made it home ok.. cool pics... car running ok.. ! great trip thanks to manny/dexter and jon for the circuit instruction, and jons friend in the integra for a wild passenger lap.. got down under 9mins not bad for a first timer with duff rear damper...

Originally posted by TaviaRS in this post

Bye bye flywheel, bye bye cover plate, bye bye release bearing, bye bye clutch material

So basically the linings wore away and the rivets scored the plate and flywheel ....?

Bad luck - shame to miss a day but I'm sure you'll be back there soon. And I never got a ride ... damn!!!

Will it be ready for the weekend?

A vote of thanks to Tavia and Manny and countless others who guided us there, round and back home again.

Thanks to the Scooby crews who we travelled back with.

Well, the Ring.

Not sufficient space to say everything, but a few bullet points anyway:-

1. Nurburg - what a lovely place to sojourn! Fabulous scenery and great roads to wander around. Accomodation - excellent and cheap by comparison to ROB (Rip Off Britain)

2. The Ring - well it was a manic and popular as I imagined only worse! The thought that every day some biker will be going home in a box really takes the edge off what is a momentous visit. The track is unique, the design is either pure genious or pure evil - a bit of both maybe. To drive though decades of history is something everyone should do at least once before cashing it all in.

3. Thrills and misgivings - getting the vRS into those bends and sometimes getting it right! was amazing. Passing some expensive metal, then to be passed by equals was a bit painful - but it's not about overtaking I'm told. Shame. The annoyance about getting some corners wrong was only compounded by being verbally dismantled by a passnger who thought my accuracy needed a lot of work - Ouch! that hurt. But hey, Stuart you were right, I tried too hard to be quick at the expense of smoothness and accuracy.

4. Did 11 laps - enough for me for a first visit. Next time, what will change? May fly to Hann, hire a TT or P911. If not will change suspension and brakes, a big let down really. Still, my std clutch lasted longer than some I might add, must have been driving too sedately.

5. If I was president for a day - I would keep bikers and cars apart for each session or each day. It's sheer lunacy to have superbikes zapping past you at break neck speed, as you then catch them (some) in the bends and it all starts again. The fact that 4 went home in boxes on a single weekend is absolute proof that the price for a thrill is too high if your relatives have to come to Nurburg to collect your belongings from your room and take the remains of your helmet and bike back. Never, never, never worth it. NEVER!

6. Went to Cochem in the Rhine Valley on Sunday afternoon - totally beautiful and relaxing after a nutty day or so. Well recommended to anyone for a good holiday.

7. In summary - the Ring - worth a visit if only once. Will probably do it again - differently and will pay more attention to getting it right rather than quick. Will only do a lap with JF or one other well chosen maestro. The sick bags are not big enough for some of the laps I did in the passenger seat!!

Having spent 30 years sweeping up the remains of drivers from RTA's has still not diminished the trauma of seeing young men laid out on the verge - all in the name of a 'fun weekend'. When it's over - it's actually just begun 'cos it just don't end when you stop breathing. But that's another story which I'm happy to share in pm's with anyone who's interested.

Now then, where's Yellow Pages for shocks and things..............................

Studioman

ps anyone know Anders email address I have a nice shot of his GT3 (pre- MGF )that is!!!

pps sorry if I've been a bit philosophical - if really was a great time - just manic ........

Chris, I'm glad you had a good time and I hope your wife wasn't too bored.

Glad the accomodation was OK and that John and the others took care of you on the way back.

Next trip over there for me will be Easter and the car will be in fine fettle by then (probably rebuilt and caged). Cochem is very pretty and the wine from there isn't too bad either. Sorry I didn't get to give you a lap in mine and thanks for bringing the tools up to the hotel for me.

Jon

Are you saying 4 bikers died over the weekend?

Dead? dead?

What do you do for a living?

OMG!

Bill

Friday afternoon arrived - did one lap and they were giving CPR to one guy who was air-lifted to Koblenz hosp. Didn't make it.

Sat urday another one. Sunday - rider and pillion - frame of bike separated at the headstock (strongest part of bike - shows the impact) helmet in two pieces! Worth it? you work it out.

My job? Traffic Cop for 15 out of 30 years. If it was a hanging offence to allow the public to kill themselves willy nilly and then re-open the track as if nowt had happened, then I think the Germans would be on the gallows.

But what can you say? Either we have a dictatorship (don't mention the Wa....) or else we have the freedom to do what we want.

That's life, or death whichever way you look at it.

Must have more BHP next time........................

Must have more BHP next time........................

and KW varient 3, better brakes, seats, harnesses, cage, strut brace........

and more importantly 12v kettle for brew ups.......................

get on with your work will you!

Originally posted by studioman in this post

Friday afternoon arrived - did one lap and they were giving CPR to one guy who was air-lifted to Koblenz hosp. Didn't make it.

Sat urday another one. Sunday - rider and pillion - frame of bike separated at the headstock (strongest part of bike - shows the impact) helmet in two pieces! Worth it? you work it out.

