TVS One Make Championship 2016: Media Race

Racy Apache

I am here at MMRT for the last round of the TVS One Make Championship that involves lightly race prepped Apache RTR 200Vs and some hardcore racers. Now, the stock bike, which we also rode at this track as part of BikeWale Track Day, has a wonderful balance between comfort and handling. But, it could do with a bit more top end.

So, for the race Apache 200, TVS Racing has given the bike mildly aggressive cams, a lighter free flow exhaust and a more aggressively tuned carb, not to mention all the extra bits – great for the road, not so for racing – like the mirrors, the head and tail lamps, indicators, the stands, the rear footpeg hangers, the fenders and all other plastic bits, have been ripped out. The bike, therefore, is both lighter and more powerful; weight is down by 15kg and the power is up by 3bhp.

And it feels like it on the track too. The pull between 7 to10k rpm is more potent and thanks to the loss of weight, the turn-in and flickability is quicker as well. There’s no change to the seating ergo, however; not that it mattered much at the pace we were doing.

Media race

The good news, the only one so far, is that I am NOT participating along side the hardcore racers. Instead, I am riding the support race for this class, which is a media race. That means instead of being knocked around (and being pointed at for being a moving obstacle) by racers half my age and nearly half my weight, I will be racing with fellow motoring journalists, who incidentally are also at least a decade or so younger and many are lighter as well.

If you haven’t guessed where I am going with his, well, I am just trying to justify my average performance even before it begins. And begin it does with a half an hour practice session. Now, I have ridden at this track before, so I know where it goes. But, for some reason – age, high BP, lack of exercise – I am all over the place, climbing kerbs, sitting awkwardly, and grounding footpegs even when I am not going fast. The last one is the result of poor lines.

I am depressed. So, I eat some ice cream. Maybe tomorrow will be better; there’s qualifying and the race to contend with, after all.

Better times

Tomorrow is here. And it has brought light showers with it. Can things really get any worse! As it turns out, NO! With overcast skies and a slight drizzle just before our qualifying is to begin, the mood in the TVS pits amongst us journalists is a little pensive.

But, once on the track, I decide to give it my all in any case. I don’t bother warming up the tyres or getting acquainted with the track. I just go as fast as I think I can. So, my lines are still off; I am still braking and turning into corners too early; and I am still riding the kerbs and chopping the throttle where I shouldn’t. But, as luck would have it, it’s an intelligent move. It starts to drizzle again in only the second lap. And this means, while everyone else was still warming up to set a hot lap before the rain came, I had already set mine. I qualify second.

Like I said, things weren’t getting any worse; in fact, they are only getting better.

Lights out

It’s race time. And as soon as the lights go off, three riders fly past me before turn one. Not even 50 metres into the race, and I have already dropped to fifth. Soon enough, the others start making mistakes. While I am still conservative with my braking, my lines were getting better. Others, on the other hand, have taken to the fast-in-run-wide approach and are handing me positions on the platter. By lap two, I am back in second.

The race leader though – a longhaired, bearded youth, proves a harder nut to crack. He too is enjoying the fast-in-run-wide approach but not consistently enough for me to get past. And he is getting the better of me on straights. Younger blood and lighter weight does have its perks.

It is a close run thing over the next two laps with we passing each other a couple of times. But then in lap three, he enters C10 – a wide entry, tightening left-hander – a bit too hot and runs wide enough for me to get a clean pass.

By this time, the third placed mustachioed racer has already caught up. And that means, while the mustache and the beard battle each other for position and slow down in the bargain, I have a clean run in the fourth and final lap all the way to the finish line.

The win!

I win! Barely a second ahead, but I do! I have never won a motorcycle race in my life. Now, I know it wasn’t against seasoned racers, but a win is a win! And I have a BIG trophy to show for it. It feels great. Like I said, things couldn’t any get worse. Now to treat myself to some brownie with ice cream…