Honda-SOHC
Other Stuff => Misc / Open => Topic started by: royhall on August 14, 2023, 06:18:02 PM
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Anyone going to the Manx GP this year, or is it only me stupid enough. They have changed the format again this year to feature a mere 5 races all week. It's expensive to get and stay there, works out at about £200 a race. There is practice and qually as well so at least something to watch. Weather looks a bit shit as well.
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After my fiasco last year, I won't be going this year. It's a great atmosphere but as you say, blinking expensive!
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After my fiasco last year, I won't be going this year. It's a great atmosphere but as you say, blinking expensive!
What happened last year Matt. I didn't make it in 2022 (first time in over 20 years) as the guy I go with had cancer so we had to cancel at the last minute.
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Roy, I went on my Guzzi T4 and that broke down only to be usurped by my mates R100RT that was terminal. Mine was a fuelling issue that was eventually sorted in time for the return journey! (We pushed the RT to the ferry terminal....)
PS Used to live in Cleveleys many moons ago!
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Now that sounds like a proper disaster. So far I haven't had to push onto the ship but last time we hit a freak wave and about 20 bikes went over, mine of course was one of them. New tank on a CB1300 at £1148. Steam Packet paid up for that one.
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We still enjoyed ourselves but it wasn't quite the same experience !!
Are they sailing the new boat now?
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Yes, Manxman starts sailing on the 17th and we go on the 19th the day before the event starts. For some reason Ben My Chree is still doing the night crossing.
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I will also be going over.
I see they are begging for Marshalls already. I think there will be
a marked reduction in numbers after the IoM gov made such a mess of the event as of last year. 5 races likely yo be shortened or cancelled due to weather. With no time to reschedule..
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I think there's moves afoot to end the Manx GP by making it so unpopular that they can say as nobody is coming anymore why carry on. The rich people that have moved to IOM have been trying for years to get rid of the bikes, it's like moving to a rural village then complaining about the church bells on a Sunday morning. Bunch of selfish pillock's.
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Similar things happen up here on the outer islands. People moving up here then complaining about travel disruptions in the winter time. HELLO!!! 😡
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I sincerely hope the Manx doesn't finish. With the amount the hotels charge and the increase in the cost of a ferry crossomg, I can't see businesses being all too happy with that sort of decision!!
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Same with Railway Stations (in every part of London - and every big City/ Town). Years ago NOBODY wanted to live next to a Railway Station, Sidings or Depot.........for the simple reason of the frequent noise of Maintenance works taking place at night.
Over the years things changed as many Sidings & Depots became superfluous as the big Depots became the hub of Train Maintenance and the 'local' facilities were sold off (I also found the same when I worked for Railtrack Major Stations in the 90's).
Once the new Apartments/ Flats/ Houses were occupied, we received a string of daft complaints about our noise levels ! Although our responses were polite, they usually centred on the fact that the Railway had been there for 150 years and there wasn't much point in expecting us to move them now.
My Daughter lives around the corner from the Royal Lytham St Annes Golf Club........which is going to host the British Womens Open in 2026.....I'll suggest that she rents out her house for that fortnight to the Golf Pro's and stay with us.....she can buy the beer during her stay......a win win if ever I saw one !
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Jeremy Vine had a couple of locals from the IOM on his show about a year ago following the reintroduction of the TT after Covid. One of these people was a guy who owned a pub in Douglas, the other was a female Banker/Investment type person. The guy couldn't wait for the TT to take place because his trade shot up during late May and June and again during the GP. Without the TT/GP he said he would go bust as people don't drink anymore and as a result of the number of homes in IOM that are holiday lets/second homes etc. The Banker on the other hand said the TT/GP was not wanted by the majority as banking/investment funds/holiday lets/second homes etc are now the prime income of the IOM. She said the locals no longer want noisy racers and the 'type of people' the event attracts.
I have been to the TT three times, the last time I went it rained every single day with the races being cut short, starting two or three hours late (when we were already in our viewing place getting even wetter and colder) or being cancelled. The then wife said never, ever again and that was that, we went abroad to the sun from then on.
