2017 Isle of Man TT

[Richard A Thackeray]

Given that it's the TT, I thought I'd add a look at another highly skilled, competitor

Last year, Mark Higgins had another go, at breaking his own record

Watch & wonder.... 175MPH on those roads

A flying lap at 17:35.1 @ 128.7MPH
That would have given him a lap record in the Senior TT, back in 2010
It's also faster than the present SuperSport record (Michael Dunlop; 17:35.6 @ 128.6mph)

I wonder if they'll have another go this year??

 

[Salad Dodger]

Sorry to sound like a Jonah, but I really wish they would stop this Subaru car lap business. If one of them goes off track, it could lead to an almighty accident.

Yes, so could a 200mph motorbike, but not with the same size and weight as a car.....

 

[raleighnut]

Well off the pace, Michael Dunlop got round at 133.393 last year, I'm not sure if Honda have sorted out the 'glitch' with the new 'Fireblade' that spat John McGuiness off (he'd said that it felt like the throttle had stuck) and ruled him out of this year (badly broken leg) but if Guy Martin gets a chance it could be his year.

 

[dan_bo]

Well off the pace, Michael Dunlop got round at 133.393 last year, I'm not sure if Honda have sorted out the 'glitch' with the new 'Fireblade' that spat John McGuiness off (he'd said that it felt like the throttle had stuck) and ruled him out of this year (badly broken leg) but if Guy Martin gets a chance it could be his year.

Thought he did his back as well....

 

[raleighnut]

[QUOTE 4823308, member: 45"]I find it interesting that it's technology causing some crashes now. Martin claims that his big off was because the bike's stability control was fighting him.[/QUOTE]
Yep, it cut the power to the rear wheel causing it to regain traction and spit him over the 'highside' when he'd have been happy letting the back tyre 'spin up' a bit and/or control it with the rear brake.

 

[Dave7]

Fastest I ever "went"............as a pillion passenger.....was about 80 mph and I was scared s****less.
How they do those speeds is beyond me.
As a teenager (in the 60s) I used to go to Oulton Park and stand amazed at the likes of Derek Minter etc. but have no idea what maximum speeds they got to in those days.

 

[raleighnut]

Fastest I ever "went"............as a pillion passenger.....was about 80 mph and I was scared s****less.
How they do those speeds is beyond me.
As a teenager (in the 60s) I used to go to Oulton Park and stand amazed at the likes of Derek Minter etc. but have no idea what maximum speeds they got to in those days.

Benchmark in the 60s on the Island was a lap averaging 100 Mph on a 500 single (Manx, G50, Velocette etc) mind you back then they rode no matter what the conditions, wind, rain, fog, they'd be out and 'on the limit'.

 

[Dirk]

Having raced there on 3 wheels and 2, this time of year is very special to me.
I've really missed the Island every year that I haven't competed.
It gets under your skin.
I've got the possible offer of a parade lap on my old sidecar outfit.
It might happen in a year or two.
Too old to be competitive now, and sensible enough to realise it.

 

[Dirk]

Friends of ours have a house on the Isle of Man that overlooks the circuit. They make a small fortune renting it during the TT.

It's not a 'circuit': it's a 'course'.

 

[Dirk]

I don't really care... I'm not that interested.

Your loss.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Sorry to sound like a Jonah, but I really wish they would stop this Subaru car lap business. If one of them goes off track, it could lead to an almighty accident.
Yes, so could a 200mph motorbike, but not with the same size and weight as a car.....

True enough, but like most of the riders, Higgins is skilled enough for most eventualities, like the 150MPH fishtailing, on Bray Hill in 2011
One of them?, it's only one car on the course whilst the run is being made

Well off the pace, Michael Dunlop got round at 133.393 last year, I'm not sure if Honda have sorted out the 'glitch' with the new 'Fireblade' that spat John McGuiness off (he'd said that it felt like the throttle had stuck) and ruled him out of this year (badly broken leg) but if Guy Martin gets a chance it could be his year.

Okay, Higgins is 'well off the pace', but as I stated in my opening post, it'd get him the present SuperSport lap record

Granted, yes, he has a lot more BHP/torque/traction/braking, in the Impreza, but probably has to position it even more precisely than the bikers

 

[slowmotion]

I know very little about road racers but I watched the film "Road" with absolute incredulity. A large part of it was about the Dunlop brothers and their sons, some of the very best bikers. They were quite clear that they knew the risks involved, and they were equally clear that the thrill and personal satisfaction of racing was worth the terrible price. None of the "it won't happen to me" bravado, just a quiet acceptance really. Extraordinary.

 

[raleighnut]

I know very little about road racers but I watched the film "Road" with absolute incredulity. A large part of it was about the Dunlop brothers and their sons, some of the very best bikers. They were quite clear that they knew the risks involved, and they were equally clear that the thrill and personal satisfaction of racing was worth the terrible price. None of the "it won't happen to me" bravado, just a quiet acceptance really. Extraordinary.

This fellas story takes some beating,

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc...d-back&usg=AFQjCNF6mcz-hIgaxRV8d7rWffvHfLci9g

 

[Biff600]

I went in 2007 for the centenary, absolutely brilliant, I needed another holiday afterwards to get over the 1st one !!

It was the first time that they broke the 130mph lap, the atmosphere was phenomenal.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Can't remember which site I took this off, a couple of days ago (possibly 'Bullshire Police' on FaceBook?)

It seems that Ford are doing a bit of promotion during the TT
Let's hope that they sent the V8 over, rather than the 4-cylinder




Edit @ 11:18
It seems that the GT is the 5.0litre V8

https://www.ford.co.uk/cars/mustang/models-specs/v8-gt