Rob_Impreza99

iTrader: (3)

Ive never really been a big motorbike fan although ive grown up around mates with powerful bikes, i liked them but it never seem to compare with rallying.

Last year changed that quite a lot when i decided to watch the TT races on ITV, what Ian Hutchinson achieved was amazing, the bravery of these guys is unreal.

Ive been watching it again this year, it still amazes me the speeds that these riders fly down public streets at with amazing control especially over the jumps.

Congrats to Michael Dunlop, he's had some bad luck so far this week and that victory was fully deserved.

Will Guy Martin ever win a TT ? I can't quite work Guy Martin out, i don't know him that well to be fair. He always seems to get bigged up a lot by the commentators and fans alike but to me he always seems to be a fraction short of the top riders, he's an obvious talent on a bike but he always seems to find at least one or two riders too good for him. More experienced people of the sport will have a better opinion on him than me as this is only the 2nd year ive watched it.

I'm not into the circuit racing on bikes but the TT gets a big thumbs up

RIP to the 3 riders that have lost their lives at the TT races this year.

davyboy

Big motogp fan (in fact before it was called that), but have enjoyed watching it this year after watching TT3D.

I do like Guy Martin, but part of me feels he could be a male version of Stacey Solomon!

fast bloke

If you think it looks quick, you should go over and watch. We are handy for NW200, but didn't go while the kids were small. Took them up a couple of years back. First viewing point was beside the track at the speed trap where the best bikes are topping 200 MPH 4 feet away. First time the leaders passed us, kids went a bit pale and said
kids..."Dad, what was that noise?"
me..."It was those bikes. Did you not see them?
kids "What bikes?"

The NW200 probably requires less precision than the TT. Joey Dunlop (26 TT wins) did a commentary on an onboard lap. He points out the places you need to scrape your helmet on the walls and houses to get a properly quick lap

SHMBO was over to IOM for the races on Saturday and Monday. I drew the short straw this year as the kids are still doing exams

davyboy

My mate is competing in the Manx later this year, but I can't go.

Hopefully he'll do it again next year and I can book the ferry nice and early.

Rob_Impreza99

iTrader: (3)

Thats something i'm going to have to do, sooner rather than later. It looks a fantastic atmosphere with the crowds as well, plenty of beer and BBQ's with people from all around the world turning up.

Touch wood that everything goes well for Ian Hutchinson in his recovery, it would be ideal for my first TT race to see him in action, he comes across as a very down to earth person as well as being a top race rider.

fast bloke

Road racing is so big over here that the ferry companies just divert a few other services to run non-stop from Belfast and Larne to Douglas. Deep sea fishing also stops for the TT, with the fishing boats becoming fairly crude ferries. That gives rise to another Joey story. He and his brother Robert (who was Michael's Dad.... the one that won the superstock yesterday..) were on a fishing boat going over to the races. The boat sunk, they got a lift on another boat, managed to rebuild a couple of the bikes and won a couple races between them. Robert (I think) 5 wins, but a faulty wheel caused him to to crash badly and wreck his body. He came back to racing and won more TT's but it was the ongoing effects of the collapsed wheel after Ballaugh that eventually killed him. The crash in the IOM meant he could't work a standard clutch or back brake any more. He had the bikes modified so he could use thumb levers on his right handlebar instead of the normal controls. In 2008 he was coming into Mathers at the NW200 and hit the wrong lever...... travelling at 160ish on a bumpy country road with two thumb levers a quarter of an inch apart...... amazing he survived so long

fast bloke

erm if you want to watch 'the race', then there is probably no better place that ITV4.

If you want stand at the side of a road while some lunatic hurtles past you so quickly that your eyes can't even identify what colour him or the bike were, the book the tickets.


Seriously though... the speed and noise are mind blowing, then you go down to the beer tent, where you spill your pint over some Hells Angel..... so he buys you another one

Chip

Along with the Le Mans 24 and Indy 500 its one of those events I want to go to. A mate went 18 years on the trot but I never seemed to get the time to go. One day I will though.

Chip

Glynmitch

I was supposed to be going over this year with my brother but due to financial reasons we could not go I've been watching the coverage on ITV4 which has been excellent. If you are thinking of going you will need to book the ferry and any accommodation now for next year.

Tidgy

i've not been to the TT but i have been outside of TT time to drive. I can tell you it takes some searious hairy conkers to ride that fast on those roads, there not a race track.

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

I love it but always fell really bad due to the death toll, every single year people die, cant imagine any other sporting event being held where there is a pretty much hundred percent chance of a fatality.

Wish

iTrader: (2)

They are amazingly quick. I love the TT, never been but from always watch from my armchair.

Massive respect to every rider that takes part.

Tidgy

simply put, if you dont accept the risk, dont ride.

i don't get why folks thinks things should be banned just because of fatalities. If people want to put themselves in harmsway, let them, do all thats reasonable to help reduce the injuries, but dont stop it.

Rob_Impreza99

iTrader: (3)

In life people like to take risks as its human nature, i guess its the adrenelin rush and thrill that certain people are after. A lot of sports and hobbies have risks attatched to them, look how many people die trying to reach the summit of Everest, again look at the deaths in F1 over the years, Colin McRae lost his life doing one of the hobbies he enjoyed which was flying a helicopter. In boxing fighters know the possible long term risks which may include brain damage due to constantly being punched to the head but they still fight on, rallying is dangerous as is any motorsport.

