I have an idea for a new thread...

[Guest Omega Man]

Connor Cummins crash at the 2010 IOM TT. If this doesn't give you chills there's something wrong with you. Yes he lived.

 

[Guest Omega Man]

Damn. Dunlop on a works Honda. The only real challenge to him has been Bruce Anstey, and then on the Supersport series bikes - he leaves them all for dust on the "masters" series.

 

 

John Mcguiness is the current King of the Mountain with 19 wins but he's getting on now. he's 41 this year I think.

 

Michael Dunlop (and William) are the sons of the late great Robert Dunlop. Winner of 6 IOM TT's and 15 NW200 wins (The most of any rider). in 2008 Robert died practicing for the NW200. His 250 siezed and he was thrown from the bike. Michael rode and won the 250 race that weekend.

 

The Dunlop brothers are also of course the nephews of the greatest road racer of them all. The late great Joey Dunlop. Winner of 26 TT's. Joey very famously never had a written contract with Honda. He always said that their word was enough for him. Honda hold the TT in such high regard that they have a concrete path in one of the gardens at the HRC headquarters in Japan in the shape of the TT track. They also held Joey in such high regard that one year they forced Aaron Slight's WSBK team to loan him a full works bike for the TT.

 

Also on the Honda/TT thing. In 2003 Honda withdrew their works WSBK commitments after Moto GP went 4 stroke. Choosing instead to provide WORKS bikes to the British Superbike Championship. The HM Plant Honda team that resulted from the WSBK withdrawal had the only HRC superbikes on the planet and the express agreement for the HM Plant team to get the bikes was that those bikes and the HM Plant team make their way to the Isle of Man for the TT.

 

Hence the importance of an HRC Honda ride at the TT

 

Yes. Small Road racing fan I am.

Edited December 18, 2012 by Omega Man

[Octavian]

Bring me your F1, your MotoGP, your Superkart, your WRC, DH WC, World Speed Record holders, etc etc, and weigh the okes balls. These okes would come out with stones orders of magnitude heavier & larger than each of these other disciplines.

 

Not sure whether it is courage or a lack of brain cells....

[RodTi]

John Mcguiness is the current King of the Mountain with 19 wins but he's getting on now. he's 41 this year I think.

 

Michael Dunlop (and William) are the sons of the late great Robert Dunlop. Winner of 6 IOM TT's and 15 NW200 wins (The most of any rider). in 2008 Robert died practicing for the NW200. His 250 siezed and he was thrown from the bike. Michael rode and won the 250 race that weekend.

 

The Dunlop brothers are also of course the nephews of the greatest road racer of them all. The late great Joey Dunlop. Winner of 26 TT's. Joey very famously never had a written contract with Honda. He always said that their word was enough for him. Honda hold the TT in such high regard that they have a concrete path in one of the gardens at the HRC headquarters in Japan in the shape of the TT track. They also held Joey in such high regard that one year they forced Aaron Slight's WSBK team to loan him a full works bike for the TT.

 

Also on the Honda/TT thing. In 2003 Honda withdrew their works WSBK commitments after Moto GP went 4 stroke. Choosing instead to provide WORKS bikes to the British Superbike Championship. The HM Plant Honda team that resulted from the WSBK withdrawal had the only HRC superbikes on the planet and the express agreement for the HM Plant team to get the bikes was that those bikes and the HM Plant team make their way to the Isle of Man for the TT.

 

Hence the importance of an HRC Honda ride at the TT

 

Yes. Small Road racing fan I am.

 

Great post. You seen that doccie they did a while back, followed that crazy dude with the 'burns - he's awesome. Had a bit of the Dunlop Snr backstory in it as well. Watched it twice on the plane. TT is definitely on my bucket list.

[Guest Omega Man]

Great post. You seen that doccie they did a while back, followed that crazy dude with the 'burns - he's awesome. Had a bit of the Dunlop Snr backstory in it as well. Watched it twice on the plane. TT is definitely on my bucket list.

Thanks man.

 

I used to write a monthly article on local and international bike racing for a certain south african neck safety equipment manufacturer as my mate was the head of global marketing for the company at the time hence my psuedo knowledge. That and I'm a huge bike racing fan.

 

The movie is called TT Closer to the edge. The dudes name is Guy Martin. The fact that he's an avid mountain biker helps too. Some good insight into the men that ride there.

 

The TT is deff on the to do list for me too. You can do a day trip from Morecambe (John Mcguinness's home town) on the English mainland or also from Belfast if I'm not mistaken for about 100-150 pounds depending on the race that's being run on the day. Much more cost effective for us Saffa's with our piddly little 3rd world currency. You still get to take in the TT without the massive cost of living on the island for a week or 2.

Edited December 18, 2012 by Omega Man

[Guest Omega Man]

Not sure whether it is courage or a lack of brain cells....

I don't think it's lack of brain cells at all. For me lack of brain cells is sitting in from of a 46 inch monitor playing war craft of some such bullc@p game instead of really living.

