belfastguzzi

But my pic wasn't a V.11 Maybe I should have kept that quiet... hope that Jaap doesn't notice

Does anyone remember the Africar project? The dream of an affordable and easily repairable car, particularly for Africa / emerging nations. I thought it was fabulous, fascinating and I was totally engrossed when it was documented on tv many years ago. I tried on various occasions to find more info, over the years, but it was hard to find anything. That was before Wikipedia etc. I see there are available references now. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africar http://www.oldwoodies.com/feature-africar.htm Here is a good article, from a dedicated builder: http://www.difflock.com/diffmag/issue10/Africar2/index.shtml

From Seth Godin's Blog: >>What to do about Detroit I was in Detroit last week... I have family there. I also drive a car. And I would rather that the world doesn't melt and the economy thrive. So I'm uniquely qualified to weigh in on the automobile industry. Not only should Congress encourage/facilitate the organized bankruptcy of the Big Three, but it should also make it easy for them to be replaced by 500 new car companies. Or perhaps a thousand. That's how many car companies there were 90 years ago. That's right, when all the innovation hit the car industry, there were thousands of car companies, with hundreds running at any one time. From Wikipedia: Throughout this era, development of automotive technology was rapid, due in part to a huge number (hundreds) of small manufacturers all competing to gain the world's attention. Key developments included electric ignition (by Robert Bosch, 1903), independent suspension, and four-wheel brakes (by the Arrol-Johnston Company of Scotland in 1909).[16] Leaf springs were widely used for suspension, though many other systems were still in use, with angle steel taking over from armored wood as the frame material of choice. Transmissions and throttle controls were widely adopted, allowing a variety of cruising speeds, though vehicles generally still had discrete speed settings rather than the infinitely variable system familiar in cars of later eras. Between 1907 and 1912, the high-wheel motor buggy (resembling the horse buggy of before 1900) was in its heyday, with over seventy-five makers including Holsman (Chicago), IHC (Chicago), and Sears (which sold via catalog); the high-wheeler would be killed by the Model T. Back in its heyday, Ford Motor made every single part of its cars, including raising the sheep that grew the wool that made the fabric that upholstered the seats. That's not true any more. Now, suppliers make just about every part. We need those suppliers, and we need them to stay healthy. What we don't need are giant companies with limited choice, confused priorities, private jets and a bully's attitude. I'd spend a billion dollars to make the creation of a car company turnkey. Make it easy to get all the safety and regulatory approvals... as easy to start a car company as it is to start a web company. Use the bankruptcy to wipe out the hated, legacy marketing portion of the industry: the dealers. We'd end up with a rational number of "car stores" in every city that sold lots of brands. We'd have super cheap cars and super efficient cars and super weird cars. There'd be an orgy of innovation, and from that, a whole new energy and approach would evolve. Betcha.

Yeh, it was early(?) afternoon.

Carbon fibre my elbow! That's an Incontinent Velocity Extra Draughty Carburettor (double pole - double throw). Wow, I want that for my Ricketyman Triumph project. Three shillings?

It would be possible to combine it with a North Antrim Coast Road run. Go up the coast road and come back by Ballmoney and then main roads.** As it looks like some people will only be here for one complete riding day, that North Coast run might have to be the main Saturday route. Sunday could be the South Down coast and Mourne Mountains. The Strangford Lough area might be an evening run: Friday? I hope that some folk might come earlier and we could get a Thursday or full Friday trip. Bertie? There's plenty to see around the local area. **See map - go here and click on the map to enlarge it. ______________________ I've added this to the belfastguzzi.com website: Bike – the Sept 2008 issue of Bike has a feature, 'Seven Days in Northern Ireland'. It covers part of the route that I'd do during the Guzzi meet: Antrim coast road and Torr Head.** Motor Cycle News, 7 May 2007, had an Escape feature, 'Riding the Northwest 200 roads'. Jamie Robinson did a 400 mile round trip, including a circuit of the road race, with NW200 winner, Phillip McCallen. They started at McCallen's bike shop in Lurgan, headed north, **Antrim - Ballymena - Ballymoney with a stop at Joey's Bar and the Joey Dunlop Memorial Garden. Back roads to Armoy (Joey's testing ground) - Ballintoy - coast road - Portrush-Portstewart-Coleraine triangle, the NW200 circuit. Articlave - Downhill beach, along beach to Magilligan Point. Road back to Downhill, then steep Bishop's Road. Limavady, south to Dungiven - Maghera, past edge of Sperrin Mountains - Moneymore - Coagh - M1 motorway - Portadown - Tandragee. Tandragee to Newry Road "best piece of 15 miles you'll ever do" says McCallen. Back same way, to Lurgan.>

