Nurburgring 2017
Discussion
Its been playing on my mind for the last couple months and I've decided to get myself down there and get a few laps round there
Its more for the experience but if anyone has done this in the last year I would like any advise, tips etc
Did you drive there and put the bike in the van? Its 400 miles for me which could be done on the bike but I'll have a square supercorsa after! Anyone stay over local to the circuit and if so where? Any tips appreciated
Its more for the experience but if anyone has done this in the last year I would like any advise, tips etc
Did you drive there and put the bike in the van? Its 400 miles for me which could be done on the bike but I'll have a square supercorsa after! Anyone stay over local to the circuit and if so where? Any tips appreciated
I've not been but a mate was taking his lotus and a mates 964 went towards the circuit. got there and was a load of sheds in the car park and it was closed as one of the sheds had to be removed from the barriers. They did no go on as it looked like bumper car racing.
So in light of this I would be careful when you go. and this was in June. So pick your dates carefully
So in light of this I would be careful when you go. and this was in June. So pick your dates carefully
I used to go a lot (around 15 years ago) and I have a lot of laps under my belt (hundreds, 99% on bikes) plus I've had circuit-specific tuition there on a closed track.
I fear you've missed the boat. I wouldn't ride a bike round there again now on a TF (public) day; in fact I probably wouldn't drive a car round there now either.
Probably the best advice I can offer if you're committed to doing it is:
1. Speak to Neil Leigh of AE Aventures and ask him whether he will be running english-language groups on any of the Motorrad days, and whether you can get a place (you'll get tuition and a closed circuit, it'll be 2-3 days and well north of £1000 though).
2. See whether there are any TDOs running bike-only days. I don't know whether they do.
3. If you can only go on a public session, look for one of the midweek evening sessions, usually 1700 - 2000 in the summer. There will still be VERY fast cars there (and bikes) who will come out of nowhere and over/undertake you when you think you have the sector to yourself, but they will at least in the main be locals who know the track and know what they are doing, so they risk is slightly diminished.
If you go on an open weekend, I can guarantee you that (a) you won't get anywhere near the car parks, (b) the place will be full of Brits determined to beat Clarkson's mythical 9 minutes, and (c) several of those will stuff their cars trying, resulting in often-lengthy full closure of the track. During those closures, the aforementioned champion drivers get very frustrated, which means that when they go back out, they try even harder to make the lap time, because they need to do it before heading back for the ferry, and guess what happens then?
On top of all that, it used to be about €5 a lap, I think it's more like €25 now?
And finally, despite all the people on here who will quote legal caveats to the contrary, you almost certainly won't be insured. Your insurer may well pay out against a 3rd party, but will pursue you for the full cost. Remember also that of you damage the track or track furniture (Armco etc), you WILL be billed for it. I've seen (physically set eyes on) horrendous bills for thousands of euros for a small low-speed slide into the Armco. You can get cover per day but last time a mate checked (maybe 12-15 years ago) it was around £150 per day, and I expect that's gone up considerably given the points I made above about Brits vs 9 minutes.
Apologies for the doom & gloom but that's how it is, certainly IMO.
Enjoy!
I fear you've missed the boat. I wouldn't ride a bike round there again now on a TF (public) day; in fact I probably wouldn't drive a car round there now either.
Probably the best advice I can offer if you're committed to doing it is:
1. Speak to Neil Leigh of AE Aventures and ask him whether he will be running english-language groups on any of the Motorrad days, and whether you can get a place (you'll get tuition and a closed circuit, it'll be 2-3 days and well north of £1000 though).
2. See whether there are any TDOs running bike-only days. I don't know whether they do.
3. If you can only go on a public session, look for one of the midweek evening sessions, usually 1700 - 2000 in the summer. There will still be VERY fast cars there (and bikes) who will come out of nowhere and over/undertake you when you think you have the sector to yourself, but they will at least in the main be locals who know the track and know what they are doing, so they risk is slightly diminished.
If you go on an open weekend, I can guarantee you that (a) you won't get anywhere near the car parks, (b) the place will be full of Brits determined to beat Clarkson's mythical 9 minutes, and (c) several of those will stuff their cars trying, resulting in often-lengthy full closure of the track. During those closures, the aforementioned champion drivers get very frustrated, which means that when they go back out, they try even harder to make the lap time, because they need to do it before heading back for the ferry, and guess what happens then?
