belfastguzzi

Hi guys I've been occupied/preoccupied with a close family illness and then bereavement. Also, out of the blue, work has received a devastating and potentially catastrophic blow and I'm having to do a lot of re-planning and thinking about what direction to go and how... The NW200 is certainly the big one, with a week of festivities and attracting 150,000 spectators. It's a big and fast course and would be regarded as a 'must see/must do'. Accommodation should be booked early: most book it a year ahead. You'll always find somewhere at a distance if you're prepared to travel a little. The website gives accommodation options and contact numbers and the Tourist Board will be keen to help. Same goes for the ferry crossings: book early as they are bunged to the gills with bikes crossing for the races. It depends where you're coming from too. Scotland is the main crossing point, but other rotes would be via the South of Ireland ports. The other big one to consider is the Ulster Grand Prix at Dundrod, just outside Belfast, later in the summer - 7 to 13 August. It's 'the fastest road race in the world' with an important heritage. PM me again if you think you'll go to one or the other or if you need help with anything. If you do come, we must meet-up. Best David Michael Dunlop

ssssssshhhhhhhhhh! You should pm that sort of stuff. Yes.

Outside the garage http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4w0bF11RVE Riding September (with the Felice Brothers bonus) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QK3BlCvmJKY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SkuNM8U9jA

Master visionary-mechanic Shinya Kimura http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qx0WNEUm-MY Chabott Engineering soul shed http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXSF4rbtw1Y

Master visionary-mechanic Adam Cramer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdNEJAFfFLA What else have you got along these lines, folks?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dTJ25EK5ps http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FmoxvdgJGk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1jDKZUkOb4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZ2byb2nVQI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLRvxHpWduY

Is that wise? I mean, any of it? So: when are you joining Facebook?

You would, wouldn't you?

Wow, excellent, JR! Thanks again. I've gotta organise one of these, in my copious free time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVOjeE3SxG0

No. Thanks for the link JR. I was saying yesterday about building a second one, so that we could race them. So I'll be digging into that site when i get a chance.

Important update: 2HP Eco Car first trials It's next week. And next week is road trials time. The 2 hamster-power eco car first road trial was a success: Ozone Layer completely unaffected, until yer man took his shoe off. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l197NXCwV4w

Experiment concluded. I've closed the various sub-forums and just left it as a noticeboard function for N.I. meetings and events (which may or may not happen in the future). Thanks for the discussion folks, there were good points made and I have some food for further thought.

Do you know what a tea towel is?

I think that the cost of travel on a continental meeting will become more and more of a difficulty, because of the budget needed for both long road distance and ferries (4 crossings for me). Petrol here is £1.40 / €1.63 for a litre and they say that it could double soon. I suppose that ferries will also become more expensive because of fuel costs. I have already said that I can't think of a continental trip this year, especially not in September, as my daughter is getting married in September and son/daughter-in-law are expecting a baby at the same time, plus other family circumstances. However I am even wondering about the cost of a UK trip. It is not clear what is being considered for a UK V11 meet this year, though Scottish highlands have been mentioned: even the cost of that, including ferry, could be quite scary soon.

Centro Italia – bello!

I didn't expect an academic study angle – excellent! I'll be pleased to have more observations and contributions (lengthy). The question posed, is also interesting. The answer is, I guess, no. If I came back, it would be because of friendships that have been created through the forum – and I do regard a number of people here as friends – but the overall context wouldn't be relevant and I probably wouldn't want to be reminded of it or be diverted by it. The selling of the Guzzi would mean that I had moved to other priorities, so I wouldn't want to come back to the forum, as such. KB- The problem is that there is opportunity to meet – but not ample structure or even motivation to make it happen. My quest is, can the creation of some simple structure be effective in making something of the local opportunity and in creating/encouraging motivation? I agree that Facebook could be the best means of having a local noticeboard and contact point. It would have been my first choice, definitely. However the guys here aren't on Facebook and don't even use email much! A local web-board seems to me to be the best tool for communication: it is not as scary for people (old people, LOL) as having to join Facebook and while web forums still require 'membership'/sign-on in order to contribute, it is quite easy and accessible – and the forum can be set to be visible to everyone even if they don't sign-in. The only effort that they need to make is to type in or click on the web address. Well it was going to be uphill from the start and although it's only been a short experiment, outside of the main riding season when people are more active, I conclude that it's fighting a losing battle. I'll keep a cut-down board as a noticeboard for info when people start riding again – and go back to just emailing people in the hope of some small immediate response. I can't help feeling that all this is also a reflection of Guzzi not having the product to gain a new and growing customer base. The guys who are on local forums and Facebook, who are meeting-up and riding: they're not out on Guzzis.

Or take a bike?

qUesTioNs, QuEstIoNs, questIOns!.....?

We made something. We're feeding the hamsters up on Belfast Baps and sausage sodas (not American meaning of soda). Road trials next week.

The 2 Hamster Power Eco Car is coming along rightly. Will get it out for road trials next week