Road Racing on The Island

Surely everyone has heard of the Isle of Man TT. It's the oldest motorcycle race in the world. It is run on a 37 mile lap of closed public roads. And it is very, very fast! The present lap record stands at 135 mph and the unofficial top speed record is a whopping 206 mph.  As the bikes blast through the village of Kirk Michael they are doing as much as 180 mph in what is normally a 30 mph zone. The TT is not a race for the faint-hearted!

You might think that a visit to the Isle of Man in TT Fortnight is something exclusively for petrolheads, but we think that would be a mistake. Everyone should sample the drama of the TT at least once in their lifetime, and if you don't want to follow every race, it's easy to head off to another part of the island and enjoy all the scenery and attractions that the Isle of Man is famous for. Of course the island is a great destination at any time, but the tourist Trophy just makes it so much more special.

In 2021, it may not be quite so clearcut when a motorcyclist says he will be racing on "the island". There is a plan being developed for motorcycle races on the Isle of Wight, that will be called the Diamond Races. If all goes well, the races will be held on a 12 mile course using a part of the fast, flowing Military Road on the south coast with a return leg through narrow country roads just inland.

This will be a great leap forward for road racing in Britain as it will bring the racing to a venue within easy reach of much of England and Wales, just 2 hours door-to-door from London. Hopefully people will have another opportunity to watch the road racing greats like John McGuinness (the winningest TT rider of all time), Guy Martin (the biggest personality), Michael Dunlop, Ian Hutchison and many more.

Our recommended hotels on the Isle of Man are:
Shore Hotel, just 12 miles from the TT course near Douglas
Seascape, a mere 6 miles from mountain section of the course

On the Isle of Wight, our listing includes:
Sentry Mead Hotel, near the Needles
Haven Hall, in Shanklin
Houseboat Harbourside View, in Bembridge
North House, in Cowes

31 Aug 2020, 15:35