I started talking about this 12 hour event in another thread and it looks like there is a few AMTRA riders also going to this event, so thought I would start a new thread and tell those interested a bit about my ride last year and about the event it self.
I rode in this event last year on this bike
I did not ride it for the hole 12 hour as it lost all brakes due to the creek crossings and I was using the bush to stop me at the bottom of hills
so I jumped on a backup bike changed the transponder to it and did about 4 hours on that bike to get to the end of the event, that is the good thing about this event, you can take as many bikes as you like.
If your in the Ironman Class as I was last year you do not have to ride through the pitts you get to ride the fast lane around the outside of the pitts to near the start finish line, which is good as it gives you a chance to see how all the other ironmen are going through the day, last year there was 9 entered in the ironmens class and 5 made it to the end.
The first 2 guys were club racer and young blokes, the winner finished with 23 laps 2nd place bloke got 22 laps they were both on mod 450's by memory and I finished 3rd on 17 laps at the start of the day I was aiming to get 20 laps but the big endo moment I had on lap 3 put dint in that plan as I landed on top of a wooden picket and did a number on my ribs, I was sure I did some damage but did not know how much, I went to the docs on the tuesday after the event and found out I had busted a rib.
When they called us up to get some goodies Andrew Hobbs from Transmoto Mag talked a bit about me to the croud before calling me up, I reckon the croud must have been thinking if this fat old bastard can ride the 12 hours on his own on a 31 year old bike then I am going to give it a go next year
because this year there is 30 riders entered in the ( Ironman Class ) I will be happy if I can just make it to the end again
In 2011 event I treated it as just a fun event to be apart of and so even decided to do a little dressing up for the event by sticking a hat to my helmet and wearing a work shirt with fat man braces over that, I also had one of those bubble air horns which is what the bike came out with when new back in 1980 and when going around the fast lane of the pitts I would give it a blast to the croud that would be standing around there and they loved it and all had a good laugh
Transmoto Mag gave me a new bike gear bag for treating the day as fun event and getting dressed up for a laugh.
Just before the start
Like they said tec it is a race, but really this event was started with fun in mind and not to take it to searous, Andrew Hobbs from Transmoto Mag rang me up a few weeks ago and said Mick you have got to get dressed up again in something
End of the day the 5 ironmen
Here is a Video of last years Transmoto 12 hour, it will give you a idea of what you are in for.
http://www.transmoto.com.au/12-hour/The loop itself is a easy ride, but because it is only 10K's long it gets cut up bad and when riding it for 12 hours it really wears you out.
Spotted this bloke and went over for a chat it turned out to be Geoff Ballard on one of his old race bikes.
The temp was 31c last year and there was a lot of this going on through the day, this is Nathan S and he finished 5th in the ironman class, he is giving it another crack this year also.
Note Nathan hanging onto his transponder while getting some kip, if you loose your transponder you are up for $700 bill
This year I have a mate also riding a couple of old bikes, he will be riding a PE 175 T 1980 model and his spare bike is a early 80's Husky 430 he is also entering in the ( Ironman Class ).
We are riding the old bikes to promote Pre 85 Vinduro
Cheers Mick
