You weave an intriguing story, sir.
More to come soon.
Keep watching......
UK_Paul's - Slingshot Build & Other Adventures -
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Anxiously awaiting your next installment!!!!!!!
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The Irish BikeFest is now getting closer by the day...
My doctor has got me well enough to ride the motorcycle for about half an hour and between him and I we have concluded how I'll deal with my medication to hopefully allow me to ride. However, every morning, I wake up and then start vomiting. I also pass out when standing up and that also makes me vomit. (It's all connected to the same nervous system). General I am still exhausted, but I am slowly improving, (that's very slowly).
Elaine and I decide that we are still going to Ireland, as it has been a target that I set myself to achieve and as I'd been working towards this goal, for a few months, it wasn't going to beat me. We hired a trailer and loaded it up, with the bike.
The first stage was a 3 or 4 hour drive (only 125 miles) to the ferry port in South West Wales
Pembroke - Pembroke, Pembrokeshire - Wikipedia -Pembroke is a attractive Welsh town. However; It's not all as pretty as this.
We were heading for the docks and it was rapidly approaching midnight.The ferry was set to depart around 02:00 hrs. and we arrived with plenty of time to spare.
When we arrived at the ferry port, we met up with some of the other riders that were coming along with us. This was a great time to rekindle old friendships and make new ones. Everyone was getting very excited to be together and heading off for the festival.
Other riders had already taken earlier ferries or making the trip through other ports so we still were only a part of the group that were heading over. Now it was time to get some -food-rest-sleep-Guinness!!- (please select the most appropriate option) on the ferry, before our arrival around 06:30 hrs. in Ireland.The morning came around and we docked in Rosslare (South East Ireland). We now had a 175 mile journey to reach Killarney (festival location) and this was going to take us until the middle of the afternoon, including stops, along the way. The riders all set off at there own paces and via different routes, however lunchtime, we stopped at a survice station and met up with some of the people that we were with on the boat. One guy didn't have sat-nav and was staying at the same location as us, in Killarney, so he followed on to our destination.
Polaris Britain were aware that we were all making the trip over but hadn't chosen to attend themselves.
Given my previous comments (about finding things out and getting into places that I perhaps shouldn't be) you probably won't be surprised to see that I knew a new dealership was to be announced for Polaris, Indian & Victory, at the Ireland BikeFest. (In fact, the first dealership in Ireland). They had no stock supplied by Polaris Britain for them, so I had discreetly arranged to make some of our Polaris motorcycles available to them, for the show. I had selected some appropriate bikes on the journey over and approached the riders, before leaving the boat, that same morning. This was to keep things totally under cover and not allow any information out to reach the public. (The other riders didn't even know what was going on).
I had also discovered that a Polaris ATV dealer was coming down from Northern Ireland with a SlingShot. -
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The Irish BikeFest is now getting closer by the day......
My doctor has got me well enough to ride the motorcycle for about half an hour and between him and I we have concluded how I'll deal with my medication to hopefully allow me to ride. However Every morning I wake up and start vomiting, I also pass out when standing up and that also makes me vomit (It's all connected to the same nervous system). General I am still exhausted, but I am slowly improving, (that's very slowly).
Elaine and I decide that we are still going to Ireland, as it has been a target that I set myself to achieve and as I'd been working towards this goal' for a few months, it wasn't going to beat me. We hired a trailer and loaded it up, with the bike.
The first stage was a 3 or 4 hour drive (only 125 miles) to the ferry port in South West Wales
Pembroke - Pembroke, Pembrokeshire - Wikipedia -Pembroke is a attractive Welsh town. However; It's not all as pretty as this.
We were heading for the docks and it was rapidly approaching midnight.The ferry was set to depart around 02:00 hrs. and we arrived with plenty of time to spare.
When we arrived at the ferry port, we met up with some of the other riders that were coming along with us. This was a great time to rekindle old friendships and make new ones. Everyone was getting very excited to be together and heading off for the festival.
Other riders had already taken earlier ferries or making the trip through other ports so we still were only a part of the group that were heading over. Now it was time to get some -food-rest-sleep-Guinness!!- (please select the most appropriate option) on the ferry, before our arrival around 06:30 hrs. in Ireland.The morning came around and we docked in Rosslare (South East Ireland). We now had a 175 mile journey to reach Killarney and this was going to take us until the middle of the afternoon, including stops, along the way. The riders all set off at there own paces and via different routes, however lunchtime, we stopped at a survice station and met up with some of the people that we were with on the boat. One guy didn't have sat-nav and was staying at the same location as us, in Killarney, so he followed on to our destination.
