MB Race-Tour engine takes first place at Many Cours 10 hour endurance race
We’re please to say that our little French friend Gilles and his 3 – 40 something team mates of Team Authentik have won their race class and came 6th out of 50 teams on the yearly French 10 hour endurance race at Magny Cours race track.
And whats so great is – they did it on a Gilles prepared Lambretta with a MB Touring Tourqey Tuned Race-Tour Reed Valved ROAD engine! Proving once again in the right hands an RT kit is not just a road cylinder kit – hence the ‘Race’ in the Race-Tour logo.
Usually Gilles is the only one who flys the flag for Lambrettas on these 10 and 24 hour endurance races, but this year he was joined by 3 other Lambretta teams from the UK.
I’ve known Gilles for years – before the internet, we used to get in touch by fax letters! He somehow ended up with the old UK Group 6, European championship winning bike which I rebuilt the TS1 engine years ago.
On the first endurance race, the team used his Lambretta with one of those Italian cylinders – it failed big time after a few laps! Gilles had already been riding around with one of our UK made RT 195 cylinders. This was his commute into Paris road engine and it was this engine that was taken as a spare – the team fitted the road engine and finished the race quite high up – they were so impressed they’ve used RT engines ever since.
This latest winning engine is now over 4 year old, it’s never missed a beat. Its a 70mm MBgm RT kit, tuned for the road. It’s the same tune I always do for customers – the same as Wayne Jack Bentleys furthest travelled bike, the same as Anthony Tambs best supporting member engine, same as Stickys European country tour and the same as countless other UK, European and worldwide travelling Lambrettas.
And what makes it that bit more incredible he’s still using his 195 28mm Dellorto carb with MB Tea strainer – the idea was better fuel economy! It may not have been the fastest on the track – the idea was – go further and fill up less – the ‘Hare and the Tortoise’.
This motor uses a MB hand built 62mm crank, bgm ignition with a Kytronic on road curve number 2! It uses our MB CNC clutch with MB 5 speed gearbox on 18×47 sprockets. The only maintenance done from last years race was clutch plates, springs and a rear hub.
What I like about Gilles is he’s such a nice guy, everyone likes him, he’s always got a smile on his face and always wants to talk engines with me. I’ve stayed a couple of times at his Paris home, he’s stayed at our farm where he’s had a ‘one to one’ engine rebuilding weekend. Where he put on his apron – got out his note pads and had a great time and we got him drunk on Hobgobblin. We’ve even met in Spain at the 24 hour race and the last time I was visiting our mutual racing friend Bubu – Gilles travelled 4 hours by train to give me a surprise visit!
Gilles is only one man, he works in an office, he rebuilds his bikes in his basement. He’s never asked for anything for free, he’s always paid up, never wanting a deal or free sponsorship and he’s trusted us with 3 different engine rebuilds.
He’s not what you could call a semi professional racer, he only does these endurance races and maybe a couple of kart track practice days. He has no Scootershop behind him and he doesn’t have big money to develop – he just goes out on his own and enjoys himself.
Team Authentic took 4th, 6th and 10th out of 50 teams, and at one point all 3 were leading for a short period. On about fun, I’ve said it before those French know how to put on an enjoyable race meeting well done to all involved.
