Ring Trip - Anyone there?

[geordie_21]

Hi All,

Im of to 'The Ring' on August 16th - 20th in my Fabia vRS to pop my ring cherry! Was wondering if any other fellow Briskodians are planning on being there at the same time? Let me know so I can keep my eye out.

Catch you later, John

[Octavia Vrs!]

I'm there 1st-4th Aug with a 100 car rally. The Nurburgring 700, all the cars get numbered - its like the cannonball run. I've been a few times and you'll love it. Just a few words of caution. It gets Nasty in the wet! My best time bridge to gantry is 8 mins 58 seconds.

[geordie_21]

That sounds like a whole lot of fun.. I can't wait to get there, Im going with a bunch of mates taking a big Sprinter with the bikes in as well. I'm looking for around 12 mins under for my first visit although Im not going to concern myself with lap times for the first day or so, just getting round will be a personal achievement! Id also hate to total my pride and joy although its just about ring ready and prepped for a good thrashing! Have a great time whilst you're there! all the best

[Allams Skoda]

Don't worry about lap times on your first few laps just try and get used to the layout of the track and attempt to remember where they particulary dangerous bends are.

Also like the other poster mentions the 'ring in the wet is possibly the worst place to drive anything hard, the track gets so slippy it is unreal especially on the bends where people get out of shape and leave rubber on the road be careful of Brunchen, Eiskurve, Pflanzgarten and of course Adenauer Forst.

If it the track is wet please don't go out on your bike.

[Octavia Vrs!]

Originally Posted by JamesRothwell

If it the track is wet please don't go out on your bike.

I lost count of the number of times the track was closed for half an hour last year as a mangled bike pulled into the car park on the recovery trailer. Also please please check your mirrors when out on the bike, the bikes really get in the way at the ring. I'm a biker myself - Ninja zx7r but I can get round much quicker in a car. The courners have bumps ect and 99 percent of the bikers at the ring don't expect a Skoda up their bum. In 2 years at the ring I've have been overtaken by 1 bike, and that guy was awesome specially set up machine.

[geordie_21]

Good advice guys - Its my mates that have the bikes, but because of them im always really aware of bikes on the road, especially when they're filtering or at T junctions. Working in the London area you always see a quick reminder of how dangerous they can be. some of the guys went last year on the bikes and everyone one of them were suprised how bumpy it was so Im kinda pleased im the one in the understated Skoda!!!! I get the impression no amount of laps on the Xbox 360 can fully prepare you but Im really looking forward to it now.

[Lance]

I've been going to the Ring since 1993 on bikes and more recently in cars. It really isn't that daunting and no where near as dangerous as the doom merchants like to paint it.

Sure, it's an extremely superb and exciting track (?), which becomes better the more you learn it.

As I've said before, if you drive like a c0ck then it's gonna be painful/expensive, just like it would be if that's how you drive on the road. If you drive with good awareness and a bit of common, you'll be fine.

I was there two weeks back and it's really not that bumpy any more and if you have GT4 (i think) the track is exactly the same, barring the drops & climbs.

Relax and enjoy......that's what it's all about.

[Lance]

Originally Posted by Octavia Vrs!

My best time bridge to gantry is 8 mins 58 seconds.

Whilst that's a good time, I'm very surprised that more bikes haven't overtaken you.

You certainly don't require any specially set up bike to set good lap times on a bike. Any modern day sport bike with a better than average rider should get comfortably within 9:30. Put a good rider on board and inside 9:00 should be easily possible. This does of course depend on track knowledge, which is all important at the Ring.

[Allams Skoda]

No virtual laps can prepare you for the ring, you'll be suprised how hilly the track is.

Where are you staying?

[devonutopia]

Originally Posted by JamesRothwell

No virtual laps can prepare you for the ring, you'll be suprised how hilly the track is.

Nope - I've done two trips now and am still a definite amateur (but with decent knowledge now of at least the way the corners go, and "usually" the best lines to take through the corners, however illogical they first seem. )

[Fluffmeister]

Originally Posted by Lance

I've been going to the Ring since 1993 on bikes and more recently in cars. It really isn't that daunting and no where near as dangerous as the doom merchants like to paint it.

Sure, it's an extremely superb and exciting track (?), which becomes better the more you learn it.

I have to agree, and on my May visit I did 2 wet laps on the bike, and lived to tell the tale. I have been going on and off since 1996 and if you treat it with respect you will have a great time. If you make the trip and it's peeing down, it's a long way to go not to get a few laps in, if your careful and go into touring mode you will be fine.

[geordie_21]

Originally Posted by JamesRothwell

Where are you staying?

Thanks for the words of encouragement! I'm staying in a hotel in Prum called Willkommen Hotel zum Goldenen Stern in Prüm - Eifelhotel think its about 40 mins away from 'The Ring'. Some of the lads I'm going with stayed there last year and said it was excellent - somewhere to sleep and sink a few pints at the end of the day!

Hopefully we'll have a spot of dry weather to ensure a more enjoyable trip.

Catch you later

[Allams Skoda]

Originally Posted by devonutopia

Nope - I've done two trips now and am still a definite amateur (but with decent knowledge now of at least the way the corners go, and "usually" the best lines to take through the corners, however illogical they first seem. )

Games can give you an idea of which direction the track is going next but doesn't give you the true perception of how bumpy the track is or how much undulation there is or what the camber is like. Schwedenkreuz and the bend after are totally wrong on both PGR4 and Forza2 if you attempt those bends like you would in the game you would slam straight into the armco on the righthand side.

I'm still an ring-amature myself with a measily 37 driven laps a quite a few pax laps but I certainly wouldn't trust the games with my life, I'd rather just learn the track with real experience.

[Octavia Vrs!]

Originally Posted by geordie_21

Thanks for the words of encouragement! I'm staying in a hotel in Prum called Willkommen Hotel zum Goldenen Stern in Prüm - Eifelhotel think its about 40 mins away from 'The Ring'. Some of the lads I'm going with stayed there last year and said it was excellent - somewhere to sleep and sink a few pints at the end of the day!

Hopefully we'll have a spot of dry weather to ensure a more enjoyable trip.

Catch you later

Getting a hotel this year close to the circuit was impossible for us which Is why we opted for an organised event. All the weekend Noth loop tourist sessions run at the same time something is happening on the Grand Prix circuit - so all booked up .
Prevous years I've stayed at the Motorsport hotel which is about 2min drive to the track. Luckily its about the same this year thanks to the Nurburgring 700 crew booking the whole of Adenau Village which is inside the track. 200 brits decending!!

I hope the wheather is good also as my very stiff setup is not suited to a wet track.

[Lance]

Originally Posted by Octavia Vrs!

Getting a hotel this year close to the circuit was impossible for us which Is why we opted for an organised event. All the weekend Noth loop tourist sessions run at the same time something is happening on the Grand Prix circuit - so all booked up .
Prevous years I've stayed at the Motorsport hotel which is about 2min drive to the track. Luckily its about the same this year thanks to the Nurburgring 700 crew booking the whole of Adenau Village which is inside the track. 200 brits decending!!

I hope the wheather is good also as my very stiff setup is not suited to a wet track.

Adenau is where I usually stay, either in the Blau Ecke or the Sonnenhof. I really like Adenau, plenty of places to eat & drink, plus the 'Brauhaus' pub. They were still serving at 5am when I was there 2 weeks back.

Have fun