I remember reading about some guy practicing for the Manx GP on a Honda Varadero. Did he just practice or did he come to the line on it and race it?

84th at 94.63mph, and not last!

He is, of course, an Irish roadracer . . . .

Thanks Larry

Has anyone else competed on what would be regarded as an unsuitable machine?

Not sure about unsuitable!
However, I DO remember somebody racing a Honda CX500. Not sure about that being an ideal mount!

Mike

I seem to recall someone riding a Yamaha TRX850 in the Proddie race a few years back against Fireblades, Thunderaces etc

My good friend Keith McKay practiced on a Jota for his newcomers race in 1997 If I remember rightly he did not qualify

I did hear a rumour that next year ALL entries will have to provide a photo of the machine to be ridden ala Classic machines , and that the organisers are only going to accept Sports/Racing machines.

You may think this ride was something to admire...Picture this though...flat into quarry bends first right, lift for first left and....gulp someone on a sit up and beg bike doing 85mph if he was lucky...The thoughts of 'and they think its all over' soon flash into the mind, this bike should never have been allowed to take to the course on closed roads....

I think it's a bit unfair to condem the Varadero rider for being slow sure he was but I came across lots of slow modern race bikes during practice for the Mamx. Not once did they make me feel unsafe nor was I on the point of crashing because of them sure they held me up but thats just one of those things and hey it's only practice during a race at the Manx it's possible to get to the finish and not see one other bike

Methinks you have missed the point there Cargo. Just because you didnt have a problem does not mean there wasnt a problem, if you catch my drift. Yes, I saw you about on the course and well done on your 600 ride and finish. but and I mean no offence at this you are not among the faster riders yourself..I was just trying to point out what could and did happen.........
For the comment 'its only practice, hum isnt that what its all about too, building up to a race speed, learning the course etc. etc.
I stand by my comments....

your hairs better white than pink...your little lads a credit even if he did stand on my foot, or was that a tactic..

Let's get this in perspective, chaps.

John Killeen entered a bike which the organisers accepted, having seen it.

He rode it well, averaged over 93mph, and finished in front of two (presumably) more "suitable" machines.

I for one haven't heard of any complaints from anyone coming across a "mobile chicane", and I doubt if he was going into Quarry Bends at a speed as low as "85mph" as suggested.

I have no doubt that this venture was because he WANTED to do the Manx, and this was the only machine available.

Where's the problem? I can remember my first Manx, at which there were two bog-standard 500-4 Honda road bikes entered, one in the Newcomers and one in the Senior, and I've come across road-legal Suzuki 500 twins as well. This practice continued through the 5 years in which I did the Manx.

Nobody (certainly no fellow-competitors) whinged about them. I was riding TZ350 Yamahas, and I had no problems.

Were any of those here, who are criticising, actually competing this year? if not, then shut up!

If he comes back, and it is to be hoped that he does, then no doubt he will have what will be regarded by the snipers as a more suitable bike.

In the meantime, how about a "bloody well done" to him??

Well done to him, as you so rightly said Larry. His lines were always perfect from my vantage point - unlike the few "lost boys" that are out every year, who (by the lines they take) never seem to know where they are on the course, no matter how many times they go round it

We watched John Killeen at many points on the course and he raised comment from the spectators everywhere but I never heard a negative word.
He was surprisingly quick and very, very safe. It was just so incongruous to see what looked like a course marshal actually racing. Good luck to him and congratulations on a serious effort.

I very much doubt that John "the honey monster" Kileen will get to read any of this thread.
He got one of the biggest cheers of the night at the prize presentations an event almost exclusively attended by riders and their teams.
I think he won't mind if I thank you for the kind words regarding his efforts at the Manx and stick two fingers up at the knockers.
Well done John I look forward to racing with you next year at the Manx

I'll second that! And I'm sure Irish Ago would too, as a rider of unusual machinery!

I think Larry is right. In the 2002 *international* TT there was an italian rider who tried to qualify himself on a Yamaha Fazer 1000cc. Yes, it is a road-bike while the Varadero must be considered as an enduro-road bike but what to say about its cross handle bar? And it seems to me that also in this year's TT there was a Fazer. But this is not the most important thing.This irish man Killeen lapped the TT course on a Varadero at 93 mph. Well, as all you know a french rider in this year's TT lapped the course at 91.97 mph on a Norton Wankel 588 in the same race in which Archibald lapped at 126.82 mph. The only difference at the benefit of the Norton rather than the Varadero was...Wankel fantastic, lovely sound!

Greetings,

Marco

What about Kevin AGO Murphy in the 2003 TT ???

I think the guy on the Honda Varadero deserves a large pat on the back for entering in the spirit of the competition, but I hope he does not start a presidence. Back to the original Question. The most unsuitable machine that I had in mind was entered in the TT by Eric Oliver, ie the road going Norton Watsonian sidecar. Any more?