News & Results
Witley Enduro, SEEC Round1, 14th February 2010
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The Time card Enduro season down here in the south east kicks off with the notorious Witley Enduro at Warren Heath in Surrey. The season opener didn't go according to plan for Team LFB... Out of the three LFB riders entered only one - Matt finished the event on the TriCounty KTM 250 EXC-F. And quite a ride it was too! Dragging his KTM past the hoards of broken down, knackered and crash damaged bikes and riders, Matt went on to finish the event in a creditable 18th place in the massive clubman class... Matt - " I was absolutely exhausted but I knew if I just kept going I'd get a good result because allot of other riders were retiring!" The other Team LFB rider entered in the Clubman class was Zade on his little Husqvarna WR125 two stroke. However, Zade's race very quickly began to unravel... On the opening lap Zade and the Husqvarna were doing fine, with none of the root infested, log strewn trails giving the baby Husky any problems, the bottomless bogs of the course were a different story though! On the far side of the course the bogs started, and Zade not yet fully dialed into the two stroke riding technique was not quite getting through them and on a couple had to stop and dig the bike out!! This meant that the wet sandy soil was getting into his brakes and by the second half of the lap Zade was riding with no front brakes at all!! He managed to limp the Husqvarna back to the pits and effect a repair but by the time he was going again he had lost nearly 45 minutes and so rode the rest of the race just for fun and practice... Zade - " Riding a two stroke with no brakes sure takes getting used to!!" Ben was the third Team LFB rider entered and Like Zade suffered on the tough woodland course... Riding his first ever time card enduro, Ben was in for a big surprise at the difficulty of the event! With two laps under his belt Ben set off on his third lap only for the Suzuki to cry enough with a fried clutch... So not the best start to the season for some of our riders but hey, that's racing and the Team LFB boys will keep on keeping on and we'll see how the rest of the year goes...
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Team REME Winter Series Round2, 7th Feb 2010
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On an unusually sunny morning in Bordon Hampshire, Team LFB riders Ben on his Suzuki RM250 and Zade with the Husqvarna WR125 lined up for the start of this multi lap hare & hounds event. With Zade riding the two stroke Husqvarna for it's first competitive outing this promised to be an interesting race for the long time four stroke rider... The flag dropped on the clubman class and Zade took off with the rest of the pack - so far so good! And in fact Zade coped well all day and by the end of the event was really enjoying the rev-happy power of the two stroke 125cc motor. Although as he put it: " I don't think I got the deep sand sections of this course right once all day long!! I was always in the wrong gear at the wrong time and so kept bogging down in the wet, power sapping sand here at Slab Common..." With a 39th place over all and 17th in the ultra competitive Clubman class, it wasn't a bad result for Zade's first outing on the radically different machine... For Ben the race was a steady one and a learning experience. The Suzuki rider never having ridden in sand like that found at Slab Common and with the settings of the Suzuki still to be locked down Ben did well to bring the RM250 home in 28th in the Sportsman class. All-in-all the event proved to be a good shake-down for the Team LFB riders and machines ready for the coming year's racing...
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SETRA Enduro, Tidworth, Hampshire 22nd Nov 2009
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Carl Tiley Training day/Enduro november 2009
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Another report from Pete: Carl Tiley Hare and Hounds Championship 7th and 8th November Carl Tileys H&H championship is being run in south Wales with the option of training with Carl Tiley (TM rider and 2009 Veteran British Enduro Champion) the day before the race to work on your skills and also get a sneak peak at the course for the race on the Sunday. This is an excellent weekend for you to learn and put into practice in a fun and very supportive environment. Carl himself is bonkers and one helluva rider who's passion is easy to see when he talks about his series or riding itself. The race day started with the previous days rain finished and a breeze to help dry the ground out a bit (not a lot though). With the classes lined up with Myself in the sportsman row at the back with a line-up of mainly MX racers giving this format a try-out for the first time. I didn't have high hopes of finishing too high up the leader board but hey its still my first season and I'm here to learn. Groups were set off in 1 minute intervals and it became quickly apparent how greasy the ground was. The race was on a 3 hour limit. The lap started on half of the motocross track which was nice and fast until it led into the surrounding land where there was carnage everywhere, especially where you were traversing the steeper sided hills. On my second lap I ended up very far down the hill and needed a compass to find my way back to the track, a good incentive to start riding quicker, and what a difference it made. My first lap was around 40 mins, and although a particularly wet section was cut out I reduced this to around 15 minutes by the last couple of laps and found myself actually overtaking a few people (Finally!!). I came in 11th in the end in a class of around 22 so happy with that could have scored a final lap if I hadn't slipped over trying to get past the flag before it fell (DOH!). The Biketech Gas Gas performed brilliantly especially after Carl himself helped me to set it up properly (Thanks), just gotta fix the nut that joins the handlebar to the seat! Everyone was met at the flag by Carl who congratulated us all on a good race which was so divers it even included riding through a cattle shed and over a giant pile of sawdust!! The day was brilliant with what looks to be a few MX riders looking to start a new discipline in the enduro world. Congratulations to the winner Glen Phillips with a massive 13 laps....Oh me?... I did 5 laps. Located not far over the bridge its a great opportunity to ride in Wales and experience the hospitality and landscape on offer. More info on training and events is at www.ctrevents.co.uk
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Yamaha Off-Road day, Wales
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The below report from Team LFB rider Pete: 4th November 2009 Wales Yamaha Off road experience After being given a gift voucher for a day at the Yamaha off road school in Wales well over a year ago it was time to get myself down there along with Ella my girlfriend to give it a go. Ella is new to biking and a beginner at off road with just a few laps of our field on the Bike Tech Gasser under her belt. I took my bike to use and Ella used one of the schools bikes given the choice of TTR-125’S (Youths) ttr-230’s wr-250’s and 450’s, all great bikes to suit all abilities and sizes of riders. On arrival the weather was beautifully typical of Wales at this time of year and hammering with rain, the location is a fully running farm nestled in the Hafren valley. We were met by the extremely welcoming crew at the farm including our very qualified instructors (still tanned from the ISDE 6 days in Portugal) Dylan Jones and John Begley along with Geraint Jones and also everyone who works on the farm all beaming with smiles and years of experience in the off road world, oh and some soggy and very friendly farm dogs (who also probably know more about biking than me!). Their courses can take upto 12 people. Today there was a mixed bunch of people from all over the UK with varying levels of experience, but all keen to get wet and muddy in the welsh hills. After a safety briefing we were led outside to the line up of bikes and given the rundown on performance and left to grab the ones we wanted to have a quick ride to choose our steed for the day, I picked my Gas Gas for obvious reasons, Ella decided on the WR-250F as she liked the feel and it is on our shortlist for her first grown up bike. After everyone had chosen their bikes it was time to start the day proper, all mounted up and in full waterproofs we headed off into the hills on a steady but not slow trail ride to warm ourselves and our bikes through some stunning scenery and woods winding our way to a basic motocross track with flat turns, berms, small whoops and a couple of easy tabletops. We did a couple of laps on our own to get our confidence up and then pulled in under a hanger to have a chat and a lesson in body positioning, sitting and standing and cornering. This was followed with demonstrations of both comical bad positioning and the correct methods (made to look easy by the awesome Dylan). We then went and practiced all these skills on the track with positive feedback and corrections as we went around the track. There were some great falls but all very controlled and resulting in much laughter. These lessons although covering basics were brilliant, it turns out I had been doing pretty much everything wrong and getting away with it, after this I found my riding much more fluid and could get into and out of corners much faster and safer. We then took our new found confidence into the woods and took a trail ride that ended back at the farm for our well deserved lunch and hot coffee and tea, this gave us time to ask questions and excitedly discuss the morning’s thrills and occasional spills. The Afternoon was all about fun being split into 2 groups based on technical content and it was up to you which course you took, both of which were great the main difference being the effort required in the riding so depended more upon how tired you wanted to go home (very or extremely). Then was more riding through woods up and down the valley through water crossings before both groups met up again on a small loop through the woods you could go and blast around or just chill out and watch others having a go, then a gentle ride back to the finish to get a shower and ask a million questions to our instructors about what other courses are available and when could we come back!! Brilliant! The Course we did was the off road experience (Basic), they also run experience PLUS+ days (intermediate) and during the winter 2 day enduro schools (Advanced). This was a great day as i could ride out with my partner and still learn a thing or two and its great for a bunch of people of mixed ability for a great day out. They will also organise tailor made days for your teams or buddies covering whatever you would like to do. Check out the website for more info and prices at www.yamaha-offroad-experience.co.uk A big thank you to all at the school, look forward to visiting again soon. |
Spain trip - Oct 2009
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In early October Matt and Zade loaded up the Team LFB Toyota and headed down to Plymouth to catch the overnight ferry to Spain... An ordeal of rough seas and sea sickness and 21 hours on a boat and our two teamsters arrive in northern Spain. A 7 hour drive and they are at their base at Matt's folks place in Cataluña. The following morning - itching to get out on the trails they kit up and hit the road. No more than a mile from the house the LFB riders turn up a dry riverbed and head upstream.... 3 hours of extreme Enduro riding over rocks and then bolders gets Matt and Zade only 3K's up the river!!! After a quick rece' they decide that turning back is the lesser of the two evils.... the rest of that afternoon is spent hooning around the nearby hills along near deserted dirt roads. Day two is spent fixing Matt's KTM after it got some dirt in the fuel. Then it was back into the hills for some fantastic mountain trails in the rugged terrain of the Cataluña countryside. On the second to last day Matt managed to rip the antena off his GPS which left our two riders to do it the old skool way with a map and compass! The return ferry ride was as rough if not rougher than the way out which left both Team LFB riders a little green around the gills when they set foot (set wheel) back on British shores....
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RAF Ardua Enduro, Slab Common, Bordon, Hampshire, 16th August 2009
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Due to work and other commitments, Zade was the only Team LFB rider entered into this notoriously though event - and with a score to settle with the Ardua enduro. Zade has entered this event 3 times in the past and not finished ANY of those races!! (twice he crashed out of the race and once his old Husqvarna broke down). So on this rare hot, dusty day, Zade lined up the Bike Tech Husqvarna on the start line. And with the help of the Kingston Club members in the pits (thanks fellas) Zade made the first four laps clean on time and managed his two special tests without crashing - so far so good! On the fifth lap however Zade was slowed with a stitch/cramps and lost a couple of minutes out on the course but was pressing on and confident that this time he would finish the Ardua Enduro at last! Yes, I think you can all guess where this is going.... On lap six Zade was powering the Bike Tech Husky through the deep soft sand close to the pits area when he lost all forward momentum.... After stabbing at the gears and fiddling with the clutch lever Zade looked behind and saw good mates of Team LFB - Rob and Simon from EnduroPro.co.uk standing in the track holding the Husqvarna's chain....Doh! Another DNF (did not finish) for Zade at the Ardua. A shame because with only two more laps to do Zade was confident that although he was down on time he still would have had a reasonable result due to the sheer number of retirements there were that day. Pushing the bike back to the van was all that was left of the race for Zade. Oh well - maybe next year..... Check out the Gallery for action photo's courtesy of Steve Cowell... |
REME Tea 'till nearly Dusk 2hr evening Enduro, 22nd July 2009
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On a wednesday evening Team LFB were once again at the fantastic Bagshot test track for round 3 of the REME 2 hour summer enduro series. Brand new Team LFB rider David was there too on his Yamaha WR250F for his first ever enduro. With regulars Zade on the Bike Tech Husqvarna TE250 and honorary team member Ben on the two stroke Suzuki RM250, Team LFB were well represented. Zade was the only Team LFB rider to strike problems in this race. At the start ( a dead engine start) the Husqvarna was found to have a flat battery. No problem, Zade just used the kick start and was away with the first group of Clubman riders. A stall in a corner on the first lap put Zade down the order and despite pushing hard he was never able to make up the lap he lost trying to restart the Husqvarna on that opening lap. Zade managed to finish in 27th place in class - only 1 lap down on the eventual class winner. For Ben, I think it's fair to say he was unprepared for the severity of this event as he suffered from dehydration and fatigue for most of the race. He still managed to finish which is more than can be said for allot of the Sportsman class entry. David, Team LFB's newest rider did the team proud with a flag to flag ride of epic proportions! He dropped his Yamaha 4 or 5 times on the opening lap as he had never before seen a full scale enduro course let alone ridden one! but, never giving up David picked up his Yamaha every time and was back on the gas in no time! David too managed a respectable 39th in the massive sportsman class. The most important part of the race is that all three Team LFB riders had a blast and will be raring to go for the next race.... |
PMCRC 5hr Charity Enduro, Emsworth, West Sussex, 28th June 2009
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Once again at the Emsworth venue, Team LFB showed up in force! The event was open to two man teams or "Iron man" which is the class for riders tackling the whole 5 hour race single handed...Obviously Team LFB's riders entered in the Iron Man class for this 5 hour charity enduro. In true team spirit - each rider wanting to beat the others to be top Team LFB finisher! At the start of the race, Zade didn't event bother to tear off the line with all the other riders. "what's the rush?!" he commented " I've got 5 hours of racing, I'm sure two minutes to finish my breakfast won't hurt..." And so after a bowl of cereal Zade jumped on the Bike Tech Husqvarna and was away. Meanwhile, Matt was continuing his run of bad luck. On the opening lap Matt tackled one of the extreme log crossings and getting it slightly wrong was forced to dab a foot down and thus damage the ligaments in his foot and that was that - the TriCounty KTM was out of the race! New team member Pete was on form once again, the 300cc Gas Gas rider this time took things steady in the early part of the race. Settling into a steady race Pete was running at a good pace in the Sportsman-Ironman class and made it to the finish with much less bruises than his last enduro. Honorary Team LFB member Ben was once again with the team on his Suzuki RM250 and once again managed to finish the race despite some spectacular moments! - Zade: " I came around the corner on about lap 4 or 5 and was just in time to see Ben launch his Suzuki off a small kicker jump, he landed on the front wheel ,somehow stayed on the bike and after swerving all over the place came to a stop in the middle of a big bramble bush! - I was laughing so much I nearly crashed myself!!" Zade once again took the Bike Tech Husqvarna to the finish in the Clabman-Ironman class and with only one small tumble all day considered the race a success. Another good mate of Team LFB at the event was Dave Kirtley on his two stroke KTM and also riding in the Clubman-Iron man class. A regular top finisher in the Track & Trail Enduro's this was Dave's first visit to Emsworth and very well he did too (although we have to wait for the results)... Dave's wife Jan was also on hand at the event and as usual was behind the lens for the entire event! Visit www.janpix.co.uk for some great pictures from this and many other events. Due to problems with the transponders/computers the race results are not yet released - as soon as they are they will be added....
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Rnd 5 SEEC Championship - Carshalton Enduro, Tilgate forest, West Sussex, 7th June 2009
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Held at another demanding woodland venue, this event again started with a monsoon type deluge before the race. However this venue - not having any huge hills was allot more manageable for the riders. Team LFB's Bike Tech Husqvarna rider Zade got off to a good start this time (all lights working according to the rules!!) And managed to stay on time for the first half of the race. On the tight time check however, Zade had a big get-off on a fast,rutted section of the course and took at least five minutes to recover and carry on racing. At the finish Zade - battered and bruised brought his Bike Tech Husky to the line in 22nd place. Matt had even more troubles! Riding the TriCounty KTM straight after a night shift and so was over tired even before the start. After 3 laps Matt decided the safest option was to retire from the race and go home to bed! A wise choice. The outstanding performance of the day goes to new Team LFB member Pete who rode through all manner of disasters to bring his 300cc Gas Gas to the end of the day in 7th place in class - that's superb for his first proper enduro!!! |
Rnd 4 SEEC Championship - Croydon Enduro, West Harting Down, Sussex, 17th May 2009
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Held at the notoriously difficult West Harting Down venue, this event lived upto that reputation. 10 minutes before the start of the race the heavens opened and soaked the already slippery clay soil making the course an absolute nightmare for all the riders. Out of the 142 riders entered in the race 42 pulled out with problems of one sort or another! And although they did go on to finish the race, Team LFB had their share of problems. Zade lost 60 points before even turning a wheel!! The Bike Tech Husqvarna's lights were not working as the rules stipulate they should and so Zade was penalised before he even made it to the start!! He then struggled on through the wet and muddy conditions to finish the event in 30th place. Matt fared a little better and with only the usual bumps and tumbles brought his TriCounty KTM home in 23rd place at the finish. New Team LFB member Pete was also at the race but riding as a marshal to gain experience of these time card enduros before his debut at the next round of the SEEC. |
Maunder Trophy enduro, Emsworth, West Sussex, 19th Apr 2009
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With Team LFB's star rider Matt off on holiday, it was down to Zade to uphold Team LFB honors. And with the Bike Tech Husqvarna now all patched up after it's last race mishap, Both he and the bike were up for the challenge. Arriving at the venue, Zade began to worry that his choice to stick with the part worn Metzeler tires on the Husky was possibly not a wise one... The team van drove into the car park and promptly sank in the mud!! It was going to be a muddy (slippery) one after the week of rain leading upto the race. Once again joining Team LFB was Ben on his Suzuki RM250. This would be Ben's first race back to enduro in nearly 8 years! In the early part of the race Zade took things steady to check out the best (safest) lines and, after last time, make sure he warms up properly before hooning up any hills! And a good job too, allot of riders dropped out of this race early on due to the VERY slippery clay soil which was like ice to ride on in places! By the midway point Zade was into his groove, The Bike Tech Husky didn't miss a beat and both bike and rider made it to the finish in one peace. Zade managed a 9th place in class with only one minor tumble all day. Ben, in his first race back to the sport brought his Suzuki home in the mid pack of his class - not a bad day for both riders... |
Warsop Trophy Hare & Hounds Enduro, Bagshot, Surrey, 29th Mar 2009
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With the Normandy club having laid out a superb course for this milti-lap hare and hounds event. The team LFB riders were looking forward to a good race. And, well, 50/50 is the best way to describe the team LFB results. The old adage that if it wasn't for bad luck, Zade would have no luck at all is certainly true for the 2009 season so far for the Bike Tech Husqvarna rider! On the very first lap Zade stopped to help a fallen rider (who was unhurt but trapped under his bike). Only loosing 30 seconds or so, Zade hopped back on his own bike and shouting encouragment over his shoulder (or more likely taking the mickey!) Zade blasted his Husky TE250 up a short sharp hill, looped it, bailed off the bike and watched it cartwheel down the hill and come to rest in the branches of a tree half way down the hill!! With the help of a couple of Normandy club marshals (thanks guys) Zade was able to retrieve his bike and press on. After a further two laps and countless falls and slides it was obvious that all was not well with the front end of the Bike Tech husky. He pulled into the pits and with the help of new LFB team member Pete (not riding due to a smashed up motorcycle) they were able to straighten the fork alignment on the Husqvarna. Zade Then went back out and continued the race but that whole episode had cost him dearly and put him at least two laps down on the rest of the field. Zade finished the race managing 8 laps and coming home in 22nd place in class. Matt on the other hand rode a superb race to bring his TriCounty KTM to the finish in 6th place in class and earn a Bronze award in the process. Both Matt and the TriCounty KTM 250 EXC-F rode flawlessly, not missing a beat with bike and rider tackling the course as if it were a stroll in the park. Well done Matt!! |
London Docklands Extreme Enduro Track
