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We have entered at Tonfanau for next Sundays race, I believe there is a full grid of 400s and some reserves is anyone on here going?, has anyone any Idea of the gearing it looks a fairly short track with a couple of very tight corners so I presume short gearing, any help appreciated.

Si
~91

Alrite Si
hows the bike? i heard you had some engine troubles?
Ben cole off here goes well around there, check out his onboard ere.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiYXwbvz1gw
Mike from dynopro is quick around there too. Ive never been, was hoping to do tonfanau and then the anglesey the next day, but im not sure of the plan at the mo.

OMG!!!!! YOU ARE A BRAVE LAD!!!!!

I went to tonfanau last bank hol to help a mate out running a CBR 600.

First off the course in my opinion is :wanker . Each to their own but this place takes road racing to a new level of comedy. Housing estate kerbs round a one mile circle witha bustop at either end. If you do have an off expect the bike to be VERY damaged. If it rains expect awful paddock conditions. When we got there they had a tractor pulling vans and caravans through the mud onto the "paddock". During morning practice there were blokes with big janitors floor brushes dipping them into oil drums of water to wash peoples tyres off before going out on track........no need for tyre warmers then!!!

Dont get me wrong, I know a lot of people like the place but if you are used to racing short circuits it will be a massive step down in safety and set up.

Sheep wander over the track any day of the year that racing is not on (as its made from a farmers field) and so they cr@p all over the track. That, mixed with mud from the paddock and those huge kerbs just spells too much danger to me.

A perfect example of how much in the dark ages this place is.........my mate who raced there has an 05 CBR 600. When making an entry for the 600 class he was asked if it had an underseat exhaust. Yes was his response. And the nice lady on the end of the phone said it was "too new" to go in 600's and had to go in the open class with 1000's etc. Too new?!!!!! Its a 6 year old bike! I know this wont matter in a 400 class but just dont expect much in the way of facilities.

Portaloo's only so dont expect a shower like most circuits have. Again, I dont want loads of people kicking off cos ive slated the place - some like it, some dont. I personally would never ride there, yet I am doing the manx next year so its not like im averse to a bit of danger. Id just rather pay a couple more quid and race my bike on a proper track with proper corners and proper racing kerbs........seeing as i have tyre warmers im gonna use em!

Anyway, I hope this frank and honest opinion of the place helps you to visualise what you will get when there. Hope you enjoy it and have a safe ride mate. Just watch out for the sheep dung, its slippy!!!!!

Jim

oh and my tip of the day.......take a couple of rolls of cling film with you. The odd clever person (who must have been there before) wrapped clingfilm round their tyres to ride to the grid, then took it off and hey presto none or minimal mud. You obviously dont wanna do this if you have put warmers on!!!!

Thanks for the info lucky, Im going to put my spare fairings on tonight I think, just in case. My last race was at Brands on the GP circuit with Bemsee so I reckon it will be quite a contrast, wont be trying to hard though as we are going to Anglesey on the Monday.
Jake, had the motor refreshed over the winter,managed to do one meeting at Snetterton went to Oulton W100, did two laps of practice and a valve snapped, luckily Christian Peck had his 400 at the meeting which he was selling and he lent that to me for the day so at least I scored some points, Chris from Dynopro was at the meeting he took the bike back to his workshop,stripped it down on the Sunday and found all the inlet valves had been contacting the pistons ( and so had the spark plugs )there was also a piece missing from one of the cam caps and a stripped thread in one of the retaining bolts which hold them down.
Chris sourced a standard head for us, tuned it, rebuilt the engine and had it ready for the Thursday night on our way back to Oulton for qualifying on Friday for Bemsee, they even managed to get an extra 3 BHP. Chris and Mike at Dynopro offer a service second to none and we would recomend them every time.
Si
#91

Simon ask yourself why there is a full grid with reserves, I really wouldn't listen to someone who hasn't raced there, you will not meet more enthusiastic and accomodating organisers. The track isn't the most challenging but certainly not as dangerous as made out.

Mr Lucky77 really should expect to get slated for his comments when he has not even raced there. If he thinks a 1 mile bumpy circuit with a few kerbs is dangerous perhaps he really ought to rethink his plans for the Manx because theres a few more things than kerbs to worry about!!! Why have such a strong opinion on something you'e not going to be involved with? Personally don't like Snetterton but i don't slag it off. yes the weather was foul at the last meeting but we have been in as much mud at Pembrey! In fact the mud in the paddock at the Manx was worse last year.

Ben's done 6 meetings there and not had any problems. Start with a 48 rear sprocket. Cannot make this meeting as we're at Pembrey with NG.
Steve Cole

lucky77 wrote:OMG!!!!! YOU ARE A BRAVE LAD!!!!!

