Isle of Man TT.

MARQUE:

WINS.

Yamaha:

122.

Honda:

107.

Norton:

44.

MV Agusta:

34.

There is no other event in the road racing calendar like the Isle of Man (IOM) Tourist Trophy. At one time, this historic event on the small island between England and Ireland formed an international Grand Prix round until safety concerns led to its exclusion. Today the TT is still run over the unique 37.733 mile Mountain circuit formed by closing public roads, and presents one of the toughest tests for both riders and machines. There are events for all classes of  bikes and sidecars, but the premier events include the junior (350cc) and senior (500cc) events. A typical race distance for the larger bikes is six laps (226.398 miles) and competitors start individually at 10-second intervals, racing against the course and the clock as much as with each other.

A SPECIAL TEST OF SKILL.

Knowledge of the course and smooth riding through its 240 corners are key requirements for success. Also, machines must be set up so as to cope with the bumpy surface and last the distance. Top TT racers tend to be a special breed, who don't necessarily shine on the shorter smoother and safer circuits used for Grand Prix and World Superbike events. Irish riders trained on their country's public roads circuits are prominent in the Isle of Man racing, and Ulsterman Joey Dunlop notched an unrivalled total of 23 wins between 1977 and 1998 with a track based on ordinary public roads, there are many hazards, including kerbs, drain covers, hairpin bends, a severe humped bridge and a tramway crossing. Houses, stone walls, lamp posts, and telephone poles alongside the road leave no margin for error, despite protective straw bales. With fatal accidents occurring almost every year, not surprisingly the TT has its detractors as well as supporters.