Isle of Man TT Races Visitors Guide :
TBNI.Blog have compiled the most useful and popular posts in relation to the TT Road Races in order to bring you a basic Visitors’ Guide. Hopefully this guide will give you an idea and some knowledge of the course and plenty of other useful information.
History :
The Isle of Man TT, the oldest motorcycle racing event in the world, has been a spectacle of speed and skill since its inception in 1907.
The race was born out of necessity, as racing on the highways of Britain was forbidden by Act of Parliament. The Isle of Man, with its more lenient attitude towards automobile racing, became the perfect venue.
The first race was a time trial, organised by the Auto-Cycle Club (later renamed the Auto-Cycle Union). The course was a challenging 52.15-mile “Highlands” route. However, the steep climbs of the mountain section proved too much for the bikes of the time, leading to a redirection of the race. It wasn’t until 1911 that the race returned to the Mountain Course. The current Course takes riders on a 37.73 mile starting just outside Douglas and takes in numerous towns and villages and of course up and over the island’s highest mountain Snaefell.
The early races emphasised the road touring nature of the motorcycles, with regulations for saddles, pedals, mudguards, and exhaust silencers.
The first single-cylinder race was won by Charles Collier riding a Matchless, while Rem Fowler on a Norton took the twin-cylinder honours.
Over the years, the TT Course evolved from a horse and cart track, which included the odd gate between fields, into a world-renowned racing circuit. Lap speeds improved with road conditions, rising from 55.62 mph in 1920 to over 90 mph by the outbreak of World War 2. In 2023, Peter Hickman was the fastest lap holder with an average speed of 136.358mph or a lap time of 16m 36.114s
The TT returned after the War in 1947, with Harold Daniell winning the Senior once more.
The race has continued to grow in popularity, attracting thrill-seekers from around the globe.
As the TT Races celebrated its 100th race meeting in 2019, the spirit of competition and advancement that brought the original TT competition to the Island remains as strong as ever.
