Balls of steel or completely insane. You decide...

[Ozram]

Isle of Man TT racing. 237 deaths in 102 years.

http://www.angelfire.com/ak2/intelligencerreport/insane_race.html

[nutterz]

MAAAADDDDDD!!!!!!!

I would love to go and watch one day..

[AusScare]

Insane speed for a road circuit.

[Stan]

insane balls of steel

awesome to watch

[tessie]

Plainly, they're f.....g nuts. That fast brushing past stone walls, but I'd love to be there, looks a nice place.

[kaanage]

Check out The Northwest 200 for true insanity. It's like the TT but mass start road racing..

BTW Far more spectators get killed than racers at the TT - the record is about ten seconds from getting off the ferry.

[Buller_Scott]

whilst they're certifiable, i also find that they're no different to other "freedom" sportspeople e.g. pro snowboarders, cliff divers, and especially the madmen that hit up the elevated platform "trails" at places like whistler in the summertime on their pushies - just people who keep pushing the envelope, getting back up and going again when they get hurt.

[kaanage]

They're the same animal playing different games
Jumping off cliffs on skis gives a more intense rush than motorcycle racing or downhill mountain biking but it's not as sustained

[Tulyar]

Did the TT in the late 70's on a Kawasaki 2 stroke triple. Im not certifiable nor did I think about getting hurt. I did it just the one year; I didnt need to go back. Yes it raises the adrenalin like nothing else.

Seeing it is an experience, riding it is an indescribable and rewarding challenge. Seeing it should be sufficient experience for most.

I still ride, perhaps somewhat more sedately. I have no need to go back and no nostalgic need to get back on a 2 stroke triple - anyone who has ever raced one will understand ........ quite frankly, they were more insane than the TT.

[elephino]

Seeing it was sufficient for me. It was incredible. Plus, it's not just the racing, it's the atmosphere of the whole Isle and attempting to drive a car along the mountain road while being surrounded by 50+ bikes.

[GoLfMan]

Did the TT in the late 70's on a Kawasaki 2 stroke triple. Im not certifiable nor did I think about getting hurt. I did it just the one year; I didnt need to go back. Yes it raises the adrenalin like nothing else.

Seeing it is an experience, riding it is an indescribable and rewarding challenge. Seeing it should be sufficient experience for most.

I still ride, perhaps somewhat more sedately. I have no need to go back and no nostalgic need to get back on a 2 stroke triple - anyone who has ever raced one will understand ........ quite frankly, they were more insane than the TT.

thats an awesome thing to lay claim to. I'd love to do it one day, but I don't think I'd be fast enough, or have balls big enough to do it. Circuit racing bikes scares me more than enough

I love the TT. It suprises me that in todays day and age of cotton wool, nanny state psyche that it still exists.

[kaanage]

The thing about the TT is that it is just that - a Time Trial - so it is entirely up to the rider to decide how hard to push things. Obviously, everyone want to go as fast as possible but MOST competitors have no hope of remembering the corner sequences (due to the course being about 60km long) so they are limited by what they can see.

The guys who actually have a shot of winning the TT classes DO have the corner sequences memorised and are the true nutters as they will open the throttle on blind corners, knowing that the exit opens up, and jump the bike over crests, knowing the road is straight on the other side. They will even know where on the road to ride to get the smooth line so the bike can maintain traction (and tilt their helmets away from stone walls that are close the track edge where the smooth line sometimes occurs).

Have a good look at the Northwest 200 videos I linked to and see the kerbs and walls and power poles that these true nutters road race around. The superbikes get over 200mph / 300km/h on the longest straight too.

[Tulyar]

Absolutely Kaanage - couldnt agree more.

These guys also know where all the manhole covers are!! I was warned about one on an apex that had claimed many. First time round full throttle on that corner hit the apex, perfect and then ...... there is the manhole cover ................. right on the line!!!

Pit stop for change of underwear - trick is just to feather the throttle and take a slightly unorthodox line.

Just out of interest has anyone on here taken an H2 out in anger?

[kaanage]

I think riding a H2 a 2nd time is indicative of being certifiable