Alfs Motorcycles

Work commencing soon on the new race bike for 2009 season.

Le Mans ZX-10R D8F WEC World Endurance class which will carry similar spec and equipment as the current race bike but with dedicated race kit ECU for the new '09 bike.

Connor Cummins has expressed a preference just qualified 4th at Macau. Plus Guy 'its a minter' Martin wants to ride with us again at Le Mans and Peter Jennings plus possibly John Crockford, all of which subject to prior commitments etc will be a handy team to take on the Frenchies!! Add the Bol at Magny Cours and a possibility of a Macau trip and the green meanie not too mention Alf is gonna be pretty knackered by the time Xmas 2009 comes around. So if you wanna help give him a shout or if you can't but wanna show a bit of support, how about coming in and buying a team shirt.

With all the best laid plans and all that sort of stuff, Alf also wants to take the bike across the water and let some lucky rider around the TT course (Superbike spec). Guy Martin and John McGuinness would be great to have on board but as they are both probably already contracted, you'll have to watch this space.

Watch out for the Legendary 'Harry The Bastard'

What or who the fu*k is Harry The Bastard? We here you shout. Well...................................................

Some time ago with former business partner Trace, Alf built a Harris framed big bore bevel engined twin plugged Ducati 944. It got built, it was got running, was probably rode a few dozen times and then sort of forgotten about and stashed. It's got a lightened crank, alu tank,straight cut primary gears, uprated oil system, hydraulic clutch conversion, modified gearbox, ignition system modified, and more trick bits than you'd think an old dog like this could humanly(?!) manage.

Al;f has decided to try and give it a bit of a stretch and is thinking of competing in the proposed

Classic Bol d'Or possibly 2 hour race one day 2 hour the next also one at Spa- Francorchamps. Dates to be advised and the unveiling of Harry The Bastard could be April/May time.

Sales Director Mick 'Mickman' Godfrey and experienced Team Alf's Endurance rider John 'Barty' Barton is gonna sling a leg over it. dependant on the regs which state that the bike has to be pre -1980 or 25 years old. Watch this space

Team Alf’s Endurance Racing - 2008

Team Alf’s Endurance Racing recently competed in the 200824 hour motorcycle endurance race at The circuit De Bugatti Le Mans. 19th - 20th April 2008.
Returning to the race event two weeks after testing at the same circuit, the team were hoping a top ten finish would reward all the hard work and investment by Alf and his small but dedicated team.

The 2007 Kawasaki ZX-10R Was retained after 2008 after it’s debut at the same circuit last year. There were many reasons for not campaigning the all new ZX-10R which boiled down to an already mainly prepped set of matching 2007 models. The spec is endless with many bespoke parts and to source the similar kit to fit the new bike would have been nigh on impossible without factory or race support which The team don’t currently receive, being as it is entirely funded by Alf and some very important sponsors without whom the team could not exist.

Why after so many years the team have not received the credit they deserve after so much faith in the product, time, development, investment and sheer determination I am not a party to, but it does show commitment to the product and the belief that there is no better bike than a Kawasaki and to prove it they are prepared to enter it into (to my mind) probably one of the sternest races out there. Le Mans and most other 24 hour races are such gruelling events. a true test of any machine’s prowess.

Here now follows a spec sheet of the machine, just in case you were wondering how close to standard it might be.

Superbike Ohlins forks That’s the pukka piggy back gold nitrided jobbies
Superbike TTX Rear shock That’s right it might just as well be made of gold!
Harris off set yokes
Complete QD assembly for both wheels No messin’
Twin 4-pot endurance monoblock calipers
Hideously expensive ultra special endurance compound pads for aforementioned calipers, at least two pairs of fronts throughout the race.

