[Other Sport] Ride or Die BBC1 10.40

[jakarta]

One for all the NSC Bikers.



Documentary following three riders at the North West 200, yet another mad road race in Northern Ireland.

My Dad did it a few times in his racing career (1950's), think his best finish was 6th in the Junior (350cc) race but he much preferred the TT.

Unlike the TT when two riders set off at ten second intervals and is basically a race against the clock there are mass starts at the NW200 with the predictable mayhem on the first lap or two.

Basically a nine mile triangle of pretty much straight public roads, closed for the races. So only three corners after three miles flat out.

Nowadays over 200MPH on the straights, the Lap record is 124MPH, even after four chicanes were put in to 'slow' the races down....

North West 200 - North West 200

The North West 200 is Ireland’s largest outdoor sporting event, attracting crowds in excess of 150,000 as well as the biggest names in the sport.

northwest200.org

Be interesting to know if any of our Biking fraternity have been?

 

[Motogull]

Compulsive viewing. The chicanes also help the helicopters keep up. The front wheel lifting as high gears get selected always impresses me.

I prefer this to the IOM.

 

[Brighton Mackem]

Going for the first time this year really looking forward to it.

 

[Madafwo]

Compulsive viewing. The chicanes also help the helicopters keep up. The front wheel lifting as high gears get selected always impresses me.

I prefer this to the IOM.

It's always a nice precursor to the TT for me. I've been to neither but both are compulsive viewing.

Full live coverage of all the races on the BBC Sport app for the NW200 and then TT+ Live pass for the TT. I pretty much don't see the Mrs. for most of May/early June, which is a bit of a bugger as that's when our wedding anniversary is, only got herself to blame for that one, I did warn her.

I'll give this a watch assuming I'm still awake tonight, if not I'll get it on iPlayer. Cheers for the heads up.

 

[manintheblackpajamas]

A few years back I had to spend the day filming with Michael Dunlop at a racetrack in Northern Ireland. Pretty intense and interesting character. Here’s a still frame from the video for anyone who might be interested.

 

[jakarta]

As a reminder it is on in two hours time....

 

[Weststander]

Crikey, that crash where the rider survived largely unhurt. The footage was almost unreal.

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

I first raced in 1979 and pure road racing like the IOM or NW200 were not for me. Before I started, in 1975 my racing hero was John Newbold, team-mate to an up & coming wizz kid called Barry Sheene. John died at Colraine in the 1982 NW200 after colliding with Mick Grant.

I loved a thrash on the roads but racing, for me, was short-circuit only. Too unforgiving on the open roads circuits ....

Will watch Ride or Die on iPlayer later