Well, it’s winter, it’s cold and it’s wet, which can only mean one thing in South Australia. It’s time for the 24.
Now, for those not in the know, when a South Aussie dirt rider say’s “24”, he is not referring to some America TV series with Keiffer Sutherland. No, he is referring too one of the iconic motorcycle events in SA, the 24 Hour Reliability Trial. The 24 Hour Trial was first run in 1924, and this year’s event, which is now sponsored by Yamaha, will be the 76th running of the event (I think, as the event was not run for 6 years due to WWII and not run in 1957 and 1958 due to low entries).
The event is a “one rider – one machine” event, and like all SA reliability trials you have to carry everything you want/need either on the bike or on your person. This included clothing, so with an expected temperature range of 4 C to 12 C, and a high probability of rain, just deciding what too wear becomes a nightmare. The only thing that you are allowed to “take-on” during the event is fuel (plus 1 air filter per lap) at authorised fuel stops. Also, any outside assistance whether solicited or not, by any other person during the event results in exclusion from the event.
The course, like most SA reliability trial courses, is comprised of transport sections on bitumen roads, dirt roads, and 2 wheeled tracks, plus competitive paddock/special sections over natural terrain on private property. The length of each lap is about 210km and you have to do 4 laps of the course, giving a total distance of just over 800km. The organisers are not completely sadistic, as you get a 40 minute break at the end of laps 1 and 3 for a meal, and a 20 minute break after lap 2. If you are running on time, you also get too have a bit of a break at each checkpoint. If you are running more than 90 minutes late, you are excluded.
And so, in a vain attempt to maintain my lead in Class M (for pre ’88 motorcycles) in this year’s reliability trial series, I was entry on my trusty and rusty 1976 XT500C.
Unfortunately, I didn’t finish, but here is how it went.
At 6:00am, I got out of bed after sleeping like a kid on Christmas eve, i.e. not very well due the excitement and anticipation of the coming day. After a leisurely breakfast, and double check that I had packed every think, I hooked up the trailer and was on the road to Kapunda by 7:00, just as light rain started to fall. I arrived at the trotting track at Kapunda, which was the main control just on 8:00, with light rain still falling. There were about three other vehicles in the car park, and a few people just starting to set up the control, but by 9:00, a few more competitors had started to arrive and the rain was all but gone, with a few patches of blue sky appearing.
I unloaded the bike and went through the normal sign-on and machine examination process, will the now standard looks and enquiry about the bike, my open face helmet and other items of 1970's riding gear. I was not the only rider with an old bike though. The rider starting immediately before me, Kevin Lonsdale (No.113) was on a early model IT200 Yamaha, plus there were a few TT600 sidecars, and Richard Turnball/Nigel Bishop on a Yamaha XS650 sidecar.
By time it got around to 11:00am and the first sidecar headed out at the start of the event, the weather had cleared to what was going to be a beautiful sunny winters day. As such I chose to dress fairly lightly (?), with just a pair of thermal long johns under my DriRider pants and a thermal singlet, a tee shirt and an old Tycon MX top under my DriRider Alpine jacket, carrying the rest of my warm clothing in a backpack.
Eventually my start time of 12:54 came around and I was off and riding in my first 24Hr trial. The ride on the 25km transport stage to the first paddock section was just a pleasant Sunday ride, and I arrived at the control a good 10 minutes or more ahead of schedule. This was where the fun was going to commence. With the paddock sections being timed to the second, everyone was out of the control like the proverbial “Rat out of an Aqueduct”. I had made the discussion to take all the paddock sections easy, so I left the control at what could only be described as a rather leisurely pace. This first paddock section was about 3km long, and while probably quite easy on a modern light weight enduro bike had a couple of challenging bit down a creek that need to be ridden like an observed trials section. I got a rousing welcome on arriving at the end of the section, as this was my Club’s (Clare MCC) control. I stopped for a few minute before heading out on the next transport section to ask one of the club members how his son was going. His son, Russel who was supposed to be riding as No. 99 had crashed his YZF450 heavily during a practice ride the previous Sunday, breaking both wrists and his leg and was currently in hospital after having surgery to plate all the broken bones.
The next paddock section was a bit easier than the first and I actually passed another rider. This miraculous feat happened on a moderately rough downhill, and was more due to the drum brakes of the XT not being able too slow the momentum of the near on 300kg combine weigh of bike and rider than any real desire to go fast.
Just before the end of the next transport section I was flagged down by Kevin (No.113 on the IT200) who had seized his engine and asked for me to report him in at the next control.
