I had a proper good catch up with Dave at the NEC on Saturday and he is very fired up for TT2015 with new passenger Ben Binns.

He was saying how slow his bike was in a straight line last year (clear for all to see really) and still managed 115.5mph laps.  But for 2015 he has some very quick engines which he is already breaking lap records on that previously he could not get near.

I asked him if he was leading the race in 2015 would he try to win at the slowest speed possible or was he after the lap record.  His answer was 'for me it would just be another win, I am going for the record too'

So given that everything is even, bikes all run well, weather is good ect....I think Nick's 116.667mph lap record will go. (WSN03 and Mountain Man please take note that I predicted this is December 2014!!)

I still think he is going to be pushed hard but the likes of John Holden, Ben Birchall, Conrad Harrison and if the Triumphs go well, Sean Hegarty too.

2015 Sidecars are going to be Mega!!!

Suzuki powered as well i do believe.

Good luck to Dave.

Can this be classed as a prediction when the jockey tells you what he wants to do and that his horse has four working legs this time  ?

YES! lol

I'll agree with you, Fitz. Not only the TT, but at the S100 it was plain to see how Moly's outfit was lacking top end speed compared with the Honda and Suzuki powered machines.

Binnsy is a great passenger, and a top lad. I had the pleasure of spannering for Dave Hirst when Ben was racing with him (including two TT's and two S100's), and he's a natural. His uncle and dad both raced, and his godfather is a TT winner too! (Conrad Harrison).

Reliability will be key, as ever with the sidecars. Tuned motors are allowed once again this year, although not on the short circuits at F.S.R.A. (British Championship) level. Whether tuned engines will be permitted at Oliver's Mount and The Southern 100 is yet to be decided. 

I wouldn't like to predict a top three, or even a top ten; it's going to be an interesting one!

Fitz..........having boldly made the prediction you have to be right, your whole credibility is at stake remember.

Don't worry mate, I don't have much credability anyway.

Top 10 will be Moly, Birchall, Reeves, Holden, Harrison, Bennett, Hegarty, Bell, Hanks and Hope.....but I wouldn't wants to put them in an order at all as I think it will be too close to call, certainly amongst the top 6 of the 10.

If I was going to try, it would look like this:

1.  Moly
2.  Holden
3.  Bennett
4.  Harrison
5.  Birchall
6.  Reeves
7.  Bell
8.  Hegarty
9.  Hope
10. Hanks

But I reckon quali times the top 7 at least will be separated by no more than 5 seconds.

I think the triumphs being in the mix will be interesting, out of interest how long is it since a Triumph powered outfit competed at the TT??

Dunno mate.  Last time I remember something other than the big four was when Neil Smith ran a Ducati.

(02-12-2014, 02:43 PM)Fitz Wrote: Don't worry mate, I don't have much credability anyway.

Top 10 will be Moly, Birchall, Reeves, Holden, Harrison, Bennett, Hegarty, Bell, Hanks and Hope.....but I wouldn't wants to put them in an order at all as I think it will be too close to call, certainly amongst the top 6 of the 10.

If I was going to try, it would look like this:

1.  Moly
2.  Holden
3.  Bennett
4.  Harrison
5.  Birchall
6.  Reeves
7.  Bell
8.  Hegarty
9.  Hope
10. Hanks

But I reckon quali times the top 7 at least will be separated by no more than 5 seconds.

Fitz, I'm going to factor in a couple of guys from my home county here.  Rob Handcock has a best of 5th place and a lap just shy of 110 from 2013.  He struggled this year with a new outfit but once he's got it the way he wants it I'd expect him to be up there.

The other one is Wayne Lockey.  He's been running with the big guys at the S100 for the last 3 years now and has 3 top tens in the last 3 sidecar TTs plus a lap at over 110mph.  He's meticulous about preparation and I hope I'm not jinxing him here but he has a 100% finishing record at the TT.  There might be crews that are quicker at the moment but now he's cracked the ton ten I'm sure there's more to come and you have to be running at the end!  All done on a shoestring budget too.

Gary Bryan for the top six too; and although I'm biased, Carl Fenwick is more than capable of getting inside the top 10 too I reckon.

A pity Dougie Wright seems to have called it a day (for the time being, at least). He was definitely close to the steps of the podium.

I see wsn couldn't stay away from this thread lol

The line-up makes for an exciting race whomever is going to win it. I'd love to see Conrad Harrison win again but it will be a hard-earned win in each race.

I wonder what Wsn prediction is for this year or will he just rest on his laurels from last year ?

I know......... everyone's going to be wondering............ it will be an ongoing saga and all will be revealed about my plans for sidecar B race predicting soon...........

(03-12-2014, 12:22 PM)wsn03 Wrote: I know......... everyone's going to be wondering............ it will be an ongoing saga and all will be revealed about my plans for sidecar B race predicting soon...........

Hang on! I thought that you had already clearly stated that in order to avoid spoiling the race as a competition for spectators and competitors alike - by dint of the power of your predictive abilities - you would not be making a prediction on the winner of the 2015 Sidecar Race B? Please confirm soonest because I for one need to decide whether to change my plans. I certainly don't want to spend all that money getting to and staying at the TT if the winner of the Sidecar Race B is a foregone conclusion. Thank you.

Dougboy...... we're trying to generate a nail biting "will he / won't he" story here........... last thing I need is the obvious pointing out.

Sorry WSN03. I didn't realise that moving from the 'other place' to here entailed us going all 'tabloid'!
I'll leave you to generate the frenzy of excitement without further interruption.
Possibly!
 

Thanks Dougbouy, without the backing of the TT Organisers we need our own stories to generate peoples interest over here. Hopefully news of my unconfirmed plans for next years Sidecar B race predictions will maintain a significant outside interest all of its own.

Founds and Peters for a podium if they are back in 2015