It has been an eventful week or so.

After about 10 years of no tickets, Peter received his second speeding ticket in three days. He escorted Elliot, our neighbor, and me, up to Karolyn's house. I can get to Karolyn's on my own, but Peter's Sunday ride was sacrificed to a last minute work project that wouldn't wait. "At least I got the ticket coming home, otherwise you and Elliott would have been ticketed for speeding too." said Peter.

The first group ride of the year bodes well for the rest of the season. Beautiful weather in the Marin headlands and safe riding.

Tuesday at Laguna Seca was the first track day for group. Karolyn and Dennis rode their new (late 80's vintage) FZR400 bikes. Bart's 250RS made its debut. Both Karolyn and Dennis signed up for time with 1992 Superbike champion Doug Polens. Karolyn wiped 10 seconds off her lap time. Dennis learned a lot despite dumping his bike twice. After the December mishap, his wife, Amy, suggested that Dennis get a track bike to avoid further damage to his BMW. She must be prescient. Dennis says he belly flopped on the right side, and low-sided on the left, and had to pull foliage out of the frame slider.

Bart has motorcycle blue balls from having to short-shift the RS in every turn because of its break-in period; the bike has nothing until the revs get up into the 10k rpm powerband. He had to keep the bike under 10k rpm the whole day.

As pit babe, I was responsible for getting the bike warmed up for his sessions (and taking care of Karolyn and Dennis) and I was going to learn everything on the job. First, I learned how to kick start the bike. Fortunately it is a 250cc bike so it didn't take much. I'm standing there listening to Bart say to me, "... the bike is still cold..." and I"m looking at him and the bike thinking "... and how the heck does he know that?" "Get the temp up to 150 degrees." "How am I supposed to know that?" "Look at the gauge." I look at the place where there are displays on the bike. I see nothing. Then it hits me, my sun glasses are polarized. I peer over the glasses and numbers and icons pop out at me clear as day.

After hearing about Dennis' trips into the dirt and how we used zip ties to re-attach bodywork to the bike's frame, Peter, who is signed up for the April novice day at Thunderhill with Dennis, Karolyn and me, decided maybe for his first track day and future track days, he ought to be riding an older bike with minimal body work. So that Honda CBR F4 might be arriving sooner than expected - the bike will fit both of us.

I had the privilege of riding 2-up with Reg Pridmore at Infineon. That was quite an experience - after two laps he sensed I was done in but I was able to internalize one of the lessons he had drawn on the board about deciding when to down shift and brake in a turn. I never could have imagined how deep you can get into a turn before you start that process - now I know it is possible, at least, a champion can do it. At one point in the morning class, Reg said he was old, but let me tell ya, Reg, you still got it.

I'll be signing up to take CLASS myself sometime this year.

Photos of the Aprilia's full throttle debut are at the bottom of the gallery.

We have a new bike which hence forth will be known as Frankenbik3. Instead of the CBR F4, we have an F3. I'm told that it is normal for a race bike to be made up of components of various bikes. Ours has a 1995 chassis and a 1998 engine. It's carburated, not injected. Frankenbik3 has been a track bike since 1996. The current modifications include oversized brake rotors, soft compound pads, a Fox shock, Ohlins fork, Race Tech Valves. The feet are new Dunlop D208 GP tires. The shifting is the reverse of what I'm used to, it is 5-down and 1-up which is normal for a race bike.

Mechanically the bike feels good. The suspension is a bit nosed-down for my tastes, but either we'll adjust that or I will adapt. The engine sounds good, although I have some concern about valve noise. I have a lot to learn about this bike and I'm ecstatic about having a project.

The fairing upper and lower are two different shades of primer grey. The pieces fit together and attach to the bike with zip ties. They are a little chewed up. So are the frame sliders, the exhaust, and the handles, and most other exposed metal surfaces. It would be fair to say that this bike has made a few trips into the dirt and has slid across some lengths of asphalt at high speed.

I'm going to change the shifting back to what we are accustomed to and I may replace the after-market clutch with stock clutch.

I'm cleaning the bike right now, it is dirty everywhere. I'm taking the bodywork and the dented extra gas tank for an estimate for reconditioning and painting. British racing green will go nicely with the existing sunflower yellow wheels.

It is very hard to stay focused at work - where I really want to be is in my garage with my new baby (it is actually Peter's, but it is my project). Frankenbik3's debut in its third incarnation will be April 22nd at a Keigwin's Novice Day at Thunderhill. There is a lot of work to do to be ready.

Pictures of the bike and its previous owner