New Motorcycle Roadracing Brakes help Maria Costello MBE ride to more race wins

Posted by admin

July 20, 2011

Maria Costello MBE and the CMS supported pizza race bike took yet another top-ten finish in the Irish Supertwin championship, this time during it’s debut at the famous Skerries road races.

The bike that Maria built, affectionately nick-named the pizza race bike, has proved to be a more than capable road race machine in the hands of the BERING leathers ambassador.

Starting from 15th place on the grid Maria avoided the incident at the first corner and rode a solid race, improving her lap times by almost three seconds, to finish 9th in her debut at the Skerries road race.

Maria comments:

“The mass start combined with one of the most slippery and tightest first corners was always going to be interesting and one rider went down. The road ends draw you in too and my Sigma slipper clutch definitely got me out of trouble on more than one occasion. I’d managed to stay out of trouble at the start, got my head down and aimed for the rider in front, which seemed to work. Mark Morgan showed me his wheel in to Finnegan’s corner on the last lap but I managed to defend my position until the chequered flag. To say I’m happy with another top-ten finish is an understatement.”

Even the daunting, tight and twisty back roads couldn’t deter newcomer Costello from making sure she came home smiling from an event she holds in high regard.

“This is one of the best road races I’ve competed at but it’s not just the racing it’s the people and the warm welcome you get here at Skerries. Having a local family of Costello’s makes me feel at home and having three Costello’s compete and finish in the same race must have been a first.”

Image by Jack Corry.

Costello’s home-built Supertwin is based on a Kawasaki ER650 and is still being developed. It was only whilst ironing out a rough-spot low-down in the power on a dyno at the Bush road races, that a problem was revealed and once resolved gave the ER another 5 horse power and 5 more lb of torque.

Costello adds:

“I’ve got sponsor Tony Morris, engine tuner Tony Holmes and BF Tim McGivern to thank for all the assistance in building this Supertwin but we’re no where near finished. Its one big learning curve that doesn’t stop with the build, the suspension set-up is something that, with a little outside advice, we’re learning to do ourselves.”

Maria is hoping that her next outing on board the Supertwin will be at the Dundrod 100 & Ulster Grand Prix.

For more information about Maria’s racing go to www.costelloracing.com