TT Report

[Tirpitz]

Got back from the TT on Sunday night a very disappointed person. It's the first time I've been since 1995, when I stopped going each year, and I was really looking forward to it but the racing was just a mess for the most part due to the weather.

I went on Tuesday of raceweek, intending to see racing on the TT circuit on Wednesday and Friday, with the Billown races on Saturday. In the end I got racing on Wednesday after extensive delays due to damp patches on the roads, no racing Friday due to rain and postponed to Saturday, then on Saturday delay upon delay due to damp patches before finally in the early evening the Lightweight TT alone was run with the Senior cancelled. I missed the racing at Billown as that was put back to Sunday after I had left. I watched from the Gooseneck on Wednesday and walked up from Laxey to Windy Corner on Saturday - I didn't take the bike so was on the buses and walking. Despite full hiking gear it was pretty uncomfortable up at Windy due to the very long wait for racing.

This experience has put a massive question mark over whether I would ever return for the TT. The poor weather itself didn't bother me. I was camping but stayed dry and you expect rain in the IoM. What was different for me compared to when I went in the 90s was that now it seems that no-one is prepared to race unless conditions are perfectly dry throughout the course. When they are not the races are extensively delayed / cancelled. I'm not going to criticise the organisers / riders over this as I've never raced there so have no idea whether or not it is safe to do so on modern machines, as opposed to 90s machinery. But what I will say is that as a spectator event for me when the chances of delays / cancellations are as high as they are now - because on an island in the middle of the Irish Sea there is a high chance of conditions not being perfectly dry for days on end - the package just doesn't work. I understand racing being delayed etc when it is bucketing down and there is standing water but if bikes cannot race when there is patchy wet then it's a toss of a coin whether you are going to get a race or not on any given day.

As it stands I'm not planning on going to the TT again any time soon but will listen to it at home. The next time I go to the Island I might give the Manx a go (depending how they fiddle with it) as they seem to be less weather-sensitive. I could even watch coffin-dodgers like Cargo touring round then

Did anyone else go and have you any thoughts on your experience?

[cargo]

I was over early practise week I went to Billown for the Pre TT classics and on marsahl duty for two evenigs of TT practise at Gorse Lea.
ALL in fantastic hot sunny weather.
Camped one night in paddock at Castletown and also one night up at Sulby on the Claddaghs.

Sulby Glen hotel was open till past 3 and I was able to sit outdoors with friends until past 2 am and it was still mild.

Spent my last night at a friends house in Douglas and got early boat home

Great wee trip meet up with lots of old friends and some new ones.....drank loads of beer and also had a super lap over the mountain on my 1100 with little traffic thanks to a crash somewhere behind me.
I was also able to deliver some cash to the guy that owns the RGV I'll be riding in August


If I was you I'd got back in August for the Manx GP it could be the last before the Manx government commericialise it and ruin it forever IMHO

I am a member of an Action Group fighting back to save the Manx

Go in August you will enjoy it I promise................consider yourself invited for a brew/pint/stew night party/ whatever

[cargo]

Oh and yes real road racers at the Manx dont mind a bit of rain............................unlike certain so called TT superstars

[Tirpitz]

Unfortunately I can't get for the Manx this year but thanks for the invite Cargo, would be nice to meet up. The weather was kinder to you and didn't affect the racing, shame it didn't last. I think I'll deffo give the Manx a go. I went to Bill Snelling's exhibition in Laxey on the Thursday and he was getting signatures for the Save the Manx GP campaign.

Next year I'm planning on a trip to Ireland to one of the races, dunno which yet, but I don't fancy the NW200 from what I've read.

[cargo]

Yeah I avoid the NW .................sometimes I go for the first practise night and watch for somehwere well away from the paddock Coast road areas.

Plenty of other smaller national road races to choose from...................Tandragee is a good one brilliant circuit best we have now except maybe for Dundrod.

Skerries is good too and it's a seaside location so lots of pubs clubs to enjoy after the racing

I'd suggest the Ulster GP as the better of the two internationals most of the top TT guys will be there and all the locals too............great circuit but it's lacking in nearby pubs/clubs..............city centre Belfast is about 10 miles away..............lots of pubs clubs hotels but you wont find it like the TT where the whole place is turned over to bikers..............still a night out in Belfast is fun


Here's the 2012 calender.....................next years will be something the same

28th April - Cookstown

5th May - Tandragee 100

19th May - Int NW200

16th June - MidAntrim150

23rd June - Bush

1st July - Kells (Cancelled)

7th July - Skerries

15th July - Walderstown

22nd July - Munster

28th July - Armoy

5th Aug Athea (Cancelled)

9th Aug - Dundrod 150

11th Aug - UGP

26th Aug - East Cork

9th Sept - Killalane

[400y]

9th Aug - Dundrod 150

11th Aug - UGP

These happen during Ulster Grand Prix Week so it is the same circuit. That way you get to watch.....

Wed - Dundrod 150 practice sessions

Thursday - Dundrod 150 road races & Ulster Grand Prix practice sessions

Saturday - Ulster Grand Prix road races


Well worth a visit

[Jimzxr400L1]

nothing to do with the topic or anything couldnt comment never been sorry to ear bout how toad it was for you ...wanted to ask cargo how do you fund all your racing how did you get into it just woonderd as i one day want to start racing cheers

[cargo]

long story shortened


Spannered for a few years help mate win Irish championship

Lost my partner/girlfriend in bike crash in 1995 decided if I wanted to continue enjoying riding fast racing was the way to go


I fund my racing myself.............however I have had occassional help from friends and a now defunct bike club I was in plus I rode bikes for a couple of guys at the Manx once in 2003 and again in 2008. I do 95% of the work on my bikes myself so that helps with costs


I work hard and live like a monk LOL

and race every race I can get to work permiting

broken my arm,foot,selection of ribs..............if you dont fall off now and then your not trying hard enough

I'm 52 this year and I love it as much as ever...........they will have to prise my race licence from me with a crow bar

[Tirpitz]

9th Aug - Dundrod 150

11th Aug - UGP

These happen during Ulster Grand Prix Week so it is the same circuit. That way you get to watch.....

Wed - Dundrod 150 practice sessions

Thursday - Dundrod 150 road races & Ulster Grand Prix practice sessions

Saturday - Ulster Grand Prix road races


Well worth a visit

I feel a holiday plan developing here

Thanks for the tips boys.

I remember going for a few beers in Belfast about 20 years ago when me and a few mates from work went on a backpacking tour. Off the ferry from Stranraer before we went to our digs we decided to have a drink so presented ourselves at the pub with rucksacks, oblivious as yer average Englishman is. Jeez, the bouncers recoiled with horror as if we were obviously Provos with a few hundredweight of Semtex packed in the bags

TBF, after they'd rifled through our dirty undies they believed we weren't about to detonate the place and let us in.

[CaNsA]

If anyone is sailing out of Liverpool gimmie a shout.
More than welcome for a warm, a brew and a bacon buttie.

[tobomoto]

im thinking about going next year but i got to have a word with my boss as my company has a 3 week shutdown in july/august and i only get 5 floating days a year. maybe i can get a week off unpaid or somthing.