Isle of Man TT…

[Johnny Drummond]

Hey Red, you now have another reason to make the journey over here,as you probably know Joeys brother Robert deid from injuries he recieved at the NW200 2 years ago. They now have a memorial to him beside Joeys in Ballymoney(as is only right and proper),the statue is ready to be cast and should be in place next year.But as I've written here already if you can make it in August they now have a race circuit around the village where the boys grew up along with their eldest brother Jim(who convinced Joey to race in the first place!) and the other members of the ARMOY ARMADA-Mervin Robinson and Frank Kennedy-sadly also killed in races.It is a fantastic course, everything a good circuit should be,bumpy,narrow and fast!!!.Look up ARMOY 2010 on the web to see action photos from this year. The reason I say this is Armoy is on one weekend and the Ulster Grand Prix is the next, value for money with the whole touristy thing taken care of if you print off directions to some other circuits to visit ie. Cookstown,Bush,Mid Antrim,Dundrod.Then you can ride around them and pick which races you want to come to on your next trip,hint,hint.

To Ross, yeah you are right there, Joey AND Robert were special all right,But I have to say Robert's sons William and Michael are not exactly slow-or lacking in competitive agression,heres what I mean


and yes there are 2 bikes there! William is in front(no.6) this is standard fare for these 2, except on a 125 William rides so like his dad it's scary, after Robert died the next meeting I thought "my God wee robbo's on form today" until I realised I was looking at William!!.Johnny

[Big T]

I just got this

http://www.rizla-suzuki-motogp.co.uk/multimedia/multimedia.asp

Capirossi rode a GSXR

[Steveb64]

My wife and I were there in '96 for practice week and race week - pitcrew for a mate who was racing a 600. Partied up with a bunch of Kiwis who I knew (and were racing). Did some laps on my Ducati, and even took the wife around for a fast lap on the back of HER RF900.... Even got air over the (Ballough - sp?) bridge... . AWESOME.

If you're into sport bikes, ya gotta do it once.

[Johnny Drummond]

Was looking at my collection of TT dvd's last night, the 2006 one has profiles of all the americans that race there-just thought it might be of interest to you Bill. Johnny

[Buffalo Bill]

2009. Nw 200 dvd

Thanks Johnny,
I got the 2009 NW 200 DVD in my Amazon shopping cart, just waitin' to be sure I don't need the money for food, shelter, or bike parts.
I read that the NW 200 is a true elbow to elbow race, not a time trial like the TT. Wonderful to see the bikes race down public roads and streets.
Between you and me, I like the TT videos much more than the 2009 MotoGP Official Review DVD I have. Those Grand Prix circuits are very boring to see, with the crowds kept so far from the track, and the tracks' as wide as a 4 lane highway?
Bill

[Johnny Drummond]

Hi Bill, yeah it is. no quarter asked or given, mass starts with 3/4 groups of 20 riders in each group and as I've said before all on roads between 16 and 18 feet wide!, I've ridden the course many times when it is just public highway and if you buy the dvd look out for a corner called "mathers cross" the big supersport and superbikes take this at around 140mph, it looks like a gentle curve on tape but this is a blind right turn that has a groove right in the middle due to someone digging the road up to put a drainage pipe from one field to the other!.Take it from me that 70mph in normal traffic conditions is scary enough(or mabye I'm just an old woman who doesn't like to fall off). look up Phillip Macallen on youtube he is the only rider to win 5 races there in 1 day and he was leading the 6th when he slid off due to being tired,he used to use the kerbstones to make the bike turn and often ended up bouncing up onto the pavement and just hammering the throttle for all it was worth and bouncing back onto the road again, which is how he got the name of mad mac.As for the dvd-what else is christmas for-everyone else gets treats, why should'nt you!!!.Johnny

[Buffalo Bill]

Nw 200, 2004 dvd

North West 200, 2004: DVD
Quite a lot of action in this racing video. Leaders change quite a few times in all the groups with some guys crashing on the last lap.
Michael Rutter topped 200 mph on a Honda factory bike.
This kind of genuine road racing is more fun to watch than track racing. Certainly because Ireland is so beautiful, and because we all ride fast on public roads!
Good for the Irish!
Bill
P.S. I was looking for David Jefferies, sorry to learn that he crashed and died at the 2003 TT.

[oldbutslow]

I've attended both the '99 and '07 TT's. Even though the '07 event was much bigger because of the Centenery, I actually enjoyed '99's better. Luckily, I did get to meet both David Jeffries and Joey Dunlop that first year. Also, the total vibe of '99 was much more genuine with nakedness, wheelies, burnouts, and other juvenile acts. '07 seemed sanitized. I'm a big fan of British biking because of the TT's. Those crazy Brits/Irish don't even think twice about living in a tent for a soggy week, rebuild a clutch on the curb, or never change their underwear! On top of all those virtues, they are wonderful riders and the nicest folks you've ever want to meet. In the cumulative three weeks I've spent over there, I never heard, saw, or were told of a fight. We're talking thousands of drunk bikers from countries from all over the world. Think you'd ever get that at a Harley rally? I didn't think so.....! If you haven't, you really need to go. ,BK

[Big T]

LEGENDARY RIDERS AND ICONIC MACHINES ALREADY CONFIRMED FOR TT2011 MILESTONES OF THE MOUNTAIN PARADE LAP

Many of the riders and machines have already been confirmed for the 2011 TT ‘Milestones of the Mountain’ Parade lap to celebrate the centenary of racing around the iconic Isle of Man TT Mountain Course.

