion of dust at the starting area and we were very lucky with our outside line. We entered the first left corner from the inside about mid pack and were able to pass 2 teams directly. But the other teams had clearly different ideas about our position and in a few laps 5 teams found their way to pass us and we finished 13th as in practice. It was a very exhausting race due to the heat, over 30 degrees Celsius, and to keep the engine on spot of the power band.

The second start wasn't as good, not so much dust this time thanks to irrigation of the starting area. From outside we were last this time and at the end of lap one the engine stalled again for once. I didn't had the energy to push and we just did our laps to finish the race, 14th position at the end. Our overall result was surprisingly enough for the third place in the final standing of the veteran class. The organization had a photographer making prints and handed them out during the price giving ceremony, a very nice idea, good pictures.

With Aronen/Mantila we drove back to Estonia and Mikael and I stayed for the night in Tartto at the Music Academy in the students house. The next morning to Tallinn and we visited Are Kaurit to get some parts for the AYR. Also back to the caravan rental and now the trailers were on location. Why a trailer? The GP's of Kegums and Kiviöli are soon and once in your life.... or something like that. With the evening ferry back to Helsinki.

Regards, Stephan

Trip Mežvidi
Results Mežvidi (BV = sidecars)

Event added to the Calendar

July 31st added Toila, Estonia, Cup race.

updated calendar-2011

Türi, Estonian Championship round 2 July 3rd

Hi all,

With the teams of Aronen/Mantila and Lindgren/Kiskonen we took the 17:30 ferry on Saturday to Tallinn. After the traditional stop at the Sikupilli shopping mall we continued straight to the track located at Kihli, Türi. Because it was good weather we stayed for the night with our tent in the paddock. We didn't sleep very well that night, maybe we need some practice with camping.

The free practice showed some rough spots in the track from the Saturday's races and as a bonus a man made steep washboard of deep sand. We've been riding at the Türi track 2 years ago and then it was in a much better condition. Not only some changes that didn't do very well with sidecars but the track showed lack of maintenance. The top layer was worn out at many places and large rocks surfaced especially in the corners. Too bad because I liked the track as it was 2 years ago very much.

19 entries and the top teams of Estonia and Latvia together with our Finnish competitors didn't make it easy to look not too bad. A 18th time was the result. From the second row we started the first heat. Entering the first corner my goggles were covered with mud, due to irrigation of the starting area. I was just ripping away the tear off when I had to brake unexpectedly much harder. I couldn't pull the clutch in time and the engine stalled. While everyone else disappeared we stood kicking the Husaberg back to life. We tried for 5-6 laps to close the gap but never succeeded to come closer. Because of the long heat, 25 minutes and 2 laps, we decided to settle for last and just finish the race.

The second heat we could start from the first row because one team didn't show up. It was the most outward place and we followed the outside line in to the first corner. Some teams did collide and an Estonian team crashed in front of us. Luckily we could avoid them and get around with only a small delay.
Halfway 2 teams collided when entering a tight left corner and most teams behind came to a short halt. We had time avoid this and passed them via the outside line. But we did run out of luck quickly when the Husaberg engine decided to stall in an other tight corner before the first lap even was completed. Again last and even more work then in the first heat to close the gap due to the completely worn out track. I decided to just settle for a constant speed and see what crumbs we could pick at the finish. Due to the harshness of the track some teams had to pay it's toll and we finished at place 13!

With the Aronen/Mantila team we spend the night in Aegviidu, like the weekend before, and drove the next morning to Tallinn. We had some good riding, especially in the beginning of the first heat, but also some downs again that we must get rid of if we want to get better results. Also some technical issues with the bike we have to work out. At the beginning of the season it was the front suspension and now it's the rear suspension that bottomed at many places. The rear shock is for service and new settings at the dealer's workshop.
The jetting of the carburettor is not perfect yet but with a bigger main jet next time the engine will hopefully run a little bit stronger, especially in the lower end, at the next races.

Next weekend the long trip near to the Russian/Latvian border, Mežvidi.

