ISLE OF MAN: 'THE MANX', 2013

A rare chance. Something you save up for. Something to savor when your there and doing it, and for years to follow, really. The Isle of Man. The "TT" or the "Manx Grand Prix." I took a couple of weeks off from my excellent job at the National Motorcycle Museum in Anamosa, Iowa and made plans to do the Manx Grand Prix, the vintage event, which for the first time in 2013 is coupled with modern racing. The entire event is renamed the Classic TT, which is the event I'd recommend you attend.

Tucked in between the big islands of Ireland and England is a small island, the Isle of Man. It's been home to Vikings, warriors, Christians and all, but about 1907, when motor racing started to become popular with manufacturers and risk takers in many parts of the western hemisphere, this island, this little island, got its foot in the door for a form of racing that has elsewhere long since been banished, outlawed and sent away with scorn. The truest of road racing, since 1907, takes place on the Isle of Man Twice a year since the government has sent notice to its lovely island population,  closed its public roads, 37.5 miles of them, and entertained crowds with the world's most skilled riders on the world's fastest of motorcycles...racing on public roads. If your a jaded old motorcycle type, that all might sound pretty normal until you actually watch a video, or visit to take it all in. The fastest bikes now run an AVERAGE lap speed of 125 miles per hour. AVERAGE. Which means on the straights they can top 175, and whiz past stone barns, clearing them by inches, or are running a hard left when they skim past a stone wall or a phone pole. 

OK. So outrageously dangerous looking road racing may the main thing enthusiasts look forward to when they make arrangements for a B&B and air fare a year or more in advance. But if you do a little research, and look at schedules the Island government publishes and talk to fellow speed freaks, you'll have a plate full of stuff to do. (Like Sturgis, the Isle of Man government, and tourism bureau, plays a big role, which is a good part of why the event has survived in spite of injury, loss of life and occasional mayhem from spectators late at night in Douglas, the biggest town on the island.) 

Other racing? In the British Isles, Sprints have long been a popular form of competition. They are usually run on 1/8 mile strips. And sometimes they call them drag races, American influence no doubt, and run them on full 1/4mile strips at airports. Make sure you take them in at Jurby on the airstrip or over in Ramsey on the Promenade.

And then there's Observed Trails competition, done on vintage bikes, of course in an area near Castletown, Isle of Man, south on the island. The organizers set out over 15 "sections" and about 200 entries of all types slowly crawled over each section, hoping they'd not "dab" as putting a foot down is bad in trials! Of course there's great comeradery among the competitors who are mostly Brits, but a few from Scandinavia, and the Continent come over to test their mettle. Greeves, Bultacos, all kinds of Sachs powered machines, James, BSAs, Triumphs plus some completely home built bikes, a few rigid chassis machines, even. It's all very casual and you can chat with competitors as they get ready to size up the hill; everybody is ready to discuss their machine.

Shopping. I do love shopping. Douglas, the big town, south on the island is where the paddock is always located, is the start finish line area. It offers great options for event commemoratives to take home to friends, or horde for yourself. Hell, I succumbed to a special 2013 Arai helmet all done up in black and yellow, with, most important, the wonderful three legged Isle of Man logo, or symbol maybe is a better word. A few t-shirts, some posters, prints, stickers...oh man, the cool stuff and that's just at the Paddock. Head for Douglas and walk the Promenade. Dozens of shops all ready for the tourists, but they have cooler stuff related to the event than you see in most motorcycle racing towns in America.

If I was to think of an overlying "coolness thing" about the IOM, and the big motorcycle event there, I guess it's the people, and the occasional 6 degrees of separation. Though I am not a big fan of "nudey calendars," damn, here's one that's different. Conceived and art directed by a sweetheart named Rachel, well it's all about icons of the Isle of Man, select bike parts she weaves herself onto, and actual tasteful black and white photos of these sights and things built into a fine large format calendar. OK, I admit it, she's cute, and sweet and autographed the 2013 and 2014 [Ha! - indeed! pd'o] calendars I bought. But this is what the IOM is about. She digs the scene, wanted to lend her ideas to conjuring the best bits of the place. I'll show you a picture. Very wholesome.

Oh, I guess I should maybe walk you through a typical day. Our hosts at the Albany House, a great B&B in Peel, just five miles off the race course, make a traditional English breakfast, to order very morning. But you can also get pancakes, kippers, about anything you want. Well stoked, we drive our hire car to a spot on the course. Most days the roads that become race track close to vehicular traffic at 9:30, so you need to pick a corner, drive there early and settle in for the races. Best shot is to pick a spot with a pub like Glen Helen, or Ballaugh, or Creg ny baa. Then you can watch racing, have some lunch and a pint, watch more racing. Typically a couple of hundred folks are at a given point on the track. Most are intense fans marking laps in their programs, following their heroes. And you'll have conversations as the day goes on, and see these same folks another day, most likely. Then the racing ends, wherever you are a radio fills you in on results, the course marshals blow by first on YZF1000's, the another group at very high speed in Jaguars, new ones, and it's OK to get on the road. Soon we are back at the B&B, dropping off the day's booty and heading for a pub for dinner and a pint or two, and conversation.

I'm happy to get a chance to show you a bit of the Isle of Man Classic TT, and the Isle itself in a few photos. My thanks to Paul for letting me share the experience, and invite you to plan this trip, one for all serious motorcycle racing enthusiasts, and those who can't get enough of staring at old motorcycles.