Reducing deaths is desirable, always. If you could halve then number of fatalities in a year, each year, until there was one every five years ... is it not incumbent upon us then to reduce them still further? The argument that reducing the number of deaths, in a sport for instance, does not end until all deaths are eliminated. Reducing the top class to, say, 500cc singles would mean a further reduction to 250s after a time. And then to 125s. Or else, the argument for reducing deaths is flawed in some way. People will take risks in their chosen pursuits. Reduce the risks and they will push to the new limits and there will still be deaths. The argument that will win me over to doogalman's POV can only come from the riders themselves, when they refuse to take risks that they themselves find unacceptable. Who am I to tell them what they will or won't do?
The only thing I think they can do is put chichanes in like the northwest before some of the particularly high speed/risk sections to try and lower the average lap speed a bit. Not saying that’s a good idea but seems the only way, if the bikes have less power they will just try to run more corner speed. I bet the 600’s are quicker through the corners
The last time a rider was killed at the TT on a 600 was in 2014. The last time a rider was killed at the TT on a 1000 was yesterday!!
Every effort made to increase safety by increasing the difficulty of going flat out will have an unintended consequence. Chicanes will be unpopular but they may reduce the number of fatalities overall - or they may not.
What happens if 600cc become the top class and 400cc the second tier? "The last time a rider was killed at the TT on a 400 was in 2014. The last time a rider was killed at the TT on a 600 was yesterday!!" What's the next move?
I say leave it all alone...but would making airbag equiped racing leathers be of any benefit. I appreciate the accidents are not of the same structure as Moto GP, but it has made a tremendous difference there?
This is a Question for the Road Racer only... that compete's at the highest level in road racing and NOT for Outsiders that have missed the point completely
The TT solo racing classes used to be Senior 500cc, Junior 350cc, and Lightweight 250cc for decades. These were later changed: 600, 750, and 1000 cc classes came in and 250, 350 and 500 classes were dropped. Today the "slow" class is for 650s. In hindsight these developments appear to have been unwise and unnecessary. People who argue against any changing of the classes seem to have forgotten that classes have been changed before, repeatedly. It would not be economically feasible for the TT to adopt class definitions for which no bikes are yet made. Also competitors have to be able to use them elsewhere for the rest of the year. But there are current classes for 300cc bikes at both MotoGP and WSBK events. Surely there is scope to introduce such a class at the TT?
Agreed but think that the conversation should perhaps at least be had with those top racers. Airbag suits being mandatory for me is one of the things that is a no brainier, they have massively reduced serious injury in road races. I get the stone walls and lamp posts comments but every little helps. Ref chicanes cresting corners which lead to accidents, the point is that if I have a dangerous section that currently riders go into at 160mph canbe slowed down so they are going into it at 100mph and accelerating through, it COULD make the difference. I do completely agree though that the riders aren’t idiots, they know what they are doing
Imagine if they said that in MGP or F1. While riders and drivers pushed for more safety, it was legislators that took the decisions away. Some will want more danger, it both gives them the edge as their risk appetite is higher and probably some kind of other edge too... They have made some changes. Lowering the maximum age, restricting licenses, making it tougher to ride. The issue is the course, not the bikes. Imho.
Surely a racer will race whatever they are permitted to by the governing body! If you said to all the top guys that we are going to run the Senior race as an unlimited open formula they will race whatever their sponsors or mates chuck at them. S1000rr big bore turbo, H2R, anyone? As also has been said the classes have changed before why not review the classes and see IF it needs a change. Yes many of the racers are not on a pay packet to ride but the top guys are on an earner for doing it (and why shouldn't they) as it's their biggest payday of the year, but with a mere 5 mph difference on the average quickest lap between the 1000 and a 600 on the mountain course, would it be a bad thing to drop the 1000 for a 600 senior. Especially considering the death toll difference between the two classes. The class would still be over-subscribed so would the TT be anything less of a spectacle/event?
Maybe the answer is to understand why a 1000is more dangerous. Is it the acceleration? The suspension can’t cope as well? Where are 1000s quicker than 600s to make the lap time? Evidence may suggest 600s are ‘safer’ but that could be for far more reasons than simply more power. Less experienced riders? Machine failure? Fatigue from harder working rider? Tyre degradation? Seems that more accidents occur when they hit fluid, or are slightly off line in very fast and bumpy sections. Would a 600 be more ‘recoverable’? So many questions the organisers have to understand the impact of answers to before they start restricting classes imho. IMO it doesn’t matter to me. Never been, hope to one day, but I don’t find the racing exciting (except the onboard madness!!) so whether it’s a 300 or a 1600 turbo makes no difference to this racing fan. The precedent, however, does.
If the TT was moved to a circuit it would be just another race and would destroy the essence of what the TT is about No one forces the riders to compete and when they decide the risk outways the benefits they will stop and the races will stop Like in many dangerous persuits we are in danger of the nane state taking over, road racing is probably the last true spectacle Leave it alone
Another rider seriously injured in the same session after colliding with a course safety car WTF ! http://www.kentonline.co.uk/maidsto...-hospital-after-crash-with-safety-car-183851/
Odd sounding crash, can’t make out if this was on his way back after the red flag hence the car was on the course?
