The Isle of Man TT is one of the most famous motorbike races in the world. Spectators flock from all over the world to watch it, with even more tuning in to watch it on TV. ITV announced that their coverage of the Isle of Man TT 2013 was their most popular sports broadcasted event last year, attracting a staggering 8.5 million viewers.
This incredibly famous course is a lap of the island, peaking at 422 meter above sea level during the mountain section, as well as covering the windy village streets and country roads. The world renowned mountain section of the race has over 200 corners with around 60 of them being individually named! Speed is of the essence, and bikes now feature 1000cc engines which power out staggering speeds.So we’ve given you a quick insight into the Isle of Man TT but there are many more incredible facts that you might not know about the race!
The fastest ever recorded lap of the 37+ mile mountain course was completed at an average speed of 131.578mph and reaching top speeds of around 200mph!
Top Gear presenter James May completed an entire lap on a motorbike built with Meccano.
The races have got faster and faster as the years have progressed, but how much faster is it? In 1911 the race was won in 4 hours, 9 minutes and 36 seconds, however in 2011 it was won in a staggering 1 hour, 10 minutes and 37 seconds.
Joey Dunlop nearly missed the 1985 TT, this was due to the fact that his boat sank on the way over from Northern Ireland.
There is a designated day on the island, known as ‘Mad Sunday’. On this day fans can try their hand at the course, but better still is the matter that there is no speed restriction on the mountain section!
The first female racer was Inge Stoll in the 1954 sidecar category race. Since then, female competitors have been regularly racing alongside the male riders.
Mark Cavendish cycled a section of the TT course in 2013 and hit an speeds of around 62mph going down the mountain.
The TT has only ever been cancelled for the two world wars and the foot and mouth epidemic that hit the UK in 2001.
Competing at these speeds can be highly dangerous, and a slight loss of focus can be fatal. Many have died over the years, however more and more is being done to make the race as safe as possible.Check out this incredible on-board camera footage from Michael Dunlop at the TT 2013 races, during which he reaches a staggering speed of 200mph!
