I think if we chose somewhere like the Mooragh Park, and did what the Vintage Club does every year, and showed bikes there, accessibly, with engines running, and perhaps with a run up and down the sprint area, people would get a far better experience of the nostagic bit. It would also draw people to Ramsey and away from Douglas and the usual places.
The Isle of Man sells nostalgia very well, with steam train weeks and encouraging classic car and bike clubs to spend time here... which they do.
The Square in Castletown is regularly filled with old bikes, steam cars (a couple of weeks ago)Porsches.. Rileys last week. Locals love it, even when it comes as a complete surprise and they can't get parked!!
It's the hardcore "We must have a lap of the TT" idea that is not working. Think differently.. it's not much fun hanging about marshalling while bikes break down, or esteemed older riders fall off and have to be rescued. I'd much rather have a day in Ramsey, at my leisure, when I can look properly, listen smell, touch the bikes and even talk to some of the famous riders.
If people don't go... then perhaps that will tell us something... but I believe they will.
I love old bikes, but I don't enjoy parade laps.

I certainly haven't got a fixation on the Parade Lap. A night of vintage bikes and riders on the Prom would pack them in. Up close with sound and signatures, well organised, I am sure the fans would love it. The TT will never compete with Goodwood but my point was that Goodwood was milking the TT "BRAND" for all that it is worth but the Isle of Man "seems" to be doing very little to either preserve, in the form of a museum, or promote the past.

I'm not wild about the Douglas Prom... too many drunks etc... which is why I suggest the Mooragh, but what do others think?

Helen,
I think you have come up with a winner here!
Yes, Ramsey WOULD be a good place to hold such an event
"TT Memories"
I am not fixated over a parade lap myself
What I am begging for is to see (and more importantly hear!) the bikes and riders
of yesteryear in action!
The layout of Mooragh Park etc would lend itself perfectly to such an event!
So, what are the chances of it happening?
I should declare a vested interest as we stay in Sulby each year
Yes.......I like this idea very much!

I am already hearing the sound of the 60s "Fours and sixes" reverberating around Ramsey!!!

DCLUCIE Wrote:

T-M Wrote:When was a TT Parade lap ever not well supported? The Ducati 'parade' was a joke, the parade of champions was ok but not enough to hold interest all around the course.

Don Simons is right, everywhere else cashes in on Isle of Man motorsport history and nostalgia except the Isle of Man!!

You miss my point. This is all about cashing in on nostalga. Why just have a parade lap. I hate them because of the following reasons 1) No matter what you say, they are not well supported, getting figures from the old programs does not show how many people actually started the lap. There are loads of people who just don't bother to turn up. And also 2) The number of crashes last time we had about 40 of them go around didn't do the TT any favours. In fact it created unwanted press in addition to the load the TT gets already. 3) None of the parade members go around in order so that the spectators can follow who they are actually watching. This has already been pointed out in this thread. 4) You can not compare Goodwood festival of speed to the TT. Goodwood has one heck of a lot more to offer the classic and the current enthusiast than the TT. Goodwood this year alone had 60 past and a few current world champions there. It encompassed both cars and bikes together. You had Lewis Hamilton, Carlos Seinz to name just two. You have teams from F1, World Rally, Motorcycle trials, road racing and also sprint. You had a heck of a lot more than the TT can offer and also Goodwood is better serviced by roads and also airfields, it even has one of its own. So don't even try to compare the two.

I totally agree that the TT should making more of its history. But a parade lap is not what I would like to see. I would like more than just that. How about the whole of Ramsey or Laxey taken over a TT heritage site for the week. A place those who love the old stuff can go and see regular parades along the prom and hear the loved machines of the past. Have 'meet the stars' days where you can meet the heroes of the past, have photos taken with them, answering questions and put the things you most wanted to know to them in person. Exhibitions all over the area so that there is an opportunity to see more because too many people in one place is not a good idea. Have a look at the motorsport calendar and see if anything fits in, and invite teams over. That is what I would like to see not just a parade where a few old blokes wander round in an hour.

