IOMTT: Michael Rutter Makes "The Ton" Official - Wins TT Zero with a 104.056 mph Lap

With water reported at various points on the track before the start of the 2012 SES TT Zero, there was serious concern from the riders about the racing conditions, though they would prove to be over-stated as the bikes took to the Mountain Course. With Miller, McGuinness, and Rutter all hungry to get the £10,000 bounty on the 100 mph lap barrier, the riders and teams also had serious concerns over whether the weather could prevent making the feat official.

Getting it done with “dodgy” conditions, Michael Rutter rode out to a commanding lead on his Segway MotoCzysz E1pc, and never looked back. Posting 126 mph at the Sulby Straight speed trap, Rutter made good time over the mountain, and set an official 100+ mph lap for electrics at the Isle of Man TT, with an average speed of 104.056 mph.

John McGuinness on the Mugen Shinden split the two MotoCzysz riders, taking second from Miller before the start up the Mountain from Ramsey. McGuinness finished with a 102.215 mph lap, to Miller’s 101.065 mph. Rob Barber finished fourth for TGM IOM – Viena, which rounded out the disappointing four-rider finish.

For Miller the MotoCzysz E1pc proved to be a handful, with its chassis and suspension being set too soft for the Mountain Course, though the American rider rode a flawless race in terms of energy consumption. With MotoCzysz erring on the conservative side of its energy management strategy, Miller’s result was due in part to the team’s restrictive rider management. A bit heavier on the stick, Rutter’s ride was dominant over McGuinness and his teammate, putting down an astounding 25.25 seconds on the lap over the Mugen.

Noticeably absent from the start was Lightning Motorcycles, which despite heavy testing ahead of the Isle of Man TT, had another all-too-common rush to get the bike ready ahead of Monday’s qualifying. Retiring during that session, we haven’t heard why John Burrows failed to start the TT Zero on the Flying Banana Mk. II, other than the bike never made it down to the paddock on race day.

With eight bikes starting from Glencrutchery Road, it was Kingston, ManTTX Racing, Mirai Racing, and Brunel X Racing that had to retire mid-lap. For full results, click here.