National Bike Rally.

[Nobby]

Anyone here done it ?

[Horse]

PM Scootabout and Bike Breaker.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Done the Welsh one

[Scootabout]

You called?

[Nobby]

You called?

Yes. I've read the blurb they have on their website, but apart from giving details of a Matrix and having to achieve a certain amount of points for different levels, there was no indication of the mileage involved. Just wondered if you could throw any light on the matter, and any other info. ??

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

The mileage is down to you, you work out which checks you want to visit and your route in between them.

I found the planning more fun than the riding, but I chose to do it on a Husqvarna Supermoto, I don't know why as I had a more suitable bike at the time.

[Scootabout]

The matrix should show nominal miles between checkpoints. These mileages are approximate only. They usually list the awards, and mileage ranges for each. Anything from about 150 to 550, iirc. The 550 normally involves overnight riding, but I'm not sure if they are doing that this year. Last year there were no manned checkpoints. I haven't checked what they are doing this year, as I have a wedding to attend that weekend.

[Horse]

I done it, 30yrs man and... after a certain point there wasn't a minute that went by that I didn't wish I was in bed,

A mate had that thought too. After he woke up just as he and the bike had made a hole in a hedge.

[Nobby]

I’m a sucker.
I’m the sort of Bloke that does the Elephant Rally , camping in 6 foot of snow, freezing my nuts for a week, then do it twice more just to make sure it was shit the first time.
I may well give it a go.

[The Spin Doctor]

Anyone here done it ?

Yes years ago.

[The Spin Doctor]

Done the Welsh one

Finished joint 1st on the Welsh a few years ago... the tie break actually awarded first to the rider with the older bike. So the guy with the 1000cc 'won' because his bike was six months older than my 600

Amusingly, one of the 'special exercises' was ten questions on Welsh history. I obviously got more of them right than the locals!

[The Spin Doctor]

The mileage is down to you, you work out which checks you want to visit and your route in between them.

I found the planning more fun than the riding, but I chose to do it on a Husqvarna Supermoto, I don't know why as I had a more suitable bike at the time.

Because you could?

Someone I used to know did the full Iron Butt on a DKW200 Wankel. IIRR he had three spare engines shipped out from Germany ahead of him to strategic points ready to bolt in, in the event of an engine failure.

[Scootabout]

Just boinging this because these rallies haven't gone away, oh no. This year I plan to do the SW Peninsula Spring Rally, the Welsh National, the (English) National. Might even have a go at the Scottish National for the first time - not sure yet.

Anyone else doing any of them? (I assume @potter won't be )

[Dickyboy]

Seems such a strange and alien concept to me, so nope.

[dern]

Looks kind of fun. To be competitive do you end up having to stick to motorways and main roads?

[Skub]

Seems such a strange and alien concept to me, so nope.

Sounds like hell on wheels. There's nothing in that masochistic concept that would be even vaguely pleasurable,or tempting.

[Scootabout]

Seems such a strange and alien concept to me, so nope.

Sounds like hell on wheels. There's nothing in that masochistic concept that would be even vaguely pleasurable,or tempting.

Genuinely interested to know why you think that. These are daytime, not overnight, events, btw.

[Horse]

Seems such a strange and alien concept to me, so nope.

Sounds like hell on wheels. There's nothing in that masochistic concept that would be even vaguely pleasurable,or tempting.

Genuinely interested to know why you think that. These are daytime, not overnight, events, btw.

When did the overnight version end?

I thought there were two options, with one starting at 2pm and going on through until 6am. With the special tests after.

[Scootabout]

Looks kind of fun. To be competitive do you end up having to stick to motorways and main roads?

Possibly, for the higher awards. Especially in the English rally. But for a bronze or silver, say, you can usually work out an interesting route. In fact, in last year's English I only got a 'chrome' award - the lowest - but had a lovely day's riding on smaller roads around the Cotswolds, Somerset etc. My priority is usually a pleasant day's riding rather than a precious metal.
Wales is always an interesting challenge, route planning wise, because it's less obvious what the fastest route is. Do I take main roads and go the long way round, or a much shorter route that often means roads with grass down the middle?

[Scootabout]

Sounds like hell on wheels. There's nothing in that masochistic concept that would be even vaguely pleasurable,or tempting.

Genuinely interested to know why you think that. These are daytime, not overnight, events, btw.

When did the overnight version end?

I thought there were two options, with one starting at 2pm and going on through until 6am. With the special tests after.

I think it stopped when covid started. That also saw the introduction of fewer manned controls (nil during the height of covid, I think), and the introduction of a one or two day option, both daytime. That's still the plan for this year, afaik.
The Welsh was all unmanned during covid, and the controls were defined by co-ordinates that had to be found & recorded using an app. Not sure what the plan is this year, but since ACU took it over from Clive MCC they've been trying to make it a bit less labour-intensive to organise.