Polaris Britain were aware that we were all making the trip over but hadn't chosen to attend themselves.
Given my previous comments (about finding things out and getting into places that I perhaps shouldn't be) you probably won't be surprised to see that I knew a new dealership was to be announced for Polaris, Indian & Victory, at BikeFest. (In fact the first dealership in Ireland). They had no stock supplied by Polaris Britain for them, so I had discreetly arranged to make some of our Polaris motorcycles available to them, for the show. I had selected some appropriate bikes on the journey over and approached the riders, before leaving the boat, that same morning. This was to keep things totally under cover and not allow any information out to reach the public. (The other riders didn't even know what was going on).
I had also discovered that a Polaris ATV dealer was coming down from Northern Ireland with a SlingShot. I hope you get well soon
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I hope you get well soon
Thanks Mytoy.
I'll be updating that as the whole story unwinds.Teaser:
Things may get worse before they get better..... -
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I'm Paul from the United Kingdom.
AKA. "UK_Paul" (But you all figured that one out already).I will try and run this thread showing you all, the modifications that I make to the SlingShot and as I'm sitting the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, to most of the people that will see this, I'll also try and give you all a general view of what's going on and places that the SlingShot goes to.
I purchased a SlingShot in November 2016, after first testing one out the previous June, at a motorcycle festival in Ireland. I have been riding a Polaris Victory Vegas motorcycle since 2009 (one of the first few hundred in Europe) and have found it to be a tremendous product, great fun and have had some wonderful times and tours with it over the years.
I was fortunate enough to have a friend, who also rode a Victory, in the US and got to see a SlingShot while it was still in testing, at a test track 2014. We met shortly after this and the discussions started......
I wanted one.Some years later this came to fruition and I'm now a very happy owner of my own SlingShot, that's not excluding my wife Elaine, who is as keen on it as I am. (Perhaps, more of that in later postings).
The machine, sitting at the dealer's, before dispatch to England.So.......
Where did it come from and where is it now?To give you an idear of the places that I'm taling about I have attached a map.
The map below shows the UK. The vehicle originally came from a dealer close to Dungannon, Northern Ireland. (See map insert).
It was then shipped over from Belfast to Stanraer, in Scotland and collected, by myself, near Ross-on-Why, England, very near Wales, less than 5 miles. (That's just above the "S" of Gloucester on the map below).
I then took it for a little spin, down the road and over the boarder.
- So it's managed to visit every country, in the UK, in just one day, before it got home - We only have 5 distributors for SlingShots, in Britain, so it is difficult to get hold of them. At the time of this posting, only 14 are registered in Britain, and I believe that my one is either #5 or #6 on the road, with all the others either garaged, dealer vehicles or Polaris run demo vehicles.
So it's a pretty rare thing to see one on the road.
Unloading the SlingShot at Ross-on-Wye, England.More information will follow, shortly........
This is a great thread you started Paul! Hey, I just noticed they really screwed up on your SS and put the steering wheel on the wrong side!!!!
Haaaa! Remember to let me know about that Wycked Hitch research you're doing also! Good to see you active on the forum! -
This is a great thread you started Paul! Hey, I just noticed they really screwed up on your SS and put the steering wheel on the wrong side!!!!
Haaaa! Remember to let me know about that Wycked Hitch research you're doing also! Good to see you active on the forum!Thanks RichArlt.
No problem with the steering wheel on the wrong side. (I'm used to driving my own cars in Europe and it doesn't prove to be any real hindrance).
Even so........
I think a new steering wheel may get added soon.
This way I can sit in either seat & drive.
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Thanks RichArlt.
No problem with the steering wheel on the wrong side. (I'm used to driving my own cars in Europe and it doesn't prove to be any real hindrance).Even so........
I think a new steering wheel may get added soon.
This way I can sit in either seat & drive.This steering wheel looks cool, is that's the one you may install?
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This steering wheel looks cool, is that's the one you may install?
That one will need fit through the glove box......
That way Elaine & I can both drive at the same time. -
@UK_Paul I admire your tenacity. I pray for a quick & full recovery for you. Hang in there & continue to stay positive!
Thanks Tripod, just keep watching as it unfolds.
But you will see from my posts, so far, that when I set my sights on something I normally get some decent results. I sometimes suspect Polaris Britain get a little upset when they try to keep things secret (like the new Irish distributor, last year - spy pictures of the SS, before release etc.) and then; I go and work out, what they are doing. So it's normally better to have me on-side and working together, rather than playing games.