 

They are doing the same thing all racers are doing. Getting the equipment just right. Striving for the right line. Perfecting braking. Picking the right moment to get on the gas. Hoping for a bit of good fortune. It's very very calculated. It takes years to become a fast road racer.

 

The consequences for failure are just much much bigger.

Edited December 18, 2012 by Omega Man

[RodTi]

Thanks man.

 

I used to write a monthly article on local and international bike racing for a certain south african neck safety equipment manufacturer as my mate was the head of global marketing for the company at the time hence my psuedo knowledge. That and I'm a huge bike racing fan.

 

The movie is called TT Closer to the edge. The dudes name is Guy Martin. The fact that he's an avid mountain biker helps too. Some good insight into the men that ride there.

 

The TT is deff on the to do list for me too. You can do a day trip from Morecambe (John Mcguinness's home town) on the English mainland or also from Belfast if I'm not mistaken for about 100-150 pounds depending on the race that's being run on the day. Much more cost effective for us Saffa's with our piddly little 3rd world currency. You still get to take in the TT without the massive cost of living on the island for a week or 2.

 

Ah - that's right. Guy Martin. Really enjoyed him. He came off spectacularly that year as well... I think he cruised around the pits etc. on his mtb, iirc. And thanks for the suggestions - the Rand hurts us like that...

 

It might have been posted here before, but the youtube clip of McGuinness talking through a lap, with actual on-bike footage, was the closest a mere mortal like me can get to appreciating the speed those guys fly at... Not to mention the nutters clinging on for dear life on those side-cars...

[Tumbleweed]

The Cassini spacecraft took this mosaic of the planet Saturn and its rings backlit against the Sun on October 17, 2012 using infrared, red and violet spectral filters that were combined to create an enhanced-color view, in this handout image courtesy of NASA.

 

[Tumbleweed]

John Mcguiness is the current King of the Mountain with 19 wins but he's getting on now. he's 41 this year I think.

 

Michael Dunlop (and William) are the sons of the late great Robert Dunlop. Winner of 6 IOM TT's and 15 NW200 wins (The most of any rider). in 2008 Robert died practicing for the NW200. His 250 siezed and he was thrown from the bike. Michael rode and won the 250 race that weekend.

 

The Dunlop brothers are also of course the nephews of the greatest road racer of them all. The late great Joey Dunlop. Winner of 26 TT's. Joey very famously never had a written contract with Honda. He always said that their word was enough for him. Honda hold the TT in such high regard that they have a concrete path in one of the gardens at the HRC headquarters in Japan in the shape of the TT track. They also held Joey in such high regard that one year they forced Aaron Slight's WSBK team to loan him a full works bike for the TT.

 

Also on the Honda/TT thing. In 2003 Honda withdrew their works WSBK commitments after Moto GP went 4 stroke. Choosing instead to provide WORKS bikes to the British Superbike Championship. The HM Plant Honda team that resulted from the WSBK withdrawal had the only HRC superbikes on the planet and the express agreement for the HM Plant team to get the bikes was that those bikes and the HM Plant team make their way to the Isle of Man for the TT.

 

Hence the importance of an HRC Honda ride at the TT

 

Yes. Small Road racing fan I am.

 

Gosh, this post takes me back to my childhood in Northern Ireland. I was very young, but our father, who was nuts about motor racing, would take us us to watch the North West 200. Never saw Joey win there - came out here in 1977 - but remember seeing him race at Kirkistown. My fave rider at that time was Ray McCullogh.

[Tumbleweed]

Via fandacious:

[geecee]

oh ****?

 

http://www.shockmansion.com/wp-content/myimages/2012/12/LIKE-Shock-Mansion-on-Facebook-368.jpg?b1f7f4

[geecee]

http://www.shockmansion.com/wp-content/myimages/2012/12/LIKE-Shock-Mansion-on-Facebook-J-42.gif?b1f7f4

[geecee]

http://www.shockmansion.com/wp-content/myimages/2012/12/LIKE-Shock-Mansion-on-Facebook-J-32.gif?b1f7f4

[nathrix]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLjreUMdvF0&feature=player_embedded

[geecee]

http://www.shockmansion.com/wp-content/myimages/2012/12/LIKE-Shock-Mansion-on-Facebook-J-102.gif?b1f7f4

[davetapson]

Connor Cummins crash at the 2010 IOM TT. If this doesn't give you chills there's something wrong with you. Yes he lived.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y07yt87lhEA

Went to the 2003 TT. The man of the moment then was Dave Jefferies - who skidded on oil left from a crash and unfortunately was killed - he was well on his way to becoming one of the greats.

 

It's an amazing event. Where else can you stand behind a stone wall and have the guys coming past you less than a metre away at 100mph? Can put hour hand out and smack them in the helmet (and lose your hand). I'll try and find a clip that I shot.

 

Rode Mad Sunday - was gassing it to the best of my ability and some dudes were passing me like I was standing still.

 

One of the last completely non-PC events in a very PC world.