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Up-Close with the 2013 MotoCzysz E1pc

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In a few hours, the TT Zero race will kickoff for the 2013 Isle of Man TT, and if the practice and qualifying sessions are any indication, it should be a close-fought race between the 2013 Mugen Shinden Ni of John McGuinness and the 2013 MotoCzysz E1pc race bikes of Michael Rutter and Mark Miller (Update: The SES TT Zero race report can be found here).

McGuinness has been fastest so far with the Mugen Shinden Ni, posting a 109.038 lap during Monday’s qualifying session, while Rutter and Miller posted 107.817 mph and 105.806 mph laps, respectively. On the course, this means McGuinness is roughly 16 second faster than Rutter, a notable difference, but not a huge margin in this class, which sees huge (by TT standards) speed leaps from session to session.

Hoping to make it four wins in a row, it goes without saying that the MotoCzysz crew is working hard to close the gap. However, having Team Principal Michael Czysz stuck back in the US, undergoing cancer treatments, must certainly add another level of motivation for the on-island MotoCzysz crew.

Making time in their busy schedule, Asphalt & Rubber got to take some up-close photos of the 2013 MotoCzysz E1pc. Check them out after the jump, you won’t see better photos of the ’13 E1pc anywhere else.

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Video: Honda TT Legends Pays Tribute to Joey Dunlop

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We would be remiss in our coverage of the 2013 Isle of Man TT if we didn’t say a few more words about Joey Dunlop. A legend of the sport, Joey is the winningest rider ever to race at the Isle of Man, and has 26 TT race wins to his name. Unfortunately, Joey died while road racing in Estonia, losing control of his 125cc race bike in the wet conditions.

The longest standing Honda rider of all time, Big Red wanted to pay tribute to Dunlop at this year’s TT, as it marked the 30th anniversary of Joey’s first win with the Japanese brand. Picking John McGuinness to ride in Joey’s livery, the current King of the Mountain started his career as a teammate to Joey, and was honored to pay homage to the racing legend.

In the video, you can hear McGuinness getting a bit choked up talking about his idol, and we think all the TT fans on the course enjoyed seeing Joey’s old colors go by. He truly is a legend of our sport. Enjoy Honda TT Legends’ video after the jump.

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Trackside Tuesday: The Dunlop Dynasty Rides On

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After three increasingly impressive performances in the first three solo races at this year’s Isle Of Man TT, the Michael Dunlop we have been watching tackle the Mountain Course this week seems to be signalling a clear message of intent to the rest of the road racing field.

Following in the footsteps of his father Robert and his uncle Joey, who achieved a combined record of 31 wins and 54 podiums at the TT, and an astronomical amount of wins on road circuits across the world, Michael had already won three races on the island before this year’s event.

Despite this already impressive record on the Island, his frustration (and clear intent) was always apparent when it came to the Superbike class, as his two wins in Supersport and one in the Superstock class might have been perceived as “easier” wins by more cynical men than myself.

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IOMTT: Royal London 360 Superstock TT Race Results

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Another four-lap race, the Royal London 360 Superstock TT features the big bikes, but as the name implies, in superstock trim (i.e. with only a few modifications to motorcycle compared to as it comes from the factory).

Even though these bikes are only mildly tuned, the mostly 1,000cc four-cylinder field is surprisingly fast — putting down average lap speeds that are only shy of the Superbike and Senior laps by a mile per hour or two. The second race from Monday, after Race 1 of the Monster Energy Supersport TT, we have a Superstock TT race report for you after the jump.

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IOMTT: Monster Energy Supersport Race 1 Results

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Like the sidecars, the Isle of Man TT features two Supersport races during the TT fortnight, and the Supersport TT has riders taking their600cc class machinery for a shorter four-lap race.

A stepping stone from the Lightweight class, which is limited to sub-650cc twins, the Supersports serve as a gateway to the bigger bikes, and usually have a different mix of riders filling vying for the front.

With the foul weather from the practice week behind them, the TT riders were treated with a perfect day for racing on The Rock, and we have a full report on who made it into the winner’s circle after the jump.

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Photos: John McGuinness in Joey Dunlop’s Honda Livery

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Marking the 30th anniversary of Joey Dunlop’s first Isle of Man TT win with Honda, John McGuinness raced Sunday’s Dainese Superbike TT race in the iconic rider’s racing livery. Joey’s colors (circa 2000, his last TT entry) proved to be good luck for Mr. McPint, as the 19-time-TT-winner set an outright race lap record during the Superbike TT.

Slapped with a one-minute time penalty in the pit lane, McGuinness could only manage a third place podium in the race, but the Honda rider is working hard on catching Joey’s all-time win record of 26 Isle of Man TT wins. Fittingly, Joey’s nephew Michael won the Superbike TT race, setting a race time record in the process as well.

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IOMTT: Josh Brookes Fastest Newcomer Ever at the TT

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British Superbike fans might recognize the name, but Josh Brookes is making headlines with his Isle of Man TT debut, having set the fastest Mountain Course lap ever for a newcomer. Teammate to Guy Martin on the Tyco Suzuki team, Brookes is showing himself to be a very capable road racer having finished 10th in the 2013 Dainese Superbike TT.

Posting a 127.726 mph lap, Brookes shattered Steve Plater’s record of 125.808 mph from 2007. The new high-water mark isn’t likely to last though, as Brookes will have another shot at it on Superbike equipment later this week during the Senior TT, the blue-ribbon and final race of the 2013 IOMTT.

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IOMTT: McGuinness Sets New Isle of Man TT Lap Record

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After the Dainese Superbike TT race was pushed from Saturday’s debut time slot to Sunday, it seems the first solo-classs race was worth the wait as it put on quite the show for Isle of Man TT fans.

In addition to the victory by the popular Michael Dunlop, and a stellar performance by newcomer Josh Brookes, John McGuinness also made waves, first with his pit lane time penalty (McGuinness was levied a one minute penalty by the stewards), but more notably with his record-setting 131.671 mph lap on the sixth lap of the race.

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