On top of all that, it used to be about €5 a lap, I think it's more like €25 now?
And finally, despite all the people on here who will quote legal caveats to the contrary, you almost certainly won't be insured. Your insurer may well pay out against a 3rd party, but will pursue you for the full cost. Remember also that of you damage the track or track furniture (Armco etc), you WILL be billed for it. I've seen (physically set eyes on) horrendous bills for thousands of euros for a small low-speed slide into the Armco. You can get cover per day but last time a mate checked (maybe 12-15 years ago) it was around £150 per day, and I expect that's gone up considerably given the points I made above about Brits vs 9 minutes.
Apologies for the doom & gloom but that's how it is, certainly IMO.
Enjoy!
CAPP0 said:
I used to go a lot (around 15 years ago) and I have a lot of laps under my belt (hundreds, 99% on bikes) plus I've had circuit-specific tuition there on a closed track.
I fear you've missed the boat. I wouldn't ride a bike round there again now on a TF (public) day; in fact I probably wouldn't drive a car round there now either.
Probably the best advice I can offer if you're committed to doing it is:
1. Speak to Neil Leigh of AE Aventures and ask him whether he will be running english-language groups on any of the Motorrad days, and whether you can get a place (you'll get tuition and a closed circuit, it'll be 2-3 days and well north of £1000 though).
2. See whether there are any TDOs running bike-only days. I don't know whether they do.
3. If you can only go on a public session, look for one of the midweek evening sessions, usually 1700 - 2000 in the summer. There will still be VERY fast cars there (and bikes) who will come out of nowhere and over/undertake you when you think you have the sector to yourself, but they will at least in the main be locals who know the track and know what they are doing, so they risk is slightly diminished.
If you go on an open weekend, I can guarantee you that (a) you won't get anywhere near the car parks, (b) the place will be full of Brits determined to beat Clarkson's mythical 9 minutes, and (c) several of those will stuff their cars trying, resulting in often-lengthy full closure of the track. During those closures, the aforementioned champion drivers get very frustrated, which means that when they go back out, they try even harder to make the lap time, because they need to do it before heading back for the ferry, and guess what happens then?
On top of all that, it used to be about €5 a lap, I think it's more like €25 now?
And finally, despite all the people on here who will quote legal caveats to the contrary, you almost certainly won't be insured. Your insurer may well pay out against a 3rd party, but will pursue you for the full cost. Remember also that of you damage the track or track furniture (Armco etc), you WILL be billed for it. I've seen (physically set eyes on) horrendous bills for thousands of euros for a small low-speed slide into the Armco. You can get cover per day but last time a mate checked (maybe 12-15 years ago) it was around £150 per day, and I expect that's gone up considerably given the points I made above about Brits vs 9 minutes.
Apologies for the doom & gloom but that's how it is, certainly IMO.
Enjoy!
I couldn't agree more with the above post, in fact I'd say this was a "gospel post" for anyone with any sense of self preservation wanting to go to the Nurburgring on a bike.I fear you've missed the boat. I wouldn't ride a bike round there again now on a TF (public) day; in fact I probably wouldn't drive a car round there now either.
Probably the best advice I can offer if you're committed to doing it is:
1. Speak to Neil Leigh of AE Aventures and ask him whether he will be running english-language groups on any of the Motorrad days, and whether you can get a place (you'll get tuition and a closed circuit, it'll be 2-3 days and well north of £1000 though).
2. See whether there are any TDOs running bike-only days. I don't know whether they do.
3. If you can only go on a public session, look for one of the midweek evening sessions, usually 1700 - 2000 in the summer. There will still be VERY fast cars there (and bikes) who will come out of nowhere and over/undertake you when you think you have the sector to yourself, but they will at least in the main be locals who know the track and know what they are doing, so they risk is slightly diminished.
If you go on an open weekend, I can guarantee you that (a) you won't get anywhere near the car parks, (b) the place will be full of Brits determined to beat Clarkson's mythical 9 minutes, and (c) several of those will stuff their cars trying, resulting in often-lengthy full closure of the track. During those closures, the aforementioned champion drivers get very frustrated, which means that when they go back out, they try even harder to make the lap time, because they need to do it before heading back for the ferry, and guess what happens then?
On top of all that, it used to be about €5 a lap, I think it's more like €25 now?
