MORE CHANGES TO TT?
06 February 2004

A DOCUMENT which will outline options for more changes to the TT is to be released.

Tourism and Leisure Minister David Cretney, chairman of the TT co-ordinating committee, said the consultative document will be out 'very soon'.

Even though he only announced changes for TT 2004 in December, talks have been taking place about 2005 and beyond and future changes will be announced at this year's event.

Last Thursday TT organisers met representatives of Honda and Suzuki while on Friday they had discussions with the TT Riders' Forum.

It looks likely the specifications relating to bike preparation will change.

So what are you saying, are two Japanese manufacturers going to be deciding the future of the T.T. regardless of what the other 5 or 6 hundred competitors think or want. Are we to see a five day T.T. with just a dominant exihibition of works prepared production machines as a marketing exercise for their products and no sidecars.

What happens if Honda pull out, after all they have done it before and it did make one bit of difference to the quality of the racing or entries. Cannot ever remember M.V Guzzi, Gilera, Norton and dozens of past manufacturers in the history of the T.T. having any say in or dictating how the T.T. should be run.

Who is serving on the TT riders forum this year, please ?

Are they wholly independent of "works persuasion" or are they ruled by the manufacturers as well....

Anyone who has not been to Japan, visited the factories and done business with them and has some understanding of the culture would have difficulty understanding my thinking.

Steve Murray is in my opinion an expert on how the culture is regimented so that big business dominates how people live and spend there leisure time. You work for the company you live in the company house you go on a company holiday to a company enclosed holiday/leisure centre with great facilities but an enclosed perimeter fence with security guards on the gates, and you have difficulty getting out, I know I have been there and we had to argue to get out to get something to eat beside raw fish because we could not stand the food.

They will be profiling the entry next to make sure there are not any riders who disagree and don't fit in with the manufacurers.

I respect your opinions Tom but some of what you said is somewhat stereotypical of western literature
on Japan in the 60's and 70's. Having lived and worked there and visit Japan annually
I can assure you that things have changed considerably now.
Japanese companies are no less ruthless than their western counterparts, the only trouble
is that they happen to make the best and the most motorcycles in the world.
It would be sad if the manufactures, the sponsors or the big teams were to dictate to the IOM government and the MMCC,
however I suppose that it would be naive to think there could be no influence.
It is ironic if the organisers were to court the overseas manufacturers after all the early years of xenophobia.
Triumph pulling the plug is particularly indicative of how times have changed.
Are you sure I couldn't tempt you with a plate of sushi and some sake Tom?
Kiotsukete.

Hi Don, long time no speak.

Your probably right it was the 70s when I was out there, and the situation over here could be that it is the factory employed Brits who are making the decisions and trying to rule how the T.T. is run now just to please themselves and for their own convenience.

These poeople seem to forget that the big losers are the privaters and punters who buy their products and keep them in jobs and they are the ones who will be losing out with less laps and racing time, it seems as though the majority demand from both riders and spectators is overwelmingly in favour of six lappers, but just a handful of that factory boys want it their way or they don't want to play to the detriment of the future of the T.T and everyone else.

What do they want just factory supported two or three rider teams like Formula 1 purely as a sales promotion exercise for their products and no privateer late starters on slower machines obstructing their exhibition and new record laps? the T.T. is supposed to be a sport that offers the challenge to allcomers to achieve their dreams in the worlds toughest and greatest road race.

Thanks for the kind offer but no thanks don't fancy any of that funny food, Allan Dugdale myself and few others lost a lot of weight starving and running around looking for a decent steak and chips.

I have a lovely Japanese friend, who belies all you have said about japanese culture, Tom. She would probably agree that was the way 30-40 years ago, but not any more.
This married, middle-aged lady travels alone to places as diverse as Scotland (where we met in a backpackers hostel in Thurso) to central Cambodia, where terror still strikes, and travellers are warned of extreme danger.
She is looking forward to visiting Ireland and the Isle of Man with me in a couple of years time.
She wanted to try all our food, and was fascinated by our vegetables! She has had haggis, venison, and porridge, but drew thw line at whisky!

I;m sorry, but, no one has answered my prime question---Who is on the Riders Forum. ?????
Nick ?

