2008 Isle of Man TT Trip

[Skinny_Birdman]

Hi Touristas,

I'm planning on doing the pilgrimage to the Isle of Man this year. Flying over 21 March, staying with family in the UK and hiring a CBR600F from here (http://www.racewaysrentals.com/). We're heading over mid week, which I think means we'll miss Mad Sunday, which is a mixed blessing.

After the TT my missus and I will be touring around Ireland and Scotland for the rest of June, and taking in the British MotoGP at Donington on about the 22nd.

If any other KB'ers are heading over (or live over there), and want to do some :scooter: or some :drinkup: at any point, let us know eh!

Cheers
A

[Skinny_Birdman]

PS Apologies if someone else has started a similar thread for this year's TT, I did a cursory search and couldn't find one.

A

[gsp0702]

Enjoy, it's a laugh, lots of great places to watch so move around and try different places on different days (difficult to move when racings on) places I have watched from and enjoyed include Signpost corner, the Creg, Kirk Michael, favourite is Ballig Bridge very fast, only a thin wire fence between you and the bikes, and the first bike goes past will get th ehairs on the back of your neck standing up.

Mad Sunday no where near as bad as it used to be since they made the mountain section one way (originally just Mad Sunday but last year the entire fortnight)

Enjoy yourself and go along to the pits on the day the Riders are all there for autographs and have apint of Bushy's .

[steveb64]

Hi Touristas,

I'm planning on doing the pilgrimage to the Isle of Man this year. Flying over 21 March, staying with family in the UK and hiring a CBR600F from here (http://www.racewaysrentals.com/). We're heading over mid week, which I think means we'll miss Mad Sunday, which is a mixed blessing.

After the TT my missus and I will be touring around Ireland and Scotland for the rest of June, and taking in the British MotoGP at Donington on about the 22nd.

If any other KB'ers are heading over (or live over there), and want to do some :scooter: or some :drinkup: at any point, let us know eh!

Cheers
A

Have you booked your accommodation? Or are you planning to live in a tent while there? If you're looking for accom. - you may be a bit late... Most people book for next year while AT the TT!
Shame you're only gonna be there for the last 1/2 week - I was there for practice week AND race week back in '96 - what a buzz!
Can't comment on Ireland roads - but Scotland was a blast! Very similar roads to NZ - but more fun bits, like severe dips and sudden crests! 3 areas to check out - the Lakes district, Hadrians wall, and the road down past Balmoral castle! :woohoo::2thumbsup

Have fun you lucky bastit! ;)

[Skinny_Birdman]

Have you booked your accommodation? Or are you planning to live in a tent while there? If you're looking for accom. - you may be a bit late... Most people book for next year while AT the TT!


Yup, accomodation (under canvas :cold:) and ferry booked about October last year.


Can't comment on Ireland roads - but Scotland was a blast! Very similar roads to NZ - but more fun bits, like severe dips and sudden crests! 3 areas to check out - the Lakes district, Hadrians wall, and the road down past Balmoral castle! :woohoo::2thumbsup

Cheers, will have to check those out.

[Mort]

what a great trip....I've done Scotland and reland and the TT in 98..... Awesome all of it.

you lucky lucky bastard. enjoy it.

[Skinny_Birdman]

Well, I picked up my bike on Saturday, and had the unpleaant experience of riding on London's North Circular immediately prior to a major football match at Wembley. Yesterday we popped over to Duxford to see the Imperial War Museum - the most amazing collection of historic civil and military aircraft. Here is a tiny sample:

1. Airworthy Boeing B17, one of the aircraft used in the filming of Memphis Belle.
2. Lockheed U2 Spyplane, a significant piece of Cold War history.
3. Fairchild A10 Warthog.
4. Lockheed SR71A Blackbird - Had to have a picture of that.
5. Supermarine Vickers Spitfire VB - One of 8 airworthy examples at the museum.

Other highlights included the giant Short Sunderland flying boat and the even gianter B52, which was so huge I couldn't get a decent picture of it. I am stoked to have had a chance to see it.

Two days and we're off to the TT. I can't wait.

Cheers
A

[Zuki Bandit]

You like thing you. Good on ya!

[Blackbird]

Duxford is just the best eh? My dad ran the wind tunnel testing programme for TSR-2. One at Duxford and one at Hendon - the only ones in existence.

