NW200

Bink · Post by **Bink** » Sun May 15, 2005 10:15 pm

Any of you coming over for some proper bike racing this year?

RQ, Johnny, What are the plans? We must meet up while we're up there!!
I am heading off on Friday afternoon round 15.00 or so. Staying with a mate on the Antrim Coast from where we will be going to Colerain after a big NI fry-up!!

RQ · Post by RQ » Mon May 16, 2005 2:48 pm

We'll be there all right. JW's gonna make the arrangements on mail later today after checking times 'n stuff with someone.
Must do a long range weather check.......................

Johnny Wishbone · Post by **Johnny Wishbone** » Mon May 16, 2005 5:09 pm

Yeah, looks like we'll hit the road round 7ish - we'll meet the other lads at the M50 toll bridge and spin forth from there

We'll try and park near the Metropole then - will give you a bell when we arrive!

Bink · Post by **Bink** » Tue May 17, 2005 9:21 am

Good stuff!
Was watching the Tandragee 100 last night. F... M.!
160mph on the 600cc's between the hedgerows on damp roads!! Shocking speeds, screens had holes in them from the stones flying off the rear wheel of the bike in front. Britton was in great form.

http://www.samsroadracing.co.uk/html/bi ... e_100.html

Don't forget the NW200 2004 is on tonight @ 23:00 on UTV

Max · Post by **Max** » Tue May 17, 2005 10:20 am

Stupid Question Time....

Are any of the road races in Southern Ireland ? Most seem to be in the north

Max

Bink · Post by **Bink** » Tue May 17, 2005 1:31 pm

There are some but not as many as in the north. In July there is the Skerries 100, Walderstown and the races at Kells.
Skerries is just north of Dublin.
Some great racing is to be seen here as well. Some parts of the circuit are only single lane country roads - it's awsome (in a non US way) to see 2 racers side by side flying down a road just wide enough for a car...

Here is a calender for 2005:
http://www.realroadracing.com/calendar.php

You really have to see a road race to appreciate what these guy's are doing.

cupasoop · Post by **cupasoop** » Tue May 17, 2005 1:41 pm

I stayed in NI for a month a couple of years ago and it was great. They have bike racing on the telly like we have football on ours. Fecking magic. Turned on the TV one night to see an old NW200 being shown, Foggy, the Dunlop brothers, Niall McKenzie, Ian Simpson, Trevor Nation................great stuff

Almost made up from having a suspected bomb under my hotel window

Johnny Wishbone · Post by **Johnny Wishbone** » Tue May 17, 2005 1:59 pm

Ha ha ha! Dublin's getting a little like that too Rich, especially where meself and Bink live

Max - yeah, there's about a half dozen races down South every year, there's one up around Dundalk (could be Walderstown, not sure) and another in Tipperary. Bink, isn't there another race near Skerries too?

Some of you guys should come over for the Skerries or Kells races - I'm sure we could put yis up somewhere. Have to say, I gotta agree with Bink, the road racing is amazing to go to - a totally different experience than track racing - I remember meeting Joey Dunlop at Skerries when I was small with my Dad, nice bloke.

Max · Post by **Max** » Tue May 17, 2005 3:30 pm

The only reason I ask is I live close to pembroke and fishguard so its quite easy for me to hop accross to the south. I did go across to portrush way once along time ago to watch some racing and that was quite an eye opener. Back in the dim and distant past I used to do 250 production racing and those boys on the roads made it look very tame, circuit racing just doesnt compare to mad paddies (lots of respect intended) on roads.

Johnny Wishbone · Post by **Johnny Wishbone** » Tue May 17, 2005 5:05 pm

Mad Paddy's!! ha ha ha! Sad thing is, it's not a generalisation at all!

Yeah, you should come over some time - the ferry is only 90 minutes from Holyhead and there's a few of us that can put you up in Dublin. All you need now is your giant furry guinness hat and tricolour hammer!!

Max · Post by **Max** » Tue May 17, 2005 6:20 pm

Giant furry Guiness hat now you're talking, I could see me in one of those

If I ever get it together to come over I'll let you know

droid · Post by **droid** » Tue May 17, 2005 7:59 pm

Any races in August? I was last in Dublin about 10 years ago. The liver has just about recovered. Not sure about the (remaining) brain cells though!

Bink · Post by **Bink** » Wed May 18, 2005 9:32 am

In one of my posts above you'll find a link to the race calendar. Here is Augusts schedule - Dundrod is a good race with a lot of coverage.

August 2005
Date Status Club Venue
5th Mid-Antrim "150" (Practice) Mid-Antrim Clough
6th Mid-Antrim "150" Mid-Antrim Clough
10th Dundrod "150" (Practice) Dundrod Dundrod
11th Dundrod "150" & UGP (Practice) Dundrod Dundrod
13th International Ulster Grand Prix Dundrod Dundrod
20th Manx Grand Prix - Begins .Manx MCC Isle of Man
20th National Short Circuit C/ship Coleraine Kirkistown
21st Short Circuit T.B.C. Mondello Park

Johnny Wishbone · Post by **Johnny Wishbone** » Wed May 18, 2005 11:02 am

Max, yeah, you should - it's a bit of crack at all the races - camping at any of them is a hoot, and provided you can recover the next morning for more racing you're laughing

I'd definitely be a GP fanatic, first and foremost, but there's nothing quite like sitting on a ditch about 4 feet from lads doing silly speeds on narrow roads

droid · Post by **droid** » Wed May 18, 2005 4:24 pm

Cheers Bink