Tt

Dan Fielden · 1 Jun 2006, 22:00 (Ref:1625007)

This is the time of year when i cannot sleep at night due to the roar of gsxr 1000's and Kwakers going past my house and i can't get to work on time because the roads are full of tourists doing "laps", and also the time when i wait for the news that one of my mates is "critical" in hospital because he was competing in the event (1 already!).

But despite all the above i enjoy TT week and alot of people seem to be over here for it. But what do you guys think of the event. Have you been here for it or is it well thort of among the circuit riders and/or fans? Just wondered what you thort about it.

Schummy · 1 Jun 2006, 22:22 (Ref:1625028)

Awesome race. I remember when the circuit was a round in FIM world championship. Probably it was (is) mad, but...

Of course, I don't race there. I think I would not race there myself, but it is the same for parachuting, surfing, crossing a chinese avenue, etc: dangerous to do, interesting to watch.

Wingman · 2 Jun 2006, 13:13 (Ref:1625447)

One of the last events in the world where the "real men" still play. I haven't seen any world champs ride there in a while, and we don't hear much about the guys who do battle with the circuit every year, but they are true "warriors". Maybe it's better left this way, so no safety Nazis close down one of the great motorsport events.

Gerben24 · 5 Jun 2006, 10:45 (Ref:1627468)

It is on my 'Events to visit on my bike' list. Everybody knows it's bloody dangerous, but that's part of deal I guess. The riders racing there are heroes if you ask me.

Nivola · 5 Jun 2006, 11:09 (Ref:1627487)

to me this is the last real mans event!

I have always followed the TT the best i can being Australian.

I wish to make it next year but my luck means a no go! I just wish i would of been able to see Joey, DJ and Moly ride it flat.

By the way out of the side cars there is a world championship winning pair going for the win.

JGM · 5 Jun 2006, 18:10 (Ref:1627781)

It is the only truly great motor sporting event left. All the rest have been taken over by the Ecclestones of this world and turned into businesses. I only managed to get to the TT once and was very lucky that it was in 1967 when the Senior race saw a final showdown between Mike and Ago, Honda Vs MV. This has been described as the greatest motorcycle race ever held. They were neck and neck until the last lap when Ago's chain broke. I hope the TT goes on for as long as possible but I fear that it is ultimately doomed as it is just so wonderfully out of kilter with the bland 21st century.

djb · 7 Jun 2006, 05:57 (Ref:1628981)

lots of terms thrown around in these posts like "real men" etc. Now I have no problem with others choosing to race there, but as for me, even 20 years ago when I was on bikes and thought less of "what could happen", I wouldn't have wanted to race there (didn't have the talent but thats beside the point)
I think its easy to talk about safety nazis etc, but its like looking at Spa or the Nurburgring in the 50s or 60s, the reality of trees, fences and poo like that that will rip you to bits with a mistake or mechanical failure wears pretty thin for me. Car or bike racers of that time had todeal with losing friends fairly regularly and to me its not "manly" to see improvements or alternatives to situations that can be less dangerous (ask Stewart about this sort of thing)

anyway, so from someone who used to not be overly concerned about falling off a bike on a track with runoff areas (well, I mean common sense told me that if Iwas going to be on the limit and perhaps going for a slide, a track was the safest place todo it) the idea of guys still going so ******* fast on roads with all the forementioned dismembering objects just makes my palms sweat when i see it onthe tele.

So to answer your question, its not enjoyable for me to watch and truthfully, I think its outdated.

cheers and may this year be as safe as possible for those participating in it, the crazy buggers.

elephino · 14 Jun 2006, 03:27 (Ref:1633994)

I managed to get over there for one day of the event last year. I saw the sidecar lap record being broken (under 20 minutes), no crashes luckily and had a great time.

I spent 3 days on the Isle, two touring the place (in a bad hire car) and 1 day of watching the racing. Nutters - both riders and spectators. Sitting on a rise of dirt on the outside of Ballaspur - very fast. Then the sidecars at Quarterbridge, which was much more tame but great to watch them accelerate away.

The atmosphere in general was excellent. The stunt shows, the Ramsey Sprint, Red Arrows and more.

I also drove the course just after it was opened so it was still one way across the mountain and it made it interesting trying to overtake the slower bikes while safely letting through the faster ones. Actually, driving all 3 days was like that when you could have 30 or 40 bikes all around.

I don't recommend 3am ferries if you're travelling alone. Not that it's dangerous, just damned boring waiting for the ferry. On the plus side, it gave a whole day instead of part of one.

ianpearson · 14 Jun 2006, 07:55 (Ref:1634068)

Quote:

Originally Posted by elephino

I managed to get over there for one day of the event last year. I saw the sidecar lap record being broken (under 20 minutes), no crashes luckily and had a great time.

