Sunday, 13 July 2014
Sunday, 22 September 2013
Gedinne - we will be back that's for sure!
Gedinne – Namur / Circuit de Gedinne-Gribelle / 1947-1949, 1951-1955 and 1979-1986 / motorcycles
Location: 49°59'7.42"N / 4°57'27.04"E
Gedinne initially hosted motorbike races between August 1947 and July 1955, although the 1950 race was cancelled. A further race was announced for July 1956, but it seems this did not go ahead either. The beautiful circuit, undulating and winding through the Ardennes landscape and passing through the village of Gedinne itself, was initially believed to be 7.760 km long, but the length was later given as 7.527 km, presumably after the course had been remeasured. Known fastest laps are: 4.04 (1947), 3.51 (1948), 3.41 (1949), 3.42 (1951), 3.23 (1953) and 3.22 (1955) - note the 1949 time is for the 350cc class, as that year's race report for some reason omitted the best lap of the 500cc race.
Surprisingly, the circuit's history did not stop there: racing resumed on the old course from 1979-1986 - more than twenty years after the last race had been held! The circuit was the same as before, except for a new location of start-finish and the change from clockwise to anti-clockwise direction. Its length was now again given as 7.760 km, in 1979 best lap of 2.46,8 = 167.5 km/h.
Gedinne – Namur / Circuit de Gedinne / 1987-2006 / motorcycles
Location: 49°59'29.54"N / 4°57'19.78"E
A new layout of 5.050 km was introduced in August 1987. This was very similar to the older course and in fact included a section of it, but avoided contact with Gedinne itself. Two chicanes were later added to slow down the motorcycles on the very fast downhill section at start-finish: the first circa 1989, the second somewhere in the 1990s. This brought the length to 5.063 km. The last road races in Gedinne with contemporary motorcycles took place in August 2006. Since then, the circuit has been used only for an annual meeting for vintage machines titled Belgian Classic TT. Known fastest laps: 2.07,16 by Michel Siméon (1988), 2.05,42 by Alain Kempener (2000), 2.05,351 = 145.033 km/h by Louis Wuyts (2002), 2.13,557 by Didier Jadoel (2005).
Source: http://www.wegcircuits.nl/RennenRacesVitesse.pdf
Sunday, 28 July 2013
Sunday, 14 July 2013
awesome Assen with HARC and CRT, 13/14 July 2013
After a nice drive, with a dinner break in Hoogeveen, we arrived at the paddock in Assen on Friday night. We were prepared this time, we brought bicycles with us, to cover the distances between our part of the paddock, riders info and riders welcome centre...no unnecessary walks this time! Clearly we are not used to paddock sizes like these!
After installing our camper vans and the opening of a bottle of cold beer it’s always wonderful to meet up with everyone.
After the last outing, the Classic TT of Elst, organized by SAM, we had to fix the left float chamber attachment..it simply broke off. Was it "the jump"? The wobbly return rides into the paddock? Or just sheer vibrating force any single cylinder rider knows about?? We’ll never know, fact remained it had to be fixed.
With help of our kind UK friend (thanks Bob!) parts were in house very quick and the float chamber was back were it belongs.
So the first outing, Saturday mornings’ qualifying, at Assen, was a test really, to see how the Velocette would do. Picking up from low revs was not as smooth as hoped for and John noticed it was only out of quicker right hand corners the problem would occur.
This problem couldn’t stop us from having a great time at what we think is the best track we ever had the pleasure of riding on, Assen is great, great fun!
When you are in a paddock with 34 outfits there’s always someone who knows and asking around resulted in the conclusion the float chambers’ mounting hight (compared to the carb and right hand float chamber) could be causing this stuttering on the gas..
Too high, not enough- and too low, too much fuel.. Indeed lowering the chamber resulted in better picking up in the first regularity heat on Saturday, but it was still not optimal,. Something to work on and test in Sundays’outing.
The race on Saturday resulted in a battle to stay on the black no.28 Beemers’ tail, and trying to pass Anja and Diana on their 750 Triumph Bonneville, which worked out for say half a lap. A few missed gear changes and Anja overtook us again. Big fun though to do battle with the 16 inch kneelers with our ancient big wheeler.
The reluctance of the Velo to change gears caused a bit of worry though, John on Saturday night: “I hope the clutch stays in one piece”.. and that of course is challenging the Gods...
The second heat on Sunday: after a once again succesfull push start (thanx mr. Braas!) the Velo ran fine while waiting for the signal to enter the track.. once the signal was there John kicked in first gear..and that was the end of the clutch…
No more track hours for us the rest of the weekend, instead we have fixing hours ahead of us to finish in time to start in Barneveld!
We thank HARC, CRT and MON for a wonderful weekend!
See you in Barneveld!
After installing our camper vans and the opening of a bottle of cold beer it’s always wonderful to meet up with everyone.
After the last outing, the Classic TT of Elst, organized by SAM, we had to fix the left float chamber attachment..it simply broke off. Was it "the jump"? The wobbly return rides into the paddock? Or just sheer vibrating force any single cylinder rider knows about?? We’ll never know, fact remained it had to be fixed.
