Attending The North West 200

[Orson]

I'm guessing it's near impossible to find lodgings at this late a date.

 

Is this THE Irish road race to attend if you only have one opportunity?

[Baldini]

Hi Orson. Try a pm to Belfast Guzzi, he may be able to point you in the right direction.

[Orson]

Hi Orson. Try a pm to Belfast Guzzi, he may be able to point you in the right direction.

Thanks

 

already sent but, still no reply

[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

 

 

 

John McGuinness and Keith Amor – from the Honda TT Legends team – will race at this year’s Ulster Grand Prix, set to take place from 10-13 August 2011.

 

Dubbed ‘the world’s fastest road race’, riders at the Ulster Grand Prix regularly exceed 130mph as an average lap speed around the 7.4mile circuit, with the fastest lap recorded at 133.997mph. Both McGuinness and Amor will be aiming at this benchmark as they put the legendary Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade through its paces around the roads of Dundrod, situated just west of Belfast in Northern Ireland.

 

The Honda TT Legends is a newly formed team, assembled for an assault on the 2011 FIM Endurance World Championship and to contest selected road races, including the Ulster Grand Prix and Isle of Man TT. Both McGuinness and Amor were also set to race the North West 200 but a date clash with the Albacete round of the Endurance World Championship has precluded this.

 

The full Honda TT Legends team comprises of McGuinness, Amor and Steve Plater, who recently announced that he has retired from road racing to concentrate solely on the Endurance World Championship.

 

John McGuinness, Honda TT Legends

“I am really excited about the Ulster Grand Prix this year and going there with this team. It’s one of the fastest and most technical races out there. I didn’t make it to the Ulster this year due to other commitments but I am keen to get back there and give it a go. I have won there before and I would like to rack up a few more victories at the Dundrod circuit.”

 

Keith Amor, Honda TT Legends

“The Ulster Grand Prix was one of the first road-racing events I took part in and because of that it is pretty special for me and always means a lot to go well there. There is no better team than the Honda team, and to go there under the banner of ‘Honda TT Legends’, with John as my team mate is a really good feeling. I’m sure Steve (Plater) will be watching from the sidelines as well.”

 

Neil Tuxworth, Team Manager, Honda TT Legends

“With the new Honda TT Legends programme, it is now possible for us to participate in great historical road-races such as the Ulster Grand Prix. Previously other commitments have made it difficult for Honda’s official team to attend this event but now we have the resources for this to be possible and want to go there and for our TT Legends team to do well.”

 

Michael Dunlop

[Orson]

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...

I'm sorry to hear about the bad news

 

I'll get in touch if my plans come together

 

Thanks for your reply

[Orson]

Well, I'm committed now!

 

Secured a fast ferry crossing from Troon to Larne at 10:00 AM Friday May 20.

 

Got the last room at an inn in Portrush.

 

Return Larne to Troon at 1700 hours on Monday May 23 so, that leaves me 2 days to explore Northern Ireland.

 

I don't have a hotel booked for Sunday night so, I welcome any recommendations on where to stay within reach of the 1700 ferry from Larne.

 

Re: viewing areas. Do you think I should stick to watching the race in Portrush or can I move about via the backroads?

[belfastguzzi]

I think for NW200, get a good spot and stay there: partly because there are so many people at the event. It would be possible to move elsewhere if the place you are turns out to not be great. I haven't actually been for a long, long time. I'll ask to get more knowledgable advice. At the Ulster Grand Prix I would move around a bit and there, like other road circuits, you can get around the back roads easily enough.

 

Sunday accommodation location isn't critical as you'll be able to get to Larne easily enough from wherever you go. So it depends what part of the country you want to see. You'll go up the North Antrim Coast Road, from the ferry to Portrush. I recommend the Torr Head detour for spectacular sights if the weather is good, but that's personal: others don't like the small, turning, up and down, hill-side/sea coast hugging road. Depending on time, there are also good loops off the Coast Road, up into the Glens and back again.

 

From Portrush you could into Donegal to see some fine scenery. You could come back by Fermanagh lakeland (Lough Erne etc) stopping on Sunday night and then over to Larne on Monday.

 

Or don't go to Donegal and go by the lakes and back over east to South Down and Strangford Lough.

You could stay at the house in Portaferry where I had the first Ulster meet-up a couple of years ago. Others have stayed there just for a night on their way through. However there are plenty of B&Bs etc.

 

There are pics here, probably in the Travel Forum and Meetings Events forum, of Strangford area and Inishowen-Donegal.

