Motorcycling

27/05/2018 Blackford’s Pre-TT Classic Road Races, Billown Circuit, Castletown, Isle of Man – Gallery

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Southern 100 Pre TT Classic Road Races
Southern 100 Pre TT Classic Road Races

My trip over to this year’s (2018) Isle of Man TT Races got me there just in time for the final race session from the Billown Circuit, – the Pre-TT in Castletown.  This session is generally held on the Monday at the start of practice week however this year it has been moved to the Sunday (one day before).  This works well as it means you can sit relax and enjoy the racing without having to worry about getting to your chosen spot on the TT Circuit for the Monday night practice.

Also the Sunday night of practice week  was traditionally a bit slack, with very little going on.  That has now all changed as we now have racing all day and evening.

The Pre-TT runs in Castletown, Isle of Man on the Billown Circuit on the Friday, Saturday (1st Day of Practice) and Sunday.  This year that was 25th – 27th May but to be sure you keep up to date subscribe to the TBNI.Blog Road Racing Calendar – it automatically updates so you will never miss another meeting! https://tbni.blog/road-racing-calendar/

The official website of the Pre-TT Races can be found here : https://tbni.blog/road-racing-calendar/

The Southern 100 series markets itself as ‘the Friendly Races’ and ‘Road Racing’s Biggest Secret’ and that’s a pretty fair representation.

This muti bike start meeting covers classics, junior and senior as well as classic suberbikes and sidecars.

The crowds are not massive (they deserve to be) – the people are friendly the pits are wide open with the riders all working hard and happy to interact with the spectators.

If you like a grandstand there are a couple near to the start / finish line where seats start at the princely sum of £1.00!

Drinks, food, refreshments, souvenirs etc are all there and all reasonably priced – all in all this is a great meeting, very akin to any of the Irish / Northern Irish National meetings and although the crowds weren’t huge it has a very loyal following with plenty of visitors coming from the Emerald Isle (and all over) purely for this meeting and the heading home before the TT proper even gets underway.  That in itself is a fine testament to this meeting and it really should make it onto everyone’s to do list.

Check out the results of the 2018 Blackford’s Pre-TT Classic Road Races here :

https://tbni.blog/2018/06/02/2018-blackfords-pre-tt-classic-road-races-results-26-05-2018-27-05-2018/

2018 Southern 100 Pre-TT : The paddock and pits area is open and accessible to all

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2018 Vauxhall International North West 200 Saturday Race Day Gallery (Saturday 19th May 2018)

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For the full results of Saturday’s racing (19/05/2018) click here : https://tbni.blog/2018/05/20/2018-vauxhall-international-race-day-results-timings-saturday-19th-may-2018/

After a glorious and incident free Thursday night Saturday Race Day had a lot to live up to!

It did live up to it and then some!

With a reported 120,000 visitors to Northern Ireland’s North Coast the sun came, it was scorching – the crowds came – they were loving it – and the racing came – with the world’s best road racers putting on a show the like the North West hadn’t seen for years.

It was a true spectacle, road racing at its finest and – incident free.  Only one red flag, new comer Nadieh Schoots came off at University and thankfully only suffered a badly bruised leg.

This was exactly what the NW200 needed after a few less that perfect years and was a real testament to everyone involved coupled with a little luck (weather) – but we all need a little luck sometimes!

For the full results of Thursday’s racing (17/05/2018) click here : https://tbni.blog/2018/05/18/2018-vauxhall-international-north-west-thursday-race-night-results-timings-thursday-17th-may-2018/

Check out my full gallery of all the action from Thursday (17/05/2018) evening’s racing here : https://tbni.blog/2018/06/03/2018-vauxhall-international-north-west-thursday-race-night-gallery-thursday-17th-may-2018/

(For info these photos were taken on the Coast Road between Portrush and Portstewart – just up from Tides Restaurant on the opposite side of the road).

Enjoy…

As always please feel free to use my photographs for your own personal use, if you want to use any of them commercially then please contact me here : https://tbni.blog/reviews-and-contact-info/.

Remember use them, don’t steal them!

Joey Thomspon and Ian Hutchinson battling it out in the Supersport Race – at the 2018 NW2018 (19/05/2018)

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2018 Blackford’s Pre-TT Classic Road Races Results 26/05/2018 – 27/05/2018

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Southern 100 Pre TT Classic Road Races
Southern 100 Pre TT Classic Road Races

Here are the full results from the 2018 Blackford’s Pre-TT Classic Road Races.  Run at the Billown circuit just outside of Castletown the Pre-TT Races are an amazing way to start your TT experience.  It is obviously a much smaller event than the full on TT, however it is an excellent couple of days racing.  This year race day was moved from Monday to Sunday and personally I think this worked really well, giving visitors some great racing on the Sunday, which was normally an empty day.  Classics, superbikes and sidecars this event has it all, and deserves more visitors – so if you are over make sure to check it out and show your support.

