Matt Bond – New season, new bike, new leathers.

Matt Bond – No prior testing, finished bike during first practice!

Matt Bond – Improved every session, right in the pack at the start of the race!

Grid Girls – Adding glamour and ensuring we get photographed on the grid.

Tom Tunstall – Falling off his bike…

Tom Tunstall – Moments before his bike ploughed in to ours!

Oulton Park – Round 2

Matt Bond – Delayed start after late arrival of crucial parts…

Matt Bond – Only to get knocked off after just seven laps!

Matt Bond – Still managed to qualify though!

Matt Bond – On the grid at Oulton Park!

Matt Bond – More glamour to attract the photographers!

Matt Bond – Struggling for track time but still on the pace!

Donington Park – Round 3

Matt Bond – First race finish, first meeting we didn’t get knocked off!

Thruxton – Round 4

Matt Bond – Scary track for a first visit with no set up data!

Matt Bond – Broken wire led to bike stalling at over 100 mph. Not fun!

Matt Bond – More points in the SuperBike Cup Championship.

Snetterton – Round 5

Matt Bond – Mid qualifying pit lane interview.

Matt Bond – Fell off on oil in first race but managed to get back for repairs…

Matt Bond – First SuperBike Cup podium finish despite electrical problems.

Matt Bond – Waiting to rejoin after slipping off on oil…

We knew the change to compete in the SuperBike class just one month before the first round was going to be a challenge but we had agreements and assurances from everyone we needed to in order to have everything ready in time.

If there is one lesson to be taken from this experience it is that if there is a product available immediately buy it and use it. Once the product you actually want arrives simply sell whichever one you no longer need. Too many races have gone by where we have been racing a glorified SuperStock bike because the promised parts just haven’t arrived for one reason or another.

Lightweight Wheels

Ordered and promised from Marchesini in Italy in time for the first round. After several months of silence it was confirmed that our wheels had been made, albeit to slightly the wrong spec., but then sold to someone else. More months passed before part of the shipment eventually arrived at the start of August.

Two front and three rear wheels out of the five full sets that were ordered. Although still a whole kilo lighter per wheel compared to the stand in items we had been using, the wheels that arrived were road specification magnesium rather than the race specification magnesium that we had specified.

At least Ian at Mode Performance (the UK Brembo importer) had been able to source some road specification aluminium wheels for a few rounds so we could take advantage of the 16.5″ tyres that everybody else uses. We also managed with just one set of front discs for the first three rounds which added to the difficulties.

The five sets of correct wheels have been re-ordered and will be here at some point…

Electronics & Data Logging

After several years using the Yoshimura kit ECUs we had planned to use the Interceptor Pro system from Dyna Pro for 2010. It is essentially a very capable mini-Motec like device with an added data logging capability.

Unfortunately Dyna Pro’s supplier struggled to deliver and we started the season with the stock ECU and no fuelling adjustment before fitting an early pre-production box during the first race weekend.

The guys were really helpful but each revision of the firmware was late and we have not yet received the version that will allow us to alter the ignition timing, implement the traction control or utilise the data logging.

We did get as far as fitting suspension potentiometers to the bike four rounds in to the season once the updated firmware arrived only to discover a fault with the recording system meant we couldn’t actually save the data anyway.

We have finally bitten the bullet and ordered a replacement Yoshimura ECU and race wiring loom for the number one bike which, once we have sold the remaining bikes from 2008, will be used in conjunction with a stand alone 2D data logging system for the rest of the season.

Shortly after placing the order we learnt that the production Interceptor Pro unit had just arrived so we will be utilising one, along with the suspension potentiometers, etc. we already have, on the second bike by way of a comparison.

Engine Specification

Most privateer teams opt to buy bikes built by some of the larger teams the previous season rather than build their own. Only two privateer teams took on the task of developing a SuperBike from a new 2009 model bike, a sensible move considering they were released under a month before the start of the season. As we soon learnt, there was a very good reason for that!

With no time to do any major engine modifications for the first race a safe SuperStock spec. motor was built and then fitted with Yoshimura camshafts. This resulted in a usable increase in power over standard but essentially only a small improvement over our bikes from the previous season.

When time allowed, i.e. once we had stopped having to rebuild and repair bikes in between each round, we made some bigger modifications to the cylinder head to increase the compression and hopefully gain some more power.

