Derbi GP1 50 Racing Team Global Trader / Scooter HQ 1st across the line & winner of class C Modified Scooters. Brendon Team Global Trader Technologies entered the Modified or Class C of this years Le Minz 24 hour with one thing in mind, victory. This scooter was ridden by Allan Morrison, legendary motorcycle racer John Stamnos & two crazy riders from the Stuntz Inc riding team in the form of the totally insane Matt Mingay & his like minded partner in two wheeled mayhem Robbie Bolger.
To give you an idea of the mindset of this team Robbie & Matt usually battle each other for some world record involving using a motorcycle in ways that manufacturers could never have envisioned. World Stoppy records, Worlds fastest mono, Worlds longest stoppy while sitting on the handlebars. Think of something that would frighten a normal rider & these guys more than likely hold the world record for doing it.....on one wheel.
Being real blokes these guys aren't lightweight jockeys, they are fit there is no doubt about that but they are big boys & faced a huge weight disadvantage compared to most teams, in fact we would need to strap a scooter to the back of most riders to address the weight differential. The enemy of 50cc Scooter racing is height & weight, this team had both, more importantly they had what was needed to overcome this hurdle. Balls, big ones too.
The other item to help overcome the weight disadvantage was a killer scooter in the form of the Derbi GP1 50 Racing, this is no ordinary Scooter, it is the ultimate in 50cc Sports scooters. Being heaviliy involved in motorsport teaming up with these guys gave us access to equipment normally reserved for factory race teams. We were in heaven.
Key Modifications
- Fuel System - With no need for underseat storage & an abundance of spare V8 supercar bits lying around an Aluminium fuel tank was fabricated & placed under the seat. A fuel line connected the main fuel tank & this auxilliary tank & the horn button used to power the pump that would transfer the fuel from the auxillary tank to the main tank in less than 1 second. This allowed the scooter to be refuelled using a professional CAMS approved Fuel Churn borrowed from a V8 Supercar. During a fuel stop the tank would be refulled & the auxillary tank also allowing it to be refulled while racing. It took longer to open & close the seat than it did to fill the fuel tanks.
- Engine - This part we are keeping a secret, what we can tell you is it is 50cc in capacity & runs some pretty slick internals including some custom fabricated parts. Resources for this engine build included input from Richard Smart, Mick Doohans world championship mechanic.
- Brakes suspension & tyres - Surprisingly all completely stock, don't need to upgrade this stuff when it comes out of the box with Marzocchi front Forks & AJP Racing Radially mounted disc brakes.
This team & scooter was in class of its own, never being threatened by any other scooter in the field. It clearly demonstrated this when it broke the chain when leading by 30 laps, being a scooter shop we don't stock chains & had to pull one of a GP1 50 Racing we had in stock. It took nearly 40 minutes to do this.
We also had to change both the front & rear tyres at 4.30am after no sleep with a couple of spanners, tyre levers & a shovel manned by Robbie which could have been used as motivational tool if we stuffed up. We managed the change in 13 minutes & the GP1 returned to the field still leading by quite some way. In the end this team romped away to win the event by 81 laps.
published 20/02/2009 |