CtNero
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The race is ran on the Isle of man. A Popular place for speed freaks as there are no speed limits in the countryside... None at all. No seriously...
It consists of several areas some in the town and some over the mountain
It's been running for over 100 years since 1907
It stands for Tourist Trophy
It has claimed over 250 lives some of which are unfortunately spectators
The average speed of this race is mind numbing. Riders average over 115mph!
Peter Hickman holds the current lap record of 16 minutes 42.778 seconds or an average speed of 135.453 mph!
The laps are currently 37.7 miles long and they run 6 of these.
The race is decided based on time a stagared start. Racers leave the gate in 10 second intervals
The winners often have to deal with slower racers that they have to lap. This can cause upset as slower racers holding people up has cost people the winner spot before
My personal favourite was the 1992 Foggy win
Foggy was a king in our house growing up absolutely insane rider. No fear a creature of pure will!
These riders are absolutely insane.
I mean really insane
Hoodcrabs
I didn't read a single thing after reading 'the TT's are on'. I got what I needed
ThanosTheGreat
When I was a kid if I watched MotoGP and If i saw a crash I’d have nightmares apparently. But now I love it.
brainzeat
These guys have the balls of fucking valyrian steel.
chtwhite
WOW!
Chridy
I moved to the island end of last year, looking forward to watching my first TT :)
GuW69
I got an old gentleman as a customer at work that has raced, he must be 80 now, still wers the patch, still rides motorcycles
chucklemore
Wish I was there, because I know how to get around the curves.
v
Sauroctonus
They warn you not to go too fast on country roads, blind corners and lots of bumps, etc. Then these guys go "... Fuck that"
trumpypumpyinyourrumpy
#4, 2 bikes roar past and that one dude just sitting on the grass minding his own business. Fuck man, don’t sit there. You will die
gtsr
he's watching the race
MrWobblyHead
This video from a chase helicopter gives you a perspective on the speeds the riders reach: https://youtu.be/zbaO8mzByvw
CtNero
That's a beautiful vantage
HEYimSQUANCHINinHERE
WellThatsJustLikeMyOpinionMan
I was fortunate to be there in 99. Absolutely. Fucking. Insane.
Gibblestick
These guys are like the best track riders, but do it all on public roads with signposts, bumps, telegraph poles etc still present.
OneGoogleSearchAway
Where are there still telegraph poles?
Gibblestick
Telephone poles (they're still known as telegraph poles in the UK)
chewbakken
#8
Vergenbuurg
Just to give a sense of scale
(unfortunately, yes, we have no bananas)
gtsr
the nurburgring it's huge compared to the other circuits but it's nothing to this
rumandbass
Wow i need this in my basement.
kamakaziK
Too bad they don’t have the Baja 1000. I also don’t see the Eboladrome
bagoffishstix
MartiensBlignaut
They cut a hole into the seat, for those massive balls to drop into. It also lowers the centre of gravity so the bikes are more stable.
Janusha
It goes a little bit like thishttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmNXCJt7K3Q
Sauroctonus
One on each side, for stability.
Hungrypiemonger
https://imgur.com/ztdmepy
poocolonel3030
Bikes have balls?!
TanithRosenbaum
Where do you think the sparks in the first pic came from?
akom
"Screw that!"
MySpiritAnimalIsTheUnpopularOpinionPuffin
You use them to drive the back tire.
ImDavidPumpkins
MalletWieldingLuddite
My father and his friend used to race there in the 60's/early 70's. Stories about boiling the oil before the race so the engine was hot.
HodgeNPodge
Holy crap, that one dude that crashed...yikes.
Komer
That’s not even a bad one.
Komer
https://youtu.be/QffTMlzfRog
GreyArea51
mlemlemmloomloo
I gained a set of new back muscles by how many times I clinched my ass cheeks watching these gifs. Dear God!
CtNero
Correction foggys win was 1990 he lost in 92 to hislop. Another great rider
dazzle8124
Iv done a lap of this in a car not racing as a tourist and my god all I know they all could have got better times if not for their fat balls
ThePotatoBandito
https://youtu.be/DRg5Sp1iQMc worth a watch
captainredbeard530
My favorite was Joey Dulop. He was amazing. I love to visit my Nan during the TT. If I have the funds.
captainredbeard530
Dunlop*
geneparmesan07
American here; would love to see this race in person one day.
AlphaKenneyBody
Hopefully you won’t be # over 250+1
gtsr
If this was in America they would have banned it years ago.
Maldraek
friggenjeebus
Watch "road" ...
friggenjeebus
The 2014 movie
Nunyajonesinc
You missed the part where they had stone markers indicating where someone had died until someone died by hitting one of the stone markers.
SunnyDaysandBlueSkies
Sven743
The stone was placed there preemptively.
twfeline
That's a great story!
vihra
Did #8 die? cause damn. I ride a 2015 Indian these days.. it's an easy chair on wheels.. My days of fast are over. Anxiety inducing..
grouse
He hasn’t stopped yet but we’ll keep you posted.
jerneycg5772
This deserves way more upvotes
sircowdog
Seeing that bike tumble end over end like some giant threw it is terrifying.
rumandbass
And how close it was to spectators. Definitely lethal
TheTrufe
An Indian? I believe they're manufactured in Minneapolis. I've never been, but that's the setting for the Mary Tyler Moore show.
togathrust
Spirit Lake, IA is the Indian manufacturing plant. Headquarters is in MN
TheTrufe
And what's the other? Rhoda. Which I want to say was a spinoff.
DarkJaeger
I'm saving up for either an Indian or a Harley.
