Author Topic: TT 2021 Cancelled  (Read 3647 times)

Offline MrDavo

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Re: TT 2021 Cancelled
« Reply #15 on: December 03, 2020, 05:11:55 PM »
Each time I go to the IOM, I'm saddened by the number of hotels and pubs, some of which I've stayed at or drunk in, that are now flats or old people's homes. This isn't going to help at all.

When I rode in the Manx in '93, my Newcomer's race was sponsored by the IOM Steam Packet Co. Guess how much discount I got on the ferry - yes, zero %! That said half our party were hiding under dustsheets in the Transit. After we'd set off from Heysham, a crew member banged on the side of the van and told us it was safe to come out now! :) If that ferry ever sank they would have had no idea how many were actually on board. I seem to remember that the rip off fuel sold from a pump in the paddock was also courtesy of the Steam Packet Co, but higher octane than anything you could buy from a petrol station on the island, and still cheaper than pistons - so much of the lap is flat out that you used the best fuel (and plugs) you could get hold of.

When I went (as a crew member) with the Honda Superbike team, we took out own Elf race fuel, in big drums. There was controversy over this fuel, which most Superbike teams used. The regs said it had to be fuel 'readily available from a pump'. It was, but that pump was in the paddock at Silverstone! Even back then in the late 90's I think we worked out it was £64 per gallon - as we weren't paying for it ourselves we used to put it in the generators and paddock scooters (all Honda of course), just because it was convenient.  :o A Honda dealer we'd met on the Island showed me how to derestrict the scooters by plunging a hot soldering iron into an electrical module in just the right place - I ended up racing Ian Duffus down Bray Hill (ignoring the 30mph limit somewhat) on a pair of them, he thought it hilarious that he could smell the race fuel in my exhaust! I think the scooters eventually got sold to the security guys at Cadwell Park at the end of the season.
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Offline royhall

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Re: TT 2021 Cancelled
« Reply #16 on: December 05, 2020, 06:44:08 PM »
It would be terrible for motorcycling not only for the UK but the rest of the world if the TT were to end for good.
I haven't been since 1999, not because I didn't want to go but because its so expensive and that is if you can get the accommodation and the ferry to coincide, 95% it's one or the other but never both! 3 years ago I had a hotel booked but had to wait for the ferry bookings to open some weeks later, when they did I  couldn't get a ferry within three days of the arrival or departure dates. And this was within 30 minutes of the ferry website opening!
The Steam Packet rip-off the TT, always have done and because they own the dock on the island no other company gets a look-in, you would think the IOM govt would step in considering the wealth it brings to their economy but I guess they are more keen to keep the place as a tax haven for the rich rather than have dirty, smelly motorbike riders hanging around.
I would go to both the TT and the Classic TT if I could and if it didn't cost an arm and a leg to get there.
There's always the Isle of Wight TT to look forward to if it ever gets off the ground.

I was told by Conner Cummins who has family that works for Steam Packet that the IOM Gov set the price not Steam Packet.
Steam Packet is owned by the Isle of Man government.
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Offline bobv7

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Re: TT 2021 Cancelled
« Reply #17 on: December 05, 2020, 11:47:58 PM »
The ferry service has always been a touchy subject but what I noticed when I last went is the missing B & Bs and how up market just about everything has gone. When I first went back in the 1970's the facilities would've made Wetherspoons and Poundland look posh.

Offline royhall

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Re: TT 2021 Cancelled
« Reply #18 on: December 06, 2020, 09:53:11 AM »
We quit staying in Douglas years ago as there is nothing there anymore. We stay in Peel now as there are loads of pubs and cafés and they host events like bike shows and beach races, good chippy on the promenade as well. There's plenty of hotels and b&b and the town is small enough for everything to be easy walking distance. I believe Ramsey is pretty good as well.
Current bikes:
TriBsa CCM 350 Twin
Honda CB350F in Candy Bacchus Olive
Honda CB750F2 in Candy Apple Red
Triumph Trident 660 in Black/White
Triumph T100C
Suzuki GS1000HC
Honda CB450K0 Black Bomber
Honda CB750K5 in Planet Blue Metallic (Current Project)

 

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