Its not only the competitors that take risks as people travelling to the Isle Of Man to watch the TT and other motorpsort events know the risks, we all take risks in pursuit of what we enjoy.

fivetide

iTrader: (1)

Guy Martin is a funny one. He's good but he's not on a factory machine like McGuinness etc so that doesn't help. Remember, he had a massive smash last year and is more of a Fred Dibnah that likes bikes. He's an approachable chap, not silly so can have a bit of chat and looks a bit mad but he's still a diesel engine fitter not a professional rider at the end of the day so to be third isn't bad going really.

I don't think he'll actually win it unless someone has a breakdown.

5t.

Rob_Impreza99

iTrader: (3)

Racing has been abandoned for today due to rain, they started but they red flagged the supersport 2 race after 2 laps.

Something comical happened with the course announcer, thousands of people at the course were waiting for an official announcement whether racing would re-start again today, people all around the world were also waiting in the announcement.

Then in the background on the radio you heard bing bong bing bong, the radio presenter on Manx Radio said here is an announcement...

The course announcer then chirps up "If someone has lost a pair of glasses could you please report to the paddock area as we have found a pair".

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Dont think it should be banned at all, as you say, up to the individual, just a shame so many die.

Leslie

I have the greatest admiration for the skills and bravery of those riders. It takes some courage to drive that fast on a bike knowing especially on the course there are likely to be rocks or stone walls waiting for you if you screw up.

I have a lot of time for Guy Martin, he has a very likeable character and his performance cannot be criticised. One day he may yet make it and a lot of people will be very happy to see it.

As J4CKO says, it is all down to the individual if they want to take part, always has been for all types of racing. Banning the meeting would be a travesty.

Les

CrisPDuk

Not true this year One of the conditions of him getting the TAS Suzuki (who are as 'factory' as Padgetts) ride was him giving up the truck maintenance and becoming a 'proper' racer

davyboy

He is still employed by someone...he has a new job.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWxS...mbedded#at=129

fast bloke

I think lap 2 showed how road racing over here is considered. 4 potential winners getting it all wrong in union mills, then Michael and William Dunlop coming through at least 50MPH quicker. Listening to the commentators, apparently you have to be careful on bus stops and manhole covers in the damp. For the local road races, you have to be careful if you get stuck behind a slurry spreader in the rain. Michael Dunlop's comments afterwards were excellent.

"I wuz showin William the way. Wuz a bit sideways a few times but nithin that bad. Dunno why it was stopped. Did someone come aff?

Keith Amor is a lucky boy though. He says he saw the wall coming, so held onto the bike as it was going the other way Missed a 100mph impact with a stone wall buy a foot. Guy Martin thought he had fallen off and was wondering which bit of the wall would finish him when he realised that he had 'fallen back on'

fast bloke

..... after he ran over his own leg......

fivetide

iTrader: (1)

Except his interview when he was visiting the school early in the week said he didn't want to be a proper racer. He was going back to his jo as a fitter and this was just a holiday.

The Padgett bike gets factory support, I was in the Honda tent at the BSB at Oulton with a certain MrMcGuinness The Suzuki bike is Relentless by TAS Racing where Padgetts are a bike dealer and the bike carries their logo same as the HM Plant bikes in BSB. I don't think the two are quite the same.

5t.

fast bloke

I thought the TAS bikes were basically privateer bikes with factory input, while the Padgetts bike were pretty much getting full WSB support?

Hang on - Thats just what you posted, but differently confusingly...... I think. However, TAS gets all the kit from WSB. Suzuki don't send the boffins though.

GC8

FB: Robert Dunlop's engine siezed. He caught the brake in the rush. My point is that the 'error' was made under great pressure.

Simon

p1mark

He did suprise me with such a mature ride in the superstock race the other day, but i still hold the same opinion i have for the last 2 or 3 years.

Michael Dunlop wants it too bad. Coupled with Cahuna's the size of space hoppers and seemingly desperate to carry on the familys legacy, i fear he is going to have a big one.

To go by the combined experience of Mcginley,Donald, Martin, Armor 50 or 60 mph faster like he did yesterday without thinking "hang on, there must be a reason those 4 have backed off so much" is brave to the point of stupidity.

I hope he doesn't as he is a breath of fresh air.

Stupid to start the race air. Armor could have been killed just as easy as he got up and walked away yesterday and the accident was totally avoidable.

Leslie

Certainly a bad decision to start the race, especially without the possibility of a recce lap first to find out where the dangerously wet spots were.

Les

fivetide

iTrader: (1)

That's basically it, but better put. I just wanted to mention meeting John

5t.

Rob_Impreza99

iTrader: (3)

I'm no expert in this area, arn't the TAS and Padgett bikes very close in performance as both have done very similar times on their best lap time which is between 130 and 131 mph average speed ?

Its just if they are very similar in overall average lap speed then isn't the final difference in a race down to the ability of the riders ?

I agree with what someone said about Michael Dunlop, style and entertainment wise he's my favourite rider. He comes across as the Colin McRae of motorbike road racing, very entertaining and pushes to the max. He does look like an accident waiting to happen though, i hope this never happens and that goes for any TT rider as you want them all to finish safe and sound.

p1mark

It's far more down to the rider than the bikes. Relatively all the bikes are reasonably similiar performance wise. Probably only 10BHP covering them all but whats far more important (particularly on the island) is your / your teams ability to set it up so you feel confident it's not going to slap everywhere and throw you off.

An average rider on a quick bike thats well set up will get beaten every time by a good rider on an average bike.