| Author | Message | ||
     Davegess |
One of my favorite TT stories involves a cocky americanby the name of Dwight Mitchell, a very charming and likable fellow who is a pretty good rider but has more confidence than abilty; and he does have a fair bit of ability. Anyhow he arrives for his first TT a few years ago and the cab drops him at the joint he has rented for the three weeks he will be there. This place is at the top of Bray Hill which Dwight thought would be a cool place to stay. When got out of the cab he simply stood and looked down the hill in disbelief finally commenting that it actually looked kinda scary. The host returned the comment that "if Bray Hill doesn't scare you than you have no business racing here." The place is awesome and certainly the scariest racing I have ever watched. It is easy to see why none of the top notch fellows who have grown up a circuits will race there, almost to a man the fast guys grew up racing in Irish road races in places far more dangerous than the TT course. I don't think that over the last 20 years it is much more dangerous per mile raced than Daytona but it looks far worse. (Remember a TT consists of about 7 Daytona 200's in a week with far more entries than Daytona.) God I would love to join you crazies there but I don't think I swing it. The cheap way to go would be to arrange rooms that sleep 5-6 people, some of the private hotels have rooms like that, they are not the nicest only being used for TT week but usuually cheap. Mzny also have private dining and drinking facilities which means you can stay up to all hours instead of hitting the streets whn the pubs close at midnight. Than you use your man on the ground to convince the local Yamaha dealer to sell you very well used, 250cc bikes, that he will buy back if they are not distroyed at the end of the week. You would also need bike insurance which would be costly but you could avoid ferry reservations and simply walk on the ferry of your choice in Liverpool. The second bit is pure fantasy but for those who don't mind others snoring the first bit will work. I know fellows who do it every year. | ||
| Rex |
so....... -Flight cost from the US to England, right? $____ -Ferry cost to and from.....$270 -Hotel...$60 per night..x 8 nights..$480 -Meals...$ 8 x 3 per day, x 8 days.. $192 -Bike rental? -Incidentals? -What else? | ||
| Blake |
For what class would my '97 Cyclone qualify? | ||
| Rex |
So Blake, thinking of going? It would be cool if we could get 45-50 US Buell riders there, all in a group, huh? Homecoming away from home...maybe even brag could be a part of it, if we were able to get that many people there........who knows..rex | ||
| Blake |
I'd love to go. I'm just a huge cheapskate. I'm thinking hard about it. If Rocket will let me ride his S1 there it would sweeten the pot, save me from having to bring my Cyclone. ![: ]](http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/clipart/proud.gif) | ||
| Road_thing |
Strong "maybe" here... | ||
| Davegess |
For what class would my '97 Cyclone qualify? Don't think a Buell could qualify. Maybe with an RR fairing. The place is unbelievably FAST. The production 600 winner averaged over 119 mph which I think is faster than Daytona. | ||
| Davegess |
I'd love to go. I'm just a huge cheapskate. I'm thinking hard about it Blake it is worth every penny. I would do this trip in a heartbeat if I could come up with the cash BUT things are tight and will be for the next year. 4 days of great racing, thousands of cool bikes to look at, (how many Heskeiths have you seen? they had an owner's group meeting with several bikes the year I was there. I got passed on the road by a Vincent Black Shadow for God's sake), purely wonderful roads to ride on, many of them are virtually empty and it is darn near impossible to get a speeding ticket. It is simply the most fun I have had on a bike trip ever. A beautiful place with lovely mountin glens, ancient ruins, antique steam and electric trains running all over the island, horse drawn trams running around the Douglas harbor. My first day there, standing outside the pub watching the procession of bikes, cars, trams and people marching past the harbor, we hear an amazingly loud two stroke coming. What rips by but a full blown racing sidecar heading back from practice. Riding down the wrong side of the road, the oncoming traffic just parts to let him through like this sort of thing happens every day and during TT fortnight it does! GO edited by davegess on April 01, 2004 | ||
| Rocketman |
I think I've deeply upset some people who might wish to be going. My presence wouldn't be fair on them. Blake I have no problem with that but there is one condition........bend it you bought it - £10000. Agreed? Rocket | ||
| Rocketman |
Dave you're right about the Irish, but then there was Dave Jeffries. A rather lardy built Yorkshireman from Shipley who just happened to be the fastest man around the TT course ever. Tragically killed in practice last year, Dave was on target for a 130mph lap on his GSXR1000. Rocket | ||
| Davegess |
Rocket, I was horrified by his death. It was unpreventalble appartnetly although I never heard the actuakl details. Guy just ahead of him blew and engine and David hit the oil and crashed in a very nasty spot I recall. Very sad. Je was certainly one of the brave ones and not the first Jeffries to be fast at the TT either. Wasn't his dad a TT racer and perhas his brother. Also you need to go, these blokes will need protection from the Okells  | ||