Best regards,
Stephan

Results Türi (kv = sidecars)
Route 2-4.7.2011

Pics from Aravete

 

Our thanks to Ronald (Foto Aart) for supplying these images.

Aravete, Estonian cup 26.06

Hello again,

With the 14:30 ferry at Saturday afternoon to Tallinn. On board we had Ronald together with his camera and hopefully he succeeded in taking his pictures ;-). We stayed for both nights at a holiday resort in  Aegviidu, 16 km from the race track. A very nice little village and our accommodation there was very good value for money. We tried to locate the track in the evening but didn't succeed.

The next morning we met an Estonian sidecar team also searching for the track and a local resident helped us out. The track was soft sand with tons of grip. The short stroked Husaberg engine wasn't the best choice but we do not have anything else anyhow. Training was so so and Mikael wasn't satisfied. 14 teams had found their way to the event and only one line behind the gate. When the gate dropped for the first heat we crossed the starting field from behind to the inside corner. We almost made it but a team got stuck for a moment behind a pile of tires at the inside of the corner. The race itself was without brilliant highlights. Once the engine almost stalled and once we almost got of the track. Last was probably caused by the too soft rear suspension. We ended up as twelfth.

For the second heat we repeated our start trick and had a good battle for 5-6 laps with 2 Estonian teams. 3 times we almost could make the pass but the engine wasn't strong enough to finalize it. After 6 laps my energy faded and we got passed by the Estonian team that had been hunting us all the time when we were hunting the team in front of us. Maybe the double last weekend in Finland and next my trip to the Netherlands last week did start to feel. At the 11th place we crossed the finish line. Riding itself was going much better but I didn't last for the whole ride. We did almost the same lap times as in the training but the track was very rough in the second heat, not bad at all.

With the team of Aronen/Mantila, 8 and 7 with engine problems, we went back to Aegviidu where we had a relaxed evening at the terrace with a meal and some beer of course. Next weekend no time to relax, Estonian championship race in Türi and that means 25 minutes plus 2 laps.

Regards, Stephan

results (kv = sidecar)
Route Tallinn-Aegviidu-Aravete

Heinola and Salo, Finnish championship 18-19.6

Hi all,

This was a good weekend of racing for us. In Heinola we classified 3rd overall with a 6-3 score in the 2 heats. During practice we took it easy because with only 8 entries there's space enough at the starting line.

After the start we were following the team of Pöllänen/Lehtinen for some laps but we couldn't find the power to change the order. Then my goggles fogged and I had to remove them. Without goggles I can't drive very well and Mikael took his goggles and put them on my head. This all we did without stopping ;-). But the team in front of us had made a big gap already and we just finished the heat at place 6.

With the start of heat 2 we ended up after the teams of Tuominiemi/Hietala and Pöllänen/Lehtinen (again). This time no problems with goggles and we started to put pressure at the teams in front of us. First we passed Pöllänen/Lehtinen by choosing for the inside line of a corner and the next lap at the same place we made our second pass. At this moment we had the 3rd place. We could make a safe gap between us and the team of Tuominiemi/Hietala and we needed that at the end of the heat. The last 2 laps I started to get tired and slowly they were coming closer all the time. But the gap was big enough to finish at the 3rd place.

The next Sunday we steered the van to Salo for a classic track in the motocross history. In 1991 this club organized the last and 5th sidecar GP in Finland. Steep ups and downs with a hard packed clay and down at the bottom of the valley deep sand. Again only 8 entries and we didn't care so much about the lap times during training, space enough.

The start of heat 1 wasn't our best, last spot in the first corner. The start is in Salo in deep sand and with only a 550 cc engine not much chance. We passed the team of Helgrenn/Paddink in the first lap and looked at the back of ... Pöllänen/Lehtinen. We looked at their backs for 6 laps and then succeeded to make a pass. After that they slowed down because of some problem and we finished at the 5th place.

