Margin for Error? Not Much – Take a Lap at the Isle of Man TT with Michael Dunlop
With 11 career wins and 4 wins each in 2013 and 2014, Michael Dunlop is current king of the Isle of Man TT. The 2015 version of this prestigious racing event begins late next month. To whet your appetite, take a lap of the Isle with Mr. Dunlop courtesy of his onboard camera in 2013. You might want to visit the bathroom before watching.
Wow! High risk doesn’t even begin to describe this .
The degree of skill, The perfect knowledge of the course and the colossal cahones are other-worldly !
Amazing!
Amazing stuff. I think it’s possible to truly appreciate how fast that is unless you’ve ridden the same roads and tried to go quick. Love the video.
I know it’s a race that makes many folks cringe due to the risk and the number of deaths, but it’s one of the few ‘real’ things left in this world where even toothpicks come with safety warnings…
I rode the same roads 4 times and was just so amazed at the history of the place that going quick wasn’t a consideration. Plus it was Mad Sunday….did hit 100mph at one point oon Sulby Straight…
The 2014 TT was my wife and my 20’th anniversary trip. We were “glamping” on the Isle. Not too expensive, and it was a riot. Maybe we spent $5K for airfare, ferry, week of glamping, and flight back.
While watching practice for the first time, the first two bikes went by down Bray Hill, and the missus looked at me, and said, “Holy chip!” or something like that. After 3 more pairs of riders, she said, “I am becoming nauseous.” I thought, “uh-oh, this isn’t going to work.” From that point on, we agreed that she’d watch from a little greater distance, and that worked fine. I was OK right up on the road boundary, but then you think, “if he goes wide, i am toast.” I’ll take that risk.
The missus became a huge Michael Dunlop fan after seeing him, saying, “hi” and having him say “hi” back. He was just walking around. You’d never know by looking at him that he can ride like he does. Just a normal looking guy.
Watching that reminds me of the mental difference between walking on a balance beam 12″ off the ground and the same bean 100ft off the ground. That’s the risk-difference between riding a purpose built track and this.
I was there last year. Unbelievable. If you watch in person, any other form of racing is child’s play. It’s really human and machine against the road.
I still watch other racing, but it isn’t the same as the TT. I have many memories of watching Supercross, dirt track, Moto GP in person, but the TT is what’s burned in the deepest. Raw power, guts, and a degree of finesse that isn’t matched anywhere.
Michael Dunlop attacking Gorse Lea is probably one of the most devastating scenes in motorsport. Anyone that’s stood by that particular bend and watched him go buy, compared to the other top riders, will know what I’m talking about.
I couldn’t watch the whole race lap. Pure INSANITY ! Between the shaded areas, no shoulders , speed, it’s a death wish! I can’t even imagine memorizing the whole track for safeties sake. No wonder top road racers refused to ride this TT decades ago. Obvious why so many racers get killed competing in it.
I died several times in the first 10 seconds due to turning in the opposite direction.
Imagine this in the Oculous Rift, so bad we can’t simulate gravity.
One day in the future it will be remembered as one of those savage stuff we use to did.
Does someone use a non i4 setup for this class?
Yes they do, a Triumph 675 Daytona won a year or two ago! As for it being dangerous, yes it is but its a freedom of choice thing just like climbing the 20,000 ft peaks or racing powerboats….Nobody forces them to do it – they love racing at the TT, and for sure it takes a different skillset to what a MotoGP rider might posess….horses for courses.
re: “Does someone use a non i4 setup for this class?”
Buildbase sponsored a few Ducatis, Monster Mob before them (talking pre panigale). Rutter I believe…? and not just at the TT but also at the NW200 and Macau events. one of the last bikes Joey won on for Honda at the turn of the Century was a WSBK/HRC kitted SP1.
Re Joey, I was there maaan!! That SP1 was pretty special but it was the rider that made it. He was down on power to DJ for both the Senior and the Formula 1. And also don’t forget the Johnnie Mac rode a NSR500V that year and didn’t do too badly.
Wow! High risk doesn’t even begin to describe this .
The degree of skill, The perfect knowledge of the course and the colossal cahones are other-worldly !