[Shaun]

Enjoy your time there. You may come accross John HEPBURN whilst there

[Swoop]

Duxford is just the best eh? My dad ran the wind tunnel testing programme for TSR-2. One at Duxford and one at Hendon - the only ones in existence.
Interesting BBD!! Did your Dad talk about that job or have any photo's?
TSR2 was simply unbelieveable and ahead of it's time. Stupid morons who executed that project...:mad:
The second aircraft is at Cosford, not Hendon though. Luckily some brave people disobeyed orders and hid them to avoid the destruction order.

[Blackbird]

Interesting BBD!! Did your Dad talk about that job or have any photo's?
TSR2 was simply unbelieveable and ahead of it's time. Stupid morons who executed that project...:mad:
The second aircraft is at Cosford, not Hendon though. Luckily some brave people disobeyed orders and hid them to avoid the destruction order.

He did talk a bit about it. It was certainly ahead of its time but he said at the time of the irrevocable scrapping (jigs and other engineering support systems etc), it still had 2 serious problems. One with the terrain-following radar and another with landing gear hydraulics. I have a photo of the one at Duxford taken in the 80's when I was last there. That particular TSR 2 came from Cranfield which was my old university. They had an interesting collection at Cranfield, including a Messerschmitt Komet WW2 rocket fighter. Thanks for the update about Cosford. I was pretty sure it was at Hendon in the 80's.

By the way, there's a book by Roland Beaumont about his test pilot days and it contains lots of TSR2 photos and all his pilot notes on it. Sadly, I no longer have it.

Cheers

Geoff

[Swoop]

Thanks for the update about Cosford. I was pretty sure it was at Hendon in the 80's.

By the way, there's a book by Roland Beaumont about his test pilot days and it contains lots of TSR2 photos and all his pilot notes on it. Sadly, I no longer have it.
I have RB's book in my library at home! An excellent read and his comments really were positive on the plane. When you think about the development time of modern aircraft (10 years for both V-22 and F-22) the 18 months or so spent getting the bugs out of TSR was nothing in comparison.
I was at Duxford in '88 and took piccies of TSR2 there. Looking a bit tired and needing work.

Linky. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BAC_TSR-2)

The project was not simply cancelled, it was murdered by the politicians. Scrapping of the jigs, etc...
Youtube has some great footage which I had not seen before.
There was a strong rumour that India had bought all existing plans and was preparing to do a production run. With new engines and avionics she would still be one of the best even against more modern competition.

[Skinny_Birdman]

Interesting stuff guys! Swoop, you will be somewhat happier to know that the TSR-2 is now inside, and looks to be at least partially restored. Alas, I don't appear to have taken a piccy of it... I'm not very good on the photo-tourism thing. Loved the pictures of the TSR doing short take offs. Amazing.
The english sunshine is pouring down outside, so it promises to be a wet trip to Heysham for the ferry tomorrow.:cold:

Cheers
A

[Skinny_Birdman]

I return!! The TT was the most amazing experience ever. I rode over with T & J, my sister and brother-in-law, who have a Blackbird not unlike my own, and my hire bike was an '06 CBR600F4i.
We slabbed it up the motorway from Bedfordshire to Heysham, and the ferry to the TT. Motorway riding is boring, so british traffic and weather made things interesting with rain and traffic jams. Lots of lane splitting with panniers on in driving rain is not my idea of a good time, but it kept the adrenaline flowing.
My first taste of the TT circuit was also in the wet, but fortunately the weather improved as the days wore on. As well as few hot trips over the mountain we got to check out the historic sights of the the island, and got to see kiwi legend Bruce Anstey take second to team mate aussie Cameron Donald in the Superbike TT, and after dropping out of the Superstock TT due to illness, score a victory and the lap record in the Supersport TT. Mad Sunday morning was spent at the Ramsey Sprint, and unfortunately the Mountain was closed due to bad weather in the afternoon, so no madness for us... but we got four good runs on earlier days. The weather on the way back today was rotten, good old british weather. Cue piccys:

1. Peel Castle, originally built by the Vikings in the 11th century.
2. Ballaugh Bridge. Race bikes (and occasionally passers by...) get serious air time here.
3. The view north from the Point of Ayre, the most northern point on the island.
4. View from Maughold Point, the easternmost point on the island.
5. The Relentless TAS Suzuki pits, and one of Buce Anstey's bikes. Go Kiwi!!
6. Bruce Anstey being led by Cameron Donald in the Superbike TT, the order in which they finished.

