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Written by Barry Symmons on March 03, 2007 at 09:03
We have arrived at Cartagena in southern Spain to begin 4 days of familiarisation testing. Martin Finnegan's TT assault begins here.First job is to take off all the beautifull road fairings and bits and pieces and fit the lighter but not so pretty racing parts. G I Morsport team has been kind enough to lend us an exhaust system as Arrow are out of stock so on thursday Martin took to the track in +25 deg temperatures compared with -back home. The factory technichians are with us with a development F 1000 and a Brutale which is holding its own with the superstock machines. We have put in our Road racing forks modified by K tech in the UK but everything else is as from the factory. Times have got better and better and Martin is very pleased with the Bike even at this early stage it is easy to see its potential. We have discovered that the fuel mix is a little on the lean side but we understand this willbe rectified shortly so inotherwords the power will get even better at present the F 4 is blasting past the R 1's and new Ducatis of the UK Supersport teams. We are using a Metzler tyre which is a control tyre for the BSB and playing with pressures. It has to be said this track and temperature is not what we would expect in the UK inspite of Global Warming so the tyre is overheating day 1 & 2 have been exciting One of the other machines here is the beautiful factory duplicate of Luca's Superbike and the factory mechanics are liasing with the USA incase of any problems. The other MV test riders with us are Badovini, Ayrton, Billoti and Latini The latter is a very Impresive rider and I understand has been the factory tester for over 20 years. To see him ride a development F 4 is to understand complete confidence between man and machine.As well as being the MV coordinator for Martin Finnegan I am the organiser of this test for about 85 BSB riders I was asked to have a word with the MV team rider who was pulling wheelies in the straights on the Brutale and upsetting other riders so I took a concreat block to put on his handle bars and swore at him in best Italian, but the team boss had allready sorted it. Day 3 was interupted by a slip off on some oil and Martin has had to rest for the rest of Saturday but will be out again on Sunday. The enthusiasme and passion of all the staff is great to see and our swedish mechanic Le Roy has allready established a great rapore with them all. Even if no one can pronounce his name properly -Le Roy
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