Your basic bucket list trip. When I was growing up I went every year to see the Daytona 200. Wow...wouldn't that be awesome to have a bike like that...wouldn't that be awesome to race bikes...wouldn't that be awesome to race bikes on Daytona...check, check, check. This was years ago and was just in CCS AM and Formula USA.
Then I saw the TT. Same story but my lady flat out forbids me from racing the TT. I'm not sure I have the stomach for it and certainly don't have the wallet for it anyway. I'm going with another EBR/Buell trackday buddy and our ladies to soak it all in. What a great birthday present! She's a keeper.
Pics to come for sure. We planned the trip over a year ago and there were no rental bikes left. Hopefully we will befriend a few locals to take a quick 2 wheeled tour.
Sounds like a BLAST !!! Have a great time. I do not think I would want to race the Isle of Man TT. Historically a very dangerous course. but I would love to go and watch it.
That's is BIG News!! I wonder how many times the announcer will reference the EBR 1190RS during the broadcast???? I guess ALOT! The HD shots are going to be spectacular. 65" DLP and surround sound... blasting at 5am...
Race Schedule*
Saturday 31st May
- 11:00 hrs Superbike TT Race 6 laps - 14:00 hrs Sidecar TT Race 1 3 laps
Monday 2nd June
- 10:45 hrs Supersport TT Race 1 4 laps - 14:00 hrs Superstock TT Race 4 laps
Wednesday 4th June
- 10:45 hrs TT Zero Challenge 1 lap - 12:00 hrs TT Supersport Race 2 4 laps - 14:30 hrs TT Sidecar Race 2 3 laps
Friday 6th June
- 10:15 hrs Lightweight TT Race 3 laps - 13:00 hrs Senior TT Race 6 laps
Hybrid, with only 1 full practice session for one bike and 2 for the other, the two EBRs at IOM are already doing significantly better than the WSBK bikes.
I bet they talk about it more than any other bike.
I think sadly you will be proved wrong.
EBR will only get a brief mention in passing but most attention will be on the main race leaders and the Norton. EBR isn't seen as a big deal over here by the mainstream motorcycle press and followers unfortunately.
There are other 'new' bikes there that will get as much attention as EBR for sure.
BMW are back with their first factory supported entry since 1939, and stand a fair chance of winning with Michael Dunlop on board.
Patton are back in the Lightweight TT with their 'classic' (powered by a Kawasaki ER6 motor) ridden by Ollie Linsdell. Patton have a long history with the TT and will get a lot of interest.
WK/CF Moto are there with their Chinese built lightweights that promise to be pretty competitive in the Lightweight race.
And of course there is Norton, which will fill pages of the motorcycdle press at teh TT for sure, regardless of result.
Matt, as I posted here before I'm an old time British bike rider and would love to see Norton do well in both racing and selling bikes but; as a question, can a person actually buy a new street version of the Norton with the same chassis and engine that they will be campaigning in racing? Even if EBR does not do all that well in their WSB racing an average person will be able to buy a very close version of the 1190RX and go play Johnny road racer. Hoping Norton will eventually do this. Whatcha think mate? Bob T.
I think Norton are pretty tied up with their Commando models, and the Domiracer.
The Domiracer is a full on race bike (for track days) which is not type approved for road use. Norton will, if a customer so wishes, prep and pass what's called a Single Vehicle Approval (SVA) test, allowing for road use.
Would sure like to roll up on a Domiracer to one of my favorite cafe racer sites such as Ace cafe, Chicago or one of the other fine gatherings here in Utah or better still California. WOW! NICE! Old school meets new school to the max.! Thanks for the post Sean.
can a person actually buy a new street version of the Norton with the same chassis and engine that they will be campaigning in racing?
No, but then Norton make no pretence that it is ever going to be a customer bike (although I believe that they are using it to test ideas for their own V4 engine in the future, so it may be in a sport bike at some time). The TT for Norton is about promoting the Norton brand name rather than a specific bike model. They seem to have suffered from the same lack of testing that has plagued EBR though this year, and that is the problem with building a bike for a single yearly event like the TT.Maybe they shoudl race it on the Irish roads circuit for a year before racing at next years TT. Norton have a long term programme for this bike though, so this is not the end for them.
I talked to a Triumph tech about the Domiracer and they only made 50. The bike was an non road legal exhibition machine. They were sold out a long time ago. More to report later.
The bike was an non road legal exhibition machine. They were sold out a long time ago.
As I said when posting the above pic The Domiracer is a full on race bike (for track days) which is not type approved for road use. Norton will, if a customer so wishes, prep and pass what's called a Single Vehicle Approval (SVA) test, allowing for road use. I wouldn't call it an exhibition machine. It's meant as a functional track day racer.
Sold out yes, but not yet built and delivered all 50.
Haha Trojan-Rocket...You are correct. Two heads working as one to correct us all. I guess I had Truimph on the brain with their recent win. Obama made me do it.