I went to tonfanau last bank hol to help a mate out running a CBR 600.

First off the course in my opinion is :wanker . Each to their own but this place takes road racing to a new level of comedy. Housing estate kerbs round a one mile circle witha bustop at either end. If you do have an off expect the bike to be VERY damaged. If it rains expect awful paddock conditions. When we got there they had a tractor pulling vans and caravans through the mud onto the "paddock". During morning practice there were blokes with big janitors floor brushes dipping them into oil drums of water to wash peoples tyres off before going out on track........no need for tyre warmers then!!!

Dont get me wrong, I know a lot of people like the place but if you are used to racing short circuits it will be a massive step down in safety and set up.

Sheep wander over the track any day of the year that racing is not on (as its made from a farmers field) and so they cr@p all over the track. That, mixed with mud from the paddock and those huge kerbs just spells too much danger to me.

A perfect example of how much in the dark ages this place is.........my mate who raced there has an 05 CBR 600. When making an entry for the 600 class he was asked if it had an underseat exhaust. Yes was his response. And the nice lady on the end of the phone said it was "too new" to go in 600's and had to go in the open class with 1000's etc. Too new?!!!!! Its a 6 year old bike! I know this wont matter in a 400 class but just dont expect much in the way of facilities.

Portaloo's only so dont expect a shower like most circuits have. Again, I dont want loads of people kicking off cos ive slated the place - some like it, some dont. I personally would never ride there, yet I am doing the manx next year so its not like im averse to a bit of danger. Id just rather pay a couple more quid and race my bike on a proper track with proper corners and proper racing kerbs........seeing as i have tyre warmers im gonna use em!

Anyway, I hope this frank and honest opinion of the place helps you to visualise what you will get when there. Hope you enjoy it and have a safe ride mate. Just watch out for the sheep dung, its slippy!!!!!

Jim

Sounds like Aghadowey but safer lol.

coley wrote:Simon ask yourself why there is a full grid with reserves, I really wouldn't listen to someone who hasn't raced there, you will not meet more enthusiastic and accomodating organisers. The track isn't the most challenging but certainly not as dangerous as made out.

Mr Lucky77 really should expect to get slated for his comments when he has not even raced there. If he thinks a 1 mile bumpy circuit with a few kerbs is dangerous perhaps he really ought to rethink his plans for the Manx because theres a few more things than kerbs to worry about!!! Why have such a strong opinion on something you'e not going to be involved with? Personally don't like Snetterton but i don't slag it off. yes the weather was foul at the last meeting but we have been in as much mud at Pembrey! In fact the mud in the paddock at the Manx was worse last year.

Ben's done 6 meetings there and not had any problems. Start with a 48 rear sprocket. Cannot make this meeting as we're at Pembrey with NG.
Steve Cole

First off I dont think i ever said anything about the enthusiastic or accomodating organisers of tonfanau - im sure they are great
And just cos a grid is full doesnt mean its a good place to race.

I think mr coley should realise that theres such a thing as freedom of speech in this country. I can say what i like, and why should i have to race their to form an opinion on it? I have been, saw, and didnt like. I was offering my personal opinion which people can take or leave. No need to get your nickers in a twist because I dont like somewhere you do pal. If i have said anything at all that is factually incorrect, please tell me cos obviously my eyes must have deceived me when I was there. The bottom line is someone who has never been to Tonfanau asked what it was like and I gave a frank and honest opinion. Its funny how sinap thanked me for the info isnt it - so obviously it was useful to someone. In particular, I feel its useful if as he says he is going to run at Anglesey on the monday.
I dont want to get embroiled in a big who haa as I've got better things to do but I think you are the one with a strong opinion on it, and it just happens to differ to mine. Lets leave it at that shall we and anyone racing at the weekend anywhere have a safe ride.

I started my post by answering si’s question with MY opinion of Tonfanau.
Your initial post may have been your opinion but it was on the point of being rude to those involved and only formed on one wet meeting. Your opinion is one sided, I was just giving another opinion which is what Freedom of speech is all about. Jake put up a link to onboard vid footage so everyone can see what the track is like. As for the full grids if it wasn’t a good place to race (or at least if people didn’t like it) then you would not have full grids.


As for facts, if you look at the classes they run, they have classic races, forgotten era races, 400/minitwin and a steel framed 600 which is also mixed with the open. Their classes do not accommodate for modern 600 machinery other than in the open race so why would you be surprised that an 05cbr 600 is not eligible in a steel frame 600 race?

we have always used tyre warmers with no problem so feel free to use yours si, have a good weekend.