The parade, which takes place on Senior Race day, Friday 10th June, will feature twenty-six of the most important events, riders and moments in a hundred years of racing.

Appropriately a genuine replica of the American built Indian machine that Oliver Godfrey rode in the first Senior TT Race across the mountain has been sourced and will be the first bike away. The bike will be ridden by Dave Roper who was and only American to win a TT until Mark Miller emulated his feat in this year’s TT Zero clean emissions bike race.

One of the all time TT greats, Stanley Woods, will be represented by former MGP rider Ivan Rhodes, who will be riding a genuine 350cc works Velocette, which he owns. Stanley originally rode the bike in the 1948 Junior TT and 1949 World championship.

Geoff Duke, the 6 time TT Winner and 6 time World Champion will be represented by his son Peter, who will appropriately be riding a Manx Norton, the marque that Geoff rode to five TT victories in the fifties.

One of the greatest names in TT history, Honda, who were the first Japanese manufacturer to contest the event, and who have since gone on to win 155 times, will be represented by former world champion and TT winner Luigi Taveri, who will be riding a 1964 Honda RC161.

One of Yamaha’s most successful riders, Phil Read, the 8 times TT winner and 8 times World Champion, will be riding the factory 4 cylinder two-stroke 250cc Yamaha that he raced successfully in the 1968 TT and world championship.

Sidecar legend Jock Taylor, a 4 times TT winner who achieved a podium on his debut, will be represented by Steve Webster, MBE, the 10 time FIM World Champion. Steve will be riding one of Jock’s old TT winning machines.

The Senior TT winning Honda RC30 from 1988 will be ridden by Gary Dunlop who will be representing his father, the 5 time World Champion Joey. The Northern Ireland racer first competed on the Isle of Man in 1976 and his record of 26 victories leaves him as the most successful TT rider of all time.

Scotsman Steve Hislop, who was the first rider to lap at over 120mph and took part in what is widely acknowledged as one of the all time great races against Carl Fogarty – the 1992 Senior TT - will be represented twice in the parade by close friends Steve Plater and Stuart Easton. Steve, who has two TT victories to his name and is the current Senior TT Race Record holder, will be riding a replica RC30 to represent Steve's achievement as the first rider to lap at more than 120mph in 1989, whilst current BSB star and TT hopeful Stuart Easton will ride the ABUS 588cc rotary Norton from the epic 1992 Senior Race.

Northern Ireland’s Philip McCallen, the first rider to win 4 races in one week, will be riding a Honda RC45. Phil, who won 11 TT’s in a career that ran from 1989 to 1999, will be on the starting grid with the man that broke his record, Ian Hutchinson, who will be riding his history making Padgett’s Honda Superbike.

Nine-time TT winner David Jefferies will be represented by his uncle Nick, who will be riding the V&M Racing Yamaha R1 that ‘DJ’ raced in his 1999 campaign.

His great friend and rival John McGuinness, who has dominated the TT leader board with 15 victories since his first victory in 1999, will be bringing his 2007 Honda Superbike, on which he became the first man to break the 130mph lap for the 37¾ mile course.

[Leigh]

hi guys ,,,the story goes as such... that joey dunlop.. ~~etc etc~~needles too say the story did end well at that time ... regards david

Sorry, Leslie, Joey never came to Australia.
I've heard that story with Sterling Moss in a left hand drive Cooper with a journalist on board and other versions too.

Now, for you blokes who have discovered the TT, look a little further.
Faugheen, Tandragee, Killalane, Cookstown, Bush, Skerries.
All names to use in your favourite search engines.

In the meantime, I love this piece.
It's Michael Dunlop chasing down Ryan Farquar at Tandragee in '09.
it's heart in mouth at about 5:58 or so.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwaQ7TFJfXw&feature=related

[Charlie G]

Sorry, Leslie, Joey never came to Australia.
I've heard that story with Sterling Moss in a left hand drive Cooper with a journalist on board and other versions too.

Now, for you blokes who have discovered the TT, look a little further.
Faugheen, Tandragee, Killalane, Cookstown, Bush, Skerries.
All names to use in your favourite search engines.

In the meantime, I love this piece.
It's Michael Dunlop chasing down Ryan Farquar at Tandragee in '09.
it's heart in mouth at about 5:58 or so.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwaQ7...eature=related

Thanks for the link Leigh. Great video.

cg

[Leigh]

Mate, it's a ripper isn't it?
That's probably one of my favourite onboard vids.

There's a couple of others that make me gasp or giggle.
I'll dig for them when I get home tonight.

[steve murdoch]

gasp, giggle and grab the Gravol.
Great fun.

[Buffalo Bill]

Totaly excellent…

All these Irish races are new to me, and they're fabulous!
They don't have insurance companies in Ireland, to put an end to everything fun?
Bill

[Charlie G]

All these Irish races are new to me, and they're fabulous!
They don't have insurance companies in Ireland, to put an end to everything fun?
Bill

My very thought!