Personally I feel that if the tyre is checked and accepted by scrutineers their decision should be accepted. There's no point arguing after the event, and I don't believe that the tyre would have made a significant difference to the speed of the Paton in any case.

Steve's point of view is interesting, and well done to him for caring enough to come on here and explain it. I don't entirely agree with it though, my reasons being similar to Tobes. In the TT you expect to see professional riders and vast sums of money spent. In the Manx you don't. The ethos of the event is that it is an amateur one, right down to no start or prize money being paid. Us lot who race there do so out of our own pockets and the costs are rising every year. In 2007 the entry fields in the classics were smaller than ever, despite the fact that the classic scene is thriving elsewhere. I suggest to you that the reason is the ever rising costs coupled with being treated with contempt by certain official bodies.

Based on that I can't agree that spending many thousands (and I include the heavily-sponsored single riders who can afford to burn up 5 engines in practice and throw another one in) is in the spirit of the event. I know you'll never prevent it - riders have always tried to spend their way to the front - but when costs start rising vertically many people will feel that enough is enough and dwindling numbers will kill the event.

I'm sure the glory of winning would be less in the knowledge that it was ones own actions that were instrumental in killing the event.