Isle of Man TT 2003

The TT races are unlike any other motorcycle races in the world. Set on 37 ¾ miles of public roads, through towns, countryside and over a mountain, with a change in elevation of almost 500m.
The race itself is not a mass start (as in Grand prix), each competitor is sent off at 10 second intervals, so it is essentially a time trial, but it is also an endurance race, as race times (for my class) are approximately 1hr and 30 minutes.

The Isle of Man TT races take place over two weeks (last week in May and first week in June). The first week is used solely for practice and qualifying and the second week to hold each of the races for the 8 different classes.
Qualification is based on obtaining a set average speed for a lap (in my case on a 400cc machine, 96.5mph). This can be difficult as conditions such as rain and mist can play a determining part in speeds achieved.
Another factor which affects the speeds achievable is the skill of the mechanic and rider together to obtain an optimum setup, which enable the bike to handle the huge changes in road surface throughout the 37 ¾ mile course.

This was my second TT. In 2002 I had qualified at 100.14 mph and out of 57 entrants I came 25th in the race, being awarded Best Newcomer Medal as a result.

So it was my ambition to come back and improve my on my result. No mean feat, when you consider that due to the sheer time the engine and cycle parts spend at maximum revs, engine failure can end your attempt during qualifying.

Certain personal experiences have played a large part in my attempt this year. As close as 24hrs from first practice session, I still did not know if I could actually take part in the Worlds Greatest Road Race.

As last year, the preparation began almost a year in advance. There is so much time money and effort involved by the team in entering the TT that preparation takes this long.
By the end of January the application to race had been sent, the ferry was booked and the motor was with Howard Selby for a strip down and rebuild. Neil Black (Team Mechanic) had stripped the remainder of the bike down and the rear shock absorber was sent to Maxton to be rebuilt.

My physical training was also going quite well and I had lost a few Kilos (it probably helped that I stopped drinking in December).

By March we had the bike rebuilt, with several small adjustments undertaken to improve airflow and temperature. Herbie Maclean (carburation set up for the team) had the carbs over the winter period and had made some secret adjustments which proved to be a big improvement to the overall running of the bike.

Everything seemed to be in place and a hat trick of wins at Carnaby race circuit (near Hull) on my first outing proved that things were going well.

However.....at the meeting at East Fortune (Nr Haddington) 1 month before the TT) I came off a supermoto bike (sponsored by MotoCal bike shop) I was racing as a second machine and broke the scaphoid bone in my hand ( the one David Beckham fashionably broke a month later). My right knee was also like a baloon after the bike landed on it.
The result of this was that I got a plaster on my arm which the surgeon told me would be on for at least 6 weeks !!!

This must have been the lowest point of my year. I thought the TT could now be out of reach and that all the preparation by the team, everyone who had helped and the people who were coming to see the race was perhaps for nothing.....but this sort of low cannot last.....and it didn’t take long for the reaction to kick in. I wasn’t going to let a broken bone the size of a peanut shell put an end to the team’s dream.

I began getting intensive physiotherapy for my knee (which I couldn’t bend to 90 degrees) and I booked an appointment with the surgeon to discuss the situation with him.
The rest is history, it resulted in me having my hand pinned, the same day I travelled to the Isle of Man, which is as close as I ever want to get to the wire (I had to take a taxi to the airport from the hospital, to make my flight).

After a days rest, I went out for a gentle drive round the course on the Sunday on a road bike to see how my hand was and on my return was positive about practicing the next day.

1st practice
So with a fresh dressing on my hand I was out (three days aftre the operation) on Monday, for my first practice, heading down Bray Hill at over 130mph.
The surgeon said it would be ok but that it would hurt…and it did…not anymore than I could take (with the help of some pain killers).

It went very well, I wasn’t expecting a fast time as it was my first time on the course for a year, BUT it was great to get out again, on the TT Course.
This first practice is used more as a reaquiantance with the course and my average speed reflected this (94mph, 2.5mph under qualifying).

A trick I learned last year was to drive round in the van and go over areas I was unsure of. You can see more from the van as its higher and if someone else drives, you can absorb quite alot and think about how to approach bends on the next practice.