[Skinny_Birdman]

As well as the practice sessions and racing, and the semi-responsible action on the course during the day, the island put on an amazing show, including some awesome stunt riders and a jet powered quad (with the engine from a Westland Sea King fited with an afterburner - successfully toasted the front row on blindingly fast runs up and down the arena).
We watched practices from Ballaugh Bridge, the Sulby Straight (the fastest straight on the course, where sidecars appeared to be coming straight at us at 150 odd MPH), and Bray Hill. We wached the racing from Braddan Bridge and Kirk Michael.
And now the editorialising: Firstly, hats off to the people of the Isle of Man for putting on a great show at considerable inconvienience to them, and with generally very good grace towards to the hoards of visiting bikers. And even bigger hats off for not gouging the tourists. Apart from reports of overly foamey beer, and the ridiculously expensive ferry tickets, the Manx didn't seem over keen to take our tourist ££s. Campsites were cheap, food was inexpensive and on the whole, really good. Even the TT merchandise was cheap (£7.95 or about $20NZ for a T-shirt!). Some tourist attractions in kiwi-land could try this approach...
Second, how good is Bruce Anstey? I hope he's getting the exposure he deserves back home, he even features on the official T shirt.
Thirdly, go the IoM police! Speed traps through the towns and on the largeer part of the course, to protect the safety and quality of life of the locals and spectators, but a generally relaxed attitude to all but the most numbskulled behaviour over the mountain. And importing German motorcycle police for the event - a significant incentive for good behaviour, if ever there was one. I take all of this back if there is a letter from them waiting for me at the rental company tomorrow.
And finally, one thing I choose to take away from the event, or from the spectacle of the British motorcycling scene as it was presented at the TT, is pride in NZ motorcycling. A large proportion of the British bikers present seemed to be more concerned with having the most bling bike and gear, and desperately trying to get your knee down, and less about just riding the damn bike. So many times we were passed on the mountain by riders on flashy sprots bikes (we chose to stick to a steady but a wee bit naughty 100mph, even past the Manx Cops - a pleasingly pragmatic as I say)who would then slow right down and hang off the bike to try and drag a knee, and who would end up holding us up through the corners:argh:, on our 'boring' sports tourers and in our 'plain' corduras. While I realise that this happens in Unzud, it doesn't happen nearly so frequently, and (certainly amongst the riders I meet) the focus of the kiwi riding scene is less on being a peacock and more on being a biker. And we have Bruce Anstey as well! Obviously this is only based on what I saw at the TT, and I'm sure there are plenty of Brits out there who will be happy to argue the point[/rant].
More piccys:
1. 954 Fireblade. Run what you brung at the Ramsey Sprint: I missed mad Sunday for this? (Best time for the 1/8 mile while we were there was about 6.1 sec from a Turbo Hayabusa, with Harley Destroyers close behind. Harley Destroyers don't destroy Harleys, which I call false advertising).:innocent:
2. Bruce Anstey screams through Kirk Michael on his way to victory in the Supersport TT.
3. Caught in the act! Your scribe doing a wee launch off Ballaugh Bridge on Mad Sunday. I couldn't help myself (officer).

Tomorrow I will ride into London to meet my partner, and we will head off to the Emerald Island on Thursday.

Cheers
A

[Juan]

Damm you should of PM'd me... been somwhat busy with beer!!! hope you enjoyed our little island:sunny:

[FkNAmerican]

Thanx for the write up and the pics!!

The TT is def. one of those "before you die" things to see. Sadly, here in the 'States its not nearly as well known as it should be. Me and a buddy who is also an avid fan of the race are gonna go together one day. Can't waite.

[mjvduc]

http://www.duc-forum.de/thread.php?threadid=14076&page=1

some more pic's:yes:

mjvduc

[munterk6]

Awesome pics and write up matey, cheers!:2guns:

[helenoftroy]

Hey there Alex - great write up so far.Know the rest of the trip will be just as awesome.

Casualty has been enjoying using your place as a 'singles Pad" nah just joking(well this mum hopes its a joke...:nono:)

The Blackbirds going just fine,oopps sorry shes looking fine:devil2:......bikes are all good and most of the potplants are alive......

We had snow!You are so lucky you were'nt here.Have fun guys

[fireliv]

Hey Alex!!

Looking good! Enjoy the tour look forward to seeing/hearing more when you get back! Phoenix and I are totally jealous!

[Skinny_Birdman]

Thanks for all your kind comments folks.