The IOM has always been a really expensive holiday. It is really difficult to book a boat that is nothing more than a very second hand rough old tug of a ferry and when you do find one (normally the 2am sailing from Heysham!) there is no accommodation to be had or vice versa. Unless you re-book a hotel for the next year whilst you are there it is nearly impossible to find anywhere to stay unless you camp. The Steam (Costa) Packet know the punters have no other option to get there with their bikes and so charge what they like, very similar to the Whitelink ferry to the IOW which is now the most expensive ferry crossing in the world per mile!
I think the days of the TT are numbered if the situation does not drastically improve. I know people have been saying the TT is finished for years but with the advent of the green, woke, h&S, nimby, second home, banking and attracting the rich agenda by the IOM goverment I think this really could be the TT's last hurrah. Get there while you can :).
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Couldn't agree more with the above except for one point. A brand new ferry (newly built not just acquired) sails from the 17th. 57 million quid I do believe, so they are going to wanting that investment back quickly.
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That's good news Roy. To get that kind of investment back they will either have to increase the cost of a crossing or drop the price to attract more people to use it. I hope its the latter and they work with the goverment to invest in hotels etc.
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Steam Packet is now owned by the Manx government.
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I understand the ferry terminal is also owned by the steam packet/Manx government therefore killing off any competition for alternative ferry companies to run additional (cheaper) ferry services.
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They always had tight control over that as they own Douglas ferry port and have done for many years. To be fair to them it is of vital importance to the island that's why they nationalised it.
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It is like anything historic these days, just one big rip off.
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I still think the TT & Mgp are better value than british moto GP.
Thought I never thought I would say it. I do find the TT a bit of a bore
In recent years. Too corporate and lacking character,s
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Well the Manx GP is off to a shitty start. Our sailing tomorrow is cancelled due to bad weather. They cant give us an actual re-booking until next Thursday nearly a week later. They advised us to go on stand by and turn up at Heysham or Liverpool early for the next sailing. If there's room they will take standbys on a first come first serve basis. So tomorrow afternoon it's a 150 mile round trip to Liverpool, if we don't get on then we can try again on Sunday from Heysham. And I suppose we keep trying until we either get on or the world runs out of petrol. What a terrible way to treat your customers, no apologies or compensation, just indifference. I was already considering making this my last time and this has not helped.
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I used to go to the TT and Manx every year from 1970 to 1978, and it was pretty simple and cheap, in the early years it was just throw the tent and sleeping bag on the back of the bike and off we went, usually camping at Bray Hill.
If the weather was iffy or we got fed up it was easy to swap to a B&B in Douglas, then later the camping was given up and it was B&B's all the way, none of it was too expensive or hard to organise.
The last time we went was 1978, our honeymoon and we were on the 750F1, it was changing then, starting to get very commercialisedwith lots of "biker" entertainment, instead of making our own fun.
When I read about it now I am horrified at the expense and need to book so early.
Cheers
Dennis
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There's pretty much no B&Bs in Douglas now. We moved to Peel about 10 years ago.
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I done the TT early 70's to early 80's - great times but I was more tolerant of weather and accomadation back then. If you could guarantee the weather, I'd be there but otherwise it would just encourage my grumpyness!
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It's turned into an utter fiasco now, they have also cancelled this mornings boat from Liverpool. First opportunity is now tomorrow morning from Heysham. It is impossible to get information out of Steam Packet it's all a big secret. I have been told by a group of VMCC guys that they are now at Liverpool docks (Saturday morning) because they were on their way before the sailing was cancelled. They say about half the people due to sail have turned up (no choice if your travelling a distance) and there are at least 70 to 90 people in the standby line already, with more expected from the Heysham boat. They too have had nothing but indifference from the company. Steam Packet are a shower of shit, this is defo the last time.
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Last time I went to the TT was in 2012 - the first time the Senior race was cancelled in 105 years! We flew in for a long weekend and never got to see one bike race - not doing that ever again!
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The IOM government are killing the TT and the GP by stealth, it's the new way of controlling the population, make travelling anywhere so bad you won't want to do it, numbers decline and eventually they can say people are no longer interested in it so it's cancelled.
This is how the government are killing off the NHS, all by stealth, make it more attractive to go with a private (American) health provider.
Same applies to all forms of motoring, just keep charging to use a bike or car and eventually we'll give up driving.
This country is the worst in Europe, rant over!
