Waiting for work to pick up and got time on my hands, means silly ideas coming in to my head! Been to the Ring a few times over the years but never taken my steed around, got various excuses such as torrential rain, very bad hangover (overnight ferry, hic..) to having Mrs in tow with luggage at start of holiday. Anyway, -- years old and its on my bucket list. I could take the GS around, which could surprise a few people, then again I might feel like Im going backwards as there is some tasty machinery there. Or, maybe, could hire a bike? http://www.needforring.com/index.php/bikes/bike-rent Its expensive per se but cheaper than binning an expensive GS! Had plenty litre sport bikes before including an 06 R1 and should have my eye in after one lap (bike wise, not track wise). Anyone gone this route, thoughts?
@doogalman is your man for suggestions and local knowledge. Personally I'd want to be on a bike suited to going fast if I'd made the effort to get out there but those GS type machines can be a lot of fun so why not?
Why spend a load of money when all you will do (if you haven’t done hundreds of laps) wobble around watching your mirrors for cars? Just use the GS: at least when it rains half way around, you’ll have te right tyres to cope
I would stick with the bike you know and just take it easy, if you rent a bike, you may be more inclined to push on a little too much. I didn’t see any bike hire places when I was there in 2016 but I’m guessing they must have one. After watching my friend lowside his 1199 on the 3rd corner in the damp, I rode my Tuono around like it was on stabilizers. The electric go carts and simulator at the GP track were good fun.
Ok, the tank goes well anyway in truth. Another question then, trackday insuance, anyone use it and or have recommendations (other than not crashing!) More concerned about others on track as there seems to be a few loons. Seen these; https://www.bemoto.uk/blog/uk-eu-motorcycle-trackday-insurance
Check small print, as technically the ring is a toll road, not track iirc so worst of every world for insurance!
Will do. But your remark makes me wonder about my standard insurance with cover for Euro trips. Is there some problem will toll roads, ie. Timmelsjoch, Grossglockner etc. for insurance purposes?
British vehicles on the Nordschliefe are quite a grey area with regards to insurance. If you have a crash they almost definitely will not cover your vehicle but they are forced to cover any damage you cause to third parties despite saying you are not covered for the Ring. I currently have a German insurer in the process of paying out for damage to my bike after a car hit me last year.
It’s explicitly excluded, but as Royal says they have to cover you 3rd party (afaik) as it’s a public highway
Right, where do I start? Needforring, are a small set up that run a few cars and also now are touching a toe in the water with bikes. Personally I would be very wary of getting into one of their cars let alone putting my arse on a bike of theirs. I have heard a good few horror stories about the quality and prep of their cars in the past. Things may have changed but as of last season everything looked as it has been before. Secondly rental bikes for Nurburgring, some years ago when Dale Lomas was working for Rent4Ring they put a new S1000rr on the rental fleet. This was when s1000 had just been launched so 2010? Part of the rental terms was that you had to have known knowledge/experience of the nordschleife on bikes. Yes they succeded in getting customers, but they pulled the plug very quickly on the project for fear of customer gaining free entry to a Body-bag. Crashes were happening too frequently prior to the bike being totaled. Personally if you really want to venture out on track on a bike. Ride your own bike but just treat it as sighting laps unless you can talk through a whole lap of the track. Insurance will be a big issueas you are not covered, but fortunatly being on the bike you will be more at risk of being a victim rather than an instigator of a 3rd party claim. What dobI mean??? Well car fluids are the biggest problem for bikers. You get no warning in bad cases. One moment cranked over having fun, next moment you are being thrown at 3 rows of armco or the underside of a GT3 at 140mph. If you walk away, thank the lord all-mighty and have a beer. If not free helicopter ride to visit Koblenz or worsecase Bonn. If you survive then there is a chance you can claim of the vehicle that caused the spill. On the flipside bikes don't generally drop fluid that causes cars to crash so unlikely you will be the cause of an accident unless you cut the nose of a car by sweeping into their line when they have a riggt to overtake you. Trust me oil spills do happen (ask Roalwithcream) and they do take their toll, sometimes fatally. So, if you do still fancy it there is several options. 