And finally, despite all the people on here who will quote legal caveats to the contrary, you almost certainly won't be insured. Your insurer may well pay out against a 3rd party, but will pursue you for the full cost. Remember also that of you damage the track or track furniture (Armco etc), you WILL be billed for it. I've seen (physically set eyes on) horrendous bills for thousands of euros for a small low-speed slide into the Armco. You can get cover per day but last time a mate checked (maybe 12-15 years ago) it was around £150 per day, and I expect that's gone up considerably given the points I made above about Brits vs 9 minutes.
Apologies for the doom & gloom but that's how it is, certainly IMO.
Enjoy!
Biker's Nemesis said:
CAPP0 said:
I used to go a lot (around 15 years ago) and I have a lot of laps under my belt (hundreds, 99% on bikes) plus I've had circuit-specific tuition there on a closed track.
I fear you've missed the boat. I wouldn't ride a bike round there again now on a TF (public) day; in fact I probably wouldn't drive a car round there now either.
Probably the best advice I can offer if you're committed to doing it is:
1. Speak to Neil Leigh of AE Aventures and ask him whether he will be running english-language groups on any of the Motorrad days, and whether you can get a place (you'll get tuition and a closed circuit, it'll be 2-3 days and well north of £1000 though).
2. See whether there are any TDOs running bike-only days. I don't know whether they do.
3. If you can only go on a public session, look for one of the midweek evening sessions, usually 1700 - 2000 in the summer. There will still be VERY fast cars there (and bikes) who will come out of nowhere and over/undertake you when you think you have the sector to yourself, but they will at least in the main be locals who know the track and know what they are doing, so they risk is slightly diminished.
If you go on an open weekend, I can guarantee you that (a) you won't get anywhere near the car parks, (b) the place will be full of Brits determined to beat Clarkson's mythical 9 minutes, and (c) several of those will stuff their cars trying, resulting in often-lengthy full closure of the track. During those closures, the aforementioned champion drivers get very frustrated, which means that when they go back out, they try even harder to make the lap time, because they need to do it before heading back for the ferry, and guess what happens then?
On top of all that, it used to be about €5 a lap, I think it's more like €25 now?
And finally, despite all the people on here who will quote legal caveats to the contrary, you almost certainly won't be insured. Your insurer may well pay out against a 3rd party, but will pursue you for the full cost. Remember also that of you damage the track or track furniture (Armco etc), you WILL be billed for it. I've seen (physically set eyes on) horrendous bills for thousands of euros for a small low-speed slide into the Armco. You can get cover per day but last time a mate checked (maybe 12-15 years ago) it was around £150 per day, and I expect that's gone up considerably given the points I made above about Brits vs 9 minutes.
Apologies for the doom & gloom but that's how it is, certainly IMO.
Enjoy!
I couldn't agree more with the above post, in fact I'd say this was a "gospel post" for anyone with any sense of self preservation wanting to go to the Nurburgring on a bike.I fear you've missed the boat. I wouldn't ride a bike round there again now on a TF (public) day; in fact I probably wouldn't drive a car round there now either.
Probably the best advice I can offer if you're committed to doing it is:
1. Speak to Neil Leigh of AE Aventures and ask him whether he will be running english-language groups on any of the Motorrad days, and whether you can get a place (you'll get tuition and a closed circuit, it'll be 2-3 days and well north of £1000 though).
2. See whether there are any TDOs running bike-only days. I don't know whether they do.
3. If you can only go on a public session, look for one of the midweek evening sessions, usually 1700 - 2000 in the summer. There will still be VERY fast cars there (and bikes) who will come out of nowhere and over/undertake you when you think you have the sector to yourself, but they will at least in the main be locals who know the track and know what they are doing, so they risk is slightly diminished.
If you go on an open weekend, I can guarantee you that (a) you won't get anywhere near the car parks, (b) the place will be full of Brits determined to beat Clarkson's mythical 9 minutes, and (c) several of those will stuff their cars trying, resulting in often-lengthy full closure of the track. During those closures, the aforementioned champion drivers get very frustrated, which means that when they go back out, they try even harder to make the lap time, because they need to do it before heading back for the ferry, and guess what happens then?
On top of all that, it used to be about €5 a lap, I think it's more like €25 now?
