Monthly review - March

 

Intro

Welcome to the first Royal Air Force Motor Sports Association Motorcycle Road Racing’s monthly update and on what better day than the Royal Air Forces 105th birthday. We aim to bring you some highlights from our busy calendar of racing along with updates, interviews, photographs of the action and plenty of terrible banter. With over 11 separate clubs entered, covering everything from modern superbikes, through classics to formula side car racing, there is something for everyone who love motorcycle road racing here.

There are more big changes for 2023. Most noticeably, the Thundersport club is no more with the bulk of that team now racing in the No Limits club. Thankfully the Navy and Army have gone the same way so we can continue to enjoy the three services battling it out.

Coming out of another long winter, that still somehow doesn’t seem to be quite long enough to prep our bikes, we have new bikes to share and even a few new riders. We will however save them for later as what we really want to know is how the first couple of races of the season have gone over March.

    7 of the RAFMSA MCRR’s teams riders braved the weather and were out competing in 2 events over March so let’s get into what they have been doing.

GP Originals

Andy Green enjoying a moment of sunshine

    Andy Green has a busy calendar planned for 2023 building on his 2022 performance on his Yamaha TZ350 C. He is also hoping to get the Harris 250 Rotax out, but even more excitingly, a first outing on the Honda K4 at the PreTT. Before Andy could start thinking about ferries and flint walls however, he had to drag the TZ down to Brands hatch for round one of the GP Originals hosted by NGRRC.

As with the previous year, Green had his well turned out Yamaha TZ350 C which had a big job to do racing against much later TZ350 G’s and L’s which even made the late 250's a problem. 

Shockingly for mid March it was very wet and a long way from being warm yet. Sunday especially was more of a stay on your bike challenge than actually racing. Feeling like he hadn’t raced since September (which he hadn’t) Green, much like his tyres, took a while to warm to the racing but was happy with mid grid positions throughout the weekend. 

Green joined by Sy Woodward consider the noisy K4

Of course Green couldn’t help but bring the Honda k4 down with its IOM pipes fitted to see if it could make the noise regs for a trip out. Blowing a healthy 111db put paid to that idea, it might take more than a coke can with some holes drilled in it to sort that out.

A soggy if uneventful weekend rounded out with a mucky bike slung in the back of the van and rider happy to have put in some decent times considering the conditions. As ever, it is the support that makes these events possible both from sponsors and good chaps like Roy Dale who accompanied Green, manning the spanners and OIC brew kit.

Green looking to capitalise on some corner speed.

NLR

Checking out Langley's fancy fairings in the new Gazebos 

    Round one of the No Limits Racing club meeting saw the first get together of the largest MCRR team since Thundersports ended last year.

Dave Langley took his Arilia to a first and second place in the Premier 1000 class.

Andy Castle collected consistent championship points in the single twins championship aboard his Suzuki SV650.

Paul Cunvin started off mid grid in the Tamworth cup aboard his Honda but rapidly improved, finding a 4th place by the third race of the weekend. 

Liam Jordan found himself holding around 8th in class in all his races this weekend astride his Honda CB500, veteran racer Bobby also joined him for a race but was sadly, unable to compete otherwise. 

Landley and 2 Cunvin's make it onto the podium

David Langley and Paul Cunvin both podiumed in the UK armed forces Inter services Championship with other riders putting in valuable points towards the RAF pool. The Army may be ahead but the Royal Navy but a safe gap is forming between us and the Royal Navy.

Dave Langley back on the top step for 2023

Closing

With the season now starting to warm up (well we hope it will) the racing will hot up too, with nine events planned. If you have any great photographs, videos or stories about our riders, please do share them with our social media accounts.

We will see you again in May.

The Royal Air Force MotorSport Association supports tens of disciplines both two and four wheeled. More information on the RAFMSA can be found on Facebook, the Sports federation home page, Twitter and can be found with a quick search on MODNet. 

For more from the RAF Classic racing team race in the Classic Racing Motorcycle Club (CRMC) offer live timing and have race results going back years, you can find more the team on Facebook Twitter Blogger and YouTube.

There is a strong contingent of the RAFMSA MCRR in the MSV, they can be found on Instagram with some fantastic video shared by competitor James on his YouTube channel. The Tri-service challenge is also held at MSV meetings with an Instagram page of its own.

All serving RAF team members race under the banner of the Royal Air Force Motorsports Association (RAFMSA) alongside our veteran former members and associate members. If you are serving and wish to get involved with motorsports you can find all the contact details you will need on the RAFMSA website or get in contact directly with us.

 This blog post was written by Royal Air Force Motorsports Association Motorcycle Road Racing members whose names are featured above then compiled and edited by Gavin Heggs.