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Well we went to Heysham early this morning to get to the the front of the standby line, which we achieved. There was maybe 8 or 10 in front of us. They say that it is on a first come first serve basis with everyone given a number (that only they know).
We sat there all day from 8.45 until 15.20 before being told they were taking no standby motorcycles. They let on from standby large vans with trailers, camper vans galore (some huge), all the cars, even a car with a caravan. All these people checked in behind us, so much for first come first served, that is actually just a plain simple lie. They left 10 people with bikes, could they really not fit them on. They would rather load freight than the people they have let down.
We were treated by the staff like naughty school children, no information, no help, just arrogant bad mannered attitude. They even pulled the shutters down on us for trying to get information. I have never ever encountered such an awful company in my entire life. We will go once more tomorrow then they can stick the Isle of Man up there collective ar***s. All for £328 return (how bleedin much??). Frankly I hope their new 78 million pound ship hits a Walney Island windfarm windmill and sinks.
Let this be a heads up for anyone foolish enough to try to go to the Isle of Man in this day and age of piss poor service.
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That sounds a total pain in the arse Roy. We're going to BSB at Cadwell on bank holiday Monday, 10 mins ride from us and no ferries involved 😁😁😁
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That sounds a total pain in the arse Roy. We're going to BSB at Cadwell on bank holiday Monday, 10 mins ride from us and no ferries involved 😁😁😁
The way things are going Julie we may be coming with you. ;D
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That sounds a total pain in the arse Roy. We're going to BSB at Cadwell on bank holiday Monday, 10 mins ride from us and no ferries involved 😁😁😁
The way things are going Julie we may be coming with you. ;D
The only trouble with going by bike to Cadwell is you can't take a ladder and have to pay the £45 to get in ;D ;D ;D
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But you could take a folding spade to tunnel under the fence. ;D
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But you could take a folding spade to tunnel under the fence. ;D
I have a ladder licence Roy but, i think my spade licence is in the post :) :) :)
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Friends of mine used to go to practice week for the TT, they went for years. The B&B put their prices up 2 years ago, so much so they couldn't afford it. They found other digs but they had to be out by something like 7am and couldn't go back to late evening as the road was closed. What with ferry charges and cancellations, they've given up totally now.
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I went several times in the 70's, arrived mid practice week and left mid race week.
IOM steam racket company was always crap but at that time did keep to ticket promises, didnt ever have bad enough weather to cancell ferries but being ex merchant can understand why that would happen.
Even took a 3ltr mk1 capri one year, that was a real blast and the only time i got stopped by terror check plod.
After 1st year camping my camp site ws 3rd bedroom on left upstairs in Groudle Glen pub paid for by glass collecting at night
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Roy, what an utter PITA! Just beggars belief that they can have such an attitude....
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We're back at Heysham at the moment still on standby. Were told they called us out for the overnight boat but obviously we weren't here. Still a few standby passengers trying to get over. Will just have to hope for the best.
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Did you get on the boat?
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Good news were on the ship finally. We were last on and beginning to fear the worst again. Thank heavens that stress is over.
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Great news. Now enjoy…
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Good to hear. I'll go for the boat tomorrow then.
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Good news were on the ship finally. We were last on and beginning to fear the worst again. Thank heavens that stress is over.
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How many days was you waiting in total Roy ?
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Two full very long days, but we're here now so the Manx can commence. Bad news from yesterday, a rider killed in practice at Ballagarey.
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Good to hear. I'll go for the boat tomorrow then.
Good luck Arch. Check in opens at 10.30.
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Congratulations for finally getting there Roy. Time to enjoy yourself now. Don't forget your kippers on the way home!
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Two full very long days, but we're here now so the Manx can commence. Bad news from yesterday, a rider killed in practice at Barrowgarrow.
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If i remember right, you don't live too far away from the port. It would be a bugger if you lived the other side of the country :o
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At our first failed attempt there were riders from Holland and Germany that were turned away and had to find accommodation. They didn't appear next day so I don't know what happened to them, perhaps they came back for the night boat or tried Liverpool?
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Grace us with some pictures ;)
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I would love to post some photos, unfortunately I can't shrink them down enough on my phone without ruining them. Will have to wait until I get home next week.
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Complete Farce!!
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Yup. Sat here for over 7 hours for sod all. Were trapped at Sarah's Cottage as well.
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