dragon rally

bikenut · World Chat Champion Joined: 21 Nov 2011 Karma :

dam buttonitis....fingers still frozen.........

brrrr....did you get back from the dragon rally yet or are you still there....... Karma

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nuts about bikes

MCN. · Banned Joined: 31 Aug 2014 Karma :

Lol rally's.

jjdugen · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Jun 2011 Karma :

Geared up, loaded up, filled up. Got as far as the M60, bike running rough as a badgers backside. Struggled home.
Took best part of the day to discover that 'blades don't run on diesel!
Mea Culpa, a senior moment I'm afraid
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The CBR900RR has been sold. Aprilia Falco worms its way into my heart.
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1198 · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Jan 2013 Karma :

Camping in Febuary, on bikes. Fair play!

TheSmiler · World Chat Champion Joined: 14 Apr 2011 Karma :

To be honest it looks actually quite cool from this thread of Stinkwheel's. Some really nice bikes appeared that year. Personally wouldn't do a rally without anyone else to go with.

https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=75040
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Moxey · World Chat Champion Joined: 11 May 2011 Karma :

Would love to have tried the Dragon this year, just lacking cold weather riding and camping equipment to make it enjoyable (plus people to go with, most of my mates bikes don't come out till April).

Got a few lined up for March onwards though Thumbs Up

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Current: 02 FZS 1000 & 91 Royal Enfield Bullet 350 Some Bike Pics...
'I was too busy paying attention to pay attention'

Snod Blatter · Crazy Courier Joined: 21 Nov 2014 Karma :

It was suitably cold, lots of alcohol and bacon was consumed, would go again Thumbs Up

https://i.imgur.com/H7c2cL3.jpg

Not sure if I'd enjoy it so much in the wet, mind!
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1994 CB250, 1984 CBX250RS-E, 1989 K100RS, 1995 TRX850, 2016 Z250SL

trevor saxe-coburg-gotha · World Chat Champion Joined: 22 Nov 2012 Karma :

N cee thirty · Banned Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Karma :

Saw quite a few of them on sunday when i was out and about, thought it was abit odd, camping stuff in feb
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bikenut · World Chat Champion Joined: 21 Nov 2011 Karma :

smallfrowne · Scooby Slapper Joined: 25 Jun 2014 Karma :

Yes the freezing fog leaving wales wasn't very nice, warmed up a bit by the time I got to the peak district, though there was a bit of snow up the hills. The sun was out and I could feel warm blood returning to the extremities. Errrm, did get a bit stuck though.

https://i.imgur.com/98aa3Zy.jpg

Not really the right tyres, rider, state of mind (hungover) or the best of ideas but I did make it back home eventually

Northern Monkey · World Chat Champion Joined: 17 Nov 2013 Karma :

What size peli case is that?
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smallfrowne · Scooby Slapper Joined: 25 Jun 2014 Karma :

Hmmm, I think it's a 1550

truslack · World Chat Champion Joined: 08 Apr 2007 Karma :

I went last year but missed this year, was late sending off for my ticket so the cheque got returned Crying or Very sad

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stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

Got back last night after a night in a bothy near Coed-y-Brenin.

Excellent weather. One of the better dragons I've attended. As much for the location. Last years day of torrential rain and high winds on a touring caravan site was purgatory.

This was last years site:
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/dragon2014/CIMG1488_zps7af53487.jpg

It's been at the Capel Curig site several times before. I really like it because it feels properly "wild" and you're allowed fires. However, it is a bit of a liability in the rain. And Capel Curig is one of the rainiest places in Britain. Luck plays a part.

I've seen the bit beyond the marquee and to the left totally under water. My first Dragon in 1999 was there, I camped down and to the left of the entrance. The following morning, three of our groups six tents were still standing, all were damaged and I was sleeping in three inches of water. I'd just left my waterproofs and helmet on and left the saleeping bag in the drybag so I managed to get wanmed up and dried out in the morning. A couple of bikes were VERY close to going in the water.

My favourite site to-date was back in 2010 in a forest. It was also one of the coldest, into minus double figures overnight. It was supposed to be there again this year but the top field had been badly poached by horses and was unuseable for camping.
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/dragon%202010/dragonsite_small.png
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/dragon%202010/DSCN0475.png

I have a few pictures from this year, I'll put them up later.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

truslack · World Chat Champion Joined: 08 Apr 2007 Karma :

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

Bit of background for those who don't know.

The Dragon is the oldest motorbike rally in Britain. First was in 1968. It's always in North Wales and always the second weekend in February.

You send off your payment in October/November with two stamped, addressed envelopes. They send you a payment receipt back in the first one. They then send out directions to a control point towards the end of January.

To get to the rally and receive a badge, you have to turn up at the control point, on a motorcycle to have your payment receipt validated and given directions to the rally itself. Once there, you can present your validated ticket to receive your mug of soup and a roll, sticker, badge, slate coaster, whicky miniature and chocolate bars. In a change from the last 16 years, they substituted a kit-kat (4-finger) in place of the usual snickers.

The control point was brought in in the 70's in an effort to prevent patch clubs turning up en-masse and causing trouble.

There is usually a marquee with a bar and a band these days (historically there was a fire and a song-sheet). The band is often a bit rubbish, the marquee can't always be put up. There has always been a bar, even if it was just cans out of someones car boot.

It generally takes a fair degree of planning, effort and commitment to go. As such, the people you meet there are usually interesting to talk to and often arrive on oddball or old motorcycles. If it's not raining, it will be cold. Sometimes both.

I persdonally see it as a good test of my motorcycle and my camping gear. It makes you have your bike and camping gear sorted out, thoroughly tested and ready for the rest of the year.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

bikenut · World Chat Champion Joined: 21 Nov 2011 Karma :

Is that bwlch y groes in the video, its very wild up there in the snow.

Been there in the summer but not on the dragon ride.

Do you know of the merlin engine on a plinth?

Never been able top find it but its mentioned in some aircraft wreck books, as is bwlch y groes and the mountains.

Several wrecks up there.

MZ in the mountains :karma: :D
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nuts about bikes

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

Moxey · World Chat Champion Joined: 11 May 2011 Karma :

Never understood the control point thing but it makes sense now, quite a few rallies up our way could have done with implementing it (2 have been closed down this last year because so & so say's no Rolling Eyes

) also for the interesting adventure aspect Very Happy

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Current: 02 FZS 1000 & 91 Royal Enfield Bullet 350 Some Bike Pics...
'I was too busy paying attention to pay attention'