Yes Tom, how can we question you blokes who put your life on the line on narrow tires to make the TT the legend that it is?
We all feel the pain that commercialism has taken over so much of what we love.
I now no longer bother to watch the saloon car racing in Australia or F1 for that matter.
All those drivers sitting in a row after a race adjusting their caps so the sponsors name is
in focus and talking a lot of specious rubbish is not my idea of motor sport.
But to watch a little guy come past Stella Maris on the last lap of the last ever TT that he ever rode in,
in the fastest time he ever completed the mountain course should be enough for one enthusiast for a
lifetime and they can never take that away from me.
I love the TT and every rider that races there every year is making history, and like you,
I feel sad that anyone should want to manipulate it for ends that are not worthy of such an historic event.

I can only feel sorry for the young bloods and these days bloodesses struggling to start or keep racing without this massively costly sponsorship who have missed the good years when the manufacturers helped every single rider in the M.G.P and T.T. with free fuel and oil, plugs, a few tyres and free chains fitted, riveted up and adjusted by Reynolds and free welding off Ken Sprayson. Ferodo, Girling Lucas, Amal all had people, kit and little workshops set up on the Island to keep everyone newcomers, the privateers and the top stars going. All riders got an additional reducing bonus to help them out if they finished in the first 15 or 20 off the manufacturers like Shell, Castrol, Reynold etc if they were using that manufacturers products.

All the manufacturers in those days were in it to support the sport and ALL the riders in two great annual events, sure they got some publicity out of it when they advertised that such and race was won on Avon tyres or Lodge plugs.

But the only name allowed to appear on the machines was the manufacturers name on the tank, even a dealer/sponsor entrant could not have his name on the bike.

I can't help thinking that big business and commercial interests are ruining all sport.

You hit the nail on the head Tom, sadly wether we like it or not Roadracing has now become big business, sad but true. A lot of people are making a great deal of money out of it and i wasn`t refering to the riders.

Dear Helen, you must be the Good Witch of the North. Always helping people, no matter what!
Chris

oh yes totally agreegor with you all on that one its outrageous all these pitiful changes they are making to our tt shebang. they all need to be locked up in a container with a bowl of water an d a potty to peee and poop in.
regards norm greeg

Dead right Tom,I had the privelige of racing for 15 years during the 50s 60s and 70s never set the world alight,but enjoyed every minute as a middle of the pack runner.But I was made to feel just as important as those who were far more succesfull by the companies and persons you have named.I had a fuel and oil contract with Shell,a Tyre contract with Avon and when they withdrew Dunlop.Brakes sorted by Ferodo electrics sorted by Lucas,chains by renold and my share of Kens time,although the secret here was to get in before the sidecar boys arrived.This was all at no or little cost.Even the works Bultaco team took the trouble to rebuild my damaged front forks,in between preparing their own machines,at a parts only cost.
The thoughts today are "whats in it for me or us" which did not exist in our days

I first raced a 125 M.V. one of two ex Ubialli bikes bought by the late Pat Walsh off bill Webster, I sold it pretty quick but Pat kept his, even afer he had Bultacos, Was with him at my first Oulton Easter International.

This is what happened when Pat said, "lets go and see Mike and see if he can get my some bits",
Mike was works M.V rider at the time he had and I rember he had an Iso Griffo V8 that had wheel nut swirls all down one side, it looked as though he had been fighting with a lorry.

The conversation went something like this, "Hi Mike, whats the chances of seeing if there's any 125 and 203 bits lying around next time your at Gallarate, I could do with some valves, springs,pistons and rings anything like that". The reply was, "sure, you will be at the T.T? I will see what I can get".

True to his word Mike delivered a box of all sorts of kit at the T.T, that was Mike, a God on the rolling thunder M.Vs to most, but really just one of the boys, Arturo Magni, M.Vs Engineering Diretor was just the same, always prepared to chat with and help Pat keep those old nails going.

Still know one has answered the Prime Question or is it a case no one knows for sure. I will try and get a hold of DC minister for fun and find out Id like to know myself. Will be in touch Ian in the next few days......Irish Ago Racing

You have probably hit the nail on the head, no one knows who these riders are, it will be interesting to find out.

very childish and un called for norman quincy and ned sheddon are not impressed with this imature response to such an interesting topic of discussion. So away and stick your head in a potty full of pee and poopoo.