• QD Staubli assisted brake line fittings
• Goodridge Hose Thanks to the guys in Exeter!!
• AP 2 pot rear caliper
• 4 sets of 16.5 inch Marchesini mag wheels
• 305mm Brembo front discs
• 24 litre fuel tank incorporating seat unit filled with anti explosive spongy stuff
• Twin fuel fillers to fit dump tank Large!
• Adjustable ratio Brembo front brake master cylinder
• Fairings and bodywork all light weight race use only.
• Skidmarx screens. Top screens lads, Road or race these guys probably do one for your bike
• GPR radial steering damper Like what the latest Blades are kitted with.
• Harris QD clip on handlebars
• Huge radiator and bespoke ‘swell pot’
• Full Akrapovic exhaust system
• Power commander mapped on own dyno plus quick shifter
• Switchable mapping
• Standard engine except blueprinted and modified gearbox
• Uprated clutch
• Quick action throttle
• AIM Dash That’s one of those expensive set of digi clocks that store data and allow downloading of all the i•• info collected whilst the bike is circulating.
• Suspension potentiometers
• Lighting system modified to suit regulations
• Luminescent number board Alf was really chuffed with that little bit of trickery
• Carbon/Kevlar engine and frame protectors
• Swing arm mods to aid QD of wheels
• Bespoke sub frame, battery tray and brackets
• Rodamoto rear sets.
• Cross over linkage for gear shift Road or race.

That’s about it without going into too much detail, naturally there are two similar bikes pretty much kitted the same. It’s fair to say the bike took its fair share of race incidents, but the bike pushed through it all to record another finish for the Worthing based team.

Race finish 31st out of 56 original entrants. Fastest lap 1min 42.5

It did however increase the carbon footprint somewhat…

• Consumption consisted of
• 674 litres of special petrol, only sold at the circuit and mandatory usage
• 3.5 litres of oil
• 16 front tyres Dunlop by name with differing compounds to suit race conditions (plus three wets)
• 19 rear tyres, as above (plus five wets)
• 3 sets of bodywork
• 1 footpeg
• 1 gear change lever
• 2 handlebars
• Pair of twist grips
• Various engine guards

Getting the show on the road for the one race is like a Pink Floyd album cover, the equipment is endless, and it’s all gotta fit pretty much in a 7.5 tonne truck. Including fully equipped mobile kitchen and food, tents and marquees, timing box and equipment, miles of cable and racks of tools, lighting gantry, chairs benches, bedding, the list of minutei goes on, but enough impermanent infrastructure if that’s not a contradiction of terms to feed, clothe, cook, house, and support twenty people for well over a week for most of the team.
The race day alone usually involves a typical red eye of 40 hours, not counting the travelling, organization, night practice qualifying and practise sessions, when you hear about mechanics ‘working through the night on the telly,’ it’s true, if there is a problem, a tweak or an adjustment it has to be done regardless of the time of day it is.
Oh and by the way it all costs a barrel load of wedge, so please don’t be shy if you think you can help the team, they are a friendly bunch and welcome any assistance you can. If you can’t, grab a team shirt from the shop in Dominion Road Worthing, all the proceeds get pumped back into the team effort.

Just one more list to go…

The sponsors so far

Dave Evans Marks Bloom Accountancy
WEMoto West Sussex, parts and accessories guru’s
The indomitable ‘Turps’ Hi Vac Engineering - Hastings
Silkolene oils
Goodridge Brake lines
Chris at Skidmarx screens
Dynojet UK
Paint by Laurence at ARC
Nick at VA signs

There’s a bit of video footage on the way after all the words, the pics you see are from ‘Yeah him again JB‘ with a link to his total album of pix covering the event, so you can see for yourself. Take a look
The bike has not been cleaned or prepped after passing the finishing line and getting clearance from park ferme

For more information on prepping your bike or just needing race parts ordered fitted etc, just nip in and say hi to Alf,and or call the shop number. They do have a dyno at their disposal and know how to use it for any set up or engine mapping you may require.

Enjoy the pix and the video clip (err soon).!!

DT.6.5.08