Salt Fever began SpeedWeek 2013 with problems. Brett wired a water pump sensor to the tachometer. If the tacho dies and the engine is running it means the water system is faulty. The tacho died during a run and he buttoned-off to save the motor.
An inspection revealed nothing wrong with the water pump and hoses, has to be electrical. An ingenious fault tracing device appears, he calls it "Suzuki Simulator." A home handyman power drill sporting an aluminium cylinder stuck to a drill bit, a bracket attached to the drill handle holds a stator pick-up close to the marked-up aluminium cylinder. Wires trail from the pick-up and Brett gets busy plugging them into the loom. With the drill running the electrical system thinks the motor is turning over. Brett can plug and play and work out which section of cabling isn’t functioning.
Salt Fever goes out to shake some moves.
...only to return with gearbox problems. A spare box from an old bike is dragged out, a complete unknown, packed because an air shifter was fitted for this year’s SpeedWeek, another unknown and Brett wasn’t comfortable using it... so he didn’t.
Draining the box into a bucket, shiny pieces of shrapnel sparkled like diamonds in the sun. The second gear cog was in three pieces.
An all-nighter to swap-out the gearbox was fueled on caffeine and borrowed cigarettes (Brett doesn’t smoke). Like all special construction machines, replacing major components is time consuming and frustrating.
Bretty does a shake-down pass on the short GPS time track and snaps a throttle cable. Easy fix and tweak a few things, join the Spirit of Sunshine in line for Friday morning... last day of SpeedWeek 2013.
Two mile entry is announced "240MPH..." followed a second later by "RIDER DOWN... RIDER DOWN." We drop what we’re doing and wait for information, straining to see safety car dots in the hazy distance.
He’s in one piece!
Here’s the run-crash story recited in animated detail at the annual Waterbottle Tribe gathering on Saturday morning.
Into the timing sector and top gear didn’t grab properly, another attempt to stab the shifter. Uh-oh, his hand slipped on the throttle forcing an elbow into the wall of air Salt Fever was busting through, Brett’s arm flung back over his head forcing shoulder and helmet to come up and punch into the drag... the beginning of the end.
Brett’s upper body becomes a parachute and the front wheel lifted... at 240 miles an hour. With gym-workout strength - and our story now animated by: Incredible Hulk pose, contorted face, and Hollywood roar sound effects - Brett screams and tries to pull forward against the wall of air.
At this point a dreamy cloud descends and the world slowed. "I’m f@#ked... oh there’s Heaven, let’s go for a walk." the last remembered thoughts.
Back of the Ambulance.
Ambo: "What day is it?"
Brett: "...ahh...Monday."
Ambo: "Nah Mate, it’s Friday."
The week floods back as the mind engages with a snap.
Port Pirie, Friday night.
Brett was sleeping like a baby when the Spirit of Sunshine crew arrived at Steve Finn’s place for the annual Waterbottle Tribe gathering. Steve’s place is a welcomed relief coming from a week in the red-hot desert at Lake Gairdner: pool, spa, place to crash in the shed between a collection of Suzuki bikes.
Pizza, beer, on the big screen: Steve McQueen in Bullet. SpeedWeek analysis and opinionated debate till 1:00AM. All going on loudly around sleeping Brett... didn’t even wake up for the famous car chase scene.
It’s just getting light when I wake up and peer over the wheel of a Suzuki. In one hand Brett has a half-eaten slice of pizza, in the other a can of beer. "There’s ants all over this pizza" he grumbles and moves toward the shed door with a stiff movement.
Over coffee and toast we're persuaded to unpack Salt Fever so he can put oil down the pots... in case salt made it inside the screaming two-stroke. It’s hard to stop him using the swollen paw with a salt rash on the wrist.
There’s another rash at the back of his neck and bruising around the hips. That’s an incredibly lucky escape for a 240 MPH exit of a sit-on bike, a rare accident. We’re grateful to have our mate in one piece and look forward to being annoyed by his antics at many more SpeedWeeks.
As Doctor Goggles told him "...that’s eight you’ve got left."