The start of heat 2 was the same for us, last in the first corner. We started to push and as you can guess, looked at the back of Pöllänen/Lehtinen. But we could not really follow close enough to bring us in a position to try a to pass. First I thought the rear tire was spinning badly, it had rained and the clay was very slippery but after 5 laps it became clear wat the problem was, the clutch burned out and we got stuck at an uphill. That was the end and without points back to the paddock.

Riding was very good and we are satisfied with our performance, better than expected. At the end bad luck but this is a mechanical sport. I'm leaving to Amsterdam today and I will finalize this post at the end of the week when back home.

Regards, Stephan

Results Heinola (MXSV=sidecars)
Results Salo (MXSV=sidecars)
Route 17-19.6

Vaabina, Estonian Cup 12.06.2011

Hello,

Maybe the sticker set helped this weekend because we had one of the best races so far. Riding was good and with 19 entries we ended up with the 17th place in the training. The Vaabina track was hard and fast and the lap times were close. Normally a fast and hard track isn't my favourite but this time it was going better than expected.

We started from the second row and did choose for the inside line. This worked out very well and we battled during the whole race with some other teams for the positions 12-17. At the end the 13th position was our reward and we were happy with this result. It was close racing till the last corner and we really had to work for it.

For the second heat we did choose the same spot behind the gate but the team partially in front of us stalled their engine when the gate dropped. We succeeded to circle around them but arriving at the first corner it was our engine that stalled. When restarted nothing left but a race from behind. After the first lap we had contact again with the pack and started to press. We had a battle for some laps but didn't had the strength to pass any more. I decided to secure our position and we passed the finish line at the 14th position.

Next weekend a double in Finland for the national championship, Heinola and Salo.

Regards, Stephan

Results (kv = sidecars)
Route

Sticker set

Some calendar updates

updated calendar-2011

Double race weekend, Karksi-Nuia and Stelpe 4-5.6.2011

Hi again,

We took Friday the 17:30 ferry to Tallinn as the start for this double race weekend. At Saturday a Cup race in Karksi-Nuia, Estonia, and the next Sunday a race for the Latvian championship in Stelpe. We stopped for the night in Viljandi about 35 km from Karksi-Nuia.

Saturday morning a soft sand track waited us with a lot of up and down hills. The weather was very good, sunny and warm. There were 19 entries and our training time was 17th. For us it was the first time riding at this track and I needed time to learn it's layout. With all those up and down hills it was difficult to orientate in the training session.

First heat with 18 sidecars and a narrow first corner followed by a jump, a chicane and an even narrower turn resulted in a stop and go rhythm. Unfortunately our Husaberg engine didn't like this and just stalled before the second corner, dead last thus. We passed one team but that was the only highlight during this heat, 15th place.

Second heat the same start and the engine stalled again. This time nobody to see anymore and lonely we did our laps until the first doubled us, 15th place again. Riding was going better during  the second heat even when considering that the track had gotten very demanding with some deep ruts at the softer parts.

Together with the team of Jani Aronen/Arto Mantila, 2nd and 3rd good for second total, we started for Latvia. In Valmiera we stopped to have a hot meal and then we continued to Kekava for our hotel. The next morning the sun was up early and it was clear that it would be a very warm day. In fact, 34 degrees at noon and when it was our turn for the first heat the thermometer showed 36 degrees Celsius!

Stelpe is a fast track with a lot of jumps made from clay and sand. We have been here before and with 17 entries we had the twelfth time in the training. But with motorsport you can never be sure and 2 teams improved their lap times in the final minutes and we dropped 2 places.

Our start wasn't very good in the first heat, our direct line was through very soft soil and due to our training time at the wrong side of the gate. The first laps we had some nice racing but the sharp holes and the 36 degrees took their toll and we did loose some places and finished last, 16th.

Before the second heat the engine just stalled again before the exploration round and we had to wait in the parc fermé. Our start was very good this time but coming from the outside not much change without a lot of risks. We ended up in a good fight with 3 teams but after some laps the heat drained me completely, last and 13th.
We almost passed a team also struggling with the heat but we lacked 0,265 seconds ;-). The track was very demanding not only because of the many jumps but also the hard and sharp holes everywhere. Jani Aronen/Arto Mantila scored 2 second places and again in total the second place.

