John McGuinness is back with the Honda Racing factory team for next year’s road races, alongside teammate Glenn Irwin, riding the new Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP.
It is with a heavy heart today that we have to report the passing of Paul Smart, the affable and legendary grand prix and TT racer.
Smart died in a traffic accident while riding his motorcycle in East Sussex and Kent, in an incident that is still being investigated by English police.
Episode 66 of the Brap Talk motorcycle podcast is out with another “weekly” episode, for your two-wheeled listening pleasure.
In this episode, we take a look at MotoCorsa’s interesting ADV riding course for Ducati owners (and non-Ducati owners alike), which took place last weekend.
If we weren’t living in the time of COVID, we would be wrapping up our coverage of the Isle of Man TT right now, but instead the iconic race sees another year of canceled races because of the global pandemic.
The Isle of Man government has been busy planning for the iconic race’s return though, with a plethora of changes and announcements made for the 2022 edition and onward.
The biggest news is the live video package that is planned, but there are also a number of rule changes to the Lightweight TT and Sidecar TT classes, in addition to more races and more races days.
Every New Year, the Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II releases a list of names that have the honor of receiving a British Order of Chivalry distinction.
The list comprises the names of citizens who have contributed something meaningful to the Commonwealth, ranging from politicians to sport heroes.
This New Year, the list included a familiar name to motorcycle enthusiasts, as John McGuinness has received a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, abbreviated MBE.
While the news of promising COVID-19 vaccines are fueling a hope that 2021 will see the world getting closer to something that looks like normal, the new year will still have its struggles for the motorcycle industry.
One of those struggles will be the Isle of Man TT, which has been canceled by the Manx government because of ongoing viral concerns and the pressing logistical needs of planning the race.
The road racing calendar took a big hit today, with the 2020 Isle of Man TT canceled because of concerns about the spreading coronavirus.
The news is especially bleak as the North West 200 seems certain to also see its racing canceled or postponed, and the Cookstown 100 and Tandragee 100 have been postponed as well.
This announcement from the Manx government comes as the United Kingdom has stepped up its coronavirus response, and for the TT, the Isle of Man has increased its measures to protect the island nation from the outbreak.
Time ticks by quickly on the Mountain Course, but when there are delays at the Isle of Man TT, it drags on like nothing else.
Last year’s edition will be remembered for the sheer speed, with lap records falling in all classes, but this year will remembered for all the missed session. The less people think about 2019 Isle of Man TT, the better.
The weather gods didn’t play ball and one delay rolled into another. It was a miracle that a full slate of races was completed and Gary Thompson, the clerk of the course, should be commended for his foresight.
The 2019 Isle of Man TT once again saw the record lap drop for the electric class, with the new TT Zero record mark set at 121.909 mph by Michael Rutter, on the Mugen Shinden Hachi machine.
The Japanese squad has become a tour de force at the Isle of Man TT, taking now six-straight victories on the Mountain Course. Each year, we have seen the winning TT Zero lap time drop in number, and 2019 was no different…though barely.
Shaving less than a second off his time from 2018, Rutter crossed the line in 18’34.172″ – a figure likely attributable to the dismal weather conditions for this year’s TT gathering, which meant very little practice time for all the competitors.
Despite that lack of progress, a quick look at the Mugen Shinden Hachi shows that the Japanese outfit has not been resting on its laurels, despite the lacking arrival of a serious competitor in the TT Zero class.
Episode 16 of the Brap Talk podcast is now out for your two-wheeled audio pleasure, and this is another two-hour show to sooth your two-wheeled aches.
We start the show off when Shahin’s trip out into the Washington BDR trails, on his Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro. The Shah also got a chance to throw a leg over a Walt Siegl Ducati adventure bike, which made him giddy with delight.
Meanwhile, Jensen was busy at the Barber Motorsports Park, riding the 2020 BMW S1000RR superbike. Giving his thoughts on that new machine, and the general state of the liter-bike category, you won’t want to miss his review. Additionally, the “Yensen” score for bikes is progressing nicely, which leads to a fun conversation.
Despite far too many weather delays and concerns, the Isle of Man TT saw five races get underway last Thursday, and the Senior TT went off without a hitch on Friday.
Of course, photographer Tony Goldsmith was there to capture all the action, with selections from the Ballacrye, Quarry Bends, Milntown, and Bray Hill locations.
We hope you enjoyed this year’s Isle of Man TT, and the stories from Steve English and Tony Goldsmith.
Photos: © 2019 Tony Goldsmith / www.tonygoldsmith.net – All Rights Reserved
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Be sure to follow all of our 2019 Isle of Man TT racing coverage this fortnight.