Project25o1
Awesome! As a Harley owner I say ignore the fan boys and haters, and test drive both. You'll know what's right for you.
chrishallett83
Yeesh, get a Japanese cruiser instead.
DarkJaeger
My bass guitar is a Yamaha, that's the only Japanese cruiser I need.
chrishallett83
You're a bass player? That explains the propensity for making bad decisions...
DarkJaeger
I was making those long before I picked up a bass. The bass actually helps have good ones.
Komer
There it’s be unlikely. That would have hurt like shit but most deaths are from the lack of safe run off areas. Stone walls and barbed wire.
rumandbass
There's barbwire where riders can hit it? That would shred a human body at these speeds...
Komer
Certainly is.
yyaaassss
Yeah it's not a racetrack it's just a....village. That people race around. It's crazy
H4M0
A TT post without mentioning Joey Dunlop feels incomplete. For those interested in racing please do yourself a favour and watch 'Road' 1/2
JackieTreehornProductions
Hmmm I wonder what kind of tires he ran on...
targetshooting4fun
Probably Goodyear ?
JackieTreehornProductions
gothede
What about Guy Martin? ”Closer to the edge”?
CtNero
Good point. Fantastic rider. Foggy was our hero growing up being from only down the road in Bolton
Thelegaldeagle
Foggy was huge in my house. From super bikes to the TT. Love the guy.
H4M0
Im from NI so i suppose its the same thing really
H4M0
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ky--qJdUABM a link to the trailer on youtube. An insight to the riders and what their families go through
ImHonestonhowIseethings
American link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLI2r8pyla0
Adato88
Video is unavailable. Maybe just me?
H4M0
Could be region locked? A quick search should bring up some results :)
Adato88
Shouldn’t be, in Britain also. Will have a little search
JeremyPeevin
The craziest thing is when someone wrecks in one of these and DOESN'T die.
Lovethesmelloftoastedsourdoughbread
Now I'm comin' up - you see me Agostini Have to catch ya later oh yeah
Lovethesmelloftoastedsourdoughbread
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51H01GeN0BL._SX355_.jpg
DaShanghaiKid
Crazier thing is realizing they've been racing motorcycles there for 100 years!
LilSaint001
If its has wheels and on the ground someone raced them,
Nexus763
Pure luck. Filmed one jump at ballaugh bridge and crash in the wall just above the cushion block. Others were filming. I'm still mad 1/2
Nexus763
they uploaded it few adays later just for youtube views. 2/2
gimmethegodamnkeys
Check out guy martin’s crash. Crazy he lived
yogurtgoblin
I remember watching that and thinking he was dead for sure. He is one lucky man!!
GadenKerensky
If you get into a slide, you're mostly good. That shit don't tear easily. Even tumbling is survivable, mostly. It's flat impacts that are >
GadenKerensky
the biggest threats to a rider's life.
DeepAnalTongue
Yeah, true. That works ok on a track. But here they got kerbs, poles, trees, houses and all sorts of crazy shit next to the track.
Sadpandathesad
I gotta ask... Kerbs? Is it spelled like that somewhere I'm not aware of? No disrespect intended.
Qpmz234
Yes, pretty much everywhere that isn't America. Primarily to distinguish it from "curb", since that can also be a noun meaning a limit.
rumandbass
People
Roughbuddha
he said crazy shit
GadenKerensky
Like I said; flat impacts. It's worse if it's a flat impact to only a part of the body and not something like a wall. Hit a pole with your >
GadenKerensky
head... well, better hope god was smiling on you that day.
CtNero
Safety gear has gotten incredibly good. Some are lucky get straight up and walk away. They can slide a long way
TheMayo16
Yea the slide is fine, its hitting a curb or tree at 100 mph that kills you
PhilTheFluffiestDogOnTheInternet
Yeah the suits are designed to prevent grinding into the pavement as well as fire and joint dislocation.
Daywalker27
Guys are averaging speeds in excess of 100mph inches away from concrete walls, curbs, lamp post, buildings with little to regard for safety
TerrorGuy58
I disagree, there’s really quite a high regard for safety, despite pushing the envelope to unbelievably paper-thin margins
DownvoteSpearToTheChest
If you hit a brick wall with 70 kmh you die, if you hit the same wall with 150 kmh the they will have to pick up pieces of you.
NCSOValkeif
(1/2) It's not like these are normal people walking off the streets and getting on bikes at over 100mph.
ruferto
they rub brick-softener on the bricks before these races to help with the impact
Daywalker27
And you’re talking about safety gear!?
HarbingerOfThis
Safety gear is the quite literal millimeters between life and death in many of these crashes. So why not.
TanDumpLord
A lot of the bois survive, yo. Most, in fact.
Definitelynotareptile
As someone who hit a tree at 50 mph, i can tell you, surviving is nice but it comes with a tremendous amount of pain!
Drewdude
Real question how many people die on average?
HugfordBlops
Well over 250 in the 112 years it's been going on is over 2.20 deaths per year as an average.
CtNero
Average is over 2.2 per year but sometimes no-one dies they're good years. and sometimes like in 2016 when 5 riders died are bad years.
Goldensands
Jesus Christ, unpopular opinion I know but I find it so abhorrent how it seems to fascinate you ppl how many ppl die in this craziness
CtNero
It is a tragedy. But the riders themselves have said if it wasn't dangerous they'd find something else that was. It's the fear factor
Goldensands
Let them - something dangerous only to themselves. How is this a hard distinction to grasp? This is a shitty excuse your using.
CtNero
Oh you means the danger to the spectators. It's a really bad day when that happens. But again if you're going you take the risk.