Both teams stopped in Kekava for a meal and continued back to Tallinn. Altogether it was a nice weekend, not for the results directly but riding was nice and we scored points in all heats. This doesn't say we didn't had any technical problems, the front suspension started to leak in Estonia and after the second finish in Stelpe a radiator hose was punctured. There's some problem with the carburator we have to solve yet. We washed the bike this evening and found some other broken parts on the bike, work enough again for this week.

Regards, Stephan

Route 3-6.6.2011
Results Karksi-Nuia (kv = sidecars)
Results Stelpe (b/v = sidecars)

Iisalmi, first round for the Finnish championship

This would be the turning point of our season so far. After all the bad luck we've been confronted with it was time for a change. Well, the change didn't come yet even this was the first race we could write down 2 results!

The Iisalmi track is normally a hard clay track but due to the weather conditions a little bit softer now and no dust at all. Already at the beginning of the training we had a misunderstanding between driver and passenger that resulted in a crash at the first jump. The first 5 minutes there was the possibility to practice starting and for the first start we took it easy to see the track's layout in the first corner and the jump after it. The second start we tried faster and I thought lets take the first jump also at a good speed but Mikael came back from the hack's nose thinking I would shut off. But I didn't and with the sidecar's wheel high up we came over the jump what resulted in a nice crash. I can only say the track wasn't very soft at all actually, this resulted in a very sore body for the rest of the day (and days after still).

Only 9 entries and our poor training result didn't matter much. We had a good start, fifth,from outer position and the first four laps our speed was good. Then my hands start to feel all the holes and we came under pressure of Pöllänen/Lehtinen. In the last lap, only a few corners before the finish, I made a mistake and missed the inside line of a corner and we did loose our position and finished sixth.

Before the second heat a rain and hail shower softened the track a little more. Our start was bad, for some reason we had a lot of wheel spin this time and almost dead last at the first corner.Halfway the first lap some sidecars got stuck before a jump and I gambled to drive around and try an outer line, no success, stuck in the mud too. After the sidecars got under way one by one there wasn't real racing any more and just  survival. The kick-start lock broke and was all the time stabbing in my knee so we made a pit stop to lock it with the famous airco tape. Last and eight position.

2 results but the exhaust pipe has a crack, the clutch cover broke (kickstart lock) and again our old problem is back; pressure in the cooling system with black coloured cooling fluid now. A lot of work again for the coming week.

Regards, Stephan

route Espoo-Iisalmi-Helsinki
results (MX SV = sidecars)

New shirts and sticker set

Training sessions Salo and Hyvinkää, 21-22.05.2011

No races this weekend and we used the time to visit tracks in Salo at Saturday and Hyvinkää at Sunday. Salo is one of the two tracks in Finland that has organized sidecar GP's in the past. The last GP was in 1991 and I was there as a race mechanic helping the team of Suominen/Hietala.
The track has a lot of climbs and descents made from hard packed clay but the lower part of the track is soft sand.
We'll have a race here for the Finnish Championship June 19th and it was good to practice at this technical track.

Sunday we spent in the deep sand of the Hyvinkää track. Good track to build up some endurance. Next Saturday the first race for the Finnish Championship at Iisalmi. Let's hope things will work out better this time then the first four races of this season.

Regards,
Stephan

Ape, Latvian championship race 2, May 14th

Hello,

this time the sidecars had their heats at Saturday and we took Friday the 17:30 ferry to Tallinn. After a 3 hour drive we arrived in Tõrva were we stayed in hotel De Tolly.

We've stayed there before many years ago, it was Mikael's first trip to the Baltic and first sidecar GP (Janikeese 2004).

