‘The atmosphere is fantastic’: NW200 fans gear up for a weekend of top-class motorbike racing

Most of the year visitors come to soak in some of the best coastal views Northern Ireland has to offer.

The contrast is stark for the celebrated North West 200. Serenity the area is known for is upended by fearless bikers racing full-throttle on country roads.

While along the promenade, beach-goers in cotton shorts are substituted for leather-clad moto-enthusiasts.

All roads leading to the celebrated North West 200 are peppered with bikers who religiously flock to the annual event.

On Thursday afternoon a convoy of over 200 motorbikes disembarked Stena Line’s Superfast VIII vessel in Belfast Harbour.

Close to the grid, the racers within earshot, Samuel McKeeman stands with a boot-full of event programmes, as he has done for the past 45 years.

The Coleraine man works in a supermarket normally but has turned out to volunteer at an event he “loves” time and again.

“It has grown in popularity over the years,” he said, “and if the weather is good there could be over 100,000 folk here on Saturday. It will be packed.

“With the good weather you’ll always get the crowds. You have your holiday-makers as well.

“We just met a photographer from France and he has taken 1,000 photos already.

“They come here for this event from all over: France, Scotland, Austria, Germany, you name it.”

Samuel explained that the event has “changed a lot”, as when he was young the start line was where he now sells programmes on Portmore Road and the pit lane was situated adjacent.

“I’ve been here since half six this morning and I’ll be here until half eight tonight. Tomorrow morning I guarantee I’ll be down at the pits before seven o’clock to nine o’clock tomorrow night,” he told the Belfast Telegraph.

“And on Saturday morning I’ll do the same again.”

He shared a story about collapsing after being dehydrated three years ago. He was only released from hospital at 2am but made it back to the pits to support the event a few hours later.

Word got round and homeowners close to his patch make sure he has all the refreshments he needs nowadays.

Samuel spoke of the benefits for the area: “Everywhere is booked out, all the hotels and guest houses right out to the other side of Bushmills and Ballycastle.

“I know people coming from Larne who can’t get a place to stay. It’s good for the economy.”

A good view of the race track is paramount at the NW200. Locals and visitors can all be seen sitting on balconies or front gardens eager to get a glimpse of the riders.

One man took it a step further by positioning a sun-seat on top of his campervan for optimal views.

Wherever the vantage point, in a split-second the high-performance machines come into shot and disappear as quickly, and all that can be heard is the muffled sound of their engines as they fade off into the distance.

As an event for racing purists it’s no surprise to see motorbikes of all shapes and sizes decorating the pavements around Portstewart.

Andy Mills, originally from Cambridgeshire, explained that he made his way up from Kildare.

“This is the third year we’ve been up,” he said, “I’ve been following the sport for many, many years.

“I’ve been biking myself for the best part of 40 years, off road and on road.

“The thing that makes the North West 200 special for me is that it’s more accessible than the Isle of Man TT. It’s easy to get here.

“We had great craic here last year, a friend of ours sponsors Jerry McWilliams, so we’re going to get the pit passes soon and we get a bit of royal treatment while we’re here.

“There will be plenty of socialising when the racing’s not on. I think tomorrow we’re going to get the ferry across to Donegal, have a fish dinner and bits and pieces. Maybe a few pints on the way home.

“McWilliams is a friend of ours so we’re hoping he does well this weekend.”

Serving food and beverages close to the track, Joy Bell from Bessbrook in Newry said it is her second year attending.

“The Friday and Saturday are always best days for trade. The atmosphere is fantastic, it is the atmosphere you come for more than anything else.

“You meet people from all over the world. I’ve met people from Argentina, America, Spain and the Isle of Man. You name it, they come.

“It’s really good hearing people tell you different stories,” as she recalled an Argentinian lady informing her that the south American country has descended into “anarchy” of late.

As a sample of the appetite for the event, Stena Line has transported over 4,300 motorbikes on its Cairnryan to Belfast and Liverpool to Belfast routes over the course of the week.

Thousands of motorsport fans are expected to arrive on the north coast on Saturday for the main racing day.

The Met Office has forecast a warm weekend for the event with temperatures expected to reach 21 degrees.

Visitors from Cookstown, Andrea Turkington, Jayne Greer and Liam Swift will be among the happy throngs.

They were enjoying the sunshine outside a house with a perfect view to the track on Thursday.

“We come every year for the week,” they said. “It is a great week of entertainment. The atmosphere is great, we love the sound of the bikes and watching people going out and doing what they love.”