And finally, despite all the people on here who will quote legal caveats to the contrary, you almost certainly won't be insured. Your insurer may well pay out against a 3rd party, but will pursue you for the full cost. Remember also that of you damage the track or track furniture (Armco etc), you WILL be billed for it. I've seen (physically set eyes on) horrendous bills for thousands of euros for a small low-speed slide into the Armco. You can get cover per day but last time a mate checked (maybe 12-15 years ago) it was around £150 per day, and I expect that's gone up considerably given the points I made above about Brits vs 9 minutes.
Apologies for the doom & gloom but that's how it is, certainly IMO.
Enjoy!
I've had the same said with isle of man tt though and I went last summer and loved it so now Im in two minds
Agree with CAPPO and BN but I wouldn't be put off altogether.
I went a couple of years ago; we rode over on (I think) a Friday, watched VLN on the Saturday, did a few bike laps and a few laps in a Rent4Ring Suzuki Swift on the Sunday, then rode home on the Monday.
It wasn't too busy and wasn't full of idiots but...we did go in April.
I think if you time it right it can be fine but you're obviously going to be taking a bit more of a risk weather-wise.
As mentioned, you'll likely be getting buzzed by all sorts, from older, scabby looking Golfs and BMs to 911s and R8s, all giving far less room than would be comfortable on the road but I never once felt at risk (beyond the obvious) and loved every minute of it.
We're thinking of doing it again this year actually and I think we'll probably aim for mid-week in May some time.
I went a couple of years ago; we rode over on (I think) a Friday, watched VLN on the Saturday, did a few bike laps and a few laps in a Rent4Ring Suzuki Swift on the Sunday, then rode home on the Monday.
It wasn't too busy and wasn't full of idiots but...we did go in April.
I think if you time it right it can be fine but you're obviously going to be taking a bit more of a risk weather-wise.
As mentioned, you'll likely be getting buzzed by all sorts, from older, scabby looking Golfs and BMs to 911s and R8s, all giving far less room than would be comfortable on the road but I never once felt at risk (beyond the obvious) and loved every minute of it.
We're thinking of doing it again this year actually and I think we'll probably aim for mid-week in May some time.
Done it, 5 years ago last .....would think very very carefully about doing it again now, for all the reasons stated above.
I think you can do better ( for kicks) elsewhere with far less inherent risk of conact / drama / costs nowadays .
Great to visit to see the sights / sounds etc. and the roads in the near vicinity are fantastic, but not so sure riding round there is worth it any more .
But, if you do, take care and enjoy
I think you can do better ( for kicks) elsewhere with far less inherent risk of conact / drama / costs nowadays .
Great to visit to see the sights / sounds etc. and the roads in the near vicinity are fantastic, but not so sure riding round there is worth it any more .
But, if you do, take care and enjoy
I think you'll find Armco costs are not that stratospheric in the main, particularly for a bike. Quoting from nurburgring.org :
Cost of crashing on the Nurburgring
These include Armco repairs, safety car attendance, vehicle recovery, track closure, hospital stays and helicopter fees. I recommend avoiding these. If you can't, then the following price-list may help:
Base fee for attendance of armco truck: €150
Removing damaged armco: €10/metre (x2 or x3 or x4 for multiple-height sections)
Replacement armco: €31/metre (x2 or x3 for double/triple height)
Removing damaged armco posts: €5.10 each
Replacing armco post: €39 each
Safety car attendance: €82 per 30 mins (car + 2 people)
Circuit closure: €1,350 per hour
Recovery truck: €500 (inc VAT)
Hospital stay & air ambulance: Let's just say, do NOT go there without travel insurance! (Though a European Health Card - which replaced the E111 - may cover the hospital bit.)
Everything except the recovery truck is then subject to 19% VAT.
The record armco bill I'm aware of is €15,000. That was a car that managed to flatten a very impressive length of armco between the Quiddlebacher Hohe bridge and the crest on the approach to Flugplatz. But even a minor bump can turn into a surprisingly expensive day out.
