#IsleOfManTt

Week one of the 2015 Isle of Man TT race meet, humbly called Practice Week, is wrapping up, with the usual mix of triumph and tragedy. I arrived on the Isle just as qualifying started, and made my usual rounds: Checked in to the Arrandale Hotel, ideally situated within walking distance to the grandstand, paddock and Douglas Promenade. Picked up a roarty little Triumph Street Triple, and did a few laps of the TT Course, followed some off the beaten path back roads, where the soundtrack of the three-pot mill acted as a handy sheep repellant. I registered at the TT Marshal’s hut, hit the Woodbourne Pub for reconnection with old friends (IoM pub reports to follow), and started to immerse myself in the wonder that is TT Practice Week which challenges TT Race Week for atmosphere and spectating with the added benefit of un-crowded motorbike touring.

Andrew Capone, in his Top 5 Storylines For The 2015 Isle Of Man TT article, poses two significant topics: 1) How far are we from ‘Peak Speed?’ and 2) Will electric racing motorcycles finally capture our fancy?

The Isle of Man TT, which kicks off yet again this Saturday, May 30, occupies a special place in the world of motorsports. An unmatched two-week spectacle in an idyllic setting with almost unimaginably brave athletes, the TT proudly sticks a middle finger in the face of the banality and conformity that rules modern life and more pedestrian sporting events.

After the January announcement that Polaris had “ acquired the electronic motorcycle business of Brammo Inc.” many, including us, wondered what the future held for both companies. Polaris has dropped the first clue with its announcement today that Victory will be racing two electric prototypes at the Isle of Man TT Zero race later this year.

For motorcycle road racing enthusiasts, the Isle of Man TT is perhaps the biggest spectacle our sport has to offer. In my opinion, it’s an even bigger spectacle than attending a MotoGP race. The action, drama, speed and aura of the Mountain course is what excites me about the race. And it’s the increased level of danger a natural road course entails that makes it an event I have no interest in participating in. It’s by that same token that I rate the athletes who do tackle the TT as heroes.

Recently, we brought you the story of Michael Czysz, designer/architect to the stars, fervent motorcycle enthusiast, and a visionary in the motorcycle world. It’s a tale of the man, his passion, his unfortunate illness, and how motorcycles make him feel alive again. Judging by the comments left by you, our readers, Michael Czysz has had an impact on many of you as well.

Michael Czysz has a reputation for bucking trends and marching to the beat of his own drum. After creating his own gas-powered superbike, then an electric version that lapped the 37-miles of the Isle of Man TT at an average speed over 100 mph, Czysz’s motorcycling career has seemingly been one of David trying to topple the OEM Goliath and beat the odds.

The TT racing at the Isle of Man is one those rare events that you have to see to believe. Racing on public roads at speeds approaching 200 mph is spectacular on a level that’s almost unbelievable. Or, to some, sheer lunacy.

The 2014 Isle of Man TT fortnight concluded on a beautiful, sunny Friday afternoon, with Michael Dunlop propelling himself into history by winning the big one, the PokerStars Senior TT race. This was the second-consecutive year that Dunlop has won four races in a week, giving him, at only 25 years of age, 11 career TT race wins. His uncle, the late, great Joey Dunlop, eventually went on to win a record 26 TTs.

For this edition of the Weekend Awesome, we offer video from our correspondent Andrew Capone on the Isle of Man where he was covering this year’s TT.

Attend a typical motorcycle race, and you will buy a costly ticket, take a seat and watch the racing from a grandstand, often hundreds (thousands?) of feet from the action. Not so at the Isle of Man TT. It may not be cheap or easy to get here, but the racing cost’s zilch, and the vantage point is unlike any other motorsports event on earth.

The 2014 Isle of Man TT is finally upon us, with the Superbike TT and the first of two Sidecar TT races kicking things off. To get your juices flowing on one of the world’s most storied motorcycle racing events, this edition of the Weekend Awesome offers the official 2014 Isle of Man TT trailer.

The 2014 edition of the legendary Isle of Man TT is underway, and MO has a man on the scene to give us insight into the competition held on wildly fast public roads on an island in the Irish Sea off the west coast of England. American fans of the TT are blessed with race coverage on the Velocity network beginning Saturday, May 31. Our correspondent, Andrew Capone, looks into how Velocity delivers same-day coverage to the colonies, and he’ll be delivering reportage during the event that runs through June 6. –Ed.

The Isle of Man TT officially began two days ago, and from now until June 6 the grandest spectacle of two-wheeled sport will captivate viewers and race fans for yet another year. Personally, I love the TT. The grandeur of racing through the town of Douglas, with the sight of walls, homes and pubs whizzing past at triple-digit speeds is exciting in a way few who have never ridden a motorcycle will ever know. 

The 2014 edition of the legendary Isle of Man TT races is set to begin later this month. The TT is perhaps the most awe-inspiring road race in the world, as the course is a 37.7-mile loop on public roads around a quaint island in the Irish Sea off the west coast of England. The fastest riders average lap speeds of more than 130 mph, so describing this century-old event as epic isn’t mere hyperbole.