Anyone booked to go over? We chose it over the TT this year as we want to do a bit of an island tour. Just going from the Sunday to the Wednesday of race week. 3 guys with bikes in a van was cheaper than just 3 guys on bikes!!
I'm considering it. My young boys are desperate for a couple for some time away in our converted race van and I'm thinking if a drive over stay for 2 or 3 nights then a drive home again. The TT was obviously fully booked so not an option but do you know , I've done both before and the Manx is not really any less exciting
What brilliant replies & experiences guys! @Mr.R your bike looks great, they make a brilliant cafe racer build too, you're making me itch to bring my Cafe bike instead of the Panigale!!
I took my wife to the classic/ manx last year We're going again this year, I did the TT a few years ago and unfortunately witnessed Joe public bike related incidents each day I was there.The classic is a little more relaxed with less people thinking their Micheal Dunlop the day after a skin full. Both worth doing as a bucket list though:smile:
I've done the TT a few times, but never with s bike or vehicle over to get a run round the track & explore the island. Seriously cannot wait to get seeing the island itself, its beautiful. I've been fortunate enough not to witness bike related incidents but unfortunately I've seen a bit of boxing with people that can't hold their drink
I'm over from the Friday 25th Aug for ten days with girlfriend and daughter. Taking the car and camping ( not sure if that's a good idea..... ) @Mr.R How old is your daughter? Pretty certain she's older than our ten year old.
If you need anything taking over we could stick in our car let me know Steve [emoji51] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
the problem with the dates is you'll miss the Senior Manx (and possibly the junior too). (being an olde gitte, I don't like the change around that means all the classic stuff at the beginning and the new stuff at the end, but anyway). I'm not going to be able to go this year alas. I love the Manx, someone once said the TT is a pint, the Manx a cup of tea and a slice of cake. It's not true (I can vouch for the number of pints sunk in Manx week), but it is a bit quieter, so it's easier to get about, get good places to watch etc. You could always volunteer to marshal - they are always short of peeps. The b*gger is the weather (although last year it was stunning). Have a pint in the Traff for me!
im hopefully going from around 21st August for 3 days with a friend, cant make main TT this year due to working away (get home day of the senior!!) so think i will give the classic a go...
I’ve had a bit of a chequered history with the IOM. My first visit was a day trip to the Senior TT in 1976 – remember the long hot summer of 1976? Well it must have passed the Island by because after a ferry crossing like something out of a WW2 Atlantic convoy the Island was shrouded in low cloud and pouring rain and I went home without seeing a wheel turn in anger! In 1980 and 81 I went to the MGP as mechanic for Rob Vine (the guy the helicopter fund is named for) and in 1982 my wife and I honeymooned at the MGP (no I wasn’t allowed to get my hands dirty). I was on the pit wall when tragically Rob lost his life in the 1985 Senior TT and I never returned to the Island for 27 years, partly because of what happened but also the family came along soon after. Then my wife and I decided to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary in the same hotel in Douglas we stayed in for our honeymoon. Unbelievably the hotel is still run by the same family! The trip re-kindled my love of the place and I’m booked for my 3rd year running at the Classic TT / MGP. I always go by bike and can’t imagine being there without. Booking in February ferry availability was already limited hence leaving on the 3am ferry Friday 25th August and returning the following Friday afternoon. The 3am ferry sounds grim but arriving in the Island at 6am allows a quick breakfast then a couple of laps before checking into my homestay in Onchan, and as long as there are no delays I should be able to catch the Senior MGP and still get the ferry back OK on the following Friday. As others have said the Classic TT is a lot less busy and manic than the main TT but realistically the standard isn’t a lot lower nowadays with riders of the calibre of McPint, Michael Dunlop, Bruce Anstey, Michael Rutter, Dean Harrison, Peter Hickman etc. And the “amatuers” aren’t bad either! Last year’s Senior MGP was stunning with the eventual winner (Tom Weeden) 10 seconds down on the leader going into the last lap but pulled it back to win by half a second and pip Andy Dudgeon the Junior MGP winner from Wednesday into 2nd place. Who says time trial racing isn’t exciting? Oh and whatever you do don’t miss the festival of Jurby on the Sunday for a relaxed day out with a huge variety of interesting bikes on display and parading. For anyone who hasn't been unlike the main TT it’s not just wall to bikes if you don’t want it to be and is just a lovely place especially when the weather is kind.
