TT & road races

Column: Can Michael Dunlop make the new R1 a TT winner?

Column: Can Michael Dunlop make the new R1 a TT winner?

I was reminded of a famous tale told about Joey Dunlop last week. I was in Spain to watch Joey’s nephew, Michael, have his first ride on the new Milwaukee YZF R1 Yamaha at Alcarras that he hopes will...

Gary Johnson saves Supersport TT campaign with Martrain Yamaha

Gary Johnson saves Supersport TT campaign with Martrain Yamaha

Just weeks after failing to agree terms with Smiths Triumph – despite the combination racing to victory at last year’s Isle of Man TT – Gary Johnson has saved his 2015 supersport plans with an...

MCN Exclusive: Michael Dunlop makes Milwaukee Yamaha debut

MCN Exclusive: Michael Dunlop makes Milwaukee Yamaha debut

Michael Dunlop, Milwaukee Yamaha’s new road race signing for 2015, has had his first outing on the R1 Yamaha he will race at the North West 200 and TT in Spain. The 11 times TT winner wasn’t scheduled...

TT World Series attracts commercial interest

TT World Series attracts commercial interest

The plans for an Isle of Man TT World Series have taken another step forwards with the confirmation by the Manx government that thirteen bids have been received for the tender to privatise the new...

TT Privateer Champion Lintin enjoys positive Spanish test

TT Privateer Champion Lintin enjoys positive Spanish test

2014 Isle of Man TT Privateers’ Champion Ivan Lintin has enjoyed a positive first run out on his RC Express Racing Kawasakis, taking to Spain’s Cartagena circuit last week in preparation for the...

Meet the stars of the North West 200

Meet the stars of the North West 200

A host of North West 200 stars will be in attendance at the race’s official launch later this month in Belfast’s exclusive Titanic Building. The event will run on the 24th March, with an evening of...

Guy Martin: ‘The BMW goes like you know what off a shovel!’

Guy Martin: ‘The BMW goes like you know what off a shovel!’

Guy Martin has been left blown away with his new Tyco BMW S1000RR, after getting his first test on the machine at Spain’s Almeria circuit yesterday. Riding alongside road racing teammate William...

Column: Privatising the TT

Column: Privatising the TT

When an email dropped into my Inbox last November from the Manx Department of Economic Development inviting ‘expressions of interest’ from anyone “suitably qualified” to provide a service at the Isle...

Amor delighted with on track return

Amor delighted with on track return

RigDeluge Racing rider Keith Amor has been left delighted with his first time on track since August, after the Scottish racer made his 2015 debut at the opening day of the Cartagena Pro...

2015 TT start numbers released

2015 TT start numbers released

The numbers at which the top twenty riders at this year’s Isle of Man TT go off the line have been released, with twenty one time TT winner John McGuinness once again taking over the number one plate...

Rutter and Lougher team up for Paton TT Lightweight

Rutter and Lougher team up for Paton TT Lightweight

TT veterans Michael Rutter and Ian Lougher have teamed up for at attempt at lifting the Lightweight TT crown on Italian café-racer styled Paton machinery. Rutter will ride for Lougher’s team, who...

Smiths Triumph hit back at Gary Johnson after Guy Martin deal

Smiths Triumph hit back at Gary Johnson after Guy Martin deal

Smiths Triumph team boss Rebecca Smith has hit back at the team’s 2014 Isle of Man TT winner Gary Johnson, as a war of words erupts around the team’s decision to recruit Guy Martin in place of his...

Guy Martin: His best chance yet?

Guy Martin: His best chance yet?

I began last week reading the headlines that Guy Martin could retire from racing at the end of the 2015 season. This column reflected on Guy’s impact on road racing and how things would be without him...

William Dunlop reunites with CD Racing for Yamaha supersport campaign

William Dunlop reunites with CD Racing for Yamaha supersport campaign

William Dunlop will reunite with CD Racing, the team he first tasted four stroke victory with back in 2009, for the 2015 road racing season. The Yamaha-powered deal comes after his Tyco BMW squad’s...

Armoy Road Races announce new title sponsor

Armoy Road Races announce new title sponsor

The Armoy Road Races have announced that Hull-based production and package management company SGS International will become title sponsors for 2015. The announcement comes as the national race looks...

Martin insists focus remains on winning TT

Martin insists focus remains on winning TT

Tyco BMW rider Guy Martin has reiterated that his focus for this year remains on taking his first win at the TT, further dismissing rumours that he is set to retire at the end of the 2015...

Martin to race Smiths Triumph at TT

Martin to race Smiths Triumph at TT

Guy Martin has signed a deal to race a Triumph Daytona 675 for the double British Championship winning team, Smiths Racing at the Isle of Man TT. The Gloucester based team sensationally won on their...

Column: Long way from Nutt's Corner for Guy Martin

Column: Long way from Nutt's Corner for Guy Martin

Like all bike fans I was stunned and saddened to read last week that Guy Martin was considering cutting back on his racing at the end of this season. I first met Guy when he came to race in Ireland in...

Black Eagle Racing MV Agusta recruits Harrison and Johnston for Classic TT

Black Eagle Racing MV Agusta recruits Harrison and Johnston for Classic TT

Rising TT stars Dean Harrison and Lee Johnston will team up for this year’s Classic TT, with the twenty five year olds aboard a brace of ultra-exotic MV Agusta machines run by the Black Eagle Racing...

Johnston and Farquhar team up for Lightweight TT

Johnston and Farquhar team up for Lightweight TT

TT rising star Lee Johnston will team up with fellow Northern Irishman Ryan Farquhar for the lightweight class at the 2015 Isle of Man TT. 26 year old Johnston will join Farquhar’s KMR Kawasaki team...

Hickman return to TT with Briggs Equipment BMW

Hickman return to TT with Briggs Equipment BMW

Peter Hickman will return to the Isle of Man TT in 2015, as the Lincolnshire rider aims to better his incredible 129mph newcomers lap from last year. He’ll ride for the Lee Hardy Racing BMW team that...

Keith Amor set for full roads campaign

Keith Amor set for full roads campaign

Former Honda TT Legends rider Keith Amor will make a full return to the road racing paddock in 2015, expanding his bikes to include a 1000cc machine for the first time since his retirement after...

Dave Johnson to make Classic TT debut

Dave Johnson to make Classic TT debut

Australian Dave Johnson will make his Classic TT debut in 2015, with the TT frontrunner signing up to ride a Suzuki GSX-R1100 in the Formula One class for Yorkshire based Team York Suzuki/Big Dog...

Dunlop name reunites with Norton for Classic TT

Dunlop name reunites with Norton for Classic TT

The historic partnership of Norton and Dunlop will reunite for the 2015 Classic TