I have been enjoying riding the FC350 but, like I have mentioned before, I am a little wary of racing it.
I have been feeling good on the bike lately so I decided now was as good a time as any to have another go. When the gate dropped on the first race I got out to a good jump but as Lakes’ start straight and first corner are quite fast I quickly got passed by the 450s.
I entered the first turn on the outside quite deep in the pack and I know from many years racing at that track that being mid-pack in the first turn and drag racing up the hill, you tend to get peppered with large stones that leave some serious bruising.
With this in the back of my mind I held the little 350 flat around the outside while everyone else diced over the inside line, and I managed to get a few places back. I spent the first few laps making passes and getting up to third.
While dicing with the rider in second I noticed I was starting to lose the clutch. It felt like I may have got air in the hydraulic line and riding started to become a little difficult. Thank god for the electric start as it got me going again quickly after stalling the motor a few times.
Being a racer I didn’t want to stop so I managed to limp over the line still in third. I noticed when I got back into the pits that the top bolt holding in the clutch slave cylinder had worked its way loose and was allowing it to pop out of the engine when I pulled the clutch in.
Once I tightened up the slave cylinder and topped up the engine oil I was back out on the track to finish my day’s racing. I enjoyed it and was feeling good on the bike but couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed having to play catch up because I struggle with starts on the 350.
I get a great jump out of the gate but keeping guys with an extra 100cc behind me on such a long start straight is a struggle. I think a shorter, tighter track and the 350 would start to have an advantage over the 450s but a fast track like Lakes makes keeping up a struggle.
In saying that, there are certain sections of the track that the 350 feels very fast and nimble but once we round the tight stuff and get to the fast hills I start to get left behind. The bike itself is handling great and is hard to fault. Now I have the suspension set up nice and progressive it doesn’t blow through and is very comfortable and I have a great deal of confidence in it.
HOURS 35
MODS THIS MONTH: Tighten clutch slave cylinder
MODS NEXT MONTH: None
This long-term updated was published in ADB issue #443 – August 2016.
Technical Editor Mat Boyd
