Roads: Guy Martin: "I didn't want to grow old regretting it"

Guy Martin has said he didn’t want to grow old regretting not accepting Neil Tuxworth’s offer to join John McGuinness in the factory Honda line-up on the roads in 2017. 

The Lincolnshire ace signed a shock deal that will see him return to the iconic Isle of Man TT just a year after opting to take some time away from the sport to participate in the grueling 2745-mile tour divide mountain bike race.

Explaining why he signed the deal, Martin told MCN: ‘It’s Honda; that’s the main reason I’m doing it. It’s a Honda, it’s Louth and Neil [Tuxworth] is keen. I don’t know if that’s the wrong reason or the right reason, but I don’t want to grow old regretting it, so I’m doing it! The more time passes since making the decision, the more I think I’ve made the right decision.”

READ MORE ON GUY’S SHOCK TT RETURN

• Roads: Guy Martin returns to TT return with Honda Racing
• Video: Guy on why he’s coming back to the TT
• Roads: McGuinness: ‘New Blade will close gap to Hutchy and Dunlop’
• In this week’s issue: Guy signs for Honda

The agreement will see Martin ride Honda’s all new Fireblade SP2 alongside John McGuinness at the North West 200 and Isle of Man TT, as well as a number of other national and international road races.

The prospect of riding a new, unproven motorcycle isn’t something that concerns the 132mph man, he said: “It looks like a great bike, a new bike but it’s still the same frame and crank cases as before. It’s been tricked up a bit but it’s still the same bike. The team have 60 odd TT wins; Honda don’t make bad motorbikes do they?”

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