'13 Ireland Summer SV Road Trip Plan

I apologise in advance if this is posted in the wrong section.

Last summer ('12) my girlfriend and I, my best friend and his girlfriend ( my girlfriend's sister ) hired a couple dirt **** kicker bikes in Crete and toured the island for a week covering a fair amount of mileage. Teenagers and early 20's nowadays have a bad rap ( in some cases quite rightfully ) about disappearing to Crete for a very different reason - to party in Malia - but we aren't interested in that and want to help restore the public image in teens / early 20's. To us, hiring a couple hopelessly underpowered and terrible bikes to kick round an unforgiving environment sounds like heaven to me.

Below are a couple pictures of stated event.







This year however ( summer '13 ) my girlfriend and I ( her riding pillion ) are planning a tour of Northern and Republic of Ireland in a bit more comfort than last year's trip. Why? Because Europe is too expensive at the moment and she has family over there we can stay with.
We'll be taking my SV. ( link to my bike is in my signature ) We're still working out dates.



**************************UPDATED***************** *********

Revised Part 1:

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr...via=4,8,12&z=8

Revised trip:



Revised Part 2:

http://goo.gl/maps/KEKlw




I will be riding from Coventry to Dublin with the aid of a ferry or a long swim where I will meet Laura and her family, ride with her pillion to Roscrea where her family live ( starting point A on map ). Excluding that leg of the journey and the journey from Roscrea -> Coventry, so the proposed actual tour route is roughly 1100 miles. We've estimated 1200 miles for extra unplanned rides. We feel 15 days will be sufficient for the entire tour.

As for accommodation and comfort, we will be traveling as lightly as possible. We have an Interphone F3s set in our helmets for comms and a satnav mounted to the handlebars. A set of 62 litre soft panniers on the back and a daybag backpack on Laura's back throughout the trip. We aim to camp every other night, with hotels booked along the way as well as staying with friends. Camping equipment and emergency supplies are a given. I however do not have a gel seat as they're beyond what I can afford, I feel my bum will have to suffer to some extent.

I will fit a fender extender before the trip and give it a full comprehensive service.

Does anyone have any advice? Any mods I should carry out on the bike beforehand? Anyone know the proposed areas and suggest stopping points? Or just idle banter on the trip or previous Crete trip?

No arguments please

Tim

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by TCochrane

Google maps link:

http://goo.gl/maps/9SslH

I will be riding from Coventry to Dublin with the aid of a ferry or a long swim where I will meet Laura and her family, ride with her pillion to Roscrea where her family live ( starting point P on map ). Excluding that leg of the journey and the journey from Roscrea -> Coventry, so the proposed actual tour route is roughly 900 miles. We've estimated 1000 miles for extra unplanned rides. We feel 12 days will be sufficient for the entire tour.

As for accommodation and comfort, we will be traveling as lightly as possible. We have an Interphone F3s set in our helmets for comms and a satnav mounted to the handlebars. A set of 62 litre soft panniers on the back and a daybag backpack on Laura's back throughout the trip. We aim to camp every other night, with hotels booked along the way as well as staying with friends. Camping equipment and emergency supplies are a given. I however do not have a gel seat as they're beyond what I can afford, I feel my bum will have to suffer to some extent.

I will fit a fender extender before the trip and give it a full comprehensive service.

Does anyone have any advice? Any mods I should carry out on the bike beforehand? Anyone know the proposed areas and suggest stopping points? Or just idle banter on the trip or previous Crete trip?

No arguments please

Tim

Just whack the preload right up and make sure you take some chain lube/fill the scottoiler.

Crete trip sounds like it was a laugh

Maybe should be in Eurotour section.

Awesome looking trip. If you're handy with the spannering I'd take a selected tool kit (not the crap suzuki one). Things like punctures can be a pain and you never know when you might need a spare lightbulb.

Originally Posted by Runako

Maybe should be in Eurotour section.

Awesome looking trip. If you're handy with the spannering I'd take a selected tool kit (not the crap suzuki one). Things like punctures can be a pain and you never know when you might need a spare lightbulb.

Will definitely be bringing tools and spares

Take care of Republic Drivers not the best especially Donegal.
Also most roads aren't great off the main roads.
And why not change and go up round the North Coast (not being biased as its on my doorstep) some great views and roads from Portrush around to Larne the A2 really worth it if you can go that far, and then you can scoot on down to Belfast to the ferry.

As always, I'll be extra careful when driving in a new environment.

We didn't consider going up the north coast, we figured the south and west coast were enough besides, I'd like to keep the total mileage of the tour under 1k miles. But will pass the recommendation onto Laura and will go from there

Originally Posted by TCochrane

As always, I'll be extra careful when driving in a new environment.

We didn't consider going up the north coast, we figured the south and west coast were enough besides, I'd like to keep the total mileage of the tour under 1k miles. But will pass the recommendation onto Laura and will go from there

Plenty to see and do up here
Giants Causeway, Carrick-a-rede rope bridge, mussenden temple, Bushmills Whiskey and a feck load more really worth considering.

could you list a few towns / cities on the way that would go through those areas on interest and i'll add them to the route

Originally Posted by TCochrane

could you list a few towns / cities on the way that would go through those areas on interest and i'll add them to the route

Londonderry might be worth a visit if your into history and such see the Derry Walls, Wall murals if your into them. Might be worth looking up the web and see if there's anything on as it's the city of culture for 2013.

Look up Portrush it's the start of the coast road so to speak from the northcoast end then its through to Bushmills where the distillery is, just a 5min drive from here is the giants casueway just off the road.
Then the next major town is Ballycastle but there is some lovely little harbours along the way Ballintoy is rather nice, as well as the rope bridge.
Out of Ballycastle it's a great run to Cushendall and round to Larne and Belfast.

Ballymoney and the Joey Dunlop Memorial Garden and Joey's bar is close by Portrush. Good if you're a fan of the legend that he was.

Anymore questions man i'll be glad to help.

We'll research that route this weekend together and seriously consider adding that leg to our trip

Greatly appreciated feedback!! Thank you!