Yeah, but first I have to crash it a few times. I was looking at other pics of the Scura G before and I like it a bit, but the Zero is still the best. The Zero was a major modification project though. I'd have to have a really messed-up crash before I could make one of those.

on a V7

Good advice Antonio One good thing is that there is a range of accommodation, from the cheaper shared dorm beds, through private rooms, to hotel standard rooms just across the road and B&B nearby too. I will see if there could be camping also. Are you hoping to come?

There is more info on this site now: belfastguzzi.com including some food and drink places as well as more hotel, hostel, B&B info; plus info on the Strangford Lough area, geography & history (including Magnus Barelegs) and... stuff. There are a couple of books mentioned. See their websites for nice photos. A few of the links have been added to the webpages at moto.belfastguzzi.com/accommodation

That hotel is only a few steps down the road from the Barholm place, so we can carry you back there. Everything is in Portaferry. The other place, Castleward, is across the lough narrows, but in fact they don't have accommodation in their barn, as I thought. They actually use Barholm and the Portaferry hotel to accommodate people.

There are more couples than previously and if people are not so keen on the shared dorm, we're going to run out of rooms quickly. Does anyone want to consider hotel accommodation? It's more expensive of course. If you're interested, try The Portaferry Hotel. Anyone fancy it? The Fiddlers Green pub across the road does B&B. I'll enquire about availability there too. Thanks for the info so far. The only way that I can get the best accommodation solution is for you to register your preferences, so keep the responses coming. I'll have to PM the folk who had said they were interested but haven't been around here for a while. Maybe someone can help by doing that for me? I'm going to be stuck in the office all night here working to a deadline for later tomorrow, so would someone have time during the day to check for the name list that I compiled here somewhere and send of a PM to tell them to look at the thread and give a yes, no or maybe? Cheers EDIT The list of names has been: BFG – Belfast, Northern Ireland Guzzirider – Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England Mrs Guzzirider – Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England Ballabio Bertie – Orkney, Scotland Antonio – Amsterdam, Netherlands Macguzzi – Edinburgh, Scotland Jaap – Varsseveld, Netherlands Jaap's girlfriend Wambiker – Liverpool, England Grossohc, Aberdeen, Scotland Ferguzzi, Clare, Ireland Tikkanen – Birkerød, 25 kilometres north of Copenhagen, Denmark Stockportclaret – Stockport, England Stockportclaret’s girlfriend Brushwarrior – Bury St. Edmunds, England ––(I've emailed him) Orson Mal Baldini ? – deep Wales Linz? Andy Gearjammer?? What about Hayden & others???

There is no campsite. They might be able to find a garden or field nearby. I need to go and see what's possible. If you are desperate there could be camping across the Narrows (by ferry) in the site that was referred to last night – ClearSky / Castleward NT. Or another place on the Portaferry side of the Lough but about 5 miles away. Remember that you can bring more girly things if you leave the tent at home. You could share a single with MacHaggis. Soren seemed to enjoy it. By the way Mac, I know you like your bothies. There's a great one on a nearby island, though it's been done-up and prettified since the days when I stayed there: http://www.canoeni.com/Strangford_Lough.aspx?s=4 Should be big enough for you, Mal and Soren.

Yeah, I'm just thinking that it will be interesting to get more, or as you say, fresh, ideas on this little puzzler – as I don't remember there being any clear consensus about what purpose the hole serves. As for solutions to extracting the bearing: the more the – –

I'm sure you remember there were long discussions on this and speculation about whether it is better to have a hole, or not? Does it let the water in – or let the water out? Etc. Whatever, getting the bearing out is a severe trial (in most cases) from I remember of experience and the discussions. No 'ole in mine

Going by experience, I'd say that the best ferry is the one that you can actually catch (in time). P&O Cairnryan - Larne, speedy Superferry http://www.poirishsea.com/passenger/LCTtimetable.htm or a longer sail but less road distance, Stena Line, Fast Ferry (or cheaper conventional ferry) http://www.stenaline.co.uk/mcn Stranraer-Belfast Fri 22 May HSS Fast Craft 09:50 Stranraer-Belfast Fri 22 May HSS Fast Craft 14:40 Stranraer-Belfast Fri 22 May Conventional Ferry 15:15 Obviously I'd recommend coming as early as possible on the Friday. If people wanted to arrive on Thursday night, I'd be up for that too.

