Greg Brillus Racer

[greg brillus]

Bill getting back to your question re the bearings in the link.....I think you would need to do away with the eccentrics, as there would not be enough room to install them. Or else if the eccentric could be machined down in diameter, so it could fit the ID of the bearings I used which I think was about 19 or 20 mm. The only thing the chief scrutineer was interested in was my exhaust, which he said looked too modern. My argument to that would be...how many Manx's out there have their original exhaust systems on, plus how many historic racers out there have their original suspension units......I think sometimes safety is more important than if an item is exactly period correct. How close is a NEW build Manx to an original.....They should be in a class of their own, I'll bet not to many have their original 45 HP output. So does this mean I could fit one of the Horners Irving Vincent engines into my bike and compete. My pockets aren't that deep, but it could be done.....I asked Cam Donald last weekend how he found riding John Treases Harley racer, and he said the handling and brakes where dangerous, which he is hoping to improve. And he is trying to improve the reliability of the engine, which is so highly tuned, that it struggles to finish a race, but he said it had between 120 and 130 HP at the back wheel.....!!! Now where's that spare Irving Vincent engine...? This is the bike that the Horners and I will be competing against next January at Phillip Island....I'll just give Casey Stoner a call and see if he's free that weekend.....

 

[roy the mechanic]

Quite a few years ago Ray Petty reckoned "the best " manx made 51 horses.( Iexpect he built it) About the same time my pal was in the c r m c race of the year. Howd it go Andy, reply-5th, and first real manx!

 

[Howard]

The only thing the chief scrutineer was interested in was my exhaust, which he said looked too modern.

Between the Devil and the deep blue....................... Scrutineer says "it looks wrong" and sound man says "it may look right but it's too loud!"

H

 

[greg brillus]

After all the hype and issues concerning noise levels at the event, the main culprits were the two strokes, some of which were reaching 112 Db. Some of the four stroke boys removed their mufflers and put the straight pipes back on. Some of the two strokers had zip tied rubber gloves and all other devices on the ends of their pipes to keep noise down, and quite funny really. All who had seen me around the track said they could not hear the bike.....so I removed the muffler, and ran it like that for the races on Saturday and Sunday, with no complaints......Sure sounded good to me. I think a two into one system like I have, does reduce the noise to some extent anyway...........Greg.

 

[Bill Thomas]

Do the same rules apply to Goodwood and Moto gp ?, I could not see anything on the very nice AUS Vin, That won Goodwood, Cheers Bill.

 

[greg brillus]

Hi there Bill, I think the rules for the Goodwood event are different for here in Australia....not sure if the same applies to that class of road racing in the UK in general. Here they could run a 5 speed gearbox, belt primary, and ANY drum brakes up to but no larger than 230 mm in diameter, this includes 2 or 4 leading shoe, Grimeca's, Fontana's, etc. This rule was changed about 2 years ago in the interests of safety. As far as I am concerned, I don't see how a scrutineer can pick on things too much, like my exhaust, which to me is a minor component, when it's ok to show up on a Triton or a Norvin for that matter. How many of these left the factory...? But they are still classed as period correct. I have nothing at all against these machines, I'm just making my point. Sorry for the gripe, I think we need to remember that the people dictating what we can and can't do are actually working for US...If they make life too difficult, not to many newcomers will bother....times have changed, and they need to keep up...........Greg.

 

[Martyn Goodwin]

Do the same rules apply to Goodwood and Moto gp ?, I could not see anything on the very nice AUS Vin, That won Goodwood, Cheers Bill.

Correct Bill - straight through 2" pipes.

 

[Howard]

It's a minefield for everybody, scrutineers, riders, rule writers in general. If the rules are specific enough, the racing results should feature the same machines that were winning in the era. In the early 80s a certain Steve Linsdell was beating almost everyone in vintage racing on a 350 Royal Enfield (rare breed, good engineer/tuner and rider) which caused a big stir, but his bike was no less eligible than the Manxs etc.
I haven't got any answers (just observations) - do we want historically acurate racing - do we want the bikes to look exactly the same as they did back then - should they be racers developed from an era - or is it just racing machines loosely based on whatever era?
Racers will always push the boundaries, it's what racing's all about.
I'm glad I don't have to set or police the rules.

H

 

[Bill Thomas]

Hello Greg, That is what I am saying, In UK most of us have to silencers on track, Because of near houses, But some races are allowed, Howard, Do you remember Roger Moss with his Scott, I was told he built the engine himself, Like Dan Smith, And did that thing GO, Also good rider, I will never forget the Scrutineer who looked at my L/ning rep front brakes, He saw one long cable and one short and thought I was on the fiddle, I just worked the brake ! and no more was said !! I do miss those times, Cheers Bill.

 

[Howard]

Roger Moss also made his own frame in Renolds 531 tubing and I think he was in an earlier class than Steve Linsdell - I have a feeling RM's still racing but SL has passed on to his son Ollie.
The scrutineers never mentioned my 2LS front brakes or maybe I couldn't hear their complaints over the exhaust noise.

H