My job? Traffic Cop for 15 out of 30 years. If it was a hanging offence to allow the public to kill themselves willy nilly and then re-open the track as if nowt had happened, then I think the Germans would be on the gallows.

But what can you say? Either we have a dictatorship (don't mention the Wa....) or else we have the freedom to do what we want.

That's life, or death whichever way you look at it.

Must have more BHP next time........................

Hmm.

Consequences of their own actions tho or unlucky to get mowed down by others..

Not nice at all.

I was there a couple of months ago and saw a few bikes down and heard of one that was'nt moving :(

Thankfully there is'nt a dictatorship and lobbiests have'nt nannied the place into closure.

Respect is due to the place... Awesome and fast.

People, bikers/drivers, will always come off when pushing too hard on unfamiliar ground. Same happens on track days here in the UK... Fatalities are way less, but UK tracks generally have run off areas where the Ring does'nt.

It was very odd tho, that despite major prangs, the injuries and accident were "dealt" with very efficiently and the track cleared fast. You rarely get to hear the outcome of these accidents tho.

Very unpleasent for anyone to witness this.. Shocking. :(

Almost make you want to slow down. :drive1:

apart from that tho.... you enjoyed the driving experience I presume?

regards

bill

Nah, hated it.

May have just been a bad weekend, so I'll have to go again just to see

Easter anyone?

apart from that tho.... you enjoyed the driving experience I presume?

regards

bill [/b]

Yup, exposes all your faults and some of your skills, like staying on the tarmac when the barriers were calling.....................

Originally posted by TaviaRS in this post

Nah, hated it.

May have just been a bad weekend, so I'll have to go again just to see

Easter anyone?

Could be, there are also a lot of full weekends in november if you can trust the weather

agree with all the comments on the ring, the things we must all not forget are...

a: the bikers all chose to be there.

b: they all made the decision to push hard

c: they all died doing something they love - not having a heart attack on sofa watching countdown...

d: we would all whine if they shut the ring to the public

e: more people will have died in muggings and pub fights in manchester during the same time period.

Very true Paul.

November anyone?

only 4 in one night in Mancunian ville? Must have been a quiet night.

I sympathise with the biker's dying. It would be hell of a way to go, and if I enjoyed motorbikes as much as I enjoyed things like driving a car, I wouldn't be unhappy dying (a bit younger than normal) behind the wheel. I should think none of those 4 bikers suffered very much.

Must resist...........

Originally posted by TaviaRS in this post

Very true Paul.

November anyone?

when in november?

Originally posted by ffelan in this post

when in november?

Click below for the dates

http://www.nuerburgring.de/eng/angebote/sf_n_q4.htm

22/23 looks ideal.. cos then its a :baaa :xmas shopping trip.

Originally posted by devonutopia in this post

only 4 in one night in Mancunian ville? Must have been a quiet night.

I sympathise with the biker's dying. It would be hell of a way to go, and if I enjoyed motorbikes as much as I enjoyed things like driving a car, I wouldn't be unhappy dying (a bit younger than normal) behind the wheel. I should think none of those 4 bikers suffered very much.

But their families will continue to for some time.........

Originally posted by devonutopia in this post

only 4 in one night in Mancunian ville? Must have been a quiet night.

It would be hell of a way to go, and I wouldn't be unhappy dying (a bit younger than normal) behind the wheel. I should think none of those 4 bikers suffered very much.

Hmm, interesting thought. I would give much to hear 'their' comments at this very moment.

That's OK if you subscribe to the notion that 'if we live like dogs therefore we can die like dogs'.

If on the other hand 'It is appointed once for man to die, then the judgement' (Heb 9:27) that puts another light on it and one which you cannot really afford to be wrong on.

As you say, 'a Hell of a way to go..........' if you are banking on anihilationism.

I'll be accused of going off thread in a moment. Must do some work.

um the religious bit loses me but get the gist of it..

yes families do suffer, yes it prob did hurt... but none of that changes the fact that they knew the risk when they got on the bike, bought the ticket and twisted the throttle... much the same as the TT... or Canonball or london marathon...

Paul,

On your T-shirt last Friday you had a crucifixion cartoon with the caption, 'Jesus did it for the chicks' Now if you add 'and for all mankind' you'll 'get' the religious bit.

If you need more pm me.

cheers Chris

BTW 'Countdown' can get very exciting on occasions...................

I'll close this thread soon as it wouldf appear to be serving no purpose at this point.

I would point out that the record of the Ring, average 3 deaths per week, is well known and as humans we have free will. What we do at the Ring breaks no laws and is not socially iresponsible. Its a free choice.

Originally posted by studioman in this post

Paul,

On your T-shirt last Friday you had a crucifixion cartoon with the caption, 'Jesus did it for the chicks'

i have many even more lurid ones as well, but each to their own in both religeon, hobbies and humor. TBH no offence was intended - happend to be first out of the draw on a very early start:)

www.Tshirthell.com

im sure jon will close the thread now as we are so far off topic....