With help of our kind UK friend (thanks Bob!) parts were in house very quick and the float chamber was back were it belongs.
So the first outing, Saturday mornings’ qualifying, at Assen, was a test really, to see how the Velocette would do. Picking up from low revs was not as smooth as hoped for and John noticed it was only out of quicker right hand corners the problem would occur.
This problem couldn’t stop us from having a great time at what we think is the best track we ever had the pleasure of riding on, Assen is great, great fun!
When you are in a paddock with 34 outfits there’s always someone who knows and asking around resulted in the conclusion the float chambers’ mounting hight (compared to the carb and right hand float chamber) could be causing this stuttering on the gas..
Too high, not enough- and too low, too much fuel.. Indeed lowering the chamber resulted in better picking up in the first regularity heat on Saturday, but it was still not optimal,. Something to work on and test in Sundays’outing.
The race on Saturday resulted in a battle to stay on the black no.28 Beemers’ tail, and trying to pass Anja and Diana on their 750 Triumph Bonneville, which worked out for say half a lap. A few missed gear changes and Anja overtook us again. Big fun though to do battle with the 16 inch kneelers with our ancient big wheeler.
The reluctance of the Velo to change gears caused a bit of worry though, John on Saturday night: “I hope the clutch stays in one piece”.. and that of course is challenging the Gods...
The second heat on Sunday: after a once again succesfull push start (thanx mr. Braas!) the Velo ran fine while waiting for the signal to enter the track.. once the signal was there John kicked in first gear..and that was the end of the clutch…
No more track hours for us the rest of the weekend, instead we have fixing hours ahead of us to finish in time to start in Barneveld!
We thank HARC, CRT and MON for a wonderful weekend!
See you in Barneveld!
Sunday, 16 June 2013
Saturday, 1 June 2013
Sunday, 14 April 2013
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Saturday, 23 March 2013
Thursday, 10 January 2013
Long awaited article ZZ Races 2012 in MOTOR Magazine!
In the double anniversary issue number 1/2-2013 of MOTOR magazine (the magazine exists 100 years!), is the long-awaited article of guest riders and MOTOR-editors Tim Dekkers and Marcus Roggeveen. This long wait, however, was worth it! In an article of no less than 10 pages the ZZ Races 2012 are extensively covered and praised. So if you were not there by following this link you can experience it all from your comfortable chair at home.
Sunday, 30 December 2012
Speedshow Grolloo
The beautiful village of Grolloo in Drenthe is home to no less than Egbert Streuer, former world champion sidecars.
This same Egbert Streuer was, together with some friends, in the days between Christmas and New Year, organizer of an impressive, old fashioned Speed Show in Bar Hofsteenge in Grolloo.
Besides a large number of classic and other interesting race- and sportsbikes many prominent old riders were present. The list of participants was impressive, especially with many greats from the glory years of 50cc, 80cc, 125cc, 250cc, 350cc, 500cc and 750cc. Of course there were sidecars, Streuer for example showed his own sidecar (with Stredor engine). In addition, ongoing interesting old racing movie clips could be seen on the screens in the cafe.
In short, it was a show with something for everyone and at a time of the year when everyone "wants to get out and about".
Here a few shots of the sidecars, taken before opening time:
Tuesday, 27 November 2012
Thursday, 4 October 2012
Saturday, 29 September 2012
a new event - Giessen
Giessen was for the first time part of the Classic Racing Team circus in the Netherlands which had eleven events on the calendar for 2012. The Land of Altena is traditionally motorcycle-racing and motocross minded and produced big names in the past. At the moment young men like Raymond Schouten (road race) and motocrosser Micha Boy de Waal compete at national and European level. In 1977, the area around the Rietdijk in Giessen was already part of a highly crowed street race with stars like Wil Hartog, Boet van Dulmen and Jack Middelburg. It seems saturday a part of that audience was there again. Many babyboomers in leather had their motorcycles parked along the track and watched the glory from the past (all pre-1972 bikes) with lots of pleasure.
Saturday, 21 July 2012
Sunday, 15 July 2012
Saturday, 16 June 2012
Sunday, 3 June 2012
It was cold, wet and windy - Classic TT of Elst
Atlantic summer weather teases TT of Elst
The Classic TT of Elst on 3 June was “a bit” damp and it was the coldest summer day since 1975. Real North Sea weather. But those who stayed at home were wrong. For thirtyfive or so competitors and the public that braved the showers and the cold it was a top event. Guarantee for that were the beautiful temporary circuit, the steadfast determination of the organisers, the commitment of all volunteers and the wet feet of the drivers who still went out on track.
The Classic TT of Elst on 3 June was “a bit” damp and it was the coldest summer day since 1975. Real North Sea weather. But those who stayed at home were wrong. For thirtyfive or so competitors and the public that braved the showers and the cold it was a top event. Guarantee for that were the beautiful temporary circuit, the steadfast determination of the organisers, the commitment of all volunteers and the wet feet of the drivers who still went out on track.
Saturday, 12 May 2012
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