The next morning we drove the last 85 km to Ape, just over the Estonian/Latvian border. A very impressive track was waiting there, laid out over a ridge with many long and steep climbs. The organization was very professional and for the different classes they switched sections of the track to get the correct level suited for the rider's skills and bikes.


Our training was up and down. We got stuck once at a climb but we still made a good lap in between, 13th place. Yes, we left Friday 13th and our start position was also 13th..... The track was very demanding for the sidecars, mostly a right corner followed with a climb followed by a left corner. Deep ruts at critical places like jumps and climbs, easy to get stuck.

Our start of the first heat was not very good but we passed some teams soon in a rhythm section by taking the outside line. But half way the first lap 2 teams got stuck in the deep ruts at a small jump and we were direct behind but still at the slope. When you're loosing speed with a sidecar in the ruts you get jammed. It took half a lap and some help from spectators to get us going again. The slippery mud didn't make it easier. We just did our laps, even faster than during training but we were to far behind already. At the last lap with only 2 climbs any more, a team that lapped us got stuck just in front of us. We made it by taking a very outside line and had to do a lot of work to get the bike uphill. Jumping on the pegs to force the rear tyre to get some grip, slipping the clutch and sometimes the sidecar almost flipped over but we made it.

Directly after this climb a second team lapped us and with one climb to go, they got stuck in front of us and no other lines. Again with the help of spectators both teams made it to the top and could continue to the finish line. But without the help of spectators many teams would have been still there on the slopes stuck in the ruts.

The start of the second heat wasn't good either, like Aizpute an uphill start and with the small 550 cc engine we do lack some power. During the first 2 laps all kind of trouble happened for several teams but now, wiser, we could pass safely and improved our position. At lap 5 the engine stalled and it took some time to get it started again, all the teams we had passed were gone by that time. We just continued when the race leader started to lap us. We took the outside line and they were able to pass and start the climb. But they got stuck directly in front of us and again we needed help from spectators.

 This time it was such a bad position that it took 4 laps before we were on the top and the engine running again. We just rode over the finish line but no points because less then 75% of the winners laps.

The good thing is that the engine stayed OK and no punctures.This season's start is not the best but at least we are ready for the start of the Finnish championship series now.

Regards, Stephan


results (BV=sidecars)
Trip Tallinn-Tõrva-Ape

Kose, Estonian championship 8.5

Hi again,

this season's start has not been an easy one so far. Planned was to have a training session last Wednesday but we had to postpone it. For this reason it was only until Thursday when washing the bike I noticed there was a lot of coolant mixed with the engine oil. I removed the clutch cover in the hope we could manage with a minor repair.

No luck and Friday evening the only solution was to remove the engine and take it apart completely. We checked and rechecked every piece of the engine but there was no clear defect. We cleaned every part and put it all back together. It was almost midnight when we left the workshop.
Saturday morning I checked the engine by connecting it to the waterworks to put it under pressure. Water was flowing straight trough. A very nice situation when we had to get the ferry to Tallinn at 17:30. As a last resort I took a clutch cover from the second engine, still in parts, and furnished this with the necessary seals and bearing stuff. After exchanging the clutch covers I reconnected the engine to the waterworks and tested it. Now it stayed okay. The clock was 13:00 already!

Quickly the engine back in the bike and all the equipment in the van.

We were in good time for the ferry, there was even time to pick up a hamburger. Mikael was not feeling well, sore throat and a cold. We stayed for the evening in the Dzingel hotel with the team of Aronen/Mantila & co.

Kose was only a short ride from Tallinn. The track is very hard with a lot of stones in all sizes you don't want. We took it easy during the free training because I wasn't sure about the engine. After the training sessions and first heat I exchanged the engine oil to get it clean again (residue of water). In the time training we crashed in a corner and I was on the ground checking to where the sidecar would go but it was Mikael flying on top of me in an American Wrestling style. "Did it hurt" he asked me, I replied with "well how many kilos do you weigh?".