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To be loading up the Bikes for a day's riding in the heart of London's Docklands was a new experience for team LFB's Bike Tech rider Zade! But that's the Location for the latest addition to the south east's already fantastic enduro venues...see the track here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rgq0VF1A0Cc . Zade was joined on this training day by Ben on his Suzuki RM250 and brand new team LFB member Pete on his equally Brand new (to him) Gas Gas EC300. A big hats off to Pete as this was not only his first ride on his bike but also a first real introduction to Enduro! You'd think the team would take him somewhere a little less daunting! The track itself is a short sharp shock of an enduro lap, relatevly fast in places with logs to cross, a few jumps, man made obsticles such as stacked pallets, railway sleepers (both across the track and along the direction of travel), as well as truck & tractor tyres to be crossed, stairs, rocks, car wheels, in fact everything except the kitchen sink! (And given time I'm sure Chris and Dylan the organisers will fine a way of adding that too!!). Every obstacle has a chicken option too so riders can build up to tackling the harder ones in their own time without spoiling their lap. Team LFB started the day off with Zade not paying attention and riding straight into the "hard route" through the trees and, wheelying over the first fallen tree he spotted the massive fallen log at the end, closed the throttle at just the wrong moment and nose dived into a big heap in the middle of the track!! But no harm done and next lap he tackled that route again and cleared it easily. In fact team LFB & co coped very well with most of the obstacles and came away at the end of the day with a great confidence boost to their riding! The only real mishap of the day was that Pete managed to cart-wheel his Gas Gas over one of the fallen logs and smashed most of the rear end of the bike... The last word from Zade: "This place is not the extreme nightmare I was expecting! in fact it's a great little flowing course with plenty to keep a real enduro rider busy all round the lap. It's good for bike fitness, riding skills and just plain fun to boot! As an average clubman rider I was expecting to struggle here, but far from it, I was able to ride at my own pace and tackle each section as and when I felt ready. Basically, I can't wait to come back!"
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SETRA Enduro, Tidworth, Hampshire, 22nd Feb 2009
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On what could almost have been a perfect spring day, Team LFB once again rocked up at the tank training area near Tidworth for the SETRA hare & hounds Enduro. As with last time the team were here, they were joined by North Camp Enduro team's Rob Mussel on his Woods KTM 450. However Team LFB's day was destined to be a disaster. For Zade on the Bike Tech Husqvarna the day started with a good opening lap, followed by arm pump (when the fore arm muscles cramp-up and the hands cannot grip!) on the second lap which stayed with him all day!. All Zade could do was ride as fast as possible until his fingers no longer responded then stall the bike and ease the cramps before blasting on again. Zade - "I've been off the bike for over a month and done no training at all - it's my own fault I had a bad ride!". That said, Zade managed to limp the Bike Tech Husky home in the top 20 and earn a Silver award for his troubles. Matt on the TriCounty KTM 250 didn't fair much better. Missing the control check on the first lap put Matt a lap down right from the start of the day. The heroic effort he made to claw back that lap resulted in several crashes and ultimately left Matt exhausted at the end of the race. Matt still brought his TriCounty KTM home in the top 20 and also managed a silver award. The best ride of the day by our little group was saved for Rob Mussel on his Woods KTM 450. Rob rode a fast and steady ride to bring his KTM home in a top 10 position and earn a Gold award into the bargain! - Well done Rob! |
Help for Heroes charity day
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With the snow still thick on the ground, the Team LFB van was trundling it's way along the M4 to a freezing airfield near Abingdon. Team LFB rider Zade was joined by Ben Young with his Suzuki RM250.
The RLC (Royal Logistics Corps) put on a fantastic day of Motocross and Enduro riding at their very own test tracks in aid of the services charity - Help For Heroes. And what a day it was too!! Both Ben's Suzuki and Zade's Bike Tech Husqvarna handled well on the snow covered course. But that said the Husky did suffer from carb icing (when the fuel freezes in the carburetta) on the open rides across the snowy airfield.
The day started with a session on the enduro course which consisted of a tight twisting track winding between trees, up down and along steep inclines as well as plunging into a water filled ravine which started off deep enough to emerse the bikes up to the engine and got steadily deeper as the day wore on. Eventually it was deemed too deep (almost up to the seat of the bikes!) and was cut from the course. Next was a fast and furious motocross track which called for fitness rather that finesse. Then was the Team LFB highlight - the Extreme enduro course which included such obstacles as a car to be ridden over, ravines and ruts, cut logs strewn at all angles, tractor tyres to cross, pallets placed at odd angles to be crossed as well as steep climbs and drop offs to be ridden. Both Zade on the Bike Tech Husqvarna and Ben on the two stroke Suzuki had a ball on this particular track despite many tumbles!! and lastly was a second motocross track which although not very challenging did - due to it's nature - require riders to ride it at "Ten -Tenths" to get the most out of the course. Riders were given 45 minutes on each course with instruction if required before a lunch break then for the remainder of the day it was a free for all whereby riders could choose which course they wished and ride as long as they liked 'till the end of the day. The day was well put together and the courses just right for the mixed ability groups. Despite the weather it was clear that all involved had a great day's riding - and all for a good cause too.... Team RLC open days could become a regular feature of Enduro in the south....