Having attended both the Goodwood Festival of Speed and the Goodwood Revival Meeting for the last few years (as well as the TT and MGP annually for a lot longer) I must correct Dave on one point. The BIG nostalgia event at Goodwood is the Revival, and not the FOS. Have a look at the website and be impressed.

This year's Revival was held less than a fortnight ago and was bigger and better than ever. The Island would not be able to attract (or accommodate) such crowds, but the DTL could feature many of the elements, and make a vast profit too. Unfortunately this would require effort, imagination and willingness, so will never happen - unless the DTL is prepared to employ several more with the vision, enthusiasm and determination that Paul Phillips has shown with the TT.

Well said John
I am beginning to feel that the Manx Government are actually negligent in NOT doing
something about this
Its a kind of perverse failure of "duty to care!"
The Goodwood example is a beacon indeed
Come on DTL, lets hear a reply?

I'm not really a big fan of parade laps for some of the reasons listed, but that is what draws the old timers and their machines here in the first place!
Why go to the expense of bringing your MV triple or Manx all the way to the island to just fire it up in the Mooragh and not have the chance of a run round the famous circuit?

T-M Wrote:I'm not really a big fan of parade laps for some of the reasons listed, but that is what draws the old timers and their machines here in the first place!
Why go to the expense of bringing your MV triple or Manx all the way to the island to just fire it up in the Mooragh and not have the chance of a run round the famous circuit?

See earlier posts in this thread for that answer!

Don Simons Wrote:Then we could hear the beautiful exhaust notes as they roared into Ramsey below us, very quickly they were on us. A group of 3 or 4 bikes with heaps of noise and people calling out names but I must admit it was all too much to take in and appreciate in one hit. This situation continued until the end, I did see Ago and sort of got to hear the MV above all the others around him which was great. However we felt a little bit disappointed as virtually none of the riders came around by themselves so we could not appreciate the sight and sound individually.

Hi Don. I hope you enjoyed the sound of my howling BSA triple.
Here i am in the Parade Lap 2000, thanks to the late Allan Robinson MBE, who certainly had the gift of providing an interesting variety of machinery consisting of most makes and models which reflect the historical past of the TT.

MV Wrote:

T-M Wrote:I'm not really a big fan of parade laps for some of the reasons listed, but that is what draws the old timers and their machines here in the first place!
Why go to the expense of bringing your MV triple or Manx all the way to the island to just fire it up in the Mooragh and not have the chance of a run round the famous circuit?

See earlier posts in this thread for that answer!

I haven't seen anything in the earlier posts which answers the question?

The only people who could would be the 100 or so people who used to turn up for the parade lap! If they would still support it then perhaps it's a goer.
This could then be organised outside of the TT itself.

I would be interested to see how many would come. Not everyone with an eligible machine wants to subject it to a lap of the TT course, but many MIGHT be keen to show off their bike with less pressure and less chnace of binning it.
We often get quite stuinning bikes and cars here for the club events, such as the Riley Club, the Ductai Owners etc.. welll enough publicised and with suitable awards etc, I think it would be great.
I'd go to see it, if I wasn't marshalling at the time.

OK then the idea of Ramsey seems to be one thats supported by all. Next all we need is the following

1) A contact at the people who do the sprint, we could either tag it on or get a seperate day. They would know who to contact about closing the area off as I am not sure if its Ramsey town commissioners or the government that own the land.

2) Contact about Roads Closing, I can get these from the Southern lads.

3) Contacts for all the Vintage clubs so we can write to them to see if they would be interested as so many have days already during TT fortnight.

4) Make sure the DTL don't get involved so it runs smoothly.

5) I know that we could approach a few people who may even sponsor the event. Could ask Paul Dedman in Ramsey to help out, maybe even get Pirelli involved as I am sure it would be great to get Griffiths and his old man out again.