1- Ride your own bike but please do use your mirrors before, mid and exit of every corner, plus before and after any crest. You may be quick you may be slow but there will always be quicker people out there so get tobthe right and let them through. Also do not carry too much speed into the 100% blind corners as you will be turning in too early, hitting a too early apex only to find the corner tighten up severly. So wide LATE turn in hits a good late apex to get good drive thru exit without having to panic brake and or drop the bike. 2- Get to the track when it opens, as on a weekend most of the hungover tourists dont rock up yo the track till about 9. So you get an hour of relatively quiet tracktime. Last hour of the day can also be quiet. Weekday evening openings can still get busy but the tracktime is limited. 3- go rent a car with i surance included. I can recommend if required. 4- sign up to either of the bike training days on the nordschleife. No bike teackdays exist due to liability concerns. I can provide details if needed. Many guys just want to experience the track which is great but it is a crazy place at times more akin to a Mad max film chase. Some love it some hate it. Whichever camp you end up in respect every other user out there, respect every inch of the track, as failure to will inevitably mean you end up one day in a poor place to be. Long winded but 8 years an instructor at the place. I also have guestrooms if anyone is interested, stay with a guy that has 20 years experience of the Ring and pick my brains to pieces. Otherwise just enjoy ;-)
Seriosly, it is a place to try, even if for just one lap. The worlds greatest closed circuit. It is a mecca for any petrolhead.
I should also add that you can hire bikes from some bikeshops aswell, the nearest being the yamaha/Honda dealer in Adenau. But nurburgring use is excuded.
I only ever ride it like I’d ride the road: slow and steady and taking the kind of risks you would on a brisk ride across country. Brain firmly IN gear. Tbh I have only down a handful of laps, it’s always been busy but never felt scared. It helps with big mirrors that are easy to check
Its quite bizarre because you hear all the horror stories and I've been in a few myself ( ) but then you watch the videos and you see the funniest things going around the track.
As mentioned above, its all to easy to become involved with someone else's crash/ technical issue.. I hit the Armco back in 2000 at Galgenkopf after someone undertook me before the curve and clipped my brake leaver with his bike ( it was another 996 ) 8 weeks in hospital ( 2 in Koblenz) 8 months off work, bills though the door on a regular basis for the first few weeks, helicopter, ambulance, Armco, Fence, but luckily not a bill for the track being closed.. luckily... my saving grace was I had a German insurance covering the bike and a contents cover, away from home and accident insurance.. so don't underestimate the gravity of it going wrong... I have to still live with the fact my wife, who was in the car park waiting for me, was told I had died... but other than that have a great time and listen to the real experts ( e.g dooglemann) not the internet..
Thanks. Slightly off topic, I will say that some of the trackdays I work on are fun, overtaking bothsides, in braking zones and in corners. Albeit in cars.
I must admit the Ring was my first toe into the water in regards to track days, I have been back and also ridden the ring since my 'incident' but I am lucky to be living in Germany as well now, so I just endulge on EU trackdays, Assen, Oschersleben etc. accidents will happen ( I dropped the 1299 last year) but its a lot more controlled and the decision making process is more defined than the ring. its the 'tip up, go fast, go home' element of the ring that keeps me away now as I think the lack of Bike and car prep that is invested ( not all, but spilt oil and coolant happens all too often ) is for me a danger and a risk I am unable to mitigate myself, and the amount of traffic has increased drastically. and im not sure I agree with the STvO regulations on the track as well, as how has the ability to look in the mirrors mid corner... but I still love the place, there is an air of excitement that is difficult to replicate on any track. only the old Assen circuit layout used to stir my senses in a similar manner ( anticipation/ fear)
