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sweetpea
06-May-09, 19:39
Well I'm going for the first time this year and can't wait. Anyone got any experiences? What are the best races and attractions? I'm told it's a real party atmoshphere with lots of good music, people setting up shop, tattoo artists and the like. I can't wait..
:Razz

Kodiak
06-May-09, 19:47
I envy you as that is one thing I always wanted to do but I am sorry to say it is far too late for me now.

Enjoy yourself and bring back some good Pics and post them for all to see, we will be waiting with baited breath. :Razz

Rie
06-May-09, 19:51
Have fun!!!! god i am so jelous i want a full report when you get back!! please:(

sweetpea
06-May-09, 19:54
Yes I will take loads of pics but unfortunately I've never worked out how to post them but I will get someone to show me. I think it will be a great experience. Apparently about 20,000 bike converge on the island.

Kodiak
06-May-09, 20:05
Do not worry about how to post Photographs. I will PM you with details on how to to post Photographs.

emszxr
06-May-09, 20:16
best advice, stay in pub on mad sunday.
best time to do a curcuit of track is late at night or 6am.

Kodiak
06-May-09, 20:23
Yes I will take loads of pics but unfortunately I've never worked out how to post them but I will get someone to show me. I think it will be a great experience. Apparently about 20,000 bike converge on the island.


I have sent you a PM detailing how to post a Photograph, Have a GREAT Time. :Razz

iain
06-May-09, 20:44
Your going to get your eyes opened !!! Went for the two weeks many years ago and its a total overload.

sweetpea
06-May-09, 21:03
Thanks Kodiak. And Iain I will enjoy every moment.

Kevin Milkins
06-May-09, 22:27
It is one of the things I never got around to when I used to ride, but still on the list of things to do.

Hope you have a great trip .

jings00
06-May-09, 23:05
Fan-tas-tic :-)

Scout
07-May-09, 07:21
I have been there in 2003. The one thing you will notice is the speed of the bikes. May sound silly to say that as bike racing is all about speed. You need to see how fast they really do go by watching the bikes in the best spots. Bray Hill is the best for that. It is near the start of the race. I think they reach speeds of 160mph plus down hill. Really friendly people and lots of story's you will get from bikers.

horseman
07-May-09, 09:00
Went there many years ago sweetpea ,with the RAF, official biz like,me an mate both being fully signed up mad bikers,managed to persuade the bus driver to go the other way' down into Douglas, so that we could see the whole course! Bluddy bus broke down at the top of the mountain:lol: fab for us but but we got it in the neck from everybody else:)
Know it adds nothing to your query, but brings back a lot of very happy memories of the IOM.
Enjoy yourselves an lets see some of your pics,but I bet it will be a heck of a lot pricier now.An the ferry across was good fun to.:D

topotheuk
07-May-09, 12:15
Oh jees what memories. I lived on the Island for a year and we moved there just before the TT got underway. I have never seen so many bikes. Douglas on Mad Sunday was a sight to see - but yes it was very hairy getting there!! Bikes lined up from one end of the town to the other. Everyone really friendly. Loads o entertainment and lots and lots of drink flowing! We lived just up from Ballaugh Bridge and you can sit in the beer garden of the pub and watch the bikes coming over the bridge. That was quite good as the bridge is sort of on a corner and they need to sort of jump and turn as they are coming over. I'm not a biker, but really enjoyed the whole atmosphere. There are so many good places to go watch depending on what bits of the races you like to see - corners, jumps, straights for overtaking. It's just a case of driving round and picking your spot, although obviously when the races start you are kinda stuck in one place, unless you get to know the back roads. It was quite fun living there cos you couldn't always get to work if the roads were already closed!! So you sometimes just had to sit and watch instead of work. We were there in 1996, and there were quite a few tragedies that year. Driving round after it was all done was quite sad seeing all the flowers dotted about where there had been fatal accidents.
Have a great time and look forward to reading your stories when you return. :)

percy toboggan
07-May-09, 19:23
Well I'm going for the first time this year and can't wait. Anyone got any experiences? What are the best races and attractions? I'm told it's a real party atmoshphere with lots of good music, people setting up shop, tattoo artists and the like. I can't wait..
:Razz


We went in '94 and anyone with an interest in motor-bikes should go once. Stayed with aqn island family who had opened up their house as a b & b.

Only saw an hour or two of racing the entire week.
Twelve hour session in Bushy's with Germans were the highlight plus some lovely rides around the island, which is almost Britain in microcosm.
Mad Sunday was postponed 'til the day after and the ride around the course with half-full grandstands and crowds on the corners was brilliant.
I was desperate not to fall off. Was never a speed merchant on the bike though and some of the antics were idiotic.

Enjoy them before they get banned.

Boboowest
07-May-09, 21:24
I've been four times. You will just love it! It's the whole party atmosphere as much as the racing. One little bit of advice - Keep left and watch your mirrors. I thought I could ride a bike until I rode on the Island. It's the only place you can be undertaken when doing 120mph. Saturday is the day for the fastest racing but it depends what you prefer. I really cannot think of a bad place to watch the racing but Kirk Michael at either the Mitre pub or bank is superb. Just think what a bike would look like doing 160mph through Castletown and your almost there.

Enjoy!

Whitewater
07-May-09, 22:25
My son runs a pub/resturant in Crosby, its right on the course,you can sit in the beer garden and the the bikes pass just a couple of yards away if you have a good seat. They pass the pub at 160/170 mph. Last year the highest recorded speed on the mountain road was either 203 or 207mph, I just can't recall the correct figure. In his pub, in a glass case, is a magnificent old Norton which won around 1938. When you look at the old bike and compare it with the latest models the design changes and power developed over the years is unbelievable.
Have a great time 'sweetpea' It's a great experience even for those that are not into bikes.

beelag2000
07-May-09, 22:25
Agree with Boboowest.
If you like to party get to Douglas promenade every night, you will be highly entertained, great crack.
Everyone has got their own favourite places to watch, ones that I like are Creg-n Baa, Kirkmichael village (as Boboowest says 160 through the likes of Castletown caithness (not Castletown IoM) except that its not straight like castletown but bends to right left and right again) Ramsey Brandywell and Windy Corner up on the mountain all are good spots.
Get yourself the official programme when you come off the boat and you get all the info on practice sessions, racing, Ramsey sprint (where you can try your own bike down the timed drag for a small fee) the hilarious World Famous Purple Helmets show on their lovingly and highly tuned ??? Honda C90's at Oncan stadium and a host of other things to do and see.

Have a great time but when your riding watch both mirrors and every bit of road and verge around for with around 20000 bikes there are by the law of averages more than a few total nutters that will be overtaking, undertaking and everyway-a-taking in the most improbable and almost impossible places - but it is pure magic.