UPDATE : 09/06/2018 (Post TT-Races Results Link Added) :

Check out the Southern100 website for all the info, past results and details on all upcoming events right here : https://www.southern100.com

Check out the 27/05/2018 Blackford’s Pre-TT Classic Road Races, Billown Circuit, Castletown, Isle of Man – Gallery : https://tbni.blog/2018/06/08/27-05-2018-blackfords-pre-tt-classic-road-races-billown-circuit-castletown-isle-of-man-gallery/

Check out the results of the 2018 Radcliffe Butchers Post-TT Road Races Results – 09/06/2018 : https://tbni.blog/2018/06/10/2018-radcliffe-butchers-post-tt-road-races-results-09-06-2018/

2018 Blackford’s Pre-TT Classic Road Races Results – Race 1 Pre-TT Classic Single Cylinder :

2018 Blackford's Pre-TT Classic Road Races Results - Race 1 Pre-TT Classic Single Cylinder
2018 Blackford’s Pre-TT Classic Road Races Results – Race 1 Pre-TT Classic Single Cylinder

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2018 Southern 100 Pre TT Classic Road Races Schedule

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2018 Southern 100 Pre TT Classic Road Races Schedule :

Southern 100 Pre TT Classic Road Races
Southern 100 Pre TT Classic Road Races

Southern ‘100′ Racing are pleased to welcome
Blackford Financial Services as sponsors of the
Pre-TT Classic Road Races.

The Pre-TT Classic Road Races have been held on the 4.25-mile Billown Course since 1988 and have grown in popularity since the first race, to such an extent that the race programme has had to be expanded to cater for the number of competitors wishing to take part.

Hear and smell the machines of the past and take in the enthusiasm and atmosphere that is special around the circuit as spectators mingle with the competitors. The unique Open Air Concours d’Elegance of Racing Machines in Castletown Square where many of the machines are ‘fired-up’ is a fitting end to the event.

2018 Programme

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2018 Around A Pound Tandragee 100 Race Day Results & Timings (Saturday 5th May 2018)

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Here are all the times, all the splits, all the categories and all the results from the 2018 Around A Pound Tandragee 100 Race Day.

A full gallery of images from the day’s action is still to follow, but honestly it was a glorious day with what can only be described as an epic Tandragee 100 Feature Race. I won’t spoil the result – just keep scrolling to see it, but know this, we got a new lap record from the winner at 2:55:11s!

For a gallery of the action and racers from race day (05/05/2018) click here : https://tbni.blog/2018/05/23/2018-tandragee-100-race-day-gallery-05-05-2018/

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Wales in Winter : Wales in a Weekend : February 2017

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In February 2017 I took on the AdventureBikeRider Wales in a Weekend Route.  Starting South of Brecon and heading north I would take in the Beacons then head into Snowdownia National Park before crossing into England from North Wales and returning back to Northern Ireland on an overnight ferry.  All of this would be done in a mere three days.  If you lived close enough to the starting point this is a great route that can easily be done in 2 days – even in winter!

Day 1 : Northern Ireland to Aberdare : https://tbni.blog/2018/02/22/wales-in-winter-wales-in-a-weekend-day-1-20-02-2017/

Day 2 : Aberdare to Aberystwyth : https://tbni.blog/2018/02/26/wales-in-winter-wales-in-a-weekend-day-2-21-02-2017/

Day 3 : Aberystwyth to Betws-y-Coed (and Liverpool to Northern Ireland) : https://tbni.blog/2018/02/27/wales-in-winter-wales-in-a-weekend-day-3-22-02-2017/

Wales in a Weekend Route
Wales in a Weekend Route

Winter in Wales : Wales in a Weekend : Day 3 : 22/02/2017

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If you happen to be a Twitter or Instagram User and do this route (or something similar through Wales) I have used the hashtags (Wales In Winter & Winter In Wales) #WalesInWinter and #WinterInWales – make sure to add to them!

Weather forecast for 22/02/2018
Weather forecast for 22/02/2018

Day 3 – the final day of my Wales in Winter trip and this leg takes me from Aberystwyth to Betws-y-Coed then onto the Liverpool for the return overnight ferry back to Northern Ireland.

