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Anyone been watching this? Documentary on amateur road racing (of the motorcycling variety) in Ireland.
It's really quite fascinating. Surprised I've not seen any topics on it yet, as there must be a few bikers on the forum, but I'm also feeling the same vibe that I get from cycle events. The diversity of the people, the marshals, and just the general enthusiasm for it all. It's great. Bit more dangerous though by the looks of it...
Yes, I've been watching it. Through my fingers mostly!
I've only seen 2 episodes so far. It's fascinating the hold it has over while families in spite of the ever present serious danger. I think I admire them (riders, family, spectators, marshals, organisers) in a "defend their right to do it" without ever wanting to do it myself..!
I've never ridden a bike on the road (don't possess a licence either) and the prospect of doing what they do [i]for fun[/i] is almost too much to get my head round.
Love it.
Cool, thanks for that <adds to list>
Not been watching, but Guy Martin wrote about it a fair bit in his book.
There was one made back in the 70's in a similar vein - The Road Racers 1979 - well worth a watch 🙂
In a similar vein, it's worth watching Road, about the Dunlop Brothers.
There was also a documentary last year about Ryan Farquhar, "Back on the Road".
For Ryan Farquhar it was about putting food on the table. For the rest, I look on them in the same way my neighbours look on me and my mountain biking - why would you take those risks?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3546370/
Closer to the edge i think its called is another one worth watching.
Road races are brilliant, I've been going to them since I was 4. There is a photographic book by Steven Davison called 'a beautiful danger' and I think that summaries it so well. The risks are massive but the buzz from just watching is hard to describe. I've helped out a rider I know, and know a good few in the paddock, it is something that even I as a relative outsider find so addictive.
If you haven't been over to Northern Ireland to watch I'd highly recommend it. The Ulster Grand Prix in August is the best race of all in my opinion. The North West 200 is on next week and will be shown on BBC, possibly streamed live next Saturday.
The Ulster and nw200 are quite sanitized these days compared to the smaller races
Was round nw200 track tonight and there's safety barriers everywhere and padding on the kerbs, still bloody dangerous though.
I've done a few cycle races on the tracks, there's been races on the clough and armoy tracks the last few years, different kettle of fish
Roads very narrow, more trees hedges and walls and road surface not the best in places
I remember first time I saw the NW200 on screen- weirdly I was totally unaware of the mass start road races (I'd already had my own 2 races of orange bibbed glory so fair to say I was pretty into it, no idea how I'd missed that side of the sport- I think I'd just assumed all the irish road races were timetrials)... and I just switched over on the TV and basically lost my mind. Ridiculous stuff.
I used go to Ireland to do crossroads autotests in the 80s, it was all pretty anarchistic. They did at least close the road for the Circuit of Irelend and Ulster rallies, but the Circuit was timed so that road sections between stages were quite hairy when there were lots of spectators moving around. Irish roads at the time had a Tarmaced crown and a dirt lane alongside which we thrashed along when the traffic ground to a halt.
Jeez, I don't know if the Ulster Grand Prix is sanitized :). Road was a great movie and Closer to Edge was a good exploration of the highs and lows too. Used to love the sport but as I get older I see it almost like an addiction, not just an obsession, but a real addiction to danger, maybe even to trauma. Farquhar is a top rider, well was, and I never bought his line that he raced to put food on the table, sounded like an addict at that point to me.
Still, I watch the races, it's a fascinating sport and seeing it in the flesh is mindblowing, and I will follow the NW200 this week. Hope they all come home safely.
backinireland - Member
The Ulster and nw200 are quite sanitized these days compared to the smaller races
You sir, must have bollocks the size of pineapples. It still looks pretty hard racing to me.
I mean pedal bike races!
Wouldn't catch me on a motorbike!
Got to admit, I find it difficult to understand the attraction to that level of danger. I get that people get a kick out of doing dangerous stuff and scaring themselves...but you can go on a roller coaster, or bungie jumping, where the level of actual risk is very much controlled...
It's fascinating though. Like when you watch the early days of motorsport where people are being catapulted from their cars and killed, and yet they were just dragged off the track while the race carried on... Must be mega-stress for the families.
roller coasters, bungee jumping in a controlled way isn't dangerous and doesn't offer the same adrenaline, which is the point.
Bungie jumping isn't scary? I'd wet my pants. Some things you can tell yourself are safe all you want, but they offer a very real sense of danger.
Couldn't agree more that the nw200 and Ulster grand Prix are very sanitised compared to the local races. They have to be as they are international races and run under different regulations. Still a great spectacle though.
I have no idea how to embed links but look up the following. Somebody more knowledgeable than me can link it. It's onboard footage of this year's tandragee road races.
Edit: jeepers I now know how to post links
Not been to the NW/Ulster but have been to the Southern 100 and Armoy Road Races, it's awesome to watch, just found out that the Faugheen 50 is only 25 miles from the family cottage in Cahir...