The Glory of the Isle of Man (1)
1924, Isle of Man
"Vroooooom! Vroooooom!"
The high-pitched roar of a two-stroke engine echoed through the air as a motorcycle sped through the final corner and returned to the pit.
This was no ordinary machine. It was a monster of engineering: a two-stroke V-twin 350cc engine capable of producing 115 horsepower. The frame, constructed from 50mm high-tensile steel pipes with a 20mm truss structure, was a double cradle type. The rear suspension featured a floating link mono-shock system. The full fairing, made of FRP (fiber-reinforced plastic), resembled the sleek design of a 2025-era 1,000cc super sports bike.
The bike came to a stop in the pit, its front tire lightly tapping the stopping board. The pit crew rushed to the machine, inserting a stand into the rear suspension arm. Once the rider dismounted, they lifted the bike onto the stand.
"The rear shock needs to be a bit stiffer. The rear feels like it's sliding out too quickly. The front feels good, though. The engine bogs down a bit below 9,000 rpm, and the revs don't climb as smoothly as they should. Try dropping the main jet by one size. Also, the brake pads might work better with a lower temperature range. Oh, and lower the grip by 3mm."
The rider, Amamano Kazumi, sat in a chair, sipping on an electrolyte drink specially formulated for riders, while checking the lap times on the results sheet.
"How's it looking, Amamano? How's the bike?" asked Takashiro Soryu, who approached her wearing Ray-Ban sunglasses and leaning on a crutch.
"It's coming together nicely. The top end is much better now, and the new tires have great traction. We're ready to fight," replied Amamano, her tone oddly confident.
The Space Force's Training Program
The Space Force's Youth Academy and Military Academy had long incorporated mini-bikes and go-karts into their curriculum to train future pilots. By exposing students to motorcycles and cars from a young age, they aimed to identify and nurture talented individuals for the pilot training program.
They also trained women for professional roles, such as bus drivers. Among these students, Amamano Kazumi stood out as exceptionally gifted.
Her thick leather riding suit bore the marks of countless laps, with the knee and elbow sensors worn down from constant contact with the track. Her riding was nothing short of awe-inspiring.
The Isle of Man TT
In 1924, the Japanese team arrived in Isle of Man, England, to compete in the Isle of Man TT Senior Class 500cc Race. Due to the 0.7x displacement limit for two-stroke engines, their 350cc bikes were the maximum allowed.
Takashiro, busy with other responsibilities, couldn't accompany the team, but they were more than capable of competing without him.
Three bikes, named "Fuji," were unloaded from a horse-drawn cart and pushed to the pit. The team had entered two bikes, with one as a spare. The Japanese team consisted of 45 members, including two riders, mechanics, and support staff.
The other teams watched the Japanese team with a mix of curiosity and disbelief.
"What the hell is that machine?"
"The exhaust pipe bulges like a balloon halfway through. There's no way that's efficient."
"That fairing is insane. It must be way too heavy with all that equipment."
"Hey, look at the tires. They're three times as wide as ours. And the wheel spokes look weird. Are they cast as a single piece?"
"Is that a brake? It looks like it's clamping a disc."
At the time, parts of the Isle of Man TT course were still unpaved, so the tires had grooves like rain tires.
After the technical inspection, the bikes returned to the pit for final adjustments.
"Vroooooom! Vroooooom!"
The high-pitched roar of the engines was unlike anything the other teams had ever heard.
"What the hell is that sound? Even for a two-stroke, it's way too high-pitched. Is that really a gasoline engine?"
Then, the two riders emerged from the tent, clad in form-fitting leather riding suits. The first rider was Amamano Kazumi, and the second was Takaya Noriko. Their suits left no doubt that they were women.
"Gulp."
The white men watching couldn't help but swallow hard.
"Hey, geisha girls! Are you the ones riding? The men in Japan must all be chickens if they're letting women do the dangerous riding!"
A tall, skinny British man called out in English.
Amamano, who had been studying English relentlessly since the team decided to compete in the Isle of Man TT, responded without hesitation.
"Hello, cute little pecker. In our team, we don't discriminate based on gender. They're mechanical professionals, unlike your scrawny cock. Maybe you should go home and suck on your mommy's tits, you motherfucker."
(Translation: "Hello, cute little dck. In our team, we don't discriminate based on gender. They're mechanical professionals, unlike your scrawny dck. Maybe you should go home and suck on your mommy's tits, you motherfucker.")
Amamano had somehow mastered slang, thanks to Takashiro's relentless coaching.
"Y-you b*tch!"
"Stop it, Johnson! Don't cause a scene here!" his teammate intervened.
"Oh, your name is Johnson? Hahaha… In Japan, we have a saying: 'The name reflects the person.' You really live up to your name, skinny little Johnson."
(Johnson is slang for male genitalia.)
"You'll pay for this in the race! I'll kill you!"
"Oh, you're all talk. How about I give you a special treat and let you see my butt? You can make my right hand your girlfriend."
Amamano's mastery of slang and sarcasm was truly top-notch.
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T/N: If you like it please vote with power stone please. More stones equals faster release.
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A/N: Thank you for reading Chapter 36!
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