So far it has been two days of good hardcore rain and this final day won’t be changing that format in any major way.

In fact it is due to get worse at some stage with the approach of Storm Doris bringing more and heavier rain and some gales, gusts and other variants of high winds thrown into the mix.  The biggest question is when will Doris visit?  Whilst on the road or on the boat?

In case you missed it Day 1 can be found here : https://tbni.blog/2018/02/22/wales-in-winter-wales-in-a-weekend-day-1-20-02-2017/

Day 2 can be found here : https://tbni.blog/2018/02/26/wales-in-winter-wales-in-a-weekend-day-2-21-02-2017/

The route can be found here : https://www.adventurebikerider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=140&t=36263&hilit=wales+in+a+weekend

Should you need it the sat nav gpx file can be found here : Wales in a Weekend Sat Nav GPX Download Link

As far as accomodation goes I am absolutely sold on ‘The Glengower’ – clean and comfortable room with good food, a good bar, big TVs for the Sports Channels and a couple of pool tables, all with a sea view.  You need nothing more, but you’ll get it in the form of a delicious breakfast.

The Glengower Breakfast Menu
The Glengower Breakfast Menu

After breakfast, I make the short trip round the back of the hotel to get the bike.  Having turned on all the radiators in the room over night my gear was dry for starting.  After a 50 metre walk I was back to being as soaked as I was when I finished yesterday.  And looking at the forecast this is only the start of the rain.

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Wales in Winter : Wales in a Weekend : Day 2 : 21/02/2017

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If you happen to be a Twitter or Instagram User and do this Wales in a Weekend route (or something similar through Wales) I have used the hashtags (Wales In Winter & Winter In Wales) #WalesInWinter and #WinterInWales – make sure to add to them!

Weather Report Wales 21/02/2017
Weather Report Wales 21/02/2017

It’s Day 2 – although for the Wales in a Weekend Route it is actually Day 1.  Confusing eh?

If you made it to this post via some strange and startling way then the simple explanation is that Day 1 (for me) was actually a travel day from Northern Ireland to the start of this route.

In case you missed it Day 1 can be found here : https://tbni.blog/2018/02/22/wales-in-winter-wales-in-a-weekend-day-1-20-02-2017/

The route can be found here : https://www.adventurebikerider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=140&t=36263&hilit=wales+in+a+weekend

Should you need it the sat nav gpx file can be found here : Wales in a Weekend Sat Nav GPX Download Link

As I concluded in my write up of Day 1 this first day of the actual route was set to be a wet one.

The overnighter at the Mount Pleasant Hotel was just that – pleasant.  The bed was very comfortable, the place was clean, tidy and friendly.  The shower lacked a bit of power but no doubt the rain that was forecast for arround midday should sort that right out!

However I was experiencing one slight hiccup…

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Wales in Winter : Wales in a Weekend : Day 1 : 20/02/2017

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If you happen to be a Twitter or Instagram User and do this route (or something similar through Wales) I have used the hashtags (Wales In Winter & Winter In Wales) #WalesInWinter and #WinterInWales – make sure to add to them!

This time last year (20/02/2017) I set off on a quick trip through Wales.  I was using up the remanants of my leave from work and in an effort to feel that I wasn’t taking time off just for the sake of it, I found a quick route that I could do for very little outlay that would take in the entire length of Wales.

Starting South of Brecon and heading north I would take in the Beacons then head into Snowdownia National Park before crossing into England from North Wales and returning back to Northern Ireland on an overnight ferry.

I found the route on www.adventurebikerider.com and having never seen Wales before, but with the ease and affordability of travel to and from Northern Ireland it seemed like a sensible option.  Accomodation was also easily sorted with a bucket load of options available on sites like Booking.com – and prices ranging from very reasonable to ‘oh that must be quite fancy.’

The route can be found here : https://www.adventurebikerider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=140&t=36263&hilit=wales+in+a+weekend

Wales in a Weekend Route
Wales in a Weekend Route

Should you need it the sat nav gpx file can be found here : Wales in a Weekend Sat Nav GPX Download Link

The route is called Wales in a Weekend – which is realistically two days long especially in the Winter – if you like a good long distance challenge you probably could snort round it in a (long) day, but spread over two it is easily managable and very enjoyable.

Remember to factor in any travel time to get to the ‘Starting Point’ just outside Aberdare.  But from Aberdare to the end of the route at Betws y Coed you should set aside 2 days to complete.

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