We previewed this year’s Isle of Man TT with a story about Michael Dunlop, and his performance in practice that indicated he was primed for another dominant week at the event. Proving us right, in the last few days Dunlop has already collected three wins, including two aboard his BMW S 1000 RR in the Superbike and Superstock categories, and his most recent win aboard his privateer Honda CBR600R in Supersport. Those wins bring the 25-year-old’s career total to ten victories at the Isle of Mann, but he isn’t done, yet.
This Friday, Dunlop competes in the Lightweight Supertwins and the Senior races. A win in each would bring his total for the week to an amazing five victories.
Already tied for seventh on the all-time win list, Michael still has quite a ways to go to catch his legendary Uncle Joey with 26 wins.
If you want all the details on the week’s racing, iomtt.com has excellent coverage.
Why is it that every time somebody starts to have fun the safety police come along and try to ruin it.
Q: Why is it that every time somebody starts to have fun the safety police come along and try to ruin it.
A: we don’t want anything reminding us of our own mortality. such is the human defence mechanism.
Did not know that safety police are ruining anything. Is there a movement to close down of IoM? If so, I would not support it. People should be allowed to be precisely as skillfully stupid as they want to be. Especially since my tax dollars, as a yankee, don’t support healthcare on the continent.
But I won’t support them by tuning in. And I don’t admire the riders for doing it.
I admire riders like Kenny Roberts, who fought long and hard to get venues like this removed from the premier class, thereby allowing the world’s best riders to focus on riding, rather than surviving.
I’ve seen the highlight videos for several years but watching the Velocity channel coverage of the Supersport race brought home to me how much big money has been driving up speeds there. It also nixed any lingering romantic notions of real amateur privateers going for it, just because.
I have made contingent peace with myself about the casualties. Assigning it as a unique place and event where it’s each person for themselves and they know the risks. Still……….
I strongly suspect the death rate is not correlated with the rising speeds. Maybe I am wrong. Still there must be a point where enough is enough. I wouldn’t object lower displacements in the various catagories.
re: “I strongly suspect the death rate is not correlated with the rising speeds.”
correct, it correlates with the SUDDEN STOP.
re: “Still there must be a point where enough is enough.”
if you suspect money is involved…? then you already know the answer. and sadly yes, it’s sobering.
watching onboard video of mc racing on the IoM is a window into the mind of its racers. I openly admit I have no desire to ride anywhere near those speeds on those roads, what with stone walls within inches of apexes, trees, homes etc etc etc.
The appeal of track days for me is the controlled enviornment with clear runoff areas, no intersections, no SUVs with cellphone talkers, no police, no blind corners. This gives the rider the opportunity to focus on enjoying the experience and working on technique. Its the most pure motorcyling experience I’ve ever had. Its also easily the most exhilarating experience I’ve ever had.
I tip my hat to those who road race in “any” series…. There’s no doubt the IoM is the most dangerous place to race. The racers all “choose” to race there. I can’t stomach the thought that some “Know-it-all” “Do-Gooders” want to decide what will be done and won’t be done for others.
Everyone dies – not everyone truely lives! Live the life you choose
re: “Everyone dies”
and there it is. no free lunch. the Universe’s ultimate enforcement of “balance”.
The cost is high for all of us who ride motorcycles. More of us get killed riding WITH traffic on public roads, without helmets (not that there is a brain in there anyway), riding 100+ HP sport bikes into turning traffic while riding twice the legal limit, riding Harleys that are so heavy that turning them is like turning an oil tanker, coming from Mexico and driving with no license and no caring about others, driving under the influence or being hit by someone under the influence and so on. – I’ve been following the race since the late 90s and I think they could ride less powerful machines for sure and base it more on pure skill, but it IS a choice they, and we make year after year.
Amen. When people ask if I am scared to ride a motorcycle, I say yes. You have to have a little bit of fear so that you stay on alert for the other drivers and riders who could accidentally kill you. Too much fear, and that is no good, and no fun.
On average, I can say that almost every ride has at least one situation that could have been an accident, or a close call, if I hadn’t been “riding like you are invisible”. To most drivers out there, we are invisible.
I would love to race in the TT, but I know I have less than 10% of the talent those racers have! But it is thrilling to watch what they can do, as long as THEY are OK with the risks as well!
To xlayn’s comment, loss of life at the IoM is pretty shocking over the past 5 or 6 years. Whether the cost is too high or not is not for us to decide, though. It is for the riders. No one puts them into harms way – they choose. If there weren’t a cent of prize money available or even a trophy, I bet any of those guys with the means and skill to enter that race still would same as any astronaut would jump at the chance for the next moon landing. Risk is just part of the package.
Faulty logic. It might also be entertaining to some to watch gladiators battle to death in a coliseum. Does that make it okay?
There are ways to conduct contests of speed more safely. IoM is a blood sport.
Faulty logic. Gladiators didn’t have a choice.
“The meek shall inherit the earth”
re: “I love the idea of a race for the bravest, those with steel nerves but isn’t the cost way to high?”
short answer…?
no.
long answer…?
Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those power spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.
– Theodore Roosevelt
on a gray or black note, already two persons have lost their lifes.
I’m not sure but GP or superbike doesn’t have this gray numbers do they?
I love the idea of a race for the bravest, those with steel nerves but isn’t the cost way to high?
It certainly is one of the most dangerous races on two wheels. Compared to MotoGP, Superbike, or even the AMA races, the track layout has a LOT to do with safety. Many of the tracks AMA race on have open space and gravel traps to slow riders who fall off course, before they hit a hard barrier that can cause greater injury. Most of those tracks do not meet the Specifications for MotoGP, which require even greater open space, larger gravel traps, etc. Arial views of MotoGP tracks look like a wide open park. The back stretch of Road America, looks a bit cramped on TV, and even closer when riding it (feels like you are speeding down someones driveway!). I never raced there, but took some “Salute to Cycles” parade laps between AMA races one year. Best $15 I ever spent.
The look at much of the course for the TT… Century old brick walls at the edge of the road in many spots. They put up some hay bales, or air fences in spots where they have a bit more room, but other than that they are AVERAGING well over 100 MPH on the street! Dangerous? Yup. Thrilling to get it right? I would assume, or the racers wouldn’t keep coming back. Some of the best MotoGP and Superbike racers have been asked about doing the Isle of Man, and they mostly reply “no way, it’s too crazy/risky/knucking futs!!!”
Its a different world Dino – these guys also ride in the Irish Road Races (many of them) which are just the same as regards the tracks. Its a unique thing – I don’t expect Rossi or Marquez to be any good at it more than I expect Dunlop, Anstey, or McGuiness to win at MotoGP.
I have ridden the course a few times in TT week, 14 years ago. Its a special course for extraoridinary riders to race on.
I agree, that was actually the kind of remark I was trying to make… The TT tracks are very unique from most kinds of track racing. You said it a bit better. I was linking the types of courses to the risks involved to the racers, since Xlayn was comparing TT to MotoGP.
If Marquez could run the IoM faster than the current field, it would only prove that he really has no fear for such a young man. Different types of courses, different races, so we have different riders. Another risk with IoM is that the course is so long, with so many corners, bumps, hills, and blind areas to memorize.
Joey Dunlop and Milky Quayle knew the course blindfolded I reckon. And a few others. For a normal road rider like me, it was pretty scary. But well worth it, and I did more than 1 lap!