I love the TT, but maybe it is time to take a look at the classes and maybe lose the 1000's, maybe even the 600's? We banned the 1100's when they were too quick at the time. Just maybe they need to revisit this idea. Yes the riders arn't forced to ride like they were when the TT was a round of the world championship, but surely the fatalities may reduce for a period. Technology and machine performance moves on, maybe the rules need to move accordingly either way. What do you replace tge big classes with??? The supertwins are good, create good close racing. Maybe bring in Moto3 as a lightweight. How about SS300, or even bring back the singles. What are your thoughts??
It's not the speed that kills. It's the sudden stop. And you don't need to be going 150mph to off yourself. We're very fragile. Road racing is dangerous due to all the furniture. The only way to dial out fatalities is to amend the course. But you can't exactly remove dry stone walls, bus shelters, houses etc. Tricky one.
Is it even up to us or a government to tell racers what they can or can't enter in regards to competition? It's not nice that someone dies, but they are more aware than anybody of the risks involved, and as has been said above, changing the course is the only thing you can do, riding any bike at reasonable speed in to a wall will produce the same outcome.
There are three main elements at play here, the machines the riders and the course. Of the three only one hasn't improved. When the race began I'll bet the planners didn't expect to see the quality of rider skill, the engineering and speed we have today. To reduce fatalities the course needs to be moved to a track, or remove all street furniture, walls, houses etc.
Riding into walls and road furniture at 190mph is always going to be worse than at 150. Yes people can still die but it could stop good kids dying. Was it McGuiness who said the 1000's ride you and you pretty much just hang on,whereas the smaller bike the rider still controls the thing.
He may well have said that but I don't buy it. You need to be hugely skilled and concentrated to ride a thou' very quickly. And fekkin fearless....
You think ?? At these sorts of speeds with walls and furniture in the way, it ain't gonna make much of a difference imo. Immediately stopping from 150 will have the same effect as 190, either way, that ain't gonna end well. I'm with the rest, leave well alone, they know the risks like any sport, and they choose to do it. It's very, very sad when the TT loses another, but its road racing, and its never going to be safe.
Interesting that bike sport fans would rather see riders face certain death than try to rein in the outright speeds.
Yes leave it well alone , it’s the last truly no holes barred sports event , it’s scary just watching it , but that’s why it’s so good to watch and imagine take part in as it’s the ultimate ride, even people like Rossi have said you couldnt pay him enough to take part in it
is it not a valid point though? How many fatalities have occurred in the 650 twin class compared to the 1000's during the same years?
If self-preservation isn't enough to slow down TT riders, how can you expect nerfing down the bikes to have much effect? Unless you replace the motorcycles with pedal cycles, you are not going to eliminate tragic accidents (and possibly not even then). And as hinted above, hit a wall at 80mph or 180mph, your chances of survival are not in your favour. Thought exercise time: if a society ensured that every pursuit that entails physical risk is curtailed or banned ... would you want to live in it? Just consider what that approach means. And consider also, such a society wouldn't introduce the bans en masse, in a single day. It would eradicate the risky endeavours, one at a time, over the course of years or generations. So where do you draw the line, logically speaking?
^^^^^exactly. It's a choice people make. It's not like unsafe working conditions on an oil rig. Do we only run with 3 legged bulls in Pamplona? And as for Annapurna! https://matadornetwork.com/trips/11-most-dangerous-mountains-in-the-world-for-climbers/ You would save many more lives banning cake.
Its a tough one....ive ready many a time from riders who have said "if something happens to me while im out, then just keep racing..." or words to that effect. I think the mindset is along the lines of "if i dont take any risks in life then ill never have lived". At the far extreme i look at my brother in law. Does nothing, drives his 15 year old car to work in the job that hes been in for 30 years, never been promoted, never wanted to be promoted, no friends to speak of, doesnt go anywhere, no social life, goes on holiday now and again (with us) and even then doesnt do anything, just reads, literally...if that was me and i got to my deathbed id be wondering what i did with my life but thats just me... I think if they make it to their deathbed they'll be able to say..."i did that!" (id love to be able to say that myself but a severe lack of talent means itll never happen to me ) but its the risk that comes with it that they full well know. To that end it makes it what it is. Slow it down and it'll draw less attendance. And i think i can safely say its one of the things that keeps the economy going (in the worst possible way if you will)
1989, the year Henshaw and Mellor died was the catalyst for doing away with the big proddie 1100's. The following year the big class was the 750 fours. I don't remember the class being massively depleted due to the change. The riders still raced and less guys died, is that not a good thing??
It’s going to be a pretty much one sided debate given most on here are bikers. But as with everything else, once people start dying it gets the attention of politicians and nay sayers. The island would suffer tremendously if it were to lose the sport.
