This guy is a reporter for MCN


Simon Patterson has just posted that Michael Dunlop has sensationally split with Milwaukee Yamaha half way through TT practice.

Good lord, wonder what his plans are for the TT now? The Yamaha is clearly not up to the job at the TT

Michael Dunlop has sensationally announced that he will ditch the R1 Milwaukee Yamaha he was contracted to race at this year’s Isle of Man TT. It is understood the 11 times TT winner will now ride an S1000RR BMW in the Superbike and Senior TT races in Stuart Hicken’s Buildbase BMW livery.

Rumours have been rife since the North West 200 that the 26 year old was ready to split from the Milwaukee squad after his dismal performances on the new superbike at his home event. After just three laps of TT practice the 11 times TT winner decided enough was enough with the new Yamaha when he could only manage a 124.519mph lap compared to Bruce Anstey’s 128.641mph speed on the Valvoline Padgett’s Honda.

“I cant thank Shaun Muir enough for his support bringing me into the team and I am genuinely sorry to be making this decision but unfortunately I don’t think we have got enough time left with the sessions that we have already lost at the TT to be truly competitive and get the bike to the level we need in order to win races here.” Dunlop said.

click here
Dunlop will race his own superstock spec BMW in the Superstock race and a CBR600RR Honda in the Supersport events.

The new R1s obvious lack of pace and a failure to rectify a mechanical issue that has seen oil being pumped into the airbox at high speed on both Dunlop’s Milwaukee machine and Dean Harrison’s MarTrain R1 appear to have been the final straws in bringing the deal to an end.

Although it is a hugely embarrassing situation for the Japanese manufacturer and Shaun Muir’s Milwaukee backed team, the split also leaves Dunlop with a massive TT headache.

Although it is known that Dunlop had kept the doors open to make a return to the Buildbase BMW squad that he won with last year, the Ballymoney man will now have to set up and qualify the S1000RR with just two practice sessions before the start of the Superbike TT, which is scheduled for Saturday afternoon.

Source: http://www.motorcyclenews.com/sport/tt-r...t-tt-2015/

This is a bad move from Dunlop imo. You can't leave your team during the event just because the bike doesn't work perfectly.

Everybody knew that the R1 is a new bike and that there might be problems/further development needed.

It's embarrassing really.

His bike was smoking like a train last night. Why doesn't JB's bike smoke like that?

I don't think they've given him the best bikes, my guess, it is a guess, is that Yamaha haven't given Michael as much attention at the TT as they give to the short circuit riders. Martrain Yamaha have the same engine issues as Milwaukee, this is a big embarrassment, but to Yamaha IMO.

This could cost them in sales for sure.

And if MD does well on the BMW, then that'll be even worse for them.

Apparently the Buildbase BMW is not even on the IOM yet! Its in the queue for the ferry.

I wouldn't want to have anything major in the mechanical dept crossing my mind when lining up on Glencrutchery Rd but I'd like to think I'd have a little more foresight in the deal before the TT so it wouldn't mean having to make a decision like that.

Just read about this on a different site and is bad for Yamaha for sure and I would think that its bad for MD with regards to future teams? I know he is the 'talent' at the minute but just think of the time and money spent by the team to be then dumped after 2 sessions around the TT.
That being said the boy wants to win TTs and hes the one riding the bike. 2 weeks in every 52 not like he can try again next month is it.
What would you do?

Sensational!


If conditions are not ideal I would put money on him to win on the Stocker!

And this is why manufactures go racing.
If anywhere will show up any flaws in a motorbike, the the TT mountain circuit will!

This is surely not going to do the sales of the new R1 anygood.. this is off the MCN site -
"The new R1s obvious lack of pace and a failure to rectify a mechanical issue that has seen oil being pumped into the airbox at high speed"

If he wins on the BMW they will need to up production.. imagine a one manufacturer podium..

One thing is for sure, Michael Dunlop is not an asset to any team. He should buy his own bikes and run his own show and not have signed to race a brand new motorcycle.

Reading all the comments on various social media sites from the armchair racers regarding Michael Dunlop's split from Milwaukee Yamaha and can't help but think there is a certain hatred out there towards MD. He was promised a competitive, factory spec superbike from Yamaha - that was not delivered. What he got was a bike that was dumping oil into its air box. If it's pumping its oil out of the air box then a) it won't do 6 laps before it runs out of oil & siezes - do you fancy that happening to you at 190mph on Sulby? and b) it is a danger to himself and others just from the oil slick it lays and him ditching it is less of a PR problem than the organisers banning it for being a danger, or worse, not banning it and have it blow up mid race and cause a tragedy...the picture says it all in my eyes.

I say well done to Michael for having the test tickles to make this call and wish him nothing but luck for this TT.

Cant agree with this more!! Oil being pumped into the airbox is going to end in tears!! I wouldnt want to ride out on it and I certainly wouldn't want to do what these boys do!!!

May I suggest that in order to get the "real" reasons behind this parting of the ways, and to gain a balanced view, that the respective reports from both parties are read first of all.

