Isle of Man TT races.

[mr.bluesky]

Now I've never owned or riden a motorbike but this time of the year I love watching the Isle of Man TT races on tv . These racers have no fear riding on normal roads at average speeds of well over 100mph, in places doing 200 mph  the slightest mistake often ends in serious injuries or fatalities.  Hopefully there will be none this year but there is usually a couple. This event is a must watch even if your not particularly into bike racing merely for its uniqueness.

[mikecee]

So far so good.  No news regarding injuries or worse in practice week.  Let's hope all the races are exciting and everyone gets round safely.

Apparently new safely procedures are in place.  Let's hope they're not needed.

External Link/Members Only

[scutty brown]

Radio TT is up an running online at External Link/Members Only
you want the live AM feed

[scutty brown]

first race about to start

weather so hot they're having problems getting enough fuel in the tanks

[Charlie Chalk]

Michael Dunlop carrying his practice form into race week. On this form he might achieve the impossible & overtake his uncle’s win record by the end of this week. Although I’m sure Hickman will come back strongly on the big bikes.

[Jonestown]

Talking of Michael Dunlop here is a clip of him riding a replica 1957 Gilera 4 in a Bob Mac tribute lap of the IoM TT circuit, very variable quality of film, but the sound of the engine is fabulous. The most disquieting thing is his painful leap into the saddle when he push starts it.

External Link/Members Only

[mr.bluesky]

A shame Guy Martin  no longer races in the TT.  A pity he never managed to get a win before retiring. A real character.

[mikecee]

A shame Guy Martin  no longer races in the TT.  A pity he never managed to get a win before retiring. A real character.

Agreed.  He came very close in 2010 when he was leading one particular race only to get caught speeding in the pitlane.  He was given a 20 second time penalty handling the race win to Ian Hutchinson.

[mr.bluesky]

Birchall brothers win their 13th sidecar title and 120 mph lap record, incredible. Hats off to them 

[Blackpool Rock]

Not seen any of the racing so far as been really busy the last few days but it's on ITV4 later so will tune in 

I've started IOM threads in years gone by and love the on bike footage as it gives the full perspective of what these guys are doing 

Never been a year without at least 1 fatality which is tragic but at least they know the dangers and it's voluntary to ride it rather than when it was a point scoring race in the F1 calendar

[mr.bluesky]

Watching the highlights yesterday of the sidecar race one of the sidecar riders was 65 ffs , even they were getting airborne on certain parts of the circuit 

[ProjectFun]

Deffo on my bucket list to go to the Isle of Man for the TT and watch the racing,must be amazing to see the bikes coming past you at those speeds.I watch Lee Johnston's youtube channel and it's such a same he got badly injured at North West 200 just before the TT after all the time he and the team had put into preparing his bikes.

[scutty brown]

Watching the highlights yesterday of the sidecar race one of the sidecar riders was 65 ffs , even they were getting airborne on certain parts of the circuit 

That can get very dangerous - if the wind gets underneath they can start generating lift and fly.
I saw one that was based on a Hillman Imp back end do that 30+ years ago and it was fucking scary

[Charlie Chalk]

Riding those sidecar outfits at those speeds on those bumpy roads must be bad enough, but landing after getting airborne must be hellish with virtually no suspension to cushion the blow.

Looking forward to seeing McPint’s wobbly wheelie tonight - my reaction on seeing it live was “JEEEEEEEZUS CHRIIIIST”. Scared the shit out of me and I was sitting safely on the sofa - he probably barely noticed. Balls of steel these blokes have.

[Blackpool Rock]

Riding those sidecar outfits at those speeds on those bumpy roads must be bad enough, but landing after getting airborne must be hellish with virtually no suspension to cushion the blow.

Looking forward to seeing McPint’s wobbly wheelie tonight - my reaction on seeing it live was “JEEEEEEEZUS CHRIIIIST”. Scared the shit out of me and I was sitting safely on the sofa - he probably barely noticed. Balls of steel these blokes have.

Or Bollocks for brains 

[mikecee]

Riding those sidecar outfits at those speeds on those bumpy roads must be bad enough, but landing after getting airborne must be hellish with virtually no suspension to cushion the blow.

Looking forward to seeing McPint’s wobbly wheelie tonight - my reaction on seeing it live was “JEEEEEEEZUS CHRIIIIST”. Scared the shit out of me and I was sitting safely on the sofa - he probably barely noticed. Balls of steel these blokes have.

I was going to say "and girls too"  because Marie Costello was due to race both sidecars and supertwins. Unfortunately she had a crash in practice last Monday and was advised not to race.

[Watts.E.Dunn]

Can someone explain why the riders seem to push start their bikes run for a bit then jump on?.

Surley the bike is or can be started first or is this done to save a drop of fuel?.

My old dad used to TT ride i think he won simething once but he as a biker had more pins, metal plates that what barry sheene was recokoned to have!`..

