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Details
for the 2008 British Diesel Motorcycle Rally.
THE
BIG KNOCK
returns
to the
BAT
& BALL
I am pleased to
announce that the 2008 British Diesel Motorcycle Rally has been penciled
in for Friday 30th and Saturday 31st May at the Bat
& Ball.
If you own a Diesel
Motorcycle please try and make the effort to attend as this is the
only event of its kind in the U.K.
Camping costs will become clearer nearer the time but are likely to
be in the region of what they were for 2007: i.e. cars £8 while
bikes are £5. You are welcome to come Thursday or earlier. Most
bikes will be gone by Sunday lunch.
At this time no band has been booked and it is unlikely we will have
any live music at this event. But who knows?
The Bat and Ball
Public House is situated at Newpound, Wisborough Green, Billingshurst,
West Sussex, RH14 0EH. (B2133). See below for Maps
and site photos.
Anyone wishing
to come earlier is welcome to do so. Let me know and I will come say
hello. I will bring some wood for everyone to rest the motorcycle
side stands on and make sure a bin is available for the rubbish. I
will not put out quite so many signs this year as Jeff may not be
there to help me.
This is a small
event so don't come thinking there will be many Diesel Bikes. This
is a minority thing - at the moment...The British Rally, as was found
in 2006, acts as a good feeder to the more established German Rally.
Several British riders made the effort and arrived in Hamm for this
weekend again in 2007. Well done those men! This is a good starting
point for anyone willing to get into the scene. The 2008 Hamm Rally
is in early September see www.dieselkrad.info
Contact:
Please spread the word and if you own a Diesel Motorbike and plan to
come, drop me a line so I may have some idea of numbers. Obviously,
as I said, this is a minority thing and I have no way of telling how
many bikes will turn up but I shall be putting the word out and placing
a few adverts. Feel free to come and look. You can phone me, Stuart,
on 07763 305967 or Email
me here.
All the visiting
bikes may not be present on site at any one time.
The aim is for
an informal weekend which will most probably consist of a ride out
sometime Saturday for a few hours to a local place of interest and
hopefully plenty of talk concerning things mechanical. This year we
aim to ride to somewhere we havn't visited yet, Newlands Corner. Visible
both
here and here.
Please note that
given our slightly higher public profile this time around it might
be advisable if everyone coming on a Diesel Bike makes sure tax has
been paid on their fuel.
Local
Attractions: For those arriving early and those wishing to
ride out from the Rally to site-see, I include the following local
sites. Amberley
Working Museum, Arundel
Castle, Bluebell Railway,
Sussex Past, Weald
& Downland Museum, Horsham
Homepage, Tangmere
Military Aviation Museum, Bury
Hill.
Internet
Access: Horsham Town Centre has a Public Terminal at its
centre in the Carfax.
If
it's anything like the German Rally you'll find no bikes come late Sunday.
I expect the busiest time to be Friday night and all day Saturday. Most
bikes will be gone by Sunday lunchtime.
Apart from
camping, there is a Travelodge
locally between Five Oaks and Billingshurst on Stane Street.
They can be contacted on 0870 085 0950 or book online through the link.
Those travelling from the continent should realise the cost of Bed &
Breakfast accomodation is very expensive in this part of the U.K. You
have been warned!
Directions:
Firstly aim for Crawley/Gatwick Airport (M23) in West Sussex from
the M25 London Ring road, Then Horsham on the A264. Take the Northern
Bypass A264 over Horsham and turn left at the Dorking roundabout onto
the A264 Worthing Road. Go straight over roundabout. After .5 km turn
off up the dual carragway slip way for BroadBridge Heath (turn right
here towards Services) and take the Five Oaks Road left before garage,
which is the A264 (A29) (sign posted for Bognor Regis).Go down Broadbridge
Heath bypass and turn left.
This will get you to the A29 at Five Oaks. Go South on this old
Roman Road (Stane Street) until you reach Billingshurst bypass roundabout.
Go right and (under bridge) until mini roundabout and take A272. (Note
camping sign is for Fishers Farm Park and NOT Bat & Ball but they
are close.) Go West until B2133 sign is seen to Newpound. Turn right
(north) and the Bat and Ball is up here on the left. If you are coming
from the Continent I would advise you travel via the motorway to the
M25 and then down to Gatwick as the coast roads are very busy with
traffic!
Positioning:
Could I ask that people bringing Diesel Bikes position them appropriately
so that anyone walking past can view them without falling over tent
ropes and such. An information sheet is always a help here (stuck
on a stick). In the same vein maybe petrol bikes (and 4 wheel vehicles)
could be parked further back out of the way? I'd appreciate it if
you could set up your tent without disturbing anyone elses bike. If
you are bringing a Diesel Bike please be aware that you might be asked
a question or two by the often curious general public!
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