Amazing!
Amazing stuff. I think it’s possible to truly appreciate how fast that is unless you’ve ridden the same roads and tried to go quick. Love the video.
I know it’s a race that makes many folks cringe due to the risk and the number of deaths, but it’s one of the few ‘real’ things left in this world where even toothpicks come with safety warnings…
I rode the same roads 4 times and was just so amazed at the history of the place that going quick wasn’t a consideration. Plus it was Mad Sunday….did hit 100mph at one point oon Sulby Straight…
I could ride like that—if you tripled the video speed. Whoa, those guys have basketball sized nads! I’m not worthy.
#Bucket List
Indeed. I need to convince my wife and daughters that this would be a great way to spend our vacation.
The 2014 TT was my wife and my 20’th anniversary trip. We were “glamping” on the Isle. Not too expensive, and it was a riot. Maybe we spent $5K for airfare, ferry, week of glamping, and flight back.
While watching practice for the first time, the first two bikes went by down Bray Hill, and the missus looked at me, and said, “Holy chip!” or something like that. After 3 more pairs of riders, she said, “I am becoming nauseous.” I thought, “uh-oh, this isn’t going to work.” From that point on, we agreed that she’d watch from a little greater distance, and that worked fine. I was OK right up on the road boundary, but then you think, “if he goes wide, i am toast.” I’ll take that risk.
The missus became a huge Michael Dunlop fan after seeing him, saying, “hi” and having him say “hi” back. He was just walking around. You’d never know by looking at him that he can ride like he does. Just a normal looking guy.
Great fun. You have to go.
Watching that reminds me of the mental difference between walking on a balance beam 12″ off the ground and the same bean 100ft off the ground. That’s the risk-difference between riding a purpose built track and this.
I was there last year. Unbelievable. If you watch in person, any other form of racing is child’s play. It’s really human and machine against the road.
I still watch other racing, but it isn’t the same as the TT. I have many memories of watching Supercross, dirt track, Moto GP in person, but the TT is what’s burned in the deepest. Raw power, guts, and a degree of finesse that isn’t matched anywhere.
One mistake can kill you. That line is so fine.
That is so unreal it seems like a video game. Imagine how it feels to ride like that.
Can’t wait to see how he does on the new R1 at this year’s TT.
Michael Dunlop attacking Gorse Lea is probably one of the most devastating scenes in motorsport. Anyone that’s stood by that particular bend and watched him go buy, compared to the other top riders, will know what I’m talking about.
what bike was he riding? It sounds like a 2 stroke!
At the very beginning of the video it says “600 cc Honda”
I couldn’t watch the whole race lap. Pure INSANITY ! Between the shaded areas, no shoulders , speed, it’s a death wish! I can’t even imagine memorizing the whole track for safeties sake. No wonder top road racers refused to ride this TT decades ago. Obvious why so many racers get killed competing in it.
Crazy, simply crazy.
Just for the record I do not ride like this, not even a little.
I died several times in the first 10 seconds due to turning in the opposite direction.
Imagine this in the Oculous Rift, so bad we can’t simulate gravity.
One day in the future it will be remembered as one of those savage stuff we use to did.
Does someone use a non i4 setup for this class?
Yes they do, a Triumph 675 Daytona won a year or two ago! As for it being dangerous, yes it is but its a freedom of choice thing just like climbing the 20,000 ft peaks or racing powerboats….Nobody forces them to do it – they love racing at the TT, and for sure it takes a different skillset to what a MotoGP rider might posess….horses for courses.
re: “Does someone use a non i4 setup for this class?”
Buildbase sponsored a few Ducatis, Monster Mob before them (talking pre panigale). Rutter I believe…? and not just at the TT but also at the NW200 and Macau events. one of the last bikes Joey won on for Honda at the turn of the Century was a WSBK/HRC kitted SP1.
Re Joey, I was there maaan!! That SP1 was pretty special but it was the rider that made it. He was down on power to DJ for both the Senior and the Formula 1. And also don’t forget the Johnnie Mac rode a NSR500V that year and didn’t do too badly.
Those were the days……