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Ramsey team reach for stars in 'Green TT'
AFTER setting the second-fastest time in last year's inaugural event, ManTTX Racing are hoping for great things this year.
Rider James McBride, from Kettering, Northamptonshire, stepped into the breach at the last minute last year after local rider Dan Kneen had to pull out when he broke his leg earlier in the fortnight.
'Last year we had very little chance to do any setting up with James and it is a credit to him that he got on the bike and set off down Bray Hill after very little time on it,' said team sponsor David Craine as the team met for some early testing at an unseasonably sunny Jurby race circuit on Sunday.
Keith McKay, 2009 team project manager said they got under way on March 14 last year, which left them little more than two months to complete the project and get on the grid.
Despite this, the bike clocked just short of 100mph at the Sulby speed trap. Top speed is about 112mph, which James thinks the bike achieved just after Ballagarey.
By comparison, the top speed for a superbike through Sulby could easily be in the region of 190mph.
'Last year I wasn't used to the bike so the plan was to take it easy up to Glen Helen and get a feel for it. After that I picked up speed and was lying second in the race by Kirk Michael,' James said.
Unfortunately a problem with one of the motors forced him to retire just after the Ginger Hall.
A few laps in testing was already producing results in terms of suspension adjustments.
'Even today we've made adjustments that would have improved it at the TT,' he said.
In the standard TT race, James will be riding an ex William Dunlop Yamaha R6 and a BMW1000RR, both of which are a marked contrast with the electric bike, which has no clutch or gears.
'It's a lot slower but it performs best once you are above about 50mph, slower than that and it's a bit too highly-geared.
'Though it's good for 112mph it's quite slow getting there, but quick compared to some of the others.
'It's nice to be back on it. It's relaxing and comfortable but a bit like riding a 125 in terms of technique — not a lot of brakes and keep the thing rolling. Get up to speed then concentrate on keeping the momentum because it only has about 40bhp.'
The bike uses a Ducati 748R frame which has the advantage of high-quality Ohlins suspension as standard. It is also steel rather than aluminium which makes welding it easier. Removing the standard engine, which provides structural strength means extra bracing sections have to be incorporated in the frame.
Initially the team thought of using a 250cc frame but dismissed the idea because of the weight it had to carry.
The finished bike is heavier than standard, weighing about 500lbs — a large part of that is accounted for by the six battery packs incorporating 96 individual cells needed to complete the one lap 37.73-mile race.
'We are hoping for better and lighter batteries eventually but not in time for this year,' David said.
As it is, the batteries set the team back 14,000 — a significant proportion of their 25,000-plus budget.
The motor — described by David as 'not much more than a washing machine motor' — is produced in Korea by the American firm Kokam.
The brains behind the complicated electrics that fill all available space on the bike, including beneath the dummy fuel tank, are Andy Cowie and Joe O'Hanlon. They designed the wiring and configured the power output using a laptop, which has a similar effect to changing the gearing on a conventional bike.
The bike also features regenerative braking, in other words surplus energy as the bike slows down is used to put power back into the batteries.
In terms of developing the bike, the real advances will be made with battery technology once lighter, smaller and more powerful batteries become available. Developments are continuing but haven't quite reached that stage yet.
In the meantime there are simple changes to be made to gain a few extra miles per hour.
'We are thinking of putting on a thinner chain,' said Keith McKay, MGP competitor and this year's racing advisor to the team.
'For the power it doesn't need a heavy chain so that would create less resistance. Maybe higher tyre pressures or we might try a different wheel with a thinner tyre creating less drag.'
Team engineer Phil Wall of Boal Engineering is also looking at redesigning the battery packs, which currently stick out producing a large frontal area creating wind drag. In years to come the team might use a Lexus motor.
Despite not finishing last year's race, the team is delighted to be taking part again.
David said: 'To be lying second and running with the class leaders in the race itself last year was brilliant and to do it in two months, too, was an achievement and we learned a lot from last year too.
'So did everyone else, of course so the whole thing is going to be better this year.'
Keith added: 'For a bike produced by a bunch of blokes in a shed in Ramsey it was a great achievement.'
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Weather for Isle of Man
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 7 C to 9 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 6 C to 9 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South east