These are just a few ideas, you could ask Geoff Duke to open the event, get stands like the Joey Dunlop stand involved. There are so many other options. We will of course not be allowed to use the TT emblems but I don't see why we carn't use the TT Wesite ones....:-)

I feel in my water (or maybe thats my age!) that this
could be a goer!
So, where do we start?
Is it a job for a small committee?

DCLUCIE, you might just be right if the DTL can't get their **** into gear then there is nothing to stop an independent organisation getting something moving. People have been disturbed by the inaction from the Govt. for years so perhaps a private venture may be the way to go.
The Sprints day at Ramsey was great the year I was there, plenty of static displays of old bikes even at that time. Importantly there were thousands of people in attendance. In between TT races there are thousands of people on the Island with b**** all to do. Tap into it guys!

If the Mooragh is the place, Ramsey Commissioners would be more than helpful I'm sure. They are only too willing to attract people to their town. That goes for most of the smaller towns on the Island also. They don't all reap a huge benefit from the TT.

Sponsorship of any significance would be difficult to find from small Island companies, better to look to the finance sector and the DTL!

It would be a great event if enough bikes come over, and a great alternative to the Promenade entertainment in Douglas if it can run into the evening. Perhaps it could be staged over a couple of evenings to avoid any race postponements?

DCLUCIE Wrote:OK then the idea of Ramsey seems to be one thats supported by all. Next all we need is

3) Contacts for all the Vintage clubs so we can write to them to see if they would be interested as so many have days already during TT fortnight.

5) I know that we could approach a few people who may even sponsor the event. Could ask Paul Dedman in Ramsey to help out, maybe even get Pirelli involved as I am sure it would be great to get Griffiths and his old man out again.

I'm pretty certain Tony East at ARE in Kirk Michael would be interested and would also have lots of useful contacts.
Don't know if he uses this board, but he'd certainly be a good person to get on board.

"The Spirit of the TT - a Classic day out"

Now we need somebody to volunteer to run with it?
Got any spare time John or Larry?

There seems to be the basis of support both local and visitors
I realise that there are issues of event clashes to be resolved
Is there anyone who is reading this thread but not commented yet

I have been looking at this and I think the only real day that you would be ale to manage to get people there and not be in any chance of getting a clash during the week or anytime else would be the Friday before TT week. But this may reduce the number of locals attending because of it being during practice week. You couldn't really try to run it race week from Saturday onwards due to the risk of loosing the day to racing. Or I have had a think about doing it at night, don't know how this would fit in but think it could be a good idea. I know a few bands who would appear to keep the atmosphere going and I know some people to supply fast food, but all of these people help out at other places and marshal so don't know what the implications would be if we ran it during the day.

You could run it over a couple of nights, we could even put a fun section in so anyone who fancied fancy dress could enter just to lighten the mood a little and open up the event. Entrants pay a few quid to enter with all the proceeds going to maybe the Joey foundation for the house. Could make the fancy dress a classical fancy dress, you are only allowed to wear something that has been seen as standard at fancy dress competitions, nothing new.......

We could ask Black Horse as they obviously have an interest in motorcycles and also a sponsor interest. Get one of the mags to cover prizes in exchange for adverts and banners. I think I could persuade a few people to cover the expense of programs and banners in exchange of a few things so you just never know.

I don't mind helping out if we get enough people ..... think it could be a dammed good idea of ours ...... just need a name maybe we could run a competition on here?

It's all sounding very promising but (cloud of doom forms overhead) even if the DTL are kept out of the frame there is every chance that such a venture will be undermined by "authority" figures, for one reason only. The proposed location is not in Douglas!

The Peel Bay Festival was a tremendous idea, that had a brilliant first year, and great potential, but was killed off for no other reason than the location was not Douglas.

Ramsey Pier, despite massive public outcry, is not being restored (and is slowly and illegally being dismantled) because it is not in Douglas.

I could go on.........and a few here can vouch for that. However, despite this inevitable opposition, I'm 100% behind most of the ideas proposed. In fact Bill Snelling and Larry should get cracking on it straight away.