Anyone who competes at the Isle of Man TT falls into the thinly separated categories of brave and clinically insane but perhaps none more so than the guys running the sidecar motorcycle class. Take all the complications of hustling a powerful motorcycle around a course that has more bends, hills, and downright nefarious sections than anywhere else in the world, throw another person on the side and make the whole thing a bunch wider and you have a rough idea about everything that is inherently “wrong” about the sidecar motorcycle class. Now that being said, everything we just mentioned makes it right! Human beings, especially racers have an amazing ability to complicate stuff and they do so because of the increased challenge. It makes for great watching, especially in today’s modern age of “put a tiny camera anywhere” technology.
In the video below you will see Dave Molyneux and Ben Binns set a course record speed at the Isle of Man TT for a sidecar motorcycle. These guys AVERAGED 116.785 mph around the length of the track which is of course comprised of closed public roads. Note the lack of SAFER walls, runoff area, and things essentially designed to stop invading armies rather than wayward motorcycles. Crashing at the TT normally carries heavy consequences. No single racing event has claimed more lives in its history than this one and to the credit of all involved, it has not derailed its future. That may sound callous but to a person, no one that passed at the TT would want to see it shut down because they didn’t succeed at the event. People come here of their own free will. They know, respect, and love the event. Therefore they know and respect how bloody dangerous it is.
Lest I spin this into some rant about personal responsibility, I’ll simply tell you to press play below and marvel and the talent and sheer guts that you see on display here. The way that the guy on the “sidecar” portion of the bike throws his weight around is amazing. The only relationship in racing that this one supersedes is that of rally driver and co-driver. The rally guy may lose the directions but if the sidecar guy doesn’t do his job, massive and painful consequences are the result!
PRESS PLAY BELOW AND SEE HOW CRAZY IT IS TO RUN A SIDECAR AT THE ISLE OF MAN!
The Isle of Man TT is the last thing on my bucket list of places to be. I need to get there before someone outlaws people doing what it is they love, even if they are willing to die for it.
Since the Isle of Man is self governing crown dependency of Britain, they don’t have the same politics that make our lives….hell. They depend on the tourism that racing brings…you have plenty of time to make your plans