Credited: http://nurburgring.org.uk/prices.php
Cost of crashing on the Nurburgring
These include Armco repairs, safety car attendance, vehicle recovery, track closure, hospital stays and helicopter fees. I recommend avoiding these. If you can't, then the following price-list may help:
Base fee for attendance of armco truck: €150
Removing damaged armco: €10/metre (x2 or x3 or x4 for multiple-height sections)
Replacement armco: €31/metre (x2 or x3 for double/triple height)
Removing damaged armco posts: €5.10 each
Replacing armco post: €39 each
Safety car attendance: €82 per 30 mins (car + 2 people)
Circuit closure: €1,350 per hour
Recovery truck: €500 (inc VAT)
Hospital stay & air ambulance: Let's just say, do NOT go there without travel insurance! (Though a European Health Card - which replaced the E111 - may cover the hospital bit.)
Everything except the recovery truck is then subject to 19% VAT.
The record armco bill I'm aware of is €15,000. That was a car that managed to flatten a very impressive length of armco between the Quiddlebacher Hohe bridge and the crest on the approach to Flugplatz. But even a minor bump can turn into a surprisingly expensive day out.
Credited: http://nurburgring.org.uk/prices.php
http://www.motorradonline.de/actionteam/motorrad-p...
Contact details:
http://www.motorradonline.de/actionteam/sixcms/det...
I would do this if I were you.
Contact details:
http://www.motorradonline.de/actionteam/sixcms/det...
I would do this if I were you.
NAS said:
http://www.motorradonline.de/actionteam/motorrad-p...
Contact details:
http://www.motorradonline.de/actionteam/sixcms/det...
I would do this if I were you.
That's what I was on about above. In the morning they section the track off and you get given a section which you can ride, ride the wrong way, walk, run, basically do what you like.Contact details:
http://www.motorradonline.de/actionteam/sixcms/det...
I would do this if I were you.
In the afternoon it's open lapping sessions.
However, almost all the groups (except 1 or 2) are German-speaking, so unless you're fluent you won't know where you need to be and when, hence why you need to speak to Neil. He is one of the few Englishmen who is an authorised Nordschleife instructor and who Motorrad will (usually but not always) allow to run a group. Max group size is about 8-10 so you need to get in quick.
Neil's website is http://www.aeaventures.com .
I haven't been for a good few years but agree with all the points raised above although would expand on the "fast locals" statement.
Regardless what bike you're riding and how good a rider you think you are, your first few (quite a lot!!!) laps will involve a large number of locals in "normal" cars coming past you like you were standing still. This can be extremely unnerving, especially if it happens just as you are about to drop it into a corner that you already feel you may be approaching a little too quickly!!! It really doesn’t make it any fun at all.
When I was there on an R1 (about 2002) for my first half dozen laps I was passed a number of times by 10+ year old Golfs, Astras etc. which were all traveling considerably faster than me.
Regardless what bike you're riding and how good a rider you think you are, your first few (quite a lot!!!) laps will involve a large number of locals in "normal" cars coming past you like you were standing still. This can be extremely unnerving, especially if it happens just as you are about to drop it into a corner that you already feel you may be approaching a little too quickly!!! It really doesn’t make it any fun at all.
When I was there on an R1 (about 2002) for my first half dozen laps I was passed a number of times by 10+ year old Golfs, Astras etc. which were all traveling considerably faster than me.
CAPP0 said:
NAS said:
http://www.motorradonline.de/actionteam/motorrad-p...
Contact details:
http://www.motorradonline.de/actionteam/sixcms/det...
I would do this if I were you.
That's what I was on about above. In the morning they section the track off and you get given a section which you can ride, ride the wrong way, walk, run, basically do what you like.Contact details:
http://www.motorradonline.de/actionteam/sixcms/det...
I would do this if I were you.
In the afternoon it's open lapping sessions.
However, almost all the groups (except 1 or 2) are German-speaking, so unless you're fluent you won't know where you need to be and when, hence why you need to speak to Neil. He is one of the few Englishmen who is an authorised Nordschleife instructor and who Motorrad will (usually but not always) allow to run a group. Max group size is about 8-10 so you need to get in quick.
Neil's website is http://www.aeaventures.com .
It was more a case of get there, make sure certain things are done and checked then go out and ride a few laps at the 25 euro a lap
But going by some of whats been said I think for my own safety it maybe better I skip this one and just appreciate Nurburgring for what it with a few good YouTube videos
Biker's Nemesis said:
CAPP0 said:
I used to go a lot (around 15 years ago) and I have a lot of laps under my belt (hundreds, 99% on bikes) plus I've had circuit-specific tuition there on a closed track.
