With the weather playing havoc on this year’s races the schedule is getting very busy as each day passes! The schedule for racing and practice today (07/06/2017) now looks like this :
(Fingers crossed for a good break in the weather) :
Make sure to follow me on Twitter as I will be live Tweeting throughout the 2017 Isle of Man TT Festival.
#iomtt #iomtt2017 #iomtt17 @iom_tt incident at the #gooseneck and another near to the 11th Milestone.
— ❄️?☃️TomBoyNI™⛄️?❄️ (@TomBoyNI) June 2, 2017
The weather has dominated the news at the 2017 Isle of Man TT Races so far. Why? Because it has been awful. We should have had practice on Saturday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday so far. However due to a combination of rain, fog and rain and fog we have only had a one complete session which was Tuesday’s (30/05/2017).
The weather on Tuesday was glorious and to be honest bar a bit of a wash out on Sunday all day, the weather for some reason really has it in for the races at the minute as it has a tendancy to close in towards the late afternoon and evening. Wednesday for examole was a glorious morning, come the late afternoon it started to close in and only one lap of the session was completed before the organsisers called the session off.
Here is a terrifying statistic…
- We are now 1,539 practice @iom_tt laps behind last year (2016) or over 58,000 miles of a difference – almost 2.5 trips around the Earth!
And here are some 2016 v 2017 figures to show how far behind we currently are :
Qualifying Laps :
The good news is the weather looks for tomorrow and the schedule has been revised to get a lot of action in over the coming weekend.
Check out the Revised Schedule Here for 3rd – 6th June 2017.
Photos for this session were taken from the area of Ballaugh Bridge and the Gooseneck on the Mountain Road Section.
As with all of my photos please feel free to like, share and even use them. If you do use them however please credit me with the photograph – Don’t steal it. I don’t want to start watermarking my photos so if you do use it please – do the right thing.
Also all photos are available in full resolution, so if you would like any of the photographs in their full uneditted glory please just let me know – especially if you are one of the riders!
Make sure to follow me on Twitter over the coming fortnight for plenty of updates and rider tagged photographs from the 2017 Isle of Man TT Festival. – Twitter @TomBoyNI
If because of the poor weather we are having on the Isle of Man and you want your fix of Road Racing make sure you check out ITV4.
Here’s a list of what is on and when…
2022 IOM TT Races Prize Fund Update : This post has been updated to reflect the 2022 Prize Fund and Regulations. Find the details for every lap of every race right here : https://tbni.blog/2022/01/26/2022-tt-races-prize-fund/
With the 2017 Isle of Man TT Festival now in full swing, although the practice sessions have been hampered by fog and rain, the island is filling up and the atmosphere is growing! So come on weather – it is time to tighten up!
But one of the most discussed topics is how much do these guys / girls get for winning the TT? You might be surprised, but one thing that is very important. For the majority – if not all the competitiors it isn’t about the cash – it’s about the prestige.
But here it is the pay scale for the TT Senior Race :
£18,000 for a clean race win from start to finish might seem like a decent payout to many but think about the price of the bike, the transport, accomodation, fuel, tyres, mechanical upkeep… There’s not going to be too much left over for beers – and think of coming 20th – that’s an amazing achievement in its own right! The £300 would even cover the ferry!
Anyway as I say it is all about the prestige and these guys / girls deserve every bit of accolation and credit they get – they are at the absolute top of their game and to do it for the pay scale above really shows how dedicated these people are!
Keep er between the hedges and here is to a safe and enjoyable TT for all!
The cover art for the 2017 Isle of Man TT Programme has been released, and this year its consists of a 2 piece collector set, were you will have the option of Michael Dunlop or Ian Hutchinson…
You can in fact make your choice right here :
Michael Dunlop 2017 Isle of Man TT Programme Cover
Ian Hutchinson 2017 Isle of Man TT Programme Cover
Personally I think the covers look excellent, however I am not so convinced on the actual concept. I can only presume that the Isle of Man is feeding off the rivalry that sparked last year after the Senior Race when MD and Hutchy had a little tete a tete that wasn’t so private…
http://www.crash.net/road-racing/news/231170/1/tt-2016-irked-hutchy-in-spat-with-dunlop.html
I believe that every rider that sets off from that start line deserves a cover, so personally I think a more generic photograph is more suited for the event and the sportsmanship associated with it, but I guess we have to accept (as can be seen across the Irish network) costs are rising and anything that brings in more revenue, to secure the future of each event has to be considered and acted upon – and what is better than a clash at the top? So Hutchy and MD are the top two, the event knows it, and now the spectators are being forced into a Hutchy v MD show down.
Who will you choose?
Me, I’ll be choosing Bruce Anstey 🙂
TBNI.co.uk is now proud to announce that our Road Racing Calendar will continue for the 2024 Irish, Northern Irish, Manx and International Road Racing Season. It has grown over the last seven years and this year it is absolutely massive! It now also includes Oliver’s Mount Road Racing Events, the Ulster Superbike Championship, BSB, WorldSBK and MotoGP! Our iCal Calendar is your only stop for all top tier global motorcycle racing events and is now available and open to subscription!
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So this is it for this trip, the final day. The boat is about 7pm so unfortunately that means no viewing of the practice session tonight. That’s one of the bad points on coming over for Practice Week from Northern Ireland – the sailings aren’t perfect, but I suppose there is no way round it unless the Steam Packet put on an 11:00pm sailing – Hint Hint…
On getting packed up the hotel kindly offered to look after my gear and panniers so I could go and enjoy the mountain again – just another reason why I absolutely will go back to this hotel without any qualm.
