One of my most treasured memories is waking up to see the lighthouse in the darkness from my hotel window, struggling into cold leathers, cracking up the TZ outside and trying not to make too much noise. Then riding through Onchan up to the Grandstand in the dark with my girlfriend in the car behind me lighting the way with her headlights!

By the time you'd scrutineered and had a coffee or two to warm up the first rays of dawn were breaking, the world was fresh and you were off for a brisk lap to set you up for the day.

Ride the bike back through morning traffic to the hotel, full greasy breakfast then a couple of hours fettling ready for the evening.

Magic times, today's riders don't know what they're missing