We have now returned from the tour proper and are back in our base in Bedfordshire, England. The vital statistics of the trip were:
Bikes: Alex -'06 Honda CBR600F6i. Daniela - '06 Suzuki GS500F Sports
Duration: 28 days, including 3 rest days, and several more of less than 100 miles.
Distance covered: approximately 3600 miles (about 5750 km)
I think you will agree that this is a serious acheivement for a learner (D that is)!

I'm not going to blather on too much about the trip, I'll just outline the route and post some piccys:
Day 1: London to Sandy - D picks up GS500, and immediately is forced to come to grips with London traffic.
Day 2: Sandy to Chester - Slabbin' down the motorways :yawn:
Day 3: D's alarm remote battery flat :weep: This happened 3 more times on the trip. :weep: :weep: Chester through North Wales to Holyhead (awesome roads and incredible scenery, should have spent more than half a day here). Ferry to Dublin.
Day 4: Rest day checking out Dublin.
Day 5: Dublin to Wexford via Glen Dallough - Amazing ancient ruins, and a fun ride through the Vale of Clare.
Day 6: Wexford to Cobh via Dunmore East - A beautiful sunny beach, scorching hot.
Day 7: Rest day at Fota wildlife preserve and Cobh - final port of call for the ill-fated RMS Titanic.

1: Chester Cathedral
2: Relaxing Dublin Castle and Gardens
3: Selskar Abbey, Wexford
4: D soaking up the sun at Dunmore East
5: Humboldt Penguins looking rather hot at Fota.
6: Cobh Cathedral towers over the small town.

More pictures and story later.

[Skinny_Birdman]

Day 8: Cobh to Kenmare, including Moll's Gap (postcard type scenery, indescribable) and the Ring of Kerry - very pretty but spoiled by shitty roads, which were very uncomfortable on hard sprung bikes - a number of out-of seat moments for both of us.

Day 9: Kenmare to Tralee and the Dingle Peninsula - stunning scenery and very ancient ruins. Blaskett sound was just gorgeous.

Day 10: Tralee to Galway via the Tarbet-Kilimer ferry over the Shannon. Along hard ride, made more difficult by the foolish decision to go horse riding mid day. Horse riding hurts my bike riding muscles. Thieving Irish govt charge €8 per bike to park at Cliffs of Mohr. They can whistle for it.

Day 11: Galway to Derry (Northern Ireland)via Sligo and Enniskillen. The road from Sligo to Enniskillen is the best bikers road on the trip so far. Fast and sweeping. I Meet the first Irishman so far who appears to be speaking a foreign language. (eg taling about an 'Arish Marn Datactor' (Irish mine detector - he was telling a joke)), and meet a man who professes to being a member of the IRA. I suspect that the real IRA doesn't advertise.

Day 12: Derry to Bushmills via Malin Head, the Lough Foyle Ferry and the Giants Causeway. More gorgeous scenery, and a brief trip back onto the apallingly bumpy roads of the Irish Republic. Have these people not heard of compaction equipment? D complains that Giant's Causeway looks 'too man made'. Methinks she misses the point.

Day 13: Bushmills to Belfast via Moneymore - Ancestral home of my family. Checked the C of I graveyard for members, without success. I guess if you could afford a gravestone you probably wouldn't emigrate to NZ. Belfast cashing in on it's Titanic heritage (the ship was built there). Went to check out 'Titanic Quarter' shown in all guide books. Found no evidence of said attraction, until we found a sign announcing that Titanic Quarter wll be completed in 2012. We decide not to wait.

Day 14: Ferry from Belfast to Stranraer, thence to Stirling via Wanlockhead (the highest village in Scotland, and not even in the Highlands) and to Brig O' Turk in the Trossachs. Our first wet day. Chiz chiz, but at least there was a suweet B & B at Brig O' Turk.

1: Portmagee, on the Ring of Kerry
2: D is surprised by the camera in the Ring of Kerry
3: Blaskett Sound. Stunning!
4: Horsing around on the West Coast of Ireland.
5: More amazing scenery, outside Sligo.
6: The Giant's Causeway.

The second half of our trip will follow at a later stage, I am being offered wine. :drinkup:
Cheers
A

[Skinny_Birdman]

Day 15: Brig O' Turk to Edinburgh via Loch Katrine, the Wallace Monument, and the Falkirk Wheel. You really have to see the wheel to believe it.

Day 16: Rest Day - Edinburgh. Checked out the town, including the camera obscura, which was well wicked.

