Friday 28th March 2014

Michael Dunlop on the TT: Time For Tea?

Dunlop has won the TT seven times. Watch this to see why!

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With the summer months (supposedly) just round the corner, it's time to begin getting excited for some fantastic motorsport; the Le Mans, F1 in Europe, the Isle of Man TT, PH in the Caterham Academy...

BMW piqued our interest in the TT this week with the news that Michael Dunlop will ride for the BMW Motorrad-backed Hawk Racing team this year. The Northern Irishman has won the TT seven times despite being just 24 and will of course hope to repeat that success in 2014. There's added impetus with this year marking the 75th anniversary of BMW's only win on the TT. Dunlop will ride a BMW S1000 RR at the Isle of Man and throughout the 2014 road racing season.

This video is onboard with Dunlop at last year's TT. Despite riding 'just' a 600cc Honda Supersport bike, it looks pretty damn quick to us. Those moments when the revs flare over bumps in the road are terrifying, the commitment unflinching and the speed unbelievable. You may also find your head leaning into the bends with bike completely involuntarily...

Watching a bike being ridden with such precision and speed is absorbing, to the extent that you can find the video several minutes through believing it had only just started. Ballsy is probably the word. Bring on TT 2014.

See the video here.

[s3fella]

And that's on a 600!



I enjoy bikes, in fact they're a big part of my life since I was 3, but that makes me feel like a useless wker on a bike!

Amazing commitment. It's just flat out everywhere!

[lockup]

He'd be faster in a car.

[7DWM]

lockup said:

He'd be faster in a car.

Lets not get into that one!!!

[GTIR]

Proper skillz those TT'ers.

Dunlop is from proper racing stock and I hope there are more to come up through the ranks. I also hope he stays safe, not likley though.

Also impressive is watching that "Old fat bd" McGuiness ride equally as fast and skilfully.

[Hammerhead]

And then repeat a further 5 laps..

[rohrl]

I’m still not quite sure about Michael Dunlop. No doubt he’s a very fast rider but is he pushing too much for the roads? I know that a lot of the other riders have had some misgivings about his riding over the past few years, saying that he takes too many chances which would be okay on a racing circuit but just aren’t appropriate for road racing. John McGuiness always says that he doesn’t and wouldn’t ride the TT course 100% flat out because he wants to retire and no-one knows more about riding the TT than John.

[Steff]

Can't wait - heading over to watch the TT for the first time this year!

[CocoUK]

From Ramsey Hairpin (~11mins) to Creg-ny-baa (~16mins) - the Mountain Road is very, very special.

[sisu]

On a similar illustration of large genitalia. I have to say that I am not really a big fan of Trophy Trucks. But this was one of the a similar impressive piece of driving.
Starting at dawn so you have the sun in your eyes as the race goes on. They turn off the main lights, cause that's for whimps and tack into the corners.
They then come across what I thought was dust, but it is mist.
They are driving in the open desert with random people scattered amongst shrubs which could be trees, but it is so hard to tell. Let me put it this way there are quiet a few 'Jesus take the wheel' moments in this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAJV9Q8EdxU

[dibblecorse]

Balls of steel, and the bravery of a warrior, so far removed from the comfort of closed circuit racing, I love bike racing in all its forms but the road racers are a very very special breed ......

[mikeinsheffield]

Watching that (I think I forgot to breathe for most of it) makes you recalibrate everything that you thought was "fast" on a public road (even if closed public road)....
Cahoonah's the size of watermelons.

I've never been to the TT (been riding bikes for over 20 years now) but that's inspired me to make it happen!

[bimbeano]

I can do that .... in my dreams :-) ... or maybe on my Playstation ...

[monthefish]

mikeinsheffield said:

Watching that (I think I forgot to breathe for most of it) makes you recalibrate everything that you thought was "fast" on a public road (even if closed public road)....
Cahoonah's the size of watermelons.

I've never been to the TT (been riding bikes for over 20 years now) but that's inspired me to make it happen!

I've ridden bikes 'quickly' on the road and track, but that is on a completely different level.

"It ain't the same ballpark, it ain't the same league, hell it ain't even the same fn sport"

[Chewykneeslider]

Have to take issue with the assertion that BMW have only one TT win, because the late David Morris won one on a Super Single F650 based bike in '96 (I think).

But with Michael Dunlop, the S1000 could be the bike for the job.

Big power has always paid dividends on the island, lets just hope the tyres hold up long enough.

[Quhet]

The speed he goes down Bray hill is unbelievable

[RemyMartin]

Its a shame he is a bit of a wker. Fast rider though. I preferred him when he was fat, modest and did his blipping throttle starts.

[P4ROT]

GTIR said:

Proper skillz those TT'ers.

Dunlop is from proper racing stock and I hope there are more to come up through the ranks. I also hope he stays safe, not likley though.

Also impressive is watching that "Old fat bd" McGuiness ride equally as fast and skilfully.

lol so true- this documentary made me laugh where he has to do a Le Mans start (see 9:25 onwards):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3V_AZoqKcE

[Debaser]

Great stuff!

[mantadaft100]

There is no one as committed as Micky D. Total respect for all road riders. They do it for the love ,which is rare in sport nowadays. Compare a footballer to any of these guys, road racing at 190 mile an hour a lot of the time for £4000 first prize, with a huge price for failure.
He is a tough man who means the business when he has his race face on. I am curious as to why he is being seen as a w.....r. pic from U.G.P 2012

[P4ROT]

mantadaft100 said:

There is no one as committed as Micky D. Total respect for all road riders. They do it for the love ,which is rare in sport nowadays. Compare a footballer to any of these guys, road racing at 190 mile an hour a lot of the time for £4000 first prize, with a huge price for failure.
He is a tough man who means the business when he has his race face on. I am curious as to why he is being seen as a w.....r. pic from U.G.P 2012

Yes, somehow I can't imagine a footballer's reaction to coming off and getting some roadrash - it's bad enough when they trip over/throw themselves on the floor...