any advice on this as looking into newcastle/amsterdam ferry then hotel for a few nights.(dont do camping) any tips on the area/ looking to stay a bit away as hotels much dearer closer to track. not doing summer holiday this year so this is on same weekend as missus away on girls weekend.
There's a Campanile at Leeuwarden, about 40 mins ride to track which is ok, you can book it online through the Campanile website, if there's space. Stayed there a few times for WSB & MotoGP. Good ride up to there from Amsterdam would be up the coast and across the dykes, there's 2 long ones if you look at a map of Holland, worth a trip over. Hotels any closer to the track are fully booked, and were ages ago. I tried with no luck. You could try any Hotels in Meppel, its not too far from Assen and its on the main train line to Assen so you can get a train to n from the track fpr not much money. Watch out for roadside speed cameras around the rural roads around the track, the ol cloggys seem to set em up all over the place to catch bikers around TT time.
Thanks for the info. Still thinking about it. Never rode abroad so thought it would be a decent small trip on my own. Tried some hotel sites and found some room around 20/30 klms away. Not too bad. Prices reasonable around £200 for 3 nights. want to start booking but not sure if i,ll still be working in london/up north or not at all! must get this trip sorted. Any recommendation of which stand to sit in?
Any recommendation of which stand to sit in?[/QUOTE] Best in a lot of ways is the Geert Timmer Tribune, right on the last chicane, always action there, the one before it isn't bad, thats the Winterdijk Tribune, still a view of the chicane but not so much of the start finish straight. Other than that any other would be good, depends on what you prefer, out the back of the circuit Steckenwal and De Bult would be good but I've never sat there. Haven't sat out the back for a motoGP but all would be good. HAve no worries about going on your own, the Dutch are really friendly and there are always loads of Brits at Assen. GO and enjoy it
Cheers for info. Be looking at getting it all booked up by next weekend. Think the best stand is already full but i;ll get a decent seat somewhere facing a big screen
Myself and a few mates are planning this for next year going the same way, we were wondering as we are there is it possible to add another few days and got to the Ring ? I know any things doable but we went to Ireland last year 1000 miles in 4 days and it was hard going. We just feel it may be a bit of a waste to go all that way and not go into Germany. Any thoughts would be much appriciated.
The Ring is around 250 miles from Assen, my Garmin route planner says just over 4 hours (thats with road speeds set to realistic levels) riding time so say 5-6 hours taking it easy. Everyone seems to rate the ring but I personally wouldn't bother, been there a few times for WSBK and did look into doing a lap or two but it isn't always open for public sessions and when it is every Axel, Jurgen (or whatever they call boy racers over there) is out in tuned up golfs and audis, they know their way round and will, by all accounts not care if they take your line away. Short story is it's a dangerous place and there are questions over whether UK insurance companies will cover you for being on it. In Germany its classed as a one way toll road, and yes it has speed limited sections and police. UK insurers will most likely see it as a race track and therefore not cover you unless you have a specific policy. Go to the area and ride around the very good roads in the Mosel area, Cochem is a nice town to stay in on the Mosel river with an awesome hill to go up and down too. 1000 miles in 4 days thats only 250 a day...Man up beavis!!!!
Thanks for that Gregr , very informative. I have had my doubts about it before as I have heard the horror stories. Will pass on your info to my mates and see what they think. My 1000 miles was a nightmare ! We got lost so many times it was incredible. Our 2nd day was about 200 miles and we were on the road for about 9 hours. There were 7 of us and nobody really knew how to get to Baltimore from Blessington ( check it out on a map ). I was in Waterford for about a. Hour and saw nothing of the place as we were waiting for everyone to regroup. 1000 miles in 4 days isn't a lot if you know where you are going ! I will try and man up before I go to Assen, at least we shouldn't get lost as most of the way is by ferry.
No worries beavis. I think the Ring has got too popular nowadays, also, if you bin it and your bike spews oil on the road or damages the road/armco or whatever you can be liable for a). cost of clear up b) loss of revenue if the track (ahem..I mean one way toll road sir!!) is closed for the duration of the cleanup c). cost of repairs to road/armco etc. Bearing in mind your off might just be caused by some a-hole in a tricked up audi going for a record it seems a bit harsh but thats the rules I gather. I'm a bit of a planner, so I like to plan trips way ahead of time sorting routes etc which is pretty easy now I have a Garmin Zumo and mapping software on my PC, ace bit of kit IMO. You could use any of the online route planners, the AA and RAC have them on their websites, you can then print out the routes to take with you. I'm lucky in that I have a group of 4 mates who trust me implicitly. I plan, they follow. We do discuss the trip first though...most of the time.
was going to get my trip all booked up this weekend when home. just back from meeting and now in consulatation re redundancy. supposed to get scored on various things but as I,m in a group of 1 there is only one outcome! still get another few weeks notice and a few grand redundancy money, should finish a week before the assen trip so probably just say fuckit and go!!! been working hard so I think I deserve to go
Ah crap mate that's bad news you could do without for sure. Strangely enough, Waaaay back in 1999, Assen WSBK and a 2800 mile trip around europe on my own on my Blackbird was what I did when my first wife buggered off, that was a sod it I'm going sort of decision.
I rode to the BSB round in Assen last year with a few mates. We stayed in Groningan & took a cab to the TT circuit & back. To be honest, the ride there & back was boring as hell; just mile after mile of long straight roads. If its the race you are after - fly. If its the ride your after - go somewhere else.
Yeah would tend to agree with you. There is some reasonable riding and a few good sights to see, if you like windfarms (don't have em where i'm from) and very long dykes that cross the sea. The atmosphere at Assen is always good and the cloggys like a laugh and are a general friendly bunch. Living in Guernsey the only real option to get to France is St Malo so that means a 500+ mile ride up to Assen, never the best. Just think about it as a crap days riding away is better than a day back home!!
Shame you don't like camping, we bought small tents for £35.00 packed for 5 days out. The campsites are the best maintained i've ever been on with onsite cleaning staff who keep everything in order. Secure bike parks and a whole lot of activity with the crazy Dutch after seeing a great days racing. Pretty simple to get to but as the others have said the roads are too straight.
Well still trying to make mind up about going. Trip a week after i finish my notice period but may have another job to start. If theres a job going somewhere i have to be available. Not a lot of work out there. Must make a decision!