Now that we have a longer break the engine has had a full strip down and refresh. This will be followed up by getting the crank balanced and undertaking more work on the rest of the motor. We also have some new air box velocity stacks to try which should improve things even more.

The new electronics will also let us run a higher rev limit to make better use of the power the engine is already developing. We are also looking to get the standard generator modified to reduce the amount of resistance which should provide more power throughout the rev range.

If we can source a close ratio gearbox at a decent price we believe it will make the power much more accessible whilst out on the track although funds remain very tight.

Crash Damage

The team have struggled with accident damage from three separate incidents this season, none of which have been out fault, that have conspired to use up valuable budget. This has prevented the development of some aspects of the bike as well as using up crucial funds earmarked for the last few rounds of the season.

The first round was undoubtedly the unluckiest. Without even completing a single racing lap our bike was written off in an incident involving Tom Tunstall’s rider-less bike. Neither our fault or Tom’s, he had fallen off some two hundred metres further back only to see his bike sit up and continue on before ploughing in to the rest of the field.

With nowhere to go Matt hit the side of Tom’s bike destroying our machine and severely damaging the other bike. In fact we salvaged just the engine, the Ohlins rear shock absorber, the rear wheel and the swing arm. Any questions about where our budget went for the final third of the season need only look at the staggering repair bill for rebuilding essentially a new bike, including the brand new 2009 spec. Ohlins gas SuperBike forks.

Round two at Oulton Park saw Matt fall avoiding another rider who had slowed and moved across the racing line. Another costly incident that left us with a troublesome electrical problem and without enough wheels to cope with the changeable weather come race day. Needless to say the weather wasn’t on our side either that weekend.

A troublesome frayed wire to the fuelling box, a result of the accident at Brands Hatch, caused us to be down on power until after the Donington race when we managed to track it down on the dyno. Another broken wire to the quick shifter at Thruxton, again as a result of the accident, gave us more excitement, effectively stalling the engine at 120 mph round one corner that we were lucky to escape from.

The final crash was the most minor of the season and involved Tom Tunstall yet again. On the second lap of the first Snetterton race Tom’s engine blew up depositing oil on the track right in the path of our bike which was one of several to crash at that point resulting in a red flag. A hasty repair in the pit lane and Matt made the restart and was fast enough to earn our first SuperBike Cup podium despite the forks and front wheel being out of alignment and juddering around the right hand corners during the race.

Suspension

With no experience of the new forks and no testing time the team were left with educated guesswork for the first round. The Indy circuit at Brands Hatch is short enough not to highlight some of the major issues with the suspension and Matt did a great job of riding round the problems he was having.

Round two proved more of a challenge, a much more complex circuit that Matt last rode over five years previously on a 125cc Aprilia, plus lots more technical issues with the bike leaving little track time to work on a good suspension set up. It was at this point we realised just how crucial data logging was in setting up these SuperBikes.

Each round we made gradual improvements to the bike but it was only at Snetterton that we felt that we had really made a significant break through with the geometry that allowed us to turn in and hold a better line.

We now have a new Yoshimura suspension linkage and kit Showa rear shock to try on the bike the next time out that should provide a lot more rear end grip although we will be waiting to have the data logging fitted first (lesson learnt).

Riders

We started the season with long term rider Matt Bond who took the step up to the SuperBike class having never ridden one just as the team had never built one before.

With a promising ride at Brands Hatch before the accident, a good come back at Donington and then an excellent display at Snetterton showed glimpses of what the team are capable of. Unfortunately the demands of having to work for a living, make time for racing and his fitness training had taken their toll over the past few years and Matt opted to retire after his inaugural podium at Snetterton.

After missing a couple of rounds whilst we looked for a replacement rider we opted for a stand in for Brands Hatch to help us develop the bike before making a decision for the rest of the season. As it turned out we had to find another rider at the last minute and with no testing time it was decided to step back and spend some time testing the new set up before continuing.

The team have a couple of riders interested in racing for the rest of the season but are busy searching for sponsorship to cover the costs involved.

2010 and Beyond

Having raced internationally for several seasons the return to the UK was always going to be challenge. Everything from learning new tracks to building and developing a SuperBike for the first time has been a massive learning curve.

