"Road Riders" BBC I player

[Timbox2]

Found this by accident , fascinating glimpse into the Irish Road racing scene. Looks like its on BBC NI, 2nd episode next weds night

[HockleyBoy]

Will have a look for that later, the Mrs is out so I can watch it without the "Not more motorbikes" comment followed by a roll of the eyes 

[Chris Canning]

Just watched it!! With the ferry booked in May and a house rented in Bushmills for the NW200 don't ask about the logic it just is what it is an addiction.

Always wanted to go to the Cookstown 100 and just never had enough time.

[Geoff W]

Went to Cookstown 100 about 5 years ago, it is much more relaxed and low key, than the NW200, certainly for the spectators. The roads are so narrow in places that I am sure that is anything like that for the riders. You can wander around the paddock and look at the older bikes parked up against bushes awaiting the classic races. Lovely area and a great grassy bank to sit on and watch the action.

One local farmer totally hates the whole thing and has been known to spray slurry around the course, so watch out, we were going to take a short cut across one of his fields to get to another viewing point. One of the stewards told us not to under any circumstances, we would probably be shot at, he was not joking either.
Well worth a trip to go there.

[Moorso]

I'd actually recommend the Ulster Grand Prix ahead of the NW200. The Ulster Grand Prix is more relaxed (again you can wander round the paddock and chat to most of the riders), but it is also the world's fastest road race (average speed of mid 130mph and 200mph in places). You can (literally) stand 2 feet from the bikes too (I have some video I shot last year literally 2 feet away from them on the inside of a corner....phenomenal).

The smaller meetings are also preferable for me (Tandragee 100, Cookstown 100, Skerries, etc). Although in recent years at the smaller meetings (The NW 200, Ulster Grand Prix and Isle of Man TT would be the 'big three' international meetings), there have been some horrific tales of local farmers doing things to the roads prior to races - which is why the course inspections on the morning of the races is now so crucial.

The NW200 has, in my opinion, become too commercial for its own good, the only reason most riders and teams go in the way they do is that it serves as a warm up for the Isle of Man TT.

The provisional road race calander for Ireland and TT is here:
April 21-22 – Tandragee 100
April 28-29 – Cookstown 100
May 9-13 – North West 200
May 27-June 9 – Isle of Man TT
June 17-18 – Kells
June 24-25 – Cock 'o the North, Scarborough
June 30-July 1 – Skerries 100
July 8-9 – Walderstown
July 10-13 – Southern 100
July 22-23 – Faugheen 50
July 28-29 – Armoy
August 9-12 – Ulster Grand Prix
August 19-September 1 – Classic TT & Manx Grand Prix
September 9-10 – Killalane
September 23-24 – Gold Cup, Scarborough

[Chris Canning]

In fairness to the NW it's more than just a motorcycle race just like the TT is.