I agree, what are Martrain going to do? They have the same issues with the oil pumping into the airbox.

I have read both reports previously and bottom line for me is the oil problem. As already said, seriously dangerous!

(04-06-2015, 11:40 AM)coll83 Wrote: I have read both reports previously and bottom line for me is the oil problem. As already said, seriously dangerous!

Nowhere does Michael mention an oil problem or safety reasons for the split. In his own words the R1 is not competitive and fast enough to win. And I agree with him.

But that is a ******* reason to leave a team during the TT. He should help the team and develop the bike for next year IMO.

(04-06-2015, 11:49 AM)modulaire Wrote:

(04-06-2015, 11:40 AM)coll83 Wrote: I have read both reports previously and bottom line for me is the oil problem. As already said, seriously dangerous!

Nowhere does Michael mention an oil problem or safety reasons for the split. In his own words the R1 is not competitive and fast enough to win. And I agree with him.

But that is a ******* reason to leave a team during the TT. He should help the team and develop the bike for next year IMO.

He referred to safety a lot in his interview on Radio TT, it will be repeated at 13.00, it sounds like both safety and performance that are the issues.

I think the main point here is that it's not designed to be held flat out for a long period. It's a winning circuit racer- but to be competitive at the TT it takes more than that.

I don't think I'd fancy being the test dummy for it, but he knew the score when he signed the contract, it was a new bike.
I hope the BMW wins, but with guy on it rather than Michael.

and no, not everyone is out to put MD down, I think he's an awesome racer and loved it when he won last year just leaves a bit of a bad taste when there's a whole team sitting there with no rider now.

So that's Honda, Kawasaki and now yamaha that probably would'nt work with MD now then.

(04-06-2015, 11:49 AM)modulaire Wrote:

(04-06-2015, 11:40 AM)coll83 Wrote: I have read both reports previously and bottom line for me is the oil problem. As already said, seriously dangerous!

Nowhere does Michael mention an oil problem or safety reasons for the split. In his own words the R1 is not competitive and fast enough to win. And I agree with him.

But that is a ******* reason to leave a team during the TT. He should help the team and develop the bike for next year IMO.

yes it does,the bikes having major oil problems,"The new R1s obvious lack of pace and a failure to rectify a mechanical issue that has seen oil being pumped into the airbox at high speed on both Dunlop’s Milwaukee machine and Dean Harrison’s MarTrain R1 appear to have been the final straws in bringing the deal to an end.

(04-06-2015, 11:21 AM)coll83 Wrote:

(04-06-2015, 11:15 AM)belfastblade Wrote: Reading all the comments on various social media sites from the armchair racers regarding Michael Dunlop's split from Milwaukee Yamaha and can't help but think there is a certain hatred out there towards MD. He was promised a competitive, factory spec superbike from Yamaha - that was not delivered. What he got was a bike that was dumping oil into its air box. If it's pumping its oil out of the air box then a) it won't do 6 laps before it runs out of oil & siezes - do you fancy that happening to you at 190mph on Sulby? and b) it is a danger to himself and others just from the oil slick it lays and him ditching it is less of a PR problem than the organisers banning it for being a danger, or worse, not banning it and have it blow up mid race and cause a tragedy...the picture says it all in my eyes.

I say well done to Michael for having the test tickles to make this call and wish him nothing but luck for this TT.

Cant agree with this more!! Oil being pumped into the airbox is going to end in tears!! I wouldnt want to ride out on it and I certainly wouldn't want to do what these boys do!!!

His single minded attitude is just what you need to be a winner but I doubt he'll ever have a long term relationship of the likes of Joey/Honda; I doubt he cares - last years swap from metzelers to Dunlop tyre didn't do him any favours with the Germans it was the right decision but won't further his career much, expect to see him doing it himself in the future. To be fair I think the team should probably have pulled it on safety grounds and if Dean Harrisons bike is having similar issues Mar-train should think about doing the same.  I'm worried about the safety aspects of Md now trying to qualify the BMW in the remaining session/s? and also re him having to thrash the stocker in the superbike if he enters both - i know that the lap record is only an odd mph different but in trying to compete with the big boys on big toys the temptation to push a bit too far(just re-read mcn -says he has his own bmw stocker with him and the buildbase is a superbike - if so ignore the last bit, good foresight bringing yer own spare bike across!. I think this year its probably the most competitive field ever - a quick look down the list had me thinking you couldn't rule anyone out down to about 20th place (save Cam Donald who should never have had that start number with Nortons recent track record) and with the likes of Hutchy obviously on the Bob Martins anything could happen. When marshalling my worst nightmare is a nice sunny day with no wind after a few days of dodgy weather - everyone goes mental.
Finally given what appears to be another hopeless Norton publicity stunt maybe Cam Donald should sneak into Sean Muirs tent even a bog standard R1 is probably better than the butchered Apprillia  and at least might finish, wonder what award they'll manage to give Garner this year - can think of a few but Malcolm wouldn't like it.
Good luck to MD and all the others tonight, go steady (ish).