The team are busy rebuilding and setting up the bike ready for some further testing. Plans are also in progress to prepare for the 2010 British SuperBike championship with a detailed sponsorship plan and road map to put all the experience and learning from 2009 to good use.

With the bike remaining the same for 2010 there will be no last minute rush to be ready for the start of the season so everything can start to be put in place as soon as sponsorship is secured for the season.

MIST Suzuki have taken the tough decision to withdraw from the remainder of the 2009 British SuperBike season due to lack of available funds.

After a difficult season that would have tested any of the top SuperBike teams MIST Suzuki has decided to focus their efforts on searching for sponsorship and to continue the development of their races bikes. This would allow everybody to step back in to the series ready to race at a competitive level should we find the additional support needed to attend any of the remaining rounds.

Team Manager Mike Edwards commented “Everyone is extremely disappointed but for a new team to the SuperBike class I think we have done well despite being seriously hampered by the non-delivery of many essential parts, especially as we are almost unique amongst the privateer teams in that we chose to develop a new bike from scratch. We are privately funded and staffed entirely by volunteers although some people put in more hours with the team than doing their full time jobs. We had a reasonable budget to complete the season but with so much bad luck we have struggled to get this far. Having a bike written off due to no fault of our own before it had managed to complete a single lap of it’s first race was really hard and it took us several rounds to bounce back.”

Mike added “Developing a new SuperBike in a team that had no SuperBike experience and with a rider who had only ever ridden in the SuperStock class was always going to be a challenge but I think we have learnt an incredible amount and are confident we can have everything in place to do well if we can secure the budget to continue. As it is we are already making plans and looking forward to the 2010 SuperBike season and would love to put in another appearance before the end of the year if it was possible.”

With no pre-season testing due to the late delivery of the bikes the team were confident of doing well in the SuperBike Cup although it took longer to achieve their first podium than expected on what was essentially a SuperStock bike at the time. Long time rider Matt Bond chose to retire soon after and things were once again complicated after the original replacement for Brands Hatch, Sheridan Morais, was drafted in to the Factory Kawasaki World SuperBike team that were also guesting at the event. Steve Mercer gallantly agreed to stand in at the last minute but with no time to adapt to the Ohlins gas forks and Brembo monobloc callipers it was decided not to risk damaging the rider or the bike as Steve was due to compete in the Ulster GP a couple of days later.

Looking back on the season Mike commented “Had we been in the same position again the smart thing to have done would have been to have bought a SuperBike from a larger team that had campaigned it the previous season. As a long time supporter of Suzuki we were keen to try the new for 2009 GSXR1000K9, having purchase and raced eleven new bikes from them since 2006, as it looked to be a major improvement over the previous model. I don’t regret the decision but without all the bad luck we are left to imagine only of what might have been.”

We look forward to 2010 and would like to thank our long term sponsors that have helped us get this far GPR Steering Dampers, Steve Jordan Motorcycles, Leo Vince Exhausts, Silkolene Oils, GB Racing and R&G Crash Protection

In a surprise announcement after achieving his inaugural SuperBike Cup podium at Snetterton long time MIST Suzuki rider Matt Bond has chosen to retire from motorcycle racing.

Having progressed with MIST Suzuki since winning the MRO MiniTwins championship in 2005 through three years in the World SuperBike paddock competing in the European SuperStock 600 and European SuperStock 1000 championships before entering the British SuperBike Cup championship in 2009.

Speaking of his retirement Matt said “Obviously I am disappointed to be leaving half way through the season before fully getting to grips with the bike. With all our bad luck this season it has been frustrating not to be able to show our potential, particularly with the accidents that haven’t been our fault and the many crucial performance parts that have been promised but still haven’t arrived”.

When pressed on the reasons for the timing of his decision to retire Matt added “Having to work five or six long days a week just to live plus having to make up any time missed for racing leaves little or no time for going to the gym or doing much else. Despite a change of jobs the problems have built up over the last year or so and eventually got to the point where something had to give. Unfortunately my passion for racing has suffered during this struggle to the point where I don’t feel able to give my best any longer so feel it time to bow out now”.

Team Manager Mike Edwards said “We are really sad to see Matt leave as he has grown up as part of the team over the last four and a half years. There are only a handful of riders who have raced in Europe, qualified at the front of the grid and achieved top ten finishes against factory teams. Not only has Matt competed at the top level of International racing he has worked hard to develop several competitive race bikes along the way and demonstrated his immense talent for all to see”.