But you are self-employed? YOU CAN TAKE AS MANY HOLIDAYS AS YOU WANT! No?

Mr Guzzirider will be delighted, likewise. Here is the rooms breakdown. Can people indicate what they think they would want? It will be useful to judge interest at this stage and as long as enough people are committed initially, I can make a booking: then this place allows the flexibility to add more rooms (until it gets booked out). As you can see a dorm works out at £14 per person per night. EDIT the spacing in 'Preview' has been lost when I published. I'll put this in a table on the Ulster Rally web page when I get a chance. Room no. - Type - Bed spaces - Beds - Comment - - £ Room per night 2 - Family 2+2 - 4 - 3 - Ground floor, near bathroom, double + 2 singles - 50.00 - Adults £15 ea, children £10 ea 3 - Double - 2 - 1 - ensuite - 40.00 - 4 - Single - 1 - 1 - - 18.00 - 5 - mini-dorm - 4 - 4 - 4 singles - 56.00 - 6 - Double - 2 - 1 - ensuite - 40.00 - 7 - Double - 2 - 1 - ensuite, lough view - 45.00 - 8 - Double - 2 - 1 - ensuite, lough view - 45.00 - 9 - Family 2+1 - 3 - 2 - ensuite - 50.00 - Adults £20 ea, children £10 ea 10 - Single - 1 - 1 - - 18.00 - 11 - Dorm - 8 - 8 - single beds - 112.00 - 12 - Dorm - 8 - 8 - single beds - 112.00 - 13 - Family 2+3 - 5 - 4 - Double + 3 single, ensuite, partial lough view - 65.00 - Adults £20 ea, children £10 ea 14 - Family 2+3 - 5 - 4 - Double + 3 single, ensuite, partial lough view - 65.00 - Max for room £65

Oh and prices at Barholm would be from £14 to £22.50 per person. We'll not get better than that? What price was Altygushy?!

I knew that the 'uddersfield contingent would be trouble!

I've spoken to this place, Barholm: http://www.barholmportaferry.co.uk/ It's a good spot, right beside a couple of well known bars and the ferry that crosses the Narrows. The good thing is that it could accommodate everyone in the same place. There are dorms for 8 people and for 4 people and higher spec. family and double rooms. It's self-catering too, which is handy and there are good restaurants / bars nearby. They could have the bikes in a secure courtyard. I think that this would be a good base for most people if not everyone. People could still find their own accommodation nearby if they want a hotel or something else. There isn't camping, but it's possible that something could be found if anyone really wanted. What say you all?

Antonio, which place can you not find? You and Guy can fight over booking rooms in Paddy's Sleepy Orchard

Book now! A lot of the places are booked by people straight away, at the time of one event - for the next year. You will be able to get a hotel or B&B ok. Just not at last minute. See the Accommodation page here: Northwest200.org

As it's the Spring Bank Holiday, booking should be made soon, so I'll try to post something more about accommodation by next week. Here are two possibilities on the south, Strangford side, of Strangford Lough. Depending upon numbers and tastes we may need to split accommodation sites. This place could cope with all, if they allow ageing bikers on site. It's a beautiful area. ClearSky barn (& camping & cottage) Another place nearby is Paddy's Barn. They do good food, have a room or two and would probably provide camping in a field. Any thoughts? See map of Strangford Lough on page 2 at http://moto.belfastguzzi.com actually here: The ClearSky barn is pretty much where the S of Strangford is and Paddy's Barn is out the road towards Downpatrick. ––– and Guzzirider found this: http://www.mournecamping.com/ though it's further south.

WELL -- I'd post it in Tech Topics and see what happens. Post it under a heading like, 'A Sagging Saddle Improved', or 'Sloppage Plate - THE Upgrade'. I bet there'll be massive interest. Don't use use your own name. Either Big Sandy or Fly-Rite would be fine. The frisson of an undiscovered guru is just what the Board needs.