Also some photos and notes on www.belfastguzzi.com

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVhs3RnUWDg&feature=related

 

You're welcome to stay at my place just outside Belfast. I'll see if I can get time off over those days. At the moment I'm committed to something on the Monday that I may not be able to change.

Keep in touch.

[belfastguzzi]

First advice:

Paddock Stand 2, thats where we are heading..

You're in the pits, toilets food all at hand, a seat and you get to see the start and the finish lines and also watch the whole race on the big screen...

Sorted!

Decided to get some stand tickets at the pits a couple of years ago, and can honestly say it was a great days entertainment

 

So it could make sense to get a ticket

 

http://www.northwest200.org/grandstands.aspx

 

[Orson]

From Portrush you could into Donegal to see some fine scenery. You could come back by Fermanagh lakeland (Lough Erne etc) stopping on Sunday night and then over to Larne on Monday.

 

Or don't go to Donegal and go by the lakes and back over east to South Down and Strangford Lough.

You could stay at the house in Portaferry where I had the first Ulster meet-up a couple of years ago.

Thanks!

 

I'll hafta try to find those places on a map

[belfastguzzi]

From Portrush you could into Donegal to see some fine scenery. You could come back by Fermanagh lakeland (Lough Erne etc) stopping on Sunday night and then over to Larne on Monday.

 

Or don't go to Donegal and go by the lakes and back over east to South Down and Strangford Lough.

You could stay at the house in Portaferry where I had the first Ulster meet-up a couple of years ago.

Thanks!

 

I'll hafta try to find those places on a map

 

the NW200 website has touristy links to info on the various areas

[belfastguzzi]

More opinions

 

>> Paddock 2 G/stand

 

>> parking is easy from the the 3 main car parks (free) in Portstewart 20/30 min walk.

 

 

>> Best place to park bike High rd beside The York pub, leave when you want. Imo the sea side grandstand is best (Start line)

Have watched the Nw from every vantage point over far too many years and find this is the best. You could park at Station Corner inside the course – from there you can get to a number of places around the course

 

 

>> if you park the bike within the course you're stuck there for the day basically. Moving around the outside of the course can be difficult too given the shear numbers of people and parking etc. Best to park somewhere on the outside and walk to different points during the races. Or pick a good spot and stay put all day.

 

 

>> Used to park in Portrush and then walk the coast road during the day. Turn around at pits and head back. Juniper is good. Also metropole. Think they charge for sitting on the railway bank - which is a joke. But often for the last couple of races you can just mozzy in.

 

 

>> i went to the new chicane at Mather's last year on the Thursday day practise and back again on the Saturday and it was an excellent day, there is a chip van and toilets within 50 yds plus you can use the back roads to move about if you want, and i made it back to Ballymoney in about 15 mins after the racing

 

 

>> Metropole is good

 

>> I went to Metropole for Practice Days last year and the Embankment across from Metropole on race day all of which were good. Easy parking, toilets and food/drink close by, what more do u need?

[belfastguzzi]

As you are staying in Portrush, Metropole must be at the start of the list. It's always a favourite.

 

 

 

Metropole Corner and Church Corner

On race day Metropole embankment really looks spectacular with over 3000 race fans lining the outside of the track all watching the fast left hand sweeper on the approach to Church Corner. Access is not limited but get there early as many spectators make an annual pilgrimage.

 

Church Corner is a tight right hand bend using only half the normal road width and viewing on the left hand side approach is excellent, although our advice is to get there early and book your spot.

Access is from Portrush or the coastal path but once you're at Church it's virtually an all-day Iock in.

[Orson]

Thanks!

 

The Railway Arch isn't on the map <_>

 

Is that close to Portrush and...is it a favorite viewing area as the guide says?

[belfastguzzi]

Thanks!

 

The Railway Arch isn't on the map <_>

 

Is that close to Portrush and...is it a favorite viewing area as the guide says?

A post that I found at random, with some more advice: http://www.iomtt.com/Home/Forum/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=139274

 

The Railway Arch, yes, that would be a favourite... I'm sure that I've posted a photo or two (from the web) of that spot on here before. I'll see if I can find one.

 

Meantime, have a look at this ride round and at 2:08 you can see the bridge and compare it to the locations shown on the map: Church Corner and Black Hill.

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

 

And this one, racing, at 4:15

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKc7epht9iQ&feature=related

[belfastguzzi]

Also, enjoy these:

 

2010 preview

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHokMFt47K0&feature=youtu.be

 

and review

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLJinAiM-BE&feature=related