| Rocketman |
You are on the ball Dave. Tony, his dad, was a racer of some standing. The Jeffries are well into motorcycles. I believe it is Dave's uncle, Alan Jefferies, that has run a very large BMW dealership in West Yorkshire for many years. When I passed by sometime ago, they had one of the Boxer Cup racers in the window. Dave's death was pretty much as you described it. He was doing around 165mph when he came off. His bike hit a telegraph pole and snapped it in two. Debris was described by many who saw as looking like a war zone. Quickly afterward Jim Moodie approaching riding the TT600 Triumph got caught up in the wires from the fallen telegraph pole. The wire cut around his neck pretty bad as pictures showed in MCN. I met Dave once, very briefly whilst I was out riding one day, and I saw him race at Cadwell Park in 2001 on the V&M R1. He was great to watch and he was a big bloke for a bike racer which made his talent all the more special given his weight handicap. Man I wish I could have seen Dave at the TT. We know a man that did though. Steve P. The Metcalf brothers, who were Dave's race mechanics for the past 7 or 8 years, live close by me. One of them has Dave's helmet from that fateful day as a shrine to his memory. Seems everyone loved him. Very sad. Rocket | ||
| Paulinoz |
You must be phsyco or is it Physic Sean I just got of this site not 10 min ago http://www.bmwbikes.co.uk/ | ||
| Rocketman |
Ah, Alan was DJ's grandfather. Thanks for that link Paul. From Alan Jeffries BMW website.... David became the first man to achieve the 125,126 and 127 mph lap speed at the Isle of Man TT circuit and the only man ever to win three TT’s in three consecutive years.  The Rocket | ||
| Davegess |
Great shot, coming out of Kirkmicheal and doing 150mph. Notice the rear tire, barely touching the road, many of the 600's are fully in the air here at about 140. As soon as the front end comes down its hard on the brakes, down two gears and turn right. The boys set up for this turn they can't see by sighting on a telphone pole. I learned about the Jeffries clan from a huge TT fan Erik Buell. | ||
| Blake |
If we can get a Buell entered, I'm there. £10000 for a clapped out chrome dipped Buell??? Dude! You do LOVE that bike doncha! Okay, let me ride the Duc then, I ain't picky, any V-Twin will do. Besides, I've not bent a bike in five years now. I think I'm over that. You kin trust me. How much is a week's worth of insurance?  | ||
| Rex |
Blake and folks...any rough overall costs of the trip? ball park to think about? would really love to see the isle of mann races, the people, bikes, etc....REX | ||
| Vr1203 |
WOW,I'll have to think about it.I'd say you'd need $3500 to $4000, for two people,staying comfortable,and being gone for a week+. edited by vr1203 on April 02, 2004 | ||
| Court |
Paul: Get someone to work up a "pro forma" imaginary trip from the US. Airfare = $ Trip operator = $ Lodging = $ Incidentals = $ /day Meals = $ Let's get a "ball park" price together to allow folks to start playing "what if". You and I will talk soon....when I quit working 20 hr/da the 22nd. Court | ||
| Bomber |
Rocket -- I'm about 50/50 on the trip, but would be hugely disappointed if you weren't there . . . I try to make a habit of not speaking for others, but in this case, if they'd be upset at your presence, F*CK EM Blake, RE: your comment on bending bikes . . . . .careful, brother, can you say hubris? Sure, I knew you could (gri) | ||
| Rex |
court, cool for trying to work up a rough cost sheet.....4000 for two, 2000 for one....between now and then I might be able to save up that...Keep me updated...would really love to buell around the isle of mann with the buell community....rex | ||
| Blake |
Rocket, Your neighbors asked us to help get you the hell out of town for a while. Bomber, Yep. Thus the inquiry into the insurance. | ||
| Davegess |
Rex figure $3500 bucks with out air farefor you and a bike. The companion can ride on back for $1500. You might get $30-40 off a day by renting an under 500cc bike. | ||
| Davegess |
Just checking airfares, I coudl fly direct to the Isle of Man for $1000. Now if I can just talk someone into lending me a bike while I am there I am all set. I wonder if the tour guy could rent bikes and ship them all over to Douglas in a container? we would have less total days of everything that way and might save a bit. | ||
| Davegess |
Blake what we need to do is stuff a VR (not a vrod)motor into an XB frame with an RR body. Than talk the organizers into letting us run the F1 race. Than we would be in the hunt. | ||
| Vr1203 |
Daveg, Found the motor, but not the rest.  http://www.hi-speedmotorcycles.com/page3.html it could probably use a turbo  ....so it looks like around $6000+ plus $600 Air F. ,for two on one bike. | ||
| Davegess |
VR you are on the ball. Now all we need is the chassis and rider.  | ||
| Court |
Yeah...well our rider is still in recovery. | ||
| Davegess |
By next May he should be god to go. Think we could convince thw powers that he is going to leading a BRAG group ride since this is not on a race track. Dave | ||
| Rocketman |
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