Reading the discussion about how slower riders should be possibly excluded from entering the TT it got me to thinking how fast I would be able to get round the course.

As a reasonably quick road rider who usually who usually holds his own in the fast group at track days I would like to think i would be able to, with a few practice laps, average about 85-90 mph on a well set up 600.

Or am i talking a load of old pony ?

Anyway I cant make it over to the TT this year im afraid, but I would like to wish everyone, competitors and spectators a safe and happy fortnight. I will be there with you in spirit.

Get yourself a licenec and have a go, Rich. As for me, well, if I leave now, I should get to Ballacraine in time for first practice....

Yeah Rich ditch the track days, do a few club meetings and get your licence, thats the only way you'll ever find out, and beleive me any thing you've done on the roads or track will not come close to the feeling you'll get after finishing your first race on the TT course.
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This article on speed difference begs an answer in the light of argumentsdiscussion about qualifying times. If we credit the leader with lapping at 125mph average speed and our newcomer starting at number 80 lapping at 90 m.p.h. average speed the newcomer would be passed by the leader on his second lap before newcomer finished his first lap.(I deliberately do not use the term lapped since the newcomer would be starting 13min 10 sec behind the number 1 rider) sadly he would be passed again by the leader(assuming him to be number 1) At the end of his third lap 3 the leader would be 38 seconds behind newcomer and would finish the race before the newcomer completed his third lap.

If we are advising someone to race the Manx course I would strongly advise to start in the MGP where speeds are slightly lower.

Personally I think for TT big bikes the qualifying speed should be a minimum of 110 mph. 125mph average speed 18 min 6 sec lap time, 110 mph average speed lap time 20 mins 34.8. Unbelievably if number 80 can lap at 110 mph he would be passed by the leader and would only complete three laps.

I wonder in the light of these figures why the organisers do not go back to starting in pairs at ten second intervals.

Big D.

The difference in starting procedures at the TT and the MGP are a bit of an anomoly really, although bear in mind that until this year the two events were being run by different organisations. Perhaps things will change again soon with the MMCC running both.

The individual starts at the TT were introduced in 1990 as a safety measure, as it was felt that with the ever-increasing speeds it would be safer for the bikes to go down Bray Hill on the first lap in single file rather than two abreast. Yet in practice the bikes still go off in pairs ! I'd be interested to hear the views of riders about this.

Big D, you refer to competitors being passed by the leaders only being able to complete 3 laps, but this is actually not the case. I think the TT Course is probably the only circuit where all competitors are allowed to complete the full race distance even if they have been passed by the leaders.

Hope to see you at the TT this year - I'll look for you in your usual place outside Bushy's Tent !

Thanks for the replies guys.

I did infact get my race licence last year and joined the North Gloucester club with the express intention on doing a few race meetings and then doing the Manx in 2005(I did in fact send an email to the folks at manxnewcomers but i never got a reply). Unfortunately my circumstances changed (I couldnt afford to do it) and so I have put the project on hold for a while.

The only reason I got far as getting my licence was purely and simply to have the chance of riding around the mountain course on closed roads. Fingers crossed that I will be in a position to do it next year .

Hi Ricjy
I run manxnewcomers.com, i reply to all emails that I receive, I don't remember getting an email from you, if you want to email me again, i'll give you as much info as I can i reply to any questions you may have, if you emailed me around christmas then thats when my pc was down with a worm and had to be reformatted, got new isp since then.
Cheers
Russ