Not a good time and second row with 18 entries. At the Kose track he first corner is followed by large whoop-de-doos. Not very inviting for pushing so  we just "followed" the leaders. We passed some teams and also got passed but we noticed many teams had quickly problems to keep up. The track was very demanding and rough. But then we had a repetition of the week before, again the (new) rear tyre got flat. But with about 5 laps still to go we had no possibility to wait it out in the paddocks (75% of the amount of the winner's laps to be classified).

The second heat was for the first part a copy of heat 1. After 4-5 laps everything was settled and we concentrated at keeping the tyres away from the biggest stones and to arrive at the finish line for our first result in Estonia, 11th place. In spite of Mikael's illness he stood bravely and managed to complete the 25 minutes and 2 laps. Aronen/Mantila took 5th overall with 2 fourth places. Both teams took the ferry of 21:00 back to Helsinki.

Regards, Stephan

http://www.mylaps.com/results sidecar=kv
Trip Dzingel, Tallinn - Kose

Põlva, Estonia, May 1

Hi again,

our bad luck continues. 20 teams entered this event and we achieved the 10th training time. The start of the first heat was not good but we made up many places quickly. After some laps we were riding at the 12th place and close behind 11 with good options to pass. But then our bad luck did strike again. The rear tyre got punctured and did spin in the rim. No possibility to continue.
Second heat again bad start but we started to recover until the engine stalled. After we restarted the engine stalled again. This repeated 2 times and we thought an ignition problem and did quit the race. In the paddock we found a stone jammed under the rear brake pedal....

That's it for so far, the speed is there but now to finish a race with good results.

Regards, Stephan

Trip Tallinn - Põlva
mylaps results (KV = sidecars)

Pics Aizpute 23.04 and training Vantaa 27.04

Thanks to Panu for taking these pictures: Aizpute images

We did some laps at Lavanko, Vantaa, yesterday evening. Riding went very well and we tested again a different main jet in the carburetor. The track was good but it was also very, very dusty, we created a blanket of dust behind us ;-).
The air filter was after 2 sets completely covered with dust and without a fresh filter we loaded the hack in the van. I think some other people were happy with that. The strange thing was that at the morning it had rained a little but the track was dry like a desert.

Next weekend Põlva, South Estonia. Already 18 teams on the list.

Regards, Stephan

Aizpute, Latvia April 24

Hi all,

Saturday April 24 we took the 10:30 ferry to Tallinn. After a long ride, 470 km, we arrived at our hotel in Saldus, about 50 km to the East of Aizpute. The next morning left us only a short trip to the track located on a hill just outside of Aizpute.
The track was made from hard reddish clay laid out against the hill and down in the valley, for the riders and spectators very nice! The track Included interesting points from a steep drop off to slippery off camber corners.

We used practice to learn the track and didn't press to hard because of the soft fork springs. After a short stop in the paddock we wanted to do a fast lap but there wasn't time left any more. With 15 side cars there's always a front row place and we still made the 10th time.

We replaced the front fork springs with a new stiffer set we had brought with us and prepared for the first heat. The engine was okay and the problems with the cylinder head gasket were solved with additional washers under the cylinder head bolts.

Thus ready for racing and we were in a good mood but not for long as it showed later when it was our turn for the first heat. During the exploration lap the saddle dropped! We had installed the new blue saddle and probably during first riding the saddle had sunk deeper in the frame and thereby the bolt had loosened. When the other teams lined up behind the gate for us there was nothing else than back to the paddock. End of heat 1 even before the gate dropped.

Heat 2 had to be our revenge. We had a place at the left side of the gate with at the end of the uphill start a 180 degree corner to the right. We didn't had the power to gain something during the uphill race and had no other choice than ending up in the back pack in the first corner.
Nothing else left than to push and and try to overtake as many as possible. After 2 laps we passed Ivanov/Jalas but they took this place back on a technical part of the track. Worse, the engine stalled and we did lose a lot of time.
We managed to pass again a team and the others were in view but then I started suffering arm pump and we had to slow down. This arm pump is a result of too little practice time with the bike.

