‘The ride of the navigator’
Enter the matrix on the super-flexible National Road Rally
Riding long distances is one thing, but if you really want to put your planning and navigational skills to the test, the National Road Rally could be for you. Organised in conjunction with the ACU and BMF, this scatter rally takes place entirely within England and allows entrants the opportunity of riding some of the best roads via a series of carefully curated check points. Anyone with a full motorcycle licence can take part and all manner of machines are welcome, from mopeds and scooters to trikes and sidecar outfits. Launched in 2009, the NRR is a two-day event that runs across the first weekend in July and offers several different levels of participation with the intention that a successful finish can be achievable whatever your riding experience. The aim is to collect points by visiting pre-determined check points, known as ‘controls’, the locations of which are provided to entrants prior to the event along with a map in the form of a matrix. The matrix shows how many points are available at each control, as well as those gained for linking any two controls together, so by plotting their location on a traditional map you can calculate a route to accrue the desired points. The beauty of the NRR is that not only do you decide how you want to ride it, but you also get to choose the level of award you’re aiming for. For example, the Chrome award requires between 120 and 175 points, whereas to achieve a Special Gold you’ll need to rack up 505-535. Select which category you wish to enter, draw up your route and when the time comes to ride all you need do is follow your plan. The rally operates for 11 hours on the Saturday and nine on the Sunday, and there are rules to cover rest stops and riding time. The individual entry fee is £30 and the closing date for 2021 is July 1, so there’s still time to take part this year.
HIGHLIGHT
Finding control points where you’d hoped they would be. www.nationalroadrally.co.uk