Frequently asked questions:

• When is the Ibbenüren Veterans Rallye?
• Which vehicles can start?
• Is a MOT approval necessary for my motorbike?
• Which tasks do the participants have to take over?
• What is a constant speed competition?
• Is the constant speed competition the same as the constant speed run?
• What is the bonus factor?
• How does the team score work?
• Can I start for a drive at any time or are there given times?
• Are there signs along the routes or do I have to read a map?
• What happens in a case of breakdown or need of medical help
• Which languages will be spoken during the rallye?
• I have got some questions regarding a special motorbike brand.
• Where can I buy the programme?

When is the Ibbenbüren Veterans-Rallye?

Traditionally, the Ibbenbüren Veterans-Rallye takes place on Pentecost – this may be in the first half of May, or even in the middle of June. The first official day is always the Friday before Pentecost. This day, you will be handed out the driving documents and in the afternoon, the technical check will be made, which is obligated for all vehicles. On Saturday, there is a short tour of about 40 kilometres in the morning and a constant speed run in the eastern stadium in the afternoon. On Sunday, the most important tour takes place with a length of 100 – 120 kilometers into the region around Tecklenburg or Münster. A Whestphalian breakfast on Monday morning is held by all participants before saying goodbye. Details can be taken from the timetable.

The coming Veterans-Rallyes will take place on:

2018: 18. May - 21. May		2019: 7. June - 10. June
2020: 29. May - 1. June		2021: 21. May - 24. May
2022: 3. June - 6. June		2023: 26. May bis 29. May
2024: 17. May - 20. May		2025: 6. June - 9. June
2026: 22. May - 25. May		2027: 14. May - 17. May
2028: 2. June - 5. June		2029: 18. May - 21. May
2030: 7. June - 10. June		2031: 30. May - 2. June

Which vehicles can start?

All owners and drivers of motorcycles and motorcycle combinations and tricyles up to the year of construction 1945 are authorized for announcement and participation. Assistant drivers can take part accordingly to the number of seats available. It is not necessary to bring special licenses. There are limited starts for oldtimers from the postwar period.

Is a MOT approval necessary for my motorbike?

Motorbikes do not need a MOT approval. However, they must be in a condition according to the minimum requirements of the technical check regarding safety driving. Every year a special authorization is given by the regional council, which is requested by the AMC and limited to the determined routes of the Veterans-Rallye. Drivers of motorbikes without MOT approval must be able to show the special authorisation as well as the third party insurance for the vehicle at any time. It will be given to you and must be paid directly during the technical check. Red number plates are allowed. The technical check is compulsory for all participants. Vehicles without technical check are not admitted to start or excluded from the evaluation.

Which tasks do the participants have to take over?

There will be several constant speed runs during the Ibbenbüren Veterans-Rallye and maybe also a start check. During this check the motorbike must be started in a certain time or way. There are no tasks of navigation or orientation, no questions or skill tasks (such as slalom, braking or crossing of a narrow board). If you do not want an evaluation, you start in class 14 and drive as fast or as slow as you like, according to traffic rules. With regard to other participants, cruising should be persued. Controls of passage and time must be passed by all drivers. You will be given remarks in the board card.

What is a constant speed competition?

It makes sence that races are not allowed on public streets. There are participants in the Ibbenbürener Veterans-Rally with a difference of 70 years between the oldest and the youngest motorbike. This makes races even more difficult than it would be for oldtimers in general. However, many of the more than 300 participants do not only want to cruise through the beautiful landscape, but to measure themselves with others in a competition. That is the reason for 3 so called constant speed competitions during the tours on Saturday and on Sunday. 2 of them are started directly in the Eastern stadium. From here, the drivers have to go on an unknown tour between 5 an 12 kilometres to the next checkpoint in a cruising speed which is as constant as possible. The drivers will not be told, when they have reached the end of the distance. The third constant speed run starts anywhere on the tour and, to make it more difficult, time measuring is not allowed. The only exception are those speed indicators, which have originally been installed in the motorbike. These speed indicators are not exact measuring methods, as the pointer trembles of about 10 km/h. The requested speed is 24, 30 or 36 km/h and will be fixed by the driver before the start. The driver with the lowest difference in all 3 constant speed competitions is the winner.

Is the constant speed competition the same as the constant speed run?

