It might be unrealistic, but it is what the DED ( or whatever they are calling themselves today) have told everyone ( including the whole Vision 9 fiasco) what they are doing.
The roads were definitely quieter of bikes this year than previous years, so regardless of if they came over in a van or not.
I came over on the Friday AM boat from Liverpool. There were a lot more cars, and a a lot less bikes on board. The car deck had a whole area empty where four rows of bikes normally go.
This year I watched from the west side of the circuit, from Conker fields back to Gorselea. I always traveled back to Douglas anti clockwise. The normal pitch points whe the roads open, Balaugh, Kirk Michael, Glen Helen section, and Ballacraine were a breeze to get through. One the way back from the 11th, I actually pulled over as no bikes had come towards me from the the middle of the Cronk-Y Voddy, and there were none behind me. A couple of minutes later, a bike came up from Black dub direction, so I set off on my way again.
I dont think I stopped once at Glen Lough to let bikes in and out. There is always traffic there.
I did not see one Italian registered bike in the whole 8 days, although there were a some Swedish registed ones, and a couple of Polish registed Sports bikes, which I have never noticed before, and a few more Swiss ones. There was no near the amount of German or French registed bikes as in previous years, although the German ones have been in decline for a while now.
There is also not much difference in price for a Transit and three bikes. That is probably more to do with convenience than cost. I done it myself one year when I wanted to bring two bikes over, it cost me more.
Outside of the racing, I went all over the Island like I normally do. Places like the Sound, Point of Ayre, Laxey, Kirk Micheal collection, had a lot less bikes than normal parked up.