I spent 3 days on the Isle, two touring the place (in a bad hire car) and 1 day of watching the racing. Nutters - both riders and spectators. Sitting on a rise of dirt on the outside of Ballaspur - very fast. Then the sidecars at Quarterbridge, which was much more tame but great to watch them accelerate away.

The atmosphere in general was excellent. The stunt shows, the Ramsey Sprint, Red Arrows and more.

I also drove the course just after it was opened so it was still one way across the mountain and it made it interesting trying to overtake the slower bikes while safely letting through the faster ones. Actually, driving all 3 days was like that when you could have 30 or 40 bikes all around.

I don't recommend 3am ferries if you're travelling alone. Not that it's dangerous, just damned boring waiting for the ferry. On the plus side, it gave a whole day instead of part of one.

good to see another positive post, road racing is an awesome spectacle, where else can you lean against a brick wall & watch bikes & sidecars go past just the other side of it. I have not made it to the TT yet, but have watched road racing in ireland & will be setting off for my annual trip to the southern 100 event held round the four mile road circuit at castletown isle of man in a few weeks. Southern 100 week is a fraction of the cost of TT week, i've paid £270 for 6 nights hotel & the ferry, mass starts with the likes of lougher, anstey, martain & crowe competing

Bob Pearson · 14 Jun 2006, 09:49 (Ref:1634149)

I raced sidecars in the seventies including several years at the Southern, but never the TT. At that time if a driver held an International licence (needed for the TT) he couldn't race at restricted National meetings, Mallory and Brands. I made the decision to stay with the National licence, and to this day not doing the TT at least once still eats away at me. I really see it as an unfinished business, even though I still race single seater cars, that crap decision still lurks in the back of my mind.
Keep going over there and enjoying yourselves boys and girls, of course it's dangerous, all racing is dangerous, would any of us bother if it wasn't?

elephino · 15 Jun 2006, 03:57 (Ref:1634786)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ianpearson

good to see another positive post, road racing is an awesome spectacle, where else can you lean against a brick wall & watch bikes & sidecars go past just the other side of it. I have not made it to the TT yet, but have watched road racing in ireland & will be setting off for my annual trip to the southern 100 event held round the four mile road circuit at castletown isle of man in a few weeks. Southern 100 week is a fraction of the cost of TT week, i've paid £270 for 6 nights hotel & the ferry, mass starts with the likes of lougher, anstey, martain & crowe competing

I did one of the home-stay things. Very cheap at £15-20 per night or thereabouts. Stayed with a nice couple, though I rarely saw them as I was out and about. The ferry was expensive, though, but the hold looked great when full of bikes and cars (unlike the 3am trip when it had about 20 vehicles in total).

I did see the 200 course as I was just outside of Castletown and for a first-timer that was confusing seeing bales of hay and stands and not being on the TT course.

Considering how much of a bike fan I am, I've only been to two events - 1 TT and 1 GP (way back in 1992).

eaurougeflat · 15 Jun 2006, 15:10 (Ref:1635130)

Went to my first TT last week, had a fantastic few days and class it as one of my all-time favourite events. I'm not a biker but have plenty of friends that are bikers, I've been interested in bikesport for years and spent a couple of seasons helping a mate out in some club racing. I've been to all kinds of motorsport events, F1/MotoGP Grand Prix, BSB, drag racing, hillclimbs/sprints, rallying, etc., so I know what a decent motorsport event looks like. Always wanted to get to the TT but just never got round to booking it in time.

Like many of the post-ers above, I class the TT as one of the last true motorsport challenges, not only because of the inherent danger but also the very nature of the course itself. It's got everything; every type of corner, very slow hairpins, fast sweeping bends on the mountain, ultra fast straights (Anstey at Sulby pulling 206mph!!!), and masses of elevation change. Managed to get to Ballaugh Bridge for one day and the bottom of Bray Hill for the Senior race. Bray Hill is one scary place, bikes screaming past at over 160mph and the sound of fairings/footpegsscraping as suspensions bottom out.

Take djb's point about the dangers, but that's part of what sets it apart and why we all admire the blokes that risk all around the mountain course. True heroes - not like the overpaid prima donna's strutting their stuff in the World Cup at the moment!

All combined with buckets of history, make it a very special place indeed. I'll be booking for 2007. Big thanks to Sandra, Peter & Tony for putting me up and John McG for his awesome 129.4 mph lap in the Senior race and for taking the time to pose for a photo and sign my son's programme.