The constant speed run is a separate event within the Veterans-Rallye – with its own evaluation and its own award ceremony. It takes place on Saturday afternoon in the Eastern Stadium on the 400 m cinder track.Admitted are motorbikes, motorbikes with side carriage and and tricycles with date of construction by 31.12.1931. Eligibility requirements can be changed. Assistant drivers are not allowed to take part in the constant speed run. As the distance is known to be 5 rounds (=2000 m), the average speed will exactly be limited to 1/10 km/h. Different runs will be made at a different speed to avoid advantages for motorbikes which start later.

What is a bonus factor?

Especially the very old motorbikes are responsible for the charming athmosphere during the Ibbenürener Veterans-Rallye. But they are also very difficult to drive. They sometimes do not even have gears or much less a clutch. The lubrication of the engine must be operated manually and the carburation must be controlled regularly by the help of small levers. That is the reason why there is a bonus factor for these very old motorbikes during the constant speed competitions during the tours. This factor is 0,4 and according to age goes up to 1,0 for motorbikes with date of construction from 1931 on. The difference of time will be multiplied by the bonus factor.

How does the team score work?

An additional incentive during the tours is the evaluation of the team. 4 members of the rallye may form a team according to optional criteria. Each national, private, brand or club team will be registered by a self-appointed team captain. He is responsible for the payment of the entry fee. The team consists of a maximum of 4 drivers with vehicles of the classes 1 – 10 and class 13. The 3 participants with the lowest score of the single evaluation and the team after the constant speed run on Saturday afternoon will be evaluated.
The winning team will not only receive cups, but also a challenge trophy, which is a big ship's bell and which will be pulled during the award ceremony.

Can I start for a drive at any time or are there given times?

In order to avoid traffic chaos during the motorgikes' start, the regional administration has fixed minimum time intervals between two starts. The exact starting times, indicating seconds will be given to the participants together with the written confirmation of entry. These information can also be found in the pavilion.

Are there signs along the routes or do I have to read a map?

It's difficult to read a map while you are driving a motorbike. This is why the routes are marked. A simple sign system is used, so that symbols cannot be damaged or turned into another direction.

	left		right
	straight on		Wrong way (will not be used very often, only if the way is difficult to find with several turn-offs)

 

There are also some self-explaining signs, for example to warn against dangerous places or to show the way to service stations.

In connection with constant speed competitions, time and passage controlls, you will find signs which are used in international motor sports.

	Announcement Passage control		Passage control, Stop and stamping of the board card
	Announcement of time control		time control, stop and recording of time on the board card
	start of the constant speed competition		announcement of the end of the constant speed competition
	end of constant speed competition – please continue, no stops		end of all restricitons

 

What happens in a case of breakdown or need of medical help?

We have taken precautions for each case. There are several members of the German Red Cross (DRK) among the participants.They can render first aid and they are in direct contact with their control station to call an ambulance if necessary. In case of a break-down of the motorbike, Albert Stehle may help, who takes part in the Rallye with his BMW motorcyle combination from 1962, which is an original street control vehicle. There is also an ADAC street control vehicle for assistance with his driver Michael Kurk. They are both loyal companions of the Veterans'-Rally for years and know a lot about oldtimers. If assistance doesn't help at all, our break-down vans will take drivers and motorbikes safely back to Ibbenbüren.

Which languages will be spoken during the rallye?

The official language of the event is German. The drivers' briefings are held in German, as well as the presentation and the award ceremony. However, it is not a problem to answer questions of foreign participants. Many members of the organisation team can speak English. Some Dutch and Danish participants can speak German very well and are glad to help as a translator. Our oldtimer expert Hermann Brüning takes care of our French guests.

I have got some questions regarding a special motorbike brand.

The Ibbenüren Veterans-Rallye represents the motorbike construction of the prewar time in a unique way. As a result, there is so much knowledge of experts available and motorbike friends help each other and give advice. If you need help regarding a special motorbike brand, you will find someone among the participants, who is an expert or who knows at least someone else, who can help. You can also ask the organisation team to check their data and find out about participants who drive the same motorbikes and get in contact with them.

Where can I buy the programme?

The programme has inbetween become an oldtimer magazine. It is already included in the entry fee. Participants will receive a copy together with their documents. If you need more copies, you can buy them at a price of 2,00 € at the cash points in the Eastern Stadium or in the pavilion during the noon break and in the motorbike museum. If you do not attend the Rallye, you can order the programme under the following link: amc[at]gm-press.de. In this case, you also have to pay the mailing expenses, which will be 4,00 € – 7,00 € depending on the number of copies (foreign countries).