First points but not as we would have liked it. Next Wednesday we will train at the Vantaa track to get as many time on the bike as possible. Aronen/Mantila had a good season opener with their two second places after the Latvian brothers Silis.
We arrived after 520 km at three o'clock am in Tallinn and took the morning ferry at eleven o'clock back to Helsinki. Next race Põlva, South Estonia.

Regards, Stephan

trip Tallinn-Aizpute
http://www.mylaps.com/results

Training weekend 16-17 April

Hello again,

Saturday we continued our training at the Lavanko, Vantaa, track. Still we did have the problem with pressure building up in the cooling system. The engine wasn't loosing any fluid but pressure was more than normal. Also we noticed that the front fork springs had gone too soft (not us  ;-)).
Altogether we had some good sessions and there's progression in our driving.

The next Sunday we went to the Hyvinkää track, a very soft sand track. It was very busy at the track with many, many solo bikes. Two accidents happened that day and both times the red flag was showed and the ambulance had to pick up the fallen riders. Because of these long pauses and the too soft front springs, this was even a worse problem at this soft track, we didn't do as well as the day before.

We called it quit after three o'clock, PM, and went back to the workshop to clean the sidecar. After a coffee break we removed the engine again for inspection. Monday evening I took the engine apart but didn't find a clear reason for the high pressure in the cooling system. I'm a little suspecting the cylinder head itself now, a very small crack near an exhaust valve or something like that. Very difficult to find.

Next weekend the first event, Aizpute in Latvia. Let's hope we get everything sorted out this week. I'm trying to update this blog by my mobile but MMS messages seem to disappear in space.

Regards, Stephan

Calendar 2011

24.04 Aizpute, Latvia, Championship

01.05 Põlva, Estonia, Cup

08.05 Kose, Estonia, Championship

14.05 Ape, Latvia, Championship

28.05 Iisalmi, Finland, Championship

04.06 Karksi Nuia, Estonia,  Cup

05.06 Stelpe, Latvia, Championship

12.06 Vaabina, Estonia, Cup

18.06 Heinola, Finland, Championship

19.06 Salo, Finland, Championship

26.06 Aravete, Estonia, Cup

03.07 Türi, Estonia, Championship

10.07 Mezvidi, Latvia, Championship

23.07 Heinola, Finland, Championship

24.07 Jõgeva, Estonia, Championship
31.07 Toila, Estonia, Cup

06/07.08 Kegums, Latvia, GP

13/14.08 Kiviöli, Estonia, GP

21.08 Stelpe, Latvia, Championship

28.08 Tihemetsa, Estonia, Championship

04.09 Gulbene, Latvia, Championship

10.09 Orimattila, Finland, Championship

First training session 2011

Okay, we didn't made it to the track at Saturday, the last "little" things to fix kept us the whole day in the workshop. We had to load the van and check what parts and pieces we will need on the road.
At the end of the afternoon we started the engine for the first time. As normal with this Husaberg it took some sweat before it came alive. When used regularly starting isn't a problem but this dreaded first time...
Sunday we arrived at Lavanko, Vantaa for our first rounds. The track's upper layer was very soft and we took it easy. Everything felt fine and because the bike is technically the same as last year there wasn't much to get used to.

Of course we did run in problems, pressure in the cooling system build up and the cylinder head gasket was leaking. All together we did 4 sets of 3 laps each and called it quit after that. Back to the workshop to clean the bike and take the engine out.

Monday evening I took off the cylinder head and after a little while it became very clear what was wrong, the gasket was for the 102mm piston and this engine has the stock 100mm diameter. I put everything back together with a new gasket and installed the next evening the engine in the chassis.

Ready for racing again. Next weekend the same track, let's see if we can make some speed.

Regards,

Stephan

Rebuild is still going on

The schedule didn't hold this year either, every time the last bits and pieces don't want to come together it looks like.
Friday afternoon Protoshop did quickly modifications at the cam shafts for us and still the engine is on the work bench. This evening it will be late again if we are going to finish the hack for tomorrow's first ride.

Cheers!

Stephan