UK to NI, cheapest way?

[wild foamy]

hey peeps

has anyone ever been from the UK to NI?, im wanting to go over there for a weekend next year but what is the cheapest way to get over to Belfast on a motorcycle?

cheers peeps

-Steve

[drewpy]

hey peeps

has anyone ever been from the UK to NI?, im wanting to go over there for a weekend next year but what is the cheapest way to get over to Belfast on a motorcycle?

cheers peeps

-Steve

I think you will need a bit more than a weekend where you live.

When I went to the NW200 from manchester it tool 11 hours of hard riding with 2 hours of ferry crossing from stranrar. I went thursday night and spent the night in dumfries to break up the journey!

[barkwindjammer]

He's measured it and its only about 4 and a half inches on a map

[wild foamy]

well, what i meant was a weekend spent over there, leaving friday morning and returning monday night

[barkwindjammer]

Sir Pat2wheels is the man to ask, he did a bit of homework before the 'Squires run'

[2 Wheels]

Back in a min with the results Foamy

[2 Wheels]

Carinryan to Larne is always the cheepest. £80 return if ya book it well in advance.

Stranrare to Belfast is £90 return. Again book early. They all get dearer closer the time !

Both are a 2 hour crossing.

Carinryan and Stranrare are right beside eachother But landing in Larne is far better/easier to get away from to anywhere you want. Landing in Belfast puts ya in the middle of the city and takes a hour to get out of.

Larne and Belfast are quite near eachother on this side but Larne is far better.

The other crossings might be handier for you to get to but they are a 3 and a 4 hour crossing so they are way dearer.

Where ya thinkin of goin to when ya get here and i will pick the best boat for ya !

[drewpy]

there's a great Caff in Larne, try the Ulster Fry. Mike couldn't finish it

[wild foamy]

Newtownards is the first town im heading to, would have thought it would be easier to get to from belfast, but if its going to take me an hour to get through belfast i may aswell go from Carinryan to Larne, cheers 2Wheels, you saved me about £90 in ferry fees from Liverpool - Belfast

[Gas up - Let's Go!]

spent the night in dumfries

I'll bet that was a blast !!! Was it open?

Foamy - Don't just consider the ferry crossings, there is a Fast ferry from Stranraer that puts right bang in the middle of Belfast, but as it's already been pointed out, it'll take you time to break free of the city, and there are one or two places you don't want to wander in to if you get lost......

From you'r end of the world, have a think about Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire (don't bother with Dublin as it's just as bad to break clear of, unless you arrive early morning).

It really depends on where you want to go, and the time you have to get there.

From Manchester to Carlisle, around 2 hours on the M'way and you will be bored out of your skull. Carlisle to Stranraer is another 2 hours but the road is a good ride and follows the coast. Time this wrong and you'll have alot of ferry traffic to content with (both directions) and it's a single carrigeway road for 100 miles.

Manchester to Hollyhead is around 2 hours too, not a bad road from memory.

So the thing is, do you want to ride that crappy Manchester to Carlisle route (of course you could take the A-roads but it'll be more time) of ride north through Ireland ?

If I were you, or anyone else coming from the south, I'd opt for the Irish run every time.

[drewpy]

Gas is right, Manchester to Carlise is booorrrringgg we broke off a few times and went the A6 way.

I didn't enjoy Carlisle to Stranraer either, as it was 1 (very)long traffic jam.

[up.yours]

you don't get stuck in traffic on a bike,

unless you fillter like a wus:)

[drewpy]

for 100 miles its boring and dangerous on that route

[up.yours]

ruffled feathers:lol:

[Vez]

How cheap you want it?

[2 Wheels]

There is also a fast ferry from Carinryan to Larne but there new website didnt show it, so i didnt tell ya bout it. Fast ferry is 1 hour.

The lads are right, long sptin to Carlise. Carlise to Carinryan road is a bit better,,overtaking lane every few miles,,,some of it is still 1 lane though.

What ya want ta do when ya get here.

Land in northern Ireland,,,make it your base,,,,,do short trips all arround site seeing,,,,3 hour ride will get ya well accross the country,,,,staying local theres lots to do and see.

Land in Dun Laoghaire,,,,ponder your way up the country,,,,,vear of heading west to middle of country, stay the night,,,,eventually venture up to northern ireland,ponder arround,,,,,,ferry to Carinryan and long spin home.

Plan it out for yourself,,,,,give yourself enough time in each place so that your not missing anything and land home disappointed.

Prepair yourself for the Twisties,,,,,,,,,,your bike wont be up straight for long,,,,,,,unless ya never leave the dual-carrigway.

[blackhat250]

Aye and by the time were going ,[ N/w.] --- it"l be 100 euro"s to the £, , Big kev will annihilate The Ulster Fry up .

more snow this weekend ,, little dave " you got any ?

[wild foamy]

fuck the Newtownards idea, may aswell do the whole f*ckin lot, mid-end of july, week off work, venture around the whole country, why not?, i wanted to do it on the DT, i had aspirations of doing it on the Jawa, but screw it i got the XJ and im going for it, no matter what anyone says im getting out of this crooked country i am willing contracted to serve with my life, even if its just for a week.

panniers, tankbag and tailpack, sleep rough next to the bike, nothing but a camera and a few tins of beans and some nickelback on the headphones.

its been a bad dayweekmonth at work, not happy with my life as it is and im currently in the process of emptying my fridge of all my beer

[Gas up - Let's Go!]

sleep rough next to the bike,

Been there, you'll already have a Bivi and a Tarp, there's nothing else you need (maybe a couple of 24Hr ration packs & some hex). It's the most free you will ever feel....

[wild foamy]

ive survived worse, but im swapping the bivvi for a compact single foamy tent, all i need now is a set of panniers, im already in the process of fabricating some pannier mounts