Hamizaki Racing

There is still a pulse!!

I think I can finally admit to myself that I have fully transitioned from Club Racer to Trackday God 😂.

For the last few years I have been very busy fixing, restoring and building bikes, as well as supporting younger, faster riders chasing their dreams on circuits and roads. More of that later.

This season I am supporting Leon Murphy and Ashley Robson for selected Scottish, NI and IOM races with ZXR400 bikes and pitch-bitching where I can.

The first road race at Cookstown was mega, and if the rest of the season is as good as this then it will be fantastic 🏁🏁

Had a bit of a mixed weekend at East Fortune on the ZXR400 spending more time chasing gremlins than actual racing 🙄. Only managed to finish 2 races after having to retire in Qual and the other two with loss of power and misfires mainly after lap 3/4.

After changing plugs, battery, 2 sets of coil sticks and checking wiring etc the main suspects were a couple of dodgy sticks and a weak battery.. 13v out and 11.5v in. Got a shot of a new battery for the last race, actually made 10 laps and saw the chequered flag 🏁

So..upshot is I’m gonna reinstate the genny.. can’t be ersed with total loss any more.. and hopefully that will be it sorted at last.

Apart from the bike it was another great weekend at East Fortune with friends and fellow race peeps. Top marks to the Melville Club, Marshall’s and SACU for all the efforts to make the meeting so well organised and enjoyable. Also thanks to Mark Laing & Team for all the help and the mega BBQ’s.. great time 😀😎🏁

Cheers to Gary Plimer for the great pics 👍

Had a fun weekend at my first Bob McIntyre Classic at East Fortune racing with the ZXR400 in the Post Classic Junior (PCJ) class.

Took the stock bike that I rebuilt over the winter for a shake down and the F400 as a spare. Many changes made to the stock but the obvious thing was the different bodywork and carbon bling from RMKD & Nick A. The valve clearances were checked, ignition rotor advanced and callipers rebuilt with fresh Bendix pads.

Despite issues with the end can falling off and the CDI failing the bike ran great and the brakes were excellent. Dunlop Tyres were overdue a change but managed to last the weekend.

Thinking about selling this but now in two minds as it is such a nice wee bike to race..smooth and no flat spots at all.

So, if I decide to keep it I’ll tidy up the exhaust that fell off.. the Hindle can works great but is a bit tatty and lets the rest of the bike down.

Had a good time with other race mates, met up with some old friends and made some new ones 😁 The other highlight was one of my other bikes prepared and ridden by Kell won the main race for the class… beaten by one of my own bikes again 🙄🤣

Finally got down to Bob’s to get the twins on the dyno.

A tech issue (my bad) meant only a power run for the ER was possible and although the results were decent I think a refresh for next season is defo on the cards. Annatori Q/S settings were a mile out and now slick.

SV has just had a full rebuild by LMR and after a bit of work on the fuelling Bob managed +10bhp from the original run and now running sweet. Power/torque bang on for the engine spec and might even get a couple more ponies when engine loosens up 😁

First post for a while.. been a long lay off with the winter hibernation and the COVID lockdown but been chipping away in the background with stuff like ...

SV Supertwin engine (LMR) and suspension (Maxton) fully refreshed and ready for action.

ER650 ready to go

MGP ZXR400 #1 engine getting repaired and fully rebuilt by LMR ready for the 2021 MGP

ZXR400 #2 rebuilt and ready to race in NGRRC and other stuff down south

ZXR400 #3 getting tuned, refreshed and built by LMR & Kelly for road racing

ZXR400 #4 getting rebuilt for road

ZXR400 #5 frame away for painting and getting build for track/race for sale

Both skoots cleaned up and ready to MOT

Gilera 50 cleaned up and sorted for fun factor 😁

Soon be back on track at the KH test day in 2 weeks then down to Cadwell for the NGRRC test weekend. After that who knows.. play it as we see it🏁🏁

Well that was Anglesey! Down Friday pm for a blast in the Wirral 100 with the ER. Got some ‘practice’ laps in Saturday morning and realised very quickly it is a demanding circuit. Couldn’t wrestle the ER round the corners so decided to get Nick the suspension guru to have a look and ended up changing springs. So missed the first race but was looking forward to race #2 and just about to head out when the only cloud in the sky let go big time. Couldn’t be ersed going out on a wet track I didn’t know on a bike I needed to check out so that was me for the day.