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Tim Ward Enduro, 23rd Nov 2008
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Just minutes before the start of the enduro the heavens opened! As if the freezing cold wasn't enough! But, as usual, once the race started any thoughts of the weather were forgotten. The Leatherhead club's event at a brand new and fantastic venue - Hungry Hill, Surrey, was a perfect event for both Team LFB riders. Despite the downpour, Zade on the Bike Tech Husqvarna had a steady and uneventful first lap. His special test on the second lap didn't go according to plan though. Zade caught up with a slower rider who took a tumble right in front of our Bike Tech Husky rider, Zade had no option but to ride right over the stricken man's bike!! (they shook hands after the race though). That episode cost Zade valuable seconds which ultimately put him out of the top 10. Zade did however win a Bronze award for finishing 18th in class. Matt on the other hand had a perfect special test on the TriCounty KTM and by contrast saved all his dramas for the rest of the course... That said, Matt did an amazing job, despite falls in most of the deep bogs/ruts he dragged his TriCounty KTM 250 EXC-F to a fantastic 10th position in class and a Silver award to boot! Both Team LFB riders had a great day and having fixed all the dents and scrapes to the bikes are raring to go for their next race... |
The Major Hadley Enduro, 12th Oct 2008
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In what can only be described as perfect enduro weather, Team LFB headed down to West Sussex to take part in this notoriously technical Portsmouth club event. Both Team LFB riders got off from the start with no major problem. On lap 1 however, Zade almost threw it all away as he took a small jump over a little ravine only to land the Bike Tech Husqvarna with the front wheel in one rut and the back wheel in another!! Zade kept the throttle wide open and him and the bike carried through the ruts and out to the left of the course, missed a track marker post and came to a stop just inches away from a large oak tree - Phew!! Matt had no major dramas but unfortunately the TriCounty KTM rider didn't stop at the lap marker on lap 1 and therefore rode the whole race one lap down!! Zade and the Bike Tech Husky had a small fall on the penultimate lap which cost him a few minutes to recover from to place 17th by the end of the event. however Matt's outstanding ride in this event was over shadowed by his early race blunder! |
Natterjack Enduro 27th/28th Sept 2008
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His start time came and Zade set off on his first timed session on the Bike Tech Husky. After sixty four minutes of intense cross country riding Zade rolled into the pits with only one minute to spare! The next session was even tighter - only twenty nine minutes to reach the next time control point. So Zade got his head down and wound up the Bike Tech Husqvarna over some of the roughest rock strewn, sandy hillsides to be found in this part of the country! Unfortunately things were starting to become unravelled for the sole Team LFB rider in this event.... It was on this session that Zade along with two other riders took a wrong turn taking them several miles out of their way before they realised and turned back! Having ridden like a bat out of hell, Zade rolled into the time control one minute over his alloted time - Doh!!! However, all was not yet lost as many other riders were having similar problems. The next session was another long one - fifty nine minutes of mostly woodland with tree roots, tree stumps and cut logs to battle the bike over as well as several deep bogs to drag the bike through. The team LFB Husky rolled in two minutes over time but in desperate need of fuel for both bike and rider. Thanks to a super swift pit stop by the Enduropro.co.uk guys & girls (who invited team LFB to pit with them) Zade was back out having only lost about seven minutes in total - Not great but not the end of the world either! However the next session really put the nails in the coffin for team LFB! Zade was doing some creative riding - picking lines that he felt would be quicker rather than playing safe.... I think we can all see where this is going..... Trying to stay out of some deep ruts Zade Hammered the Bike Tech Husky through the long grass at the side of the track. It was just as he clicked the bike in to 4th gear and slammed the throttle open again that the front wheel hit the concealed tree stump! The bike shot left as Zade was launched off to the right.... Zade found himself sitting at the bottom of a large hill with the Husqvarna upside down half way up the hill and no one for miles around to help drag the bike back on course.... Eventually though Zade rolled back into the pits having lost over twenty minutes with that crash. At this point, with the bike needing repairs and fuel and the rider needing pretty much the same, it was decided that the safest option for a non-proffessional rider was to drop out of saturdays race so as to be fit enough to ride again on sunday.... Sunday was again a bright sunny day which saw the race continue to take it's toll on the riders.... but not team LFB. With the pressure off, Zade blasted the Bike Tech Husqvarna around the course on the sportsman times popping wheelies and jumps and generally having a much better day of - as he put it - "trail riding" to finish the day somewhere in the mid- pack.