2nd Practice
As some main roads have to be closed to enable practice, it is carried out at times throughout the week which cause least disruption to peoples working day. Therefore practice is carried out at 6am (before morning rushour) and at 6pm (after evening rushour)
Morning practice is Hard on the body.....It involves getting up at 4am, going for a shower and taking the bike up to scrutineering (the bike must be proved safe enough before it is allowed out onto the circuit). then there is a brief wait (enough time for a coffee) and practice begins.
Its amazing that coming through towns at 6am there are still quite a few spectators. I dont notice much (except the road when I’m practising) but on each of my morning practices, there was a woman in a pink dressing gown, sitting in her doorway just after Parliament square in Ramsay, eating her toast and watching practice. It shows you sometimes what a unique atmosphere the TT has and how big a part of the islanders lifestyle it is.
This practice went very well and I got a speed of 98mph as a factest lap. That meant the pressure was off, I had qualified. I could now concentrate on learning the course and concentrating on certain corners and sections.

As practice week went on (despite varying conditions) I worked my speed up to 101mph (just faster than my fastest lap in 2002).

Wednesday morning practice was wet for about half the course (its seldom wet all the way round the island, which can make it very tricky judging where damp patches are). You always have to be aware of the microclimates (areas going through glens and under trees) This is where it can often be damp, even if everywhere else is dry.

Wet practices (especially in the morning) demand that little bit more concentration, as the slippy conditions require extreme smoothness in riding style.

On Wednesday evening my exhaust fractured while I was coming over the top of the mountain, which meant a long wait, but I saw some of the practice and it was extremely fast at the point I watched. Luckilly we found someone who could weld stainless steel the next day and we had it repaired quickly.

In between practices, we did the usual reconnaisance of the course in the van, but I also went to some particular sections such as Glen Helen, to look at on foot as I felt I could improve through them.
I really felt it helped doing these reconnaisance missions, as I practiced on the Friday, I could recognise the areas I had looked at and they stuck better in my mind.

Over the weekend we had a break and could watch the Senior TT and Sidecar A race on the Saturday. Looking at some of these guys going through Ballacraine totally committed was awe inspiring.

Mad Sunday (the day before the race), we decided to keep out of the way of the thousands of bikes all going for gold on the course and we went to Straightliners (drag racing) at Ramsay.
Robert (from the bike club) got 5th place overall on his 1200 bandit despite being up against pure drag bikes.

Race Day
It was wet in the morning and rained a little after breakfast, but with the race scheduled for 10.45, there was plenty of time for the majority of the course to dry (but meant watching out for the microclimates)
The nerves were quite high, especially as there were so many people i knew, who had come across; my wife, my brother, Neils wife, a really good support from my bike club, a group from Perthshire Ladies mcc, Russel my sponsor, and the rest of the people who were following the teams race.

At 10:30 the race was postponed 30 minutes as there was mist covering the highest part of the course.
This never helps the nerves, as youre geared up for a race start which dosen’t happen. Silly wee things like how much I drink and whether I should have a coffee are quite important, because I can’t stop for a pee during the 150 mile race. At 11:00 the race was postponed a further 30 minutes as the mist had not cleared.
This happened a further 4 times and the race finally got under way 3 hours delayed!
I was happy the crew and my wife could keep my mind off the worry for a large part of this time.

As we pulled out onto the road ready to line up to go, everything seemed to go in slow motion. Its as if (once you get the helmet on) your in a wee room of your own and everything else is outside it…..until its your turn to go..!

The bikes are sent off at 10 second intervals, but I had a 30 second wait, as there were 2 non starters in front of me.

It dosen’t matter how many times you set off down Bray Hill, it is just as awesome each time, at the bottom, everything bottoms out and your whole upper body is forced down into the bike. But you hardly notice this as you are so concentrated on getting the line right, through between the kerbstones on each side of the road.

It was positive to be sent away with such a large space after the previous guy. It meant if i was going fast, I wouldn’t have to use time passing the two guys who were in from of me. It also meant I got into a rythym much easier.

I was a little nervous at getting through Glen Vine flat out in pratice, but by the time I got to the race I was ready and flew through it. Its great if you can do this as you can carry so much more speed up the long straight Crosby.