I fear you've missed the boat. I wouldn't ride a bike round there again now on a TF (public) day; in fact I probably wouldn't drive a car round there now either.
Probably the best advice I can offer if you're committed to doing it is:
1. Speak to Neil Leigh of AE Aventures and ask him whether he will be running english-language groups on any of the Motorrad days, and whether you can get a place (you'll get tuition and a closed circuit, it'll be 2-3 days and well north of £1000 though).
2. See whether there are any TDOs running bike-only days. I don't know whether they do.
3. If you can only go on a public session, look for one of the midweek evening sessions, usually 1700 - 2000 in the summer. There will still be VERY fast cars there (and bikes) who will come out of nowhere and over/undertake you when you think you have the sector to yourself, but they will at least in the main be locals who know the track and know what they are doing, so they risk is slightly diminished.
If you go on an open weekend, I can guarantee you that (a) you won't get anywhere near the car parks, (b) the place will be full of Brits determined to beat Clarkson's mythical 9 minutes, and (c) several of those will stuff their cars trying, resulting in often-lengthy full closure of the track. During those closures, the aforementioned champion drivers get very frustrated, which means that when they go back out, they try even harder to make the lap time, because they need to do it before heading back for the ferry, and guess what happens then?
On top of all that, it used to be about €5 a lap, I think it's more like €25 now?
And finally, despite all the people on here who will quote legal caveats to the contrary, you almost certainly won't be insured. Your insurer may well pay out against a 3rd party, but will pursue you for the full cost. Remember also that of you damage the track or track furniture (Armco etc), you WILL be billed for it. I've seen (physically set eyes on) horrendous bills for thousands of euros for a small low-speed slide into the Armco. You can get cover per day but last time a mate checked (maybe 12-15 years ago) it was around £150 per day, and I expect that's gone up considerably given the points I made above about Brits vs 9 minutes.
Apologies for the doom & gloom but that's how it is, certainly IMO.
Enjoy!
I couldn't agree more with the above post, in fact I'd say this was a "gospel post" for anyone with any sense of self preservation wanting to go to the Nurburgring on a bike.I fear you've missed the boat. I wouldn't ride a bike round there again now on a TF (public) day; in fact I probably wouldn't drive a car round there now either.
Probably the best advice I can offer if you're committed to doing it is:
1. Speak to Neil Leigh of AE Aventures and ask him whether he will be running english-language groups on any of the Motorrad days, and whether you can get a place (you'll get tuition and a closed circuit, it'll be 2-3 days and well north of £1000 though).
2. See whether there are any TDOs running bike-only days. I don't know whether they do.
3. If you can only go on a public session, look for one of the midweek evening sessions, usually 1700 - 2000 in the summer. There will still be VERY fast cars there (and bikes) who will come out of nowhere and over/undertake you when you think you have the sector to yourself, but they will at least in the main be locals who know the track and know what they are doing, so they risk is slightly diminished.
If you go on an open weekend, I can guarantee you that (a) you won't get anywhere near the car parks, (b) the place will be full of Brits determined to beat Clarkson's mythical 9 minutes, and (c) several of those will stuff their cars trying, resulting in often-lengthy full closure of the track. During those closures, the aforementioned champion drivers get very frustrated, which means that when they go back out, they try even harder to make the lap time, because they need to do it before heading back for the ferry, and guess what happens then?
On top of all that, it used to be about €5 a lap, I think it's more like €25 now?
And finally, despite all the people on here who will quote legal caveats to the contrary, you almost certainly won't be insured. Your insurer may well pay out against a 3rd party, but will pursue you for the full cost. Remember also that of you damage the track or track furniture (Armco etc), you WILL be billed for it. I've seen (physically set eyes on) horrendous bills for thousands of euros for a small low-speed slide into the Armco. You can get cover per day but last time a mate checked (maybe 12-15 years ago) it was around £150 per day, and I expect that's gone up considerably given the points I made above about Brits vs 9 minutes.
Apologies for the doom & gloom but that's how it is, certainly IMO.
Enjoy!
I used to go a couple of times a year, but don't bother now. Although I am going to be passing there soon with my bike in the van so I might stump up for a few sessions on the GP circuit if I can get on there.
I've been going many many years, hundreds of laps under my belt but 4 wheels only, never been tempted to do any bike laps, yip lots of my bike mates do, I don't know any who've not crashed tho, only 2 died tho.