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At Popham practice track Aug 2008
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As Team LFB hasn't raced this month, here's what the team get upto on a normal practice day out...Coming off a night shift, the team loaded the van and drove down the M3 in the pouring rain. But for a change, the sun came out just as they arrived at the track. Although it's a motocross track, Popham is much more of a natural terrain track rather than the more supercross-y tracks in the area - in other words, ideal practice for Enduro riders. Out on the still very wet clay track it was like riding on an ice rink! But despite many tumbles team LFB kept on circulating clocking up valuable practice for the next race which will be at Emsworth - a similarly slippery clay venue. After a short break for a bite to eat the team lfb boys were back out and with the track drying by the minute lap times were starting to build. Team lfb were joined by some mates from south west London - Heiko, Tim and Don - all on CRF Honda's while Vikki was behind the lens tacking snaps. A good day was had by all... |
Hampshire Police & XHG Tigers MCC Enduro, 8th June 2008
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On arrival at the Broxhead venue we couldn't believe that such a small place could host an enduro! But Hant's police and XHG Tiger put together a fantastic tight and technical course. Matt and Zade lined up side by side at the start and when the flag dropped Matt went blasting off ahead while Zade took the steady approach on that first lap. Sure enough within a couple of laps both team LFB riders were riding side by side again. And that's how it stayed for most of the race. At the pit stop they noticed that Matt's chain was drooping, on closer inspection they found That Matt's rear wheel had come loose!!! After the pit stop team LFB were once again bashing handlebars out on the course. On the faster more open sections Matt on the TriCounty KTM would pull away a bit while on the tight wooded sections Zade and the Bike Tech Husqvarna would reel him in. (poss Zade's experience and the lower gearing of the Husqvarna coming into play there). By the end of the race both riders were exhausted (Matt even suffering from the effects of dehydration) but both made it to the finish line ok and collecting a finishers medal each for their troubles...
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Worsop Trophy 4 hour Enduro 30th March 2008
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The day didn't start off well for Team LFB. A phone call from Matt to say he was sick and wouldn't be able to ride meant that the team was down to one rider for this event. So although without the luxury of a team mate to help if the bike got bogged down, Zade lined up for the start of this 4 hour race. Knowing that he had to keep a reserve of energy for the last hour, Zade took things steady for the first part of the race. That's not to say things went particularly well for the Bike Tech Husqvarna rider. For some unknown reason, Zade just couldn't get into the stride of the race. Silly mistakes, choosing the wrong line on most of the difficult big hill climbs and generally using up far too much energy early on in the race. But digging deep, Zade pressed on and was soon reeling off the laps. The rain in the weeks before the race meant that the Bagshot venue was unusually soft under the bikes and pretty soon deep ruts started to form claiming many riders. It was very easy to choose the wrong line and end up in a deep rut or be pitched over the handlebars by an exposed root half way along a rut! By about the halfway point, Zade really found his rhythm, By the end of the race Zade managed a (joint) 9th place in class and had had a thoroughly good day out. |
Witley Enduro, Round 1 of SEEC 3rd Feb 2008
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This event is without doubt one of the most challenging events of the South Eastern Enduro Championship. Whether it's because of the fantastically varied and technical course, tight time allowance or because it's the first event of the season or all three I'm not sure. Both team LFB riders only managed to stay clean (not lose time) on two of the six timed sessions with dramas unfolding on almost every lap! Zade Broke the side panel and bent the handlebars on his Bike Tech Husqvarna, while Matt's Tri County KTM radiator now has the perfect indent of one of the Warren Heath trees in it. That said they did better than allot of other riders who failed to finish this notoriously though event. Matt came in 15th place in class while Zade limped home in 20th, both riders earning a Bronze award for getting to the finish line. Although not a Team LFB rider, another LFB member was at the event - Steve Goodman who rode a borrowed Husaberg to 4th in class earning a gold award for his efforts...well done Steve! |
REME Enduro school
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The day started off in the huge Weavers Down sand bowl with Dylan and Ed Jones (both accomplished championship riders and members of British Enduro's first family!) teaching sand riding techniques. Matt was the first rider of our A-group to bite the dirt! As you can see from the photo in the gallery, Matt was flat out in third gear still convinces he would make it as the bike hit the ground!! Lucky it was sand and a soft landing! After a short break for a cuppa, our next session was with Husqvarna supremo Wyn Hughes. Wyn took us into a particularly muddy, rutted and 'whooped out' track in some tight woods - in short a technical session. And what a help it was too! Wyn let us all go 'round a short lap he set up and watched each rider. He then stopped us and pointed out what each of us was doing wrong and more importantly, how to put it right. I for one could immediately feel the difference. After lunch our group went out with Garaint Jones - the godfather of british enduro! A multi british and european enduro champ' Garaint rode a hotted up Yamaha YZ300 and was hard to keep up with even though he was obviously only cruising! Again this session was very technical - a tight, root infested track in between the trees. Before today, this type of riding would really have taken it out of me but now I find I can maintain a fair speed and still find the strength to breath! I would strongly recommend these courses to any off road rider, whether racer or trail rider they cater for all levels. The instructors are all first rate and best of all - friendly and helpful. In the lunch break we noticed several riders with bike troubles (not us for a change!) and in every case one of the instructors was there giving a helping hand. Lastly I'd like to say a big thanks to Graeme Warren Photography for the fantastic pix of the day. Cheers Graeme.
