A TT Sunny Sunday

Pulling back the curtain on Sunday morning offered little hope there would be any racing.  Checking all of the weather apps on my phone offered little encouragement. Socked in and puddles in the street, I was trying to decide how I was going to spend the day.

But as the hours ticked by, the sky brightened, and the road closing schedule was unchanged – All roads closing at 12:45 and practice for sidecars at 1:30.  Although 1:30 morphed into 3:00 due to damp roads, eventually you could hear engines revving on the grid via race radio.  

I had been dropped off at Braddan Bridge, less than 2 miles from the start. I have shot well from there in the past and it was relatively easy to get back to the house if things didn’t go well. 

But things did go! And finally, there were motorbikes around the course.  A small group of who had traveled from Florence were sitting on the wall behind me, beaming, and there was great energy in the crowd who had be patiently waiting, many in very damp tents.

For just over two hours, there were sidecars, superbikes, superstocks and supersports flying by Braddan Church. 

Riders tested as many bikes as they could as quickly as possible, some taking two laps and some pitting every lap to make adjustments.  

With only two practice sessions on the Superbikes they would be racing on Monday.

The afternoon wrapped up with one lap practice for the TT  Zero bikes, I love the idea of the electric bikes but they are hard to shoot because I can never hear them coming.  

The Birchall Brothers hope to continue their sidecar domination.
A lot of life is just hanging on.
Swinging in close to the crowd at Kirk Bradden.
Michael Dunlop out quickly, but had trouble on the mountain and had to be retrieved.
Peter Hickman had the fastest Superstock lap on his new BMW RR.
Lee Johnston on the his Ashcourt Racing BMW

Heading back on the course today for lots of racing and practice.

Superbike Are On the Road

Michael Dunlop on his first practice lap on his new S1000RR Superbike

4:00 PM on Monday afternoon the skies darkened, the rain clouds moved in and within minutes, the speakers in the paddock blasted out the news that the evenings practice was canceled. Not unexpected but not what was hoped for.

Tuesday morning was bright, sunny and cool and we headed up to the former Jurby Airfield and current Motordrome for some early morning testing. The Jurby course is a short course where the teams can get some time in and make adjustments without having to worry about riding the entire TT Mountain course.

We went up hoping to get a few photos of the new 2020 S1000RR. TT veteran Michael Rutter was supposed to be on the bike for the first time, in addition to his Superbike and Mugen Electric.

2020 BMW S1000RR in the morning sun.

There are only five of the new RR’s on the Island. Peter Hickman and Michael Dunlop each have their Superbike and Supersport and then there is this one. Furnished courtesy of BMW Motorrad UK to Performance Bike Magazine. This is the M-Sport model, just as it came out of the crate.

Performance Bike Magazine had arranged with Michael Rutter, the TT Officials and Motorrad UK to take the bike out for a test lap on the Mountain course, immediately after the conclusion of the Monday’s official practice session.

As the side car practice ended at 8:50 PM, Michael Rutter got on to the new 2020 RR for the very first time.

Michael Rutter on his first ride of the new 2020 S1000RR flying over Ballagary

I have only heard two bits of detail from his first ride:

  • He absolutely loved it; and
  • He hit 192 mph.

Not bad for the first time on the bike!

More to follow tomorrow.