Before the Irish trip, I kept asking subtle questions, without saying I knew what they were up to. Asking if they wanted to send out promotional stuff to the Irish event (obviously for the new distributor) in the bike trailer? But no they didn't need anything taken out for them to one of the biggest events in Europe, (after all I couldn't possibly know what they were doing).
I believe, they decided to post it....... It certainly didn't arrive, by the time of the show.BIG Fail on that one Polaris.
Sometimes a little confidence, trust and discretion can go a long, long way. -
Damn Paul you are one tuff young man. I read the thread(doing a bit of catch up myself) and just wanted to wish you well so you can get back to the really important things in life like Motorcycles and being outside and upright. Stay strong and love your bike Rossi!
P.S. Watch out for Tripod,...he likes to meet up with owners and slip them mickeys. You might wind up missing some of your installed trickery and walk bow legged for a week
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Well it was going to happen and the official news came out today:
Polaris is winding down production of its Victory division!
This WILL NOT affect production of the SlingShot. Polaris highlight that. Production and in the Huntsville, Alabama community with its Slingshot production, will continue. I wasn't too surprised when the news came through as a few of the dealers that I know were being "guided" towards Indian Motorcycles, or not to expand Victory interests.
Time will tell how this develops, but I would not be too surprised to find that it may enable more SlingShot outlets to grow with dealers that are now only left with the Indian brand, on the shop floor.The official announcement is on the link below:
- Victory Motorcycle Important Announcement | Polaris Industries - -
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Back to what I should perhaps call my "How I met my SlingShot" story......
Reaching BikeFest.The same afternoon, on the day, we left the ferry, we arrived at our destination, Killarney, in Ireland.
Killarney is a beautiful town, in the South West of Ireland. As I'd previously mentioned, it hosts the Irish BikeFest each year and this year was to be the 10th event. It had started as a destination in 2006 for the European H.O.G. Rally (Harley Owner's Group). Every year it has grown and expanded to encompass a wider range of riders and now has attendees, from all over Europe, with enormous selection of motorcycles of many different types and styles.
Killarney town is located on one side of "The Ring of Kerry."
- Ring of Kerry - Wikipedia -This is one of the most beautiful areas in what is truly a very beautiful country. It encompasses mountains, forests, secluded beaches and some very rugged coastal roads. It would normally be possible to complete the ring in one day but you'll, undoubtedly, want to stop for a week, to see it all.
One of the highlights of BikeFest is the ride-out that takes place, around the whole route, during the event.
Other ride-outs are also organised, even so, in addition to all of this, many riders just take off by themselves and explore some of the countryside and villages in the area. We stopped off at "Blarney Castle" where you can climb to the top and "Kiss the Blarney Stone" by hanging out backwards, from the top of the castle, and then kissing the special stone on the outside edge of it all.
I've done this before, so didn't need to try it again. 
So that's the sort of things you will find.
My next post will tell you all a little about meeting up with the others at the show. -
This could perhaps be called a "Foot Note."
Today I went into hospital, for a straight forward operation on my foot (to pin & straighten out a toe). But with all the other stuff that I have going on with my body falling apart, it looks like I'll have my foot up, in the air, for up to 2 months now.
The opp. went well, but the surgeon was very reluctant to let me watch, so I checked everything out in a reflection from some metalwork, on the ceiling.
I know; I'm just a macabre, British, SlingShot rider.... So that may give now me lots of time to finish the "How I met my SlingShot" story and then tell you all about the work I intend to do on the SS..
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This could perhaps be called a "Foot Note."
Ba-Dum-PSSSSH!
But with all the other stuff that I have going on with my body falling apart, it looks like I'll have my foot up, in the air, for up to 2 months now.
You'd be back on your feet faster if you just gone and amputated the toe. Just sayin'....
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Great read UK. I have driven around the south half of Ireland. LOVE that country and the people! We kissed the Blarney Stone. However, I could do with a little less potatoes with my meal
. My wife and I are planning on going back to Ireland in 2018. Hope to make it to the UK also! -
Great read UK. I have driven around the south half of Ireland. LOVE that country and the people! We kissed the Blarney Stone. However, I could do with a little less potatoes with my meal
. My wife and I are planning on going back to Ireland in 2018. Hope to make it to the UK also!If you make it over then let me know and we can arrange a meet.
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Ba-Dum-PSSSSH!
You'd be back on your feet faster if you just gone and amputated the toe. Just sayin'....
I had the toe looked at and re-dressed today.
They all said the stoking on my good leg looked pretty, but I couldn't find a purple one, so I'm not so sure.
Everything appears to be starting to heal up OK. So, at least for now, I'll keep my old saw in the shed and not bother with amputation yet.