My first lap felt good, although not really any faster than practice. My second began to flow better and I was holding the bike flat out through areas I knew I should, such as Rhencullen and Milntown.

One difference from last year was that as I had a little bit more power, I had to re learn the braking points, which was confusing. It also meant I was airborne much more and the front wheel was coming up more over rises. There were even rises which became jumps this year!
I actually really enjoyed the airborne parts and areas where I wheelied at 130mph+. It really gives you such a rush…..who needs artificial stimulation!

Coming into the pit for refuelling at the end of lap 2, the bike never stalled as it did last year, we turned the idle speed up to prevent this.
The fuelling, visor wash and drink stop went very well (in fact it was 19 seconds) very fast and all credit to the pit crew Jenny, Russel and Neil.
Even having to push start the bike again didn’t waste any time.

I settled into the third lap and by this time I was really enjoying myself. I began to catch other 400’s and this meant I was either going fast or they were slower. So not having any indication of my status, I could only keep going as best I could.
Compared to last year I knew the course just that little bit better and I was enjoying it so much, I’m sure there was a big grin under my helmet!
Its so good when you find a rythym when racing, the parts you know and get right don’t necessarilly feel faster, but as a rule, smoothness equals higher speed.
I still had to use every bit of my course knowledge and there were areas where I’m sure I could be much faster (next year).

As I came over the line at the end of the third lap, I was sure there was a huge grin on my face, things just seemed to get better and better.
My last lap felt like the best ever, I bagan to notice people at slow corners actually clapping me and thought ”there must be a fast 125GP bike behind me”. I was to learn later that over Radio TT I had been mentioned as someone to look ,out for as I was progressing through the field, compared to last year.

In both lap 3 and 4, I began getting my knee down at alot of the slower corners like Guthries and was touching my nice sparking titanium toe sliders down on some of the very fast corners before and after Ballaugh Bridge. It was not on purpose, but it felt great.

Past midway point at Ramsay, I began catching up on more slower bikes which can have a negative effect on average speed, as passing at the TT is not sometimes as easy as on short circuits, not as many risks are taken to get by someone. But I passed about three guys going up the mountain and it felt like the bike was just singing!

On the way down into Douglas I was flying and nearly overcooked Hilberry at about 120mph (there was still 10cm of asphalt left) no panic!

The last mile is relatively slow and there is not much to be gained from pushing it, but I still managed to get past another 400 and cross the finishing line in style.

I had no idea how I had done, but it felt unbelievable !

To finish a race like the TT is (for me) a huge achievement and the culmination of months of preparation by the whole team, their faith in me and mine in them.

As I came in to the parc ferme my wife and Neil came over to inform me that I was probably 15th, in fact the confirmed result was 13th, with an average race speed (including a standing start and pit stop) of 100.13mph (5mph faster than last year!!!).
My fastest lap was 103.16mph.

This meant that as I finished with a time within 110% of the winners, I received a Bronze Replica trophy and qualified for prize money.

So roll on 2004, because I’ll be ready to go even better than this year.

Thank you to my sponsors without whom I would not have been able to compete:

Drummond Finance  
www.saddletramps.org.uk (My bike club), thanks.
www.SABD.org Getting dissabled riders back on the road
York Barbers Russel Murray (Sponsor and Pit Crew)
Cheers Brian Bud For the Transponder
Andy Thompson For the sexy paintwork
www.readitandweep.net I made "the sign" at 125mph over the finish line
Howard Selby For making the engine sing
www.magsport.com Part of MAG, working for riders rights
City Couriers Mark Elliot

Thanks for all the other people who helped and Supported:
Herbie Maclean Carb God
Pit Crew #1 Jennie, Neil & Russel (19 second pit stop!!)
Colin Stewart For changing his holiday to be part of the team for the practice week
Roberto, Paula & Flipper (Saddletramps) For coming all the way over to support
John & John Thanks for the Champagne John
Mette For taking time out her busy schedule to come over, check it out and look cool.
Fatboy For producing my cool website www.barkingspider.info
Blind Beggar pub Biker Pub, Broughton Road, Edinburgh
www.twattit.co.uk The online bikerzine
Richard at Maxton For sorting my suspension

To all the text monkeys back home.
And anyone else who I may have ommitted