First news of the 90s

Mike Eglington Racing Newsletter - May 1990

So much has happened already this year, and there is even more to come. Towards the end of last season, sponsorship negotiations started with HMSO for the 1990 season. This is to give their new book, How Safe is Your Motorcycle, a high profile as well as promoting HMSO to the public. HMSO has attracted good coverage on TV, radio and in the press. We decided to race in the National Championship Supersport 400 class for 1990, on my 1989 Suzuki RGV250. This bike can be competitive as the '90 model with few changes.

January and February were busy months getting everything ready. The HMSO Books logos were printed on Swift leathers. HMSO's graphic design department produced an excellent design for the bike and leathers. The sponsorship officially started at a book launch in HMSO's High Holbourn bookshop, in London, with the Minister of Roads hosting the event. The bike went on display in the shop window for the following week. Other sponsorship has come from Rock Oil (oil and jackets) and St Neots Motorcycles (discounted spared). Avon is supplying tyres at normal racing discounts.

My first outing on the bike was at Snetterton to do some TV filming, for an article that was later shown on About Anglia News. Problems with my bike already started, with a melted piston and ruined cylinder. Luckily, this was on a standard, un-tuned cylinder. Turning work was subsequently carried out by Rod Kitchen, to the 1989 works Suzuki specifications.

Castle Coombe was the first race in the series. As well as my first time there, we were only given one 15 minute timed practice session for grid positions. Even so, I was confident of doing well with a competitive bike and even on new tyres for a change. Five miles (3 laps) into the practice, still scrubbing in tyres, the bike seized with a melted piston, destroying the new cylinder in the process, thus forcing me out of the race. We did a repair as best as possible with an un-tuned cylinder. The bike felt a bit rough, but was at least running and ready for round 2 the following day at Thruxton.

The Thruxton race was better with the bike lasting for the practice and the race, although being a bit slow. Practice here was even more difficult, with only 10 minutes to learn the (new for me) circuit. This was not times and grid positions allocated by lucky draw. I was drawn to start on the last row of the grid. With 46 official starters plus some reserves thrown in, it was quite hectic on the first lap. Three bikes crashed on the first corner, causing the race to be stopped. Everyone had been trying desperately to get into the first corner as far up the field as possible. The re-start was hectic, but no crashes. I let the race settle down for the first lap, then passed about twenty riders to finish in 18th place. A faster bike and more practice will help if I race there again.

The next round for me is on the 17th of June; my Mallory entry (May 6) being refused. This time, I hope to have a competitive bike.

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