By the time I got to the 6th paddock section I had gotten into the swing of things. The sections had not been as difficult as some of those in the other events that I had ridden this year and my confidence was rising. Paddock section 6 was about 7km long and while being fairly open was very rocky. About half way through the section, I was going reasonably quickly in third gear when I noticed the front end didn’t quite feel right. A short while late I had to stop for a route check and took the opportunity to have a look and noticed that my front tyre was flat. Not wanting to change tubes in the middle of a windswept paddock I rode on to the end of the section. As the bike was still handling fairly well even with the flat tyre I decided on not fixing the tyre until the fuel stop at Truro as the time for that transport section was very loose and I would not loose as much time.
While ridding the 7km transport leg to the start of the paddock section 7, the bike was still handling reasonable ok even at 80 – 90kph on the road. Being able to ride with them flat has to be the only advantage in running the 30-year-old Barum Six Day tyres I have fitted to the XT. As I approached the control, the voice of reason in the back of my head reminded me that I only wanted to finish the event, not win it, and loosing a bit of time was not going to hurt as much as crashing due to the tyre rolling off of the rim. So I pulled up just before the control and spent a leisurely 20 minute changing the tube and chatting to a couple of spectators.
Fixing the flat tyre had me running at the rear of the Open Solo field, which in many way was a bit of a relief as it meant that I was not worried about holding up the quicker rider who were starting the paddock sections behind me.
Although only 3km long, paddock section 8, was not good for me. Part of the Open Solo route dropped in and out of a creek/gully, with (to me) a nasty observed trials like section in the middle. I got stuck on one of the climbs out of this creek/gully and having stalled the engine, then spend a couple of minutes trying to restart it. About 100m later the same thing happened again. With the amount of clothing I was wearing I was rapidly over heating and not being the fittest person to start with just made it worst. After riding back into the creek/gully the track ran along it for a short distance and there was a 400 - 500mm high step that had to be ridden up. Now this would have been quite easy on my 350 Sherpa T, but not on the XT. I got hung up on the step and spent another couple of minutes swearing loudly as I man handled the bike up the step. I am not sure how exactly how long I took, but it wouldn’t surprise me it I spend 15 minute or more to get through this section which had a nominal time allowance of 3 minute. While I struggled through the Open Solo route, the first of the Clubman class riders had started to ride past, as their route deviated around the more difficult parts of the Open Solo route.
After a bit of a rest at fuel stop at Truro, I put the experience of paddock 8 behind me, and I was back to enjoying the ride, with the next few paddock section being tight, but rideable on the XT. The sun was dropping low onto the horizon as I rode through paddock section 9, and by the time I finished the transport section to paddock section 10 it was getting dark, however, my head light and newly fitted 100w spot light didn’t seem to be as bright as I remembered the being on the test ride before the event. Thinking that there must be a problem with the electrics, like a bad earth or similar, I pressed on at a slightly slower pace that I would have ridden with the lights working properly. Then at a route control during the transport section between paddock 10 and 11, I solved the problem with my lights. I remembered that I hadn’t changed my goggle from my day goggles (with dark tinted lens) to my night goggles (with clear lens) that I had in the pouch strapped to the handlebars, DOH! After this the lights were brilliant and I was able to ride just as quickly as I would have during the day. The last couple of paddock staged went well and I arrived at the final control 26 minutes behind my scheduled arrival time, which considering the time lost fixing the puncture, I was very happy with.
After the compulsory 40 minute rest/meal break where I rearrange my clothing for the expected colder conditions, I headed out onto lap two. After a quick refuel and sculling a Redbull at the fuel dump at the trotting track, I again arrived at the start control for the first paddock section a good 10 to 15 minutes early, only too be told that I was due out on the next minute. It seems that due to the way the timing keeping system is run, I that I would start the paddock sections on the next minute after arrival at the in controls, and effectively be forced back up through the field to my correct running position as rider 114.
Riding through paddock section 1, I found that the track through the creek had cut up quite badly in places and I had far more difficulty getting through it, with the bike stalling several timed, than I did on the first lap. As I rode the transport section to the start control for paddock 2, I started to think how bad paddock section 7, where I had so much trouble on lap one would be. When I pulled into the start control for paddock 2, I asked if it was possible for them to arrange for me to be able to speak with the Clerk of Course (CoC) on the radio at one of the controls further along the course. After the shock of a rider actually asking to speak to the CoC passed, the control keeper told me that they would let me now at the out control for the section. As I rode the section I though of how I would put my request to the CoC.