It's tame as anything vs racing in TT etc, but then I'm far too soft for that either.
Personally I hate the car & bike mix in Tf not ideally compatible machines to be on track at same time such different strengths & weakness & I've had too many close calls from dimwit bikers & seen a couple of punch ups in car park from on track issues too.
If you want to do it go for it, ride sensibly & I'd say get a good few Laps in a car 1st.
It's tame as anything vs racing in TT etc, but then I'm far too soft for that either.
Personally I hate the car & bike mix in Tf not ideally compatible machines to be on track at same time such different strengths & weakness & I've had too many close calls from dimwit bikers & seen a couple of punch ups in car park from on track issues too.
If you want to do it go for it, ride sensibly & I'd say get a good few Laps in a car 1st.
I go every year. I usually avoid the track if they've used it for a 24h job or similar the previous day and prefer early as poss on a Sunday before it all gets a bit mental. Early in the morning reduces risk of coolant spillages etc too.
I always stay at Sliders in Dollendorf and we usually have a great night out at the Comfy Corner in Adenau on the Saturday night. Brendan Keirle owns Sliders (in spite of several years' worth of threats to retire) and is ex Formula 3 (or Formula Ford or Formula 3000, I can never remember which) and used to test bikes for a German bike mag. He's also held the bike lap record for the 'ring so he's got a story or two.
I've had a few people pass me quite close but apart from that nothing really scary. The local roads esp the B258 are epic.
Hope that's helpful
I always stay at Sliders in Dollendorf and we usually have a great night out at the Comfy Corner in Adenau on the Saturday night. Brendan Keirle owns Sliders (in spite of several years' worth of threats to retire) and is ex Formula 3 (or Formula Ford or Formula 3000, I can never remember which) and used to test bikes for a German bike mag. He's also held the bike lap record for the 'ring so he's got a story or two.
I've had a few people pass me quite close but apart from that nothing really scary. The local roads esp the B258 are epic.
Hope that's helpful
iguana said:
I've been going many many years, hundreds of laps under my belt but 4 wheels only, never been tempted to do any bike laps, yip lots of my bike mates do, I don't know any who've not crashed tho, only 2 died tho.
It's tame as anything vs racing in TT etc, but then I'm far too soft for that either.
Personally I hate the car & bike mix in Tf not ideally compatible machines to be on track at same time such different strengths & weakness & I've had too many close calls from dimwit bikers & seen a couple of punch ups in car park from on track issues too.
If you want to do it go for it, ride sensibly & I'd say get a good few Laps in a car 1st.
The pax laps in a car advice is good. I held a season ticket from 1999-2007 and used to go out 7-8 times a year. I haven't ridden it on a bike since 2000 (for the reasons given already). The "cost" aspect is secondary to the current risk of serious injury given the way the circuit is used and the current users on Touristenfahren (TF) (public) days.It's tame as anything vs racing in TT etc, but then I'm far too soft for that either.
Personally I hate the car & bike mix in Tf not ideally compatible machines to be on track at same time such different strengths & weakness & I've had too many close calls from dimwit bikers & seen a couple of punch ups in car park from on track issues too.
If you want to do it go for it, ride sensibly & I'd say get a good few Laps in a car 1st.
This is my favourite 'Ring bike compilation, mainly for this one corner that catches so many people out, plus fairly innocuous crashes and some nice wheelies.
Pay special attention at 11:30 and 11:51
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcwto39ZUTo
Pay special attention at 11:30 and 11:51
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcwto39ZUTo
308mate said:
This is my favourite 'Ring bike compilation, mainly for this one corner that catches so many people out, plus fairly innocuous crashes and some nice wheelies.
Pay special attention at 11:30 and 11:51
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcwto39ZUTo
Good watch that, has put me off the ring! And the scooby at 11:51. Jesus. Pay special attention at 11:30 and 11:51
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcwto39ZUTo
obscene said:
308mate said:
This is my favourite 'Ring bike compilation, mainly for this one corner that catches so many people out, plus fairly innocuous crashes and some nice wheelies.
Pay special attention at 11:30 and 11:51
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcwto39ZUTo
Good watch that, has put me off the ring! And the scooby at 11:51. Jesus. Pay special attention at 11:30 and 11:51
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcwto39ZUTo
That video says it all - check out 14'4"
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