Day 17: Edinburgh to York via Jedburgh. A fun road across the North York Moors, with lots of rolling hills. Spent a glorious summer evening exploring the beautiful walled city of York.

Day 18: Checked out the National Railway Museum, then York to Bedfordshire via A1. Our accomodation in Leicester fell through, so we decided to come all the way back, do some washing and lighten our bags.


Day 19: Bedfordshire to Nottingham via the British Motorcycle Grand Prix at Donnington. My brother-in-law and sister joined us here for the remainder of the trip. The least exciting MotoGP race all year, but at least the minor classes were exciting. The English were talking up Mr Toseland's chances, so they were a bit disappointed to see him come off in the first corner. Good on him for getting back on and finishing the race though.

Day 20: Nottingham to Windermere. Spent the day hanging around in the Lakes District. It really is lovely, but the roads were clogged with (other) tourist traffic.

Day 21: Windermere to Haltwhistle via Carlisle. An incredible trip over the rugged back roads. The GS started leaking oil over the rear wheel, which freaked D out, and was not a good look when riding in narrow lanes lined with rock walls. The AA man fixed the issue, which turned out to be a poorly seated oil filter gasket. Went and had a look at Hadrian's Wall in the evening.

1. Wallace National Monument, Stirling, Scotland.
2. The mighty Falkirk Wheel. A masterpiece of engineering, but why??
3. In the Infinity Hall of the Camera Obscura, Edinburgh. Trippy!
4. York Minster. A magnificent building which dominates this lovely city.
5. The team at Dunlop Bridge, Donington Park. SB behind the camera.
6. Neccessity is the mother of invention. The skody B & B at Fort William had only a single radiant heater, so we stacked all the furniture and our luggage up to build a drying rack. A later version also included most of the crockery in the room...

[Skinny_Birdman]

Day 22: Haltwhistle to Fort William via Glen Coe. More amazing scottish countryside, viewed through more driving scottish rain. B & B in Fort William the worst of the trip.

Day 23: Fort Wiliam to Portree, Isle of Skye, via Kyle of Lochalsh. More nice scenery and more rain. From the worst accomodation to the best.

Day 24: Day touring the Isle of Skye. Climbed the Old Man of Storr, saw whales in the strait between Skye and Raasay.

Day 25: Skye to Carlisle via the Armidale Ferry, Fort William and Glen Coe. A better trip weather wise, but in heavy traffic.

Day 26: Carlisle to Bedfordshire on Motorway. Slabbin'. Yawn.

Day 27: Day in Cambridge. Loved the town, especially the Scot Polar Museum and King's College.

Day 28: Dropped the GS back in London. Phew.

Since then I have been pottering around on my own, and have been to see Stonehenge and a few other sites of interest.

This trip was the experience of a lifetime, and we couldn't have done it without the support of my brother-in-law and sister, and the blessing of my employers. Thanks also to Casualty and Helen of Troy for logistical support and minding our house and D's plants while we were gone. If you are thinking of touring to the UK, I can recommend Raceways Rentals (although I would suggest a thorough inspection of the bike before leaving - as well as the oil leak, the GS' brake pads wore through to the metal about day 20..:(.). Feel free to PM we for more info.

1. I escape a major traffic jam at Loch Lomond (albeit in the wrong direction).
2. A scenic bridge on the 'Road to the Isles'.
3. Climbing to the Old Man of Storr. It appears that 5 weeksof rising a bike every day doesn't do much for my hill climbing ability...
4. D & I two up on the long suffering GS.
5. D & I on the Road from the Isles. Taken from the back of the Blackbird whilst moving, hence the angle.
6. D tries her hand at punting on the Cam. Not as easy as it looks, but she took to it with vigour. A Cam Bridge (Cambridge :laugh:) in the background).

Cheers

A

[Swoop]

1: Chester Cathedral
Chester is a nice weee town! I don't suppose you made it to the zoo? World renown for not having any fences... It worked well until the first blast of cold weather when the water-filled moats, froze over!:oi-grr:

2. The mighty Falkirk Wheel. A masterpiece of engineering, but why??The obvious height difference in the canal systems...?
Opened by the Queen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falkirk_Wheel)- after the vandals had attacked it though.

I spent a few weeks on the canal system, some years ago. A pleasant way to see the country!

[Skinny_Birdman]

The obvious height difference in the canal systems...?


Well obviously! But it seems like a pretty Rolls Royce engineering solution for what appears to be primarily recreational use...:rolleyes: