Never going to Victoria again

[Jeff]

On the weekend just gone, I was at Phillip Island for the final round of the Australian Sidecar Championship. I was not expecting great results, as I have not been racing much this year, and it was meant to just be a bit of fun.

The problems began on the Friday practice day, when my sidecar rear tyre picked up a broken chain link, going flat, luckily we pulled in thinking it was clutch slip. (It was clutch slip, but we looked at the tyre first)

Saturday went without incident, we qualified sixth, then finished fourth in our first race, but Sunday really turned to poo. We left the house where we were staying to drive to the track, and the right rear tyre on the Defender went flat. We changed it, then noticed the front hissing. We drove carefully to the track, and found four inch nails in three tyres. They appear to have been stuck to the tyres at the house. I don't know who I upset, or if they were upset with the owner of the house, or just thought it would be funny.

The RACV came out to the track, and gave me a 16" tube, but they only had one, and he left me some patches. One was too shredded to patch, but two were ok.

To add insult, in the last race, I caught up to the third place sidecar, and as I went to pass, my rear tyre went flat! This time, it was the rim that leaked and we rolled into the pits with one lap to go.

Once the racing was over I set about patching the tubes, but not wanting to chance travel without a spare, we stayed on the Island overnight, finally getting some tubes in Wonthaggi.


The beautiful country of South Gippsland.


The first tyre problem.


Replacing the punctured one with a new one.


The first flat on the Defender.


Yet another nail.

Jeff

[Redback]

Yes you will, you know you will, racing is like a drug, you can't stop until it hurts too much or you get too old

Baz.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

I can sympathize,, I've traveled for 3 days and not started!

Mind you, the 5 day trip home was a beaut.

[crash]

At least you did not hit any seagulls while racing!

[Jeff]

At least you did not hit any seagulls while racing!

Nearly hit a Cape Barren Goose on practice day though.

Jeff

[TeamFA]

Bad run of luck on the tyres there...

Being a swinger on a sidecar is on my list of things to do. Watched them many times at Morgan Park... shame they're a dying breed.

[Vern]

I live ten minutes up the road from that first picture, could have helped you out with wheels.

[goingbush]

That sucks, youv'e had a run of bad luck.

I carry some "liquid patch" or "slime" for such occasions, works great, even in tubes

I guess the guy that lost the joining link didn't have a great day either ??

How did the new gearbox go ??

[RVR110]

Sorry to hear about the vandalism Jeff. At least they didn't get the deefer's fun tyres...

[Jeff]

Gearbox went fine. I kept feeling vibrations and thinking either flat tyre or gearbox, every change of road surface. Made for a long trip.

Jeff