After a meet up with the guys in Douglas, some breakkie and a quick walk around the town and a catching of the sights it was time to head out back out towards the track.
It was on this walk around the town that I called into the RoadSkin pop up store and purchased myself a nice Roodskin motorcycle hoodie (which I have been wearing regularly ever since) and a pair of jeans (which I have yet to pull on) – the pop up store saving me well over £100 on these two items alone, oh and I picked up a couple of neck warmers too.
(Long Term Review to follow on the RoadsSkin Gear)
After yesterday’s rumours and my theory that’d we know more by Wednesday / Thursday, guess what? It is Wednesday and we know more! Without further ado here is the news and it is good!
Oh and before the internet warriors and those who specialise in the keyboard and living under bridges, a chap can change his mind and like it or lump it, this is a huge boost for the Road Racing Scene. Welcome back Guy Martin!
Looks like TT tickets may be even harder to get this year!
Taken from Guy Martin’s Official Facebook Page :
John McGuinness and Guy Martin complete Honda Racing dream team.
Honda Motor Europe is delighted to announce an exciting two-rider line-up for its 2017 Road Racing assault at the North West 200 and Isle of Man TT in the Superbike classes. Re-signing for the Honda Racing team is TT legend John McGuinness, who will be joined by Guy Martin on the all-new Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP2.
Making his return to racing after a year away, fan favourite Martin will form a formidable team with McGuinness and the brand new Fireblade SP2 on the roads. Martin has enjoyed huge success on the roads during his career securing wins at various races including the Ulster GP, Scarborough Gold Cup, Armoy, Cookstown and also the Southern 100. He has also stepped on the TT podium 15 times and will be chasing his elusive maiden TT win with the Honda Racing team.
Meanwhile, McGuinness will be looking to add to his impressive tally of 23 TT wins, and riding the new Fireblade SP2, will also be aiming to recapture his lap record which was broken during last year’s race.
The Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade is the most successful 1000cc machine ever at the Isle of Man TT and Honda aims to add to its remarkable record with the new SP2 version, which is the ultimate expression of the Fireblade’s Next Stage Total Control concept.
The SP2 is a road legal homologation special based on the Fireblade SP that is specifically developed for racing and features a revised cylinder head with larger valve sizes and lightweight Marchesini wheels for even greater performance.
The all-new Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP2 will make its road racing debut at the North West 200 in May.
For all the latest news and information on the Honda Racing team follow @HondaRacingCBR on Twitter.
John McGuinness:
“I’m back with Honda for another year; really I’m part of the family, and I can’t wait to see what the new Fireblade SP2 can do! I know the old model like the back of my hand and have taken a lot of my TT wins with the old girl, so I can’t wait to get out on track and try the new machine out. I have a good feeling about this year and think we have a really good package to show that we mean business. I of course would like another TT win and I would quite like my lap record back! I always say when it’s broken that the lads are just borrowing it and I hope this year that this is the case. I am sad to say bye to the old Fireblade; I have a lot of history and good memories with that bike, but testing the new model can’t come soon enough and neither can the race season. I’m excited to have Guy as my new team-mate; we’ve enjoyed many a racing battle over the years and I’m looking forward to seeing what we can both do.”
Guy Martin:
“Neil [Tuxworth] has been talking to me for a while about joining the team, but I had a lot of thinking to do before I committed and said yes. I spent a lot of time on my push bike to and from work, thinking about what to do. I didn’t want to grow old regretting not giving the Honda a go, and the more time passes since making the decision, the more time I’ve thought it is the right decision. Honda is a great team and the Fireblade has always been a weapon on the roads, so with the new bike, I‘m keen to give it a go. We’ve got a busy testing schedule coming up and I’ve put some other stuff off to make time. John [McGuinness] is the man, I’ve got massive respect for him and I’m looking forward to racing on the Fireblade against him.”
Neil Tuxworth:
“We have two new members joining the Honda Racing team this year with Guy signing and the new 2017 Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP2. John is part of the furniture really, but it’s great to have him back with us for another year – it wouldn’t be the same without him! I really feel with Guy and John, and of course the new Fireblade, that we have a strong team ready to tackle the roads this year. Guy is hungry for his first TT win and John wants another and his lap record back, so this mixed with the new CBR1000RR means we should be in for some exciting racing action. The new Fireblade SP2 is so important to the team and also Honda and it’s vital we continue its legacy at the TT and add more to its 23 wins. We’re all looking forward to testing and I think everyone from the riders and the team are all excited to get on track and put the new machine through its paces.”
Photos: Honda Racing
#GuyMartin
Today the internet rumour mill is rife, absolutely rife, with ‘news’ that Guy Martin is set to announce his return to the Isle of Man TT Races this year!
Check out this link to DRIVETRIBE which seems to have started it all.
Here’s the basics though :
Personally I think Guy is a legend. I’ve seen him race in Northern Ireland many times and would love to see him at the TT. He wants a TT win so much, no matter how many times he hints at being finished I think the TT win may be his nemesis that he desperately wants to conquer. He would be a massive signing for Honda and their Fireblade which has been met with mixed reviews from the public, put Guy Martin on one and it becomes an instant success story.
I’ve read a few different things and I think come Wednesday / Thursday some form of official (as official as Guy does) may appear.
Until then. Fingers crossed.