He seemed to be frinds with a Mike Hailwood  back theri he was a competitor?..

[Charlie Chalk]

Or Bollocks for brains 

No, that’s reserved for the spoiled brats in Eff1. Road racers are normal blokes doing extraordinary things on a bike in the face of real danger.

[scutty brown]

Can someone explain why the riders seem to push start their bikes run for a bit then jump on?.

Surley the bike is or can be started first or is this done to save a drop of fuel?.

They don't have starter motors
Partly to save weight, partly because they've got a high risk of jamming up during the race and causing a crash.
Doubt if you'll see anyone bumpstarting a TT race bike now though - normally the back wheel is raised up and its held against a drum rotating at high speed, drop into gear and the engine starts
Still done the old way with a bump start on clubman races like the Southern 100 and Manx Grand Prix

[mr.bluesky]

Speedway bikes are the same, they have to be push started or the back wheel spun up to fire up. No starter motor fitted to the engine.
Formula 1 cars are the same, all to save weight.
Quite fancy that female presenter Grace Webb they have on the ITV4 highlights show too 
Michael Dunlop now the joint 2nd most successful TT rider now tying with John McGuinness and now just 3 wins away from the all time record held by his late Uncle Joey Dunlop, some achievement 👏

[Jonestown]

Starter motors on motor bikes are for cissies.

[scutty brown]

Starter motors on motor bikes are for cissies.

I've got bloody arthritis in my right knee from kicking over one bike I used to have - an MZ TS250/5
When it went it was surprisingly quick for a single cylinder bike, but getting the bastard to start was a nightmare. Had to change the condenser every five or six weeks, and reset the ignition timing every week. Normal spark plugs would misfire so had to use platinum tipped ones. I guess the racing head gasket didn't help...........but some winter mornings it could be over 100 kicks before the monster would fire

[mr.bluesky]

Sad to see there has been the first fatality of the TT races this year. Raul Torras Martinez a 46 Spanish rider was killed in Tuesdays Supertwin race. He had competed in 21 TT races so was quite an experienced rider.

Michael Dulop gets win number 25 and is now only 1 behind his Uncle Joey Dunlops all time record.  With a few races left including Saturdays Senior TT race I would imagine he will at least equal it if not break it.

[scutty brown]

Peter Hickman just got the absolute lap record: 136.358mph
...........on a Superstock machine      (i.e. on a commercial showroom spec bike, not a racer)

[Blackpool Rock]

Peter Hickman just got the absolute lap record: 136.358mph
...........on a Superstock machine      (i.e. on a commercial showroom spec bike, not a racer)

Someone got the 1st 100mph lap in 1957
1975 saw the record at just under 110mph
1980 it was 115mph
1989 saw 120mph
2007 it was 130mph
And now over 136mph 

Once you are going really quick it's hard to get any significant improvement and IMO those lap speeds have increased a hell of a lot in a fairly short space of time
I'm guessing that the track / weather conditions must be ideal, fairly warm so the tyres grip, no rain or fog and the lack of wet weather for a few weeks should mean the track isn't greasy / slippery

[mr.bluesky]

A lot of the roads that make up the course have been resurfaced too which probably helps. You wouldn't want to hit a pot hole at 100 + mph 

[m4rmite]

You wouldn't want to hit a pot hole at 100 + mph 

Well that rules out the West Mids TT

[mr.bluesky]

Well that rules out the West Mids TT

 

I do remember car racing around the streets of Birmingham.  The Birmingham superprix which was a round of the formula 3000 series

[scutty brown]

Someone got the 1st 100mph lap in 1957
1975 saw the record at just under 110mph
1980 it was 115mph
1989 saw 120mph
2007 it was 130mph
And now over 136mph 

Once you are going really quick it's hard to get any significant improvement and IMO those lap speeds have increased a hell of a lot in a fairly short space of time
I'm guessing that the track / weather conditions must be ideal, fairly warm so the tyres grip, no rain or fog and the lack of wet weather for a few weeks should mean the track isn't greasy / slippery

Those previous records were all set on F1 or Superbike bikes. This one on a production line machine.
A bit equivalent to an RS2000 beating an F1 car

[mr.bluesky]

So Peter Hickman wins the "biggie" the Senior TT race and denies Michael Dunlop the opportunity of equalling his uncles total of 26 TT wins in the process.  Hickman's 4th TT race win of the week and 13th overall. Hats off to these two who have dominated the TT this year, great rivals, great riders who show a lot of respect to each other. Michael Dunlop will no doubt equal or beat his uncle Joey Dunlops record next year the only man to stand in his way again will be Hickman. Thankfully the two weeks of racing finished with no more fatalities.  Great weather and some great racing. 👍

[Jonestown]

1957 Gilera 500cc 70hp
2023 BMW 1000cc 205+hp

Tyre technology has had an enormous impact, Bob Mac in 1957 was racing on tree rubber.