“There have been many achievement during this time, lapping within 0.5 seconds of Leon Haslam and being just 0.5 seconds behind after an 80 km race at Almeria stands out, as does qualifying in front of Michael Schumacher at Magny Cours and taking a road going GSXR1000K9 to within 1.8 seconds of the Portimao SuperStock lap record all stand out. My biggest regret is that Matt has not been able to fully demonstrate just how good he really is at the top level of competition and we are sorry to see him retire when he has come so far and is now so close to where he deserves to be”.

In the wake of this news MIST Suzuki chose to miss the Knockhill and Mallory Park rounds of the Championship and are planning to return at the high profile Brands Hatch meeting where the team hope to demonstrate a number of upgrades to the bike as several long awaited parts finally arrive for the machine and the team gets some time to set up an uprated electronics and engine package.

The search for a replacement rider continues and, along with it, the ongoing search for a title sponsor who can appreciate the opportunities the team and the championship have to offer.

Friday – Practice

Learning the circuit was always going to be a big task, and I felt it from the first lap. I just couldn’t get it right throughout the first sessions. I was trying to find a line, set-up and get the gearing right and it just wasn’t happening.

The bike was all over the place and was such a handful to keep hold of. The bumps just kept making the bike unload so fast that it had no rear end grip at all, even in a straight line it was unmanageable. I had to back off so much just to stay on board!

[Matt forgot to mention the minor incident where a quick shifter wire broke cutting the engine at over 120 mph. He managed to pull the clutch in and ran on in to the long grass at the back of the circuit. He was forced to miss the rest of the session as the grass was too long for the recovery truck to reach him - Mike]

Saturday – Qualifying

Qualifying went a little better, but we still hadn’t got an optimum set-up and were having so many problems it just got to the point of becoming a salvage mission and very much aggravating for me. I was being held back by the bike not doing what it should and I knew it.

Sunday – Races 1 & 2

Despite all the problems and being left to a very lonely ride in both of the races, we still collected more data and got more experience, even if it wasn’t really filled with positives.

Knowing how a fast track affects tyre wear, and how the bike deals with bumps were all useful in enabling us to format a set-up for Snetterton, only a few weeks away. Soemthing I am looking forward to, having not raced there since 2005.

Saturday – Practice

Being back at a circuit I knew was good, and after riding at the MotoSix event, I still had a clear idea of what lines I’d need to take, what gear to use and a rough idea of braking and reference points.

Practice went fairly well. We had to make a lot of changes throughout the session in terms of bike set-up and also how I was riding, due to the bike being so different from when we last rode at the circuit. The changes were progressive and helped a lot, making the bike turn faster but also be more stable on the brakes. We were having a few problems with the bike constantly lifting the front wheel on hard acceleration, but we had some ideas on how to counter act this.

Sunday – Qualifying

For qualifying we tried some softer rubber in the bike and it seemed to cause us a few more problems, due to the softer carcass making the bike push mid turn. Being it was the first time we’d used a very soft compound, our inexperience had showed. But we had a good set up for race day and I was confident we could get a decent result.

Monday – Race 1

I got a decent start and just focused on the group in front. I settled into a nice rhythm and kept the pace of the guys ahead for the first five or six laps. After that they began to gap me and I just focused on being smooth, consistent and finishing for the first time this season! It was a pretty lonely race, and not much happened, but we got some excellent data and feedback form the bike. Plus we didn’t have any electrical problems, like what we had experienced in most sessions over the weekend. I was happy to finish, and I think the team were too!

[Matt forget to mention that the he got a great start in the race but it was red flagged and the restart didn't go so well. To make matters worse we didn't have another tyre to use so had to continue on the one that had completed several laps. On the restart he chased down and overtook four or five more experienced riders which everyone was very happy about - Mike]

Monday – Race 2

The start wasn’t as good as race one, but I got my head down and pushed as much as I could and began to reel in the guys just ahead. It took most of the race but once I got by I kept going. The changes we made in between the races made a real difference, and the race time was much better, as was the feeling that I got from the bike. It felt like we had moved forward quite a lot and by finishing both races we’d got some points up on the scoreboard, which was nice!