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Team REME Hare & Hounds Enduro 2nd Dec 2007
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This was certainly one of those events that begs the question - "why am I doing this?". Heavy rain, howling wind and bitterly cold the paddock was not a happy place. But within a few minutes of the start both Team LFB riders were grinning from ear to ear! Team LFB also bumped into another Fire Brigade member (although not in the team - yet) Steve Goodman of Green watch Lambeth. At the start Steve shot off the line on his Gas Gas EC200 and put in 3 fast laps before having to retire from the event with bike problems. By contrast Team LFB chose to ride a steady race and stick together. After all there's nothing better than a team mate when your bike is buried in a mud hole upto it's handlbars! The team only suffered two dramas - the first when Matt, riding along a water filled rut suddenly found the front wheel of his TriCounty KTM disappearing into the water and the bike stopped with the handlbars on the surface of the puddle! Zade was able to stop and drag him back so they could continue. Then it was Zade's turn - again a deep water hole but this time the entire bike went in! But he managed to hit the kill switch in time so the Bike Tech Husky didn't swallow any water. Luckily once the waves stopped the water only came upto seat height so the air intake and exhaust were still above water - just! Once again with teamwork they were able to get on their way within a few minutes. With 5 Laps completed Team LFB came to the line in 15th and 16th place in the clubman B class, with only 10 seconds separating them. On this notoriously sandy course, which is known for being heavy on machinary, both team bikes came to the line with no major problems. The worst thing being that they both had absolutely ZERO brake pads left at the end of the race due to the abrasive action of the wet sand! When asked if they would ever ride this sand pitt hell again team LFB replied - "Are you kidding?! We had great fun!!" |
SETRA Enduro, Tidworth, Nov 2007
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On a bright and sunny day in mid-november, Zade was invited to race with the North Camp Enduro Team. North Camp riders, Rob Mussell (KTM 450 EXC-F) and Simon Brown (Yamaha WR250F) piled into the team LFB race transporter (Zade's van) for the drive down. In the race all went well until Simon chose to dive out in style, twisting his knee and ankle in the process - race over for Simon. To his credit Rob stayed with his teammate for 15 minutes waiting for the marshals/medics to arrive. Zade, unaware of the drama, rode his Bike Tech Husqvarna TE250 around the 5 mile circuit 9 times (also stopping to pick up a fallen rider and restart the injured man's bike to get him on his way again) to record a finish and earn a Bronze award along the way. Both Zade and Rob were only 4 laps down on the top riders but both gained penalty points for coming in a few minutes early (who didn't read the rules properly?!) and were dropped down the order as a result! |
Tim Ward SEEC Enduro Nov 2007, Slab common, Hants
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On a wet and windy day in early November, team LFB had mixed fortunes at the annual Tim Ward commemorative enduro. Setting a good time in the special test and 'cleaning' the times on all 11 laps, Matt rode his TriCounty KTM to a very creditable 8th place and earning a silver award in the proccess! Zade on the other hand took things far too steady on the tight twisty special test, he only managed to bring the Bike Tech Husqvarna home in 33rd after a disaster in the big mud hole! - avoiding another stuck rider, Zade rode stight into the deep water and one of the VERY deep ruts. Luckily the official event photographer from www.bikephotos.co.uk came to the rescue and helped Zade out (thanks Dave) which meant Zade only lost and 5 or 6 minutes - enough to drop him well down the order - better luck next time Zade! |
Natterjack - British Championship 2 day event Results
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The main goal of this event for the LFB team was to make it to the finish line - then see what result we got. I'm pleased to say that both Zade and Matt finished the tough 2 day event in the sportsman category. Day 1 pos Day 2 pos Overall combined pos Matt 10th 4th 6th Zade 13th 9th 12th Next year we will be moving upto the Clubman class and we intend to have a go at more British championship rounds. |
Canada Heights Enduro sept 9th 2007
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The annual running of the Sidcup club's event at this historic venue saw both riders of team LFB line up at the start. The event, sponsored by Colin Hill racing, was once again held on a baking hot day - dust and dehydration were going to be the order of the day! Zade, on his Bike Tech Husqvarna was up to start first at 1041, Matt on the TriCounty KTM started a few minutes later at 1045. The first part of the course was a sign of things to come, very tight tracks in the woods and all off-camber with fallen logs and dust everywhere. The motocross track which is the second half of the course, by contrast, was fast and flowing with some of the course heading into the wood on the other side of the track. It wasn't long before both riders of team LFB started to suffer with the heat...on Lap 4 Zade began getting severe cramps in both legs and could do nothing but slow down to ease the cramps then press on and repeat the whole process a few minutes later - he managed to limp his Bike Tech Husqvarna TE250 home to 53rd of the 70 Clubman B class riders. Matt unfortunately began to suffer the effects of dehydration on lap 6 and had to retire his Tricounty KTM 250 EXC-F from the race. It was a tough race but a good race! |
SEEC 2 Man Team Enduro 19th Aug 2007
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At last team LFB are riding as a team! The race was run as a Hare 'n Hounds event with riders running a relay throughout the 5 hour race. Team LFB chose to do 2 laps on 2 laps off - that being the best way to keep both riders focused. Matt was the pace setter - keeping up the speed on his Tricounty KTM 250 EXC-F. Zade on the other hand maintained a steady pace all day - apart from a big tumble when his Bike Tech Husqvarna hit a tree stump and stopped dead, throwing him over the handlebars! The ride was enough to see team LFB come home in 11th in class, just 3 laps down on the winning team. Maybe we'll make up those 3 laps next year... |