Manx grand prix

[Phil Clarke]

Not long back from the Isle of Man. For those who have never been before and don't fancy the mayhem of the TT its well worth a visit - lots of interesting old bikes being ridden well and easier to get accomodation / drink than the TT. We go every year but this year was different as we decided to take the bikes in a van and camp (in style). For me it was particularly special as I was taking over a trail bike for the first time in 3 years and was well looking forward to some top green laning. Unlike England, the IOM govt. publish a map which shows all of the legal trails you can take a motor bike along. Not only that but most of them are waymarked with a nice little bike symbol.

The pic below is of the beast - my trusty Ariel HT5. A few other trail riders I met reckoned I was mad to take such a lump off road but its actually a very good bike for trailt riding. It weighs about the same as my DRZ but is way lower and has a gem of an engine - it will rev down to about 500 rpm and still pull, finding traction where most other bikes will be spinning out....

 

[Phil Clarke]

Heres a few pics of dome of the lanes I did. Some are pretty rocky with big steps and deep ruts. There a few that are ok on a GS (I did a few on mine last year) but thanks to the wonderful summer we've had a lot of the lanes were very wet. The ariel is ideal for these conditions as it it will happily plonk along through the mud at zero revs leaving only an imprint of the rear (trials) tire. The last photo shows the best trail on the island - a 6 mile loop above laxey which goes way up into the hills...

 

[capt geeze a five]

Hi phil,
the lanes look very good, i wish i had been on a wee trail bike, and no the gs,
got to get back for next year, with a drz? or something?mind you a run up from liverpool to edinburgh, on a drz, would be a long day, compared to the 12gs.
but next time I will head for the campsite at peel right away!
cheers for help with your van, to get you know who to move!
capt.

 

[Dee Tee]

Did you see anything of the 2 Day Classic Trial ? You could have entered on the Ariel !! I went for a look as a couple of mates were riding,but got defeated by the Weather.

 

[piebaps]

but got defeated by the Weather.

Townie

 

[Phil Clarke]

Cheers Capt. next time you see Craig tell him my GS caught the siezied on brake syndrome from his Guzzi (turned out the handguard was fouling the brake lever). Edinburgh to Heysham would be no bother on a DRZ even with trail gearing. Me and Pete just did Edinburgh to Ardnamurchan and back - me on the Ariel (with road gearing but still at a max of 60) and him on his square 4

Dee Tee - I didn't catch the 2 day classic trial this year but I've seen it plenty of other times. If I entered (next year maybe) I'd use my Greeves as its far more capable for trials than the Ariel. Most of the HT's used in modern pre 65 trials are a far cry from my one but I may use it jsut for the hell of it!

Phil