When I got to the out control, I was asked to wait, as the CoC would be there in person in a few minutes, as he was on the road close by when they had contacted him. The case I put to the CoC was basically a request to be allowed to ride the Clubman route through paddock section 7. My reasons for asking this were;
1. I was riding the 24Hr as it was round 4 in the SA Reliability Trial Championship. Even though I was a rookie Clubman rider (riding in the Pre ’88 class), I was required to enter the Open Solo class if I wanted to gain points in the championship due to an anomaly in the classes between the 24Hr and the Championship.
2. As I was being pushed back up through the field by starting each paddock section straight after arrival it, was quite possible that there would be a number of Open Solo riders starting section 7 behind me. With the difficulty I had had in the creek in the section on the first lap, I would almost certainly have the same problems for the next 3 laps and I would end up blocking the track, which could result in riders asking for time adjustments after being held up since the sections were timed to the second, and possible even protests being lodged.
The CoC saw reason in what I said, and when being informed by one of the control keepers that I was the only rider from the Pre ’88 Class in the championship still in the event, and that riding the clubman route through one section would not effect the results in anyway, agreed to my request. I carried onto the next section happy that this was proof that the system does work, and if you have a problem you should talk to the officials, not whinge and bitch about it afterwards.
I rode the next few sections with renewed enthusiasm knowing that I would not be spending a whole heap of time stuck in the creek in paddock section 7. I continued catching up with riders at the in controls to the paddock sections due to the easy time schedule for the transport sections. While riding the paddock sections I continued too slow down and even stopping to let those who started after me have a free run through the sections.
Riding the Clubman route through paddock 7 was far more enjoyable that the previous lap on the Open Solo route, and further boosted my confidence in being able to finish. I continued my slow but steady ride, through the paddock section and was still riding with a smile as I was not as cold as I had expected it to be.
Unfortunately, all good things must come too an end, and the start of my end was the 26km long transport section between control 20 and 21. During several of the paddock stages before this transport stage I had started to suffer cramps in my legs (on top of the normal aching muscles, and sore feet from them hitting rock and roots etc in the paddock stages). With the temperature dropping and my body starting to cool down a bit the cramping got worst. I had slowed right down because I was having trouble moving my right leg to use the rear brake, which saw me run wide on a few turns, fortunately without any dire consequences. I rode the final two paddock section of the lap quite slowly and made it back to the main control at 01:20am, putting me 36 minutes behind my scheduled time, which again I though was not too bad considering that I had slowed down so much during the last few transport sections
When I got off of the bike I could hardly walk to push the bike through the control. With a 20 minute compulsory stop before heading out for lap I had a while to consider my options. After having a bit of a lie down on the ground and barely being able to get back up again. I made the decision to retire from the event, based on the thought that it was better to end it here with my body stiff and sore than to end in a ditch somewhere out by the course in a lot worst condition, also the fact that I will be starting a new job in two weeks played on my mind a bit. So at 01:37, 3 minute before my due out time for lap 3, I handed in my number and the 24 was over for me.
I took the bike back too the ute, and after getting out of my sweat soaked riding gear and back into some dry cloth, curled up in the back of the ute with a couple of old blankets and a canvas tarp for a sleep.
Now, as for the bike, well it was in a lot better condition than me. After cleaning off about 10kg of mud, I found 1 blown fork seal, 1 blown rear shock absorber seal, a big dent in my sump plate and 2 missing bolt from my chain guard. The engine still run well, with the normal clapped out XT/TT500 rattles, even though it chewed through a litre of oil in the 400 odd km I rode due to leaky valve stem seals. I also found the reason the engine kept stalling on me. When I was doing the pre-event service, I didn’t route the decompressor cable properly and it pulled on if you turn the handlebars hard left, lifting the exhaust valve and killing the engine.
Not much different from how it looked at the start.
The biggest down side to not finishing is a stupid bet I had with the wife. When I first told her of my plan to ride the 24, she started the normal, Why, you are too old, your not fit etc, etc. Last weekend, she came up with the bet; If I didn’t finish, I had too do her washing and ironing for a month. If I did, she would do mine. I tried to change it to any sum of money she wanted, but she wouldn’t have that. So, I now have to do her laundry for a month, although there was no mention in the bet as too which month this will be.
Will I try again? Well the heart says yes, I would like to have another go (even though I think the limit of my body is 12hrs), especially if MSA and the 24Hr committee can sort out the issues with classes. I am building up a better/more suitable XT for next years championship and I would look at riding the Clubman Class in the 24 if I could get points for the championship. Until then, there are still two more rounds of this year's championship series to go, and I want to ride at least one of them, probably the Mallala round on my existing bike. So I will see how I feel in a few month time.
CJ
