MUST DO EXPERIENCE…
Frodo: Try Endurance Racing
To be honest, a year ago I never would’ve even thought about writing this… but you know what, it’s one of the best and most fun-injected experiences I’ve had racing on two wheels. This year, team Fast Bikes mag (which consisted of myself, Bruce, Mike and occasionally the odd ringer) entered into the No Limits National 1000 Endurance Championship, and it was utter carnage from start to finish. It’s a serious team game that made us lot all work together, and it’s amazing how much things can change, or go wrong, in such a small amount of time; from crashes and red flags, to chains snapping and brake failures, it was just pure hilarity. The highlight of the year was the ‘Chuck Norris’ ten-hour at Anglesey this year, and to be honest, there’s no race that I’ve ever felt so proud to finish – it’s all about the comeraderie of being equally responsible for the result, which you all then share at the end over a few beers. Who knows, maybe we’ll have to try the Le Mans 24-hour next. Best still, it’s not about how fast you are. A smart team is just as capable as winning as a fast team. www.nolimitsracing.co.uk
Dangerous: Goodwood – Festival of Speed
You could scour the world and never find another place like this; Goodwood is the ultimate petrol head’s paradise. Once a year, a chap called Lord March transforms his impeccable countryside estate into a living, breathing, motorised marvel, complete with a hill climb, drift zones and an abundance of two- and four-wheeled machines like you’ve never seen before. It typically pulls in over 100,000 visitors a day, with the octane-fuelled entertainment bouncing off the limiter for four days straight. It’s a place where F1 stars litter the paddock, mingling with the abundance of MotoGP riders and TT racers that have also made their annual pilgrimage to this addictive phenomenon. You’ll have plenty of chance to meet them, and to cast your eyes over their factory machines, both new and old. There is no place I know that gets your senses going like Goodwood, or another venue that’s as accommodating for all the family, with air displays and fairground rides mixing up the madness. I love the place, and so do my family. This year it’s on from July 9-12. Get it in the diary. www.goodwood.com
Boothy: BMW Mottorrad Days, Garmisch
Imagine a motorcycle festival crossed with a German beer festival, with a ton of live music thrown in for good measure – can you conjure it up? Well if you can’t, you need to get to GarmischPartenkirchen in the Bavarian Alps to see it for yourself. By day there are hundreds of BMW bikes to drool over, some old, some new, some custom made, some exactly as they rolled off the production line, and whatever type of bike you are into, there’ll be something to float your boat at Garmisch. The live music kicks off way before the sun goes down and at set times throughout the day you’ll be treated to back-flipping MX bikes and donut-ing BMWs in the stunt arena in the middle of the show. When night-time comes, Garmisch doesn’t sleep and the bars and beer tents keep on serving food and drink until the early hours of the morning. With beer to drink, hotdogs to eat, music to dance to and motorbikes to talk about, you’d be hard pushed to think of somewhere better to spend a weekend. This year’s event is to be held on the weekend of July 3-5. See you there! www.bmw-motorrad.co.uk