Rain was forecast on Sunday so plan was to get out practice then the 2 Sunday races. But there’s rain and there’s rain and it was chucking it down so hard I just called it a day (along with a lot of other riders) and cut my losses. The drive up the road was probably my worst ever.. was nearly getting the oars out 😳

But what a track and the circuit was spectacular.. defo going to give it another go next season 😁

Gutted for Dan James who broke down 350miles away from home.. he would’ve done well on the SV for sure!

Well done to the brave lads that went out and thanks to Leats for the awesome lamb curry 😅. Aleta Constable, Andy Barton, Audrey Joyce and Dan James

Update from the 2019 MGP.

Leon of Lmr Acing was racing the Hamizaki ZXR400 in the MGP Ultra-Lightweight category. Leon had built this actual engine for the MGP a few years back but it blew up at the Southern 100 ending his dream. So it was great to help Leon complete the job and race it around the mountain circuit at last.

After a few solid practice laps the bike felt good but a bit flat. A visit to the dyno confirmed what we suspected.. it was well down on power by approx 10bhp. A scratch of heads and the problem was traced to fitting a standard pickup rotor rather than the modified rotor for ignition advance. Luckily I had packed the old one which was re-fitted and we found the missing 10bhp plus a bonus one to make 79bhp...well chuffed 😁

Race #1 started well with Leon sitting in 2nd place for a time before we got told he had retired at Graham’s Memorial. Got the bike back and traced the failure an exhaust valve on #1. Engine out, spare engine in and ready to go for Race #2.

This time the bike stopped on the 2nd lap with a flat battery ... MGP-2 , ZXR-0 🙄

So.. lots of lessons learned for next year including:-

- tall screen
- fit generator or 2nd battery
- Koso Tachos are crap on 400s so refit standard
- heavier springs in forks
- service rear shock
- kit gearbox is mint
- Conti tyres good
- Gorilla tape is awesome

So all systems go for 2020 MGP and we’ll be back faster and stronger next year💪🏻🏁

Our thoughts and best wishes to our race buddy Ray Maloney who is still in hospital recovering from injuries sustained after crashing at Ballaugh Bridge. 😔

Hamizaki Racing went on tour at the weekend down to Donington circuit for the NGRRC round and had a great time.

Took the Hamizaki ZXR400 down to compete in the Open 500 and Desmo Due classes... mainly so I could get a wee race with my old sparring partner Dan James as well as go on track at a circuit I’ve always wanted to have a shot on. Dream come true really 😊

Travelled down Thursday, met up with Dan & Duncan Baillie and got to Donington Friday lunchtime to get set up. ( via Ducati & DK showrooms 😊)

Despite a showery Saturday I got some track time in during practice and qualifying. Missed out the Open 500 race and decided to gamble with drys in the DD race where it was declared a wet race. Did ok and improved my lap times to 1:29..slow but steady!

On Sunday got quicker each race and in the last DD race was mid-pack on the grid right behind Dan. Got a decent start and stayed with him for a wee while but then he pulled the pin and cleared off 🤣.. still great fun tho.

So results wise pretty average but 1st time at the track I improved from 1:41 to 1:26 so happy enough with that, and managing to stay on the fun side as planned.

The event was brilliant, the bike was faultless and excellent company with Dan, Duncan, Phil and of course the Big Boss Aleta Constable 🤣 (as well as the other DD guys)

Fantastic weekend and hope to get back down south soon. Cadwell sounds tempting 🤔

ZXR400s coming out of hibernation this weekend at Knockhill Scottish. Need to give them a run before Donnington and MGP 🥴

Just back from pre-season testing of the SV at Calafat circuit.

Bike was rebuilt after the off at Oulton in November. Engine was refreshed and set up by LMR then dyno-ed by Bob Scott.

Only real issue was with front suspension so once the bike gets back I’ll get them down to LMR for a service and ready to roll for the 2019 season 🏁🏁

Been a while since I posted anything but looking back Hamizaki Racing had a pretty busy 2018 season... I’ll post some random memories up soon 👍

Off to the KMSC Awards on Saturday to celebrate the 2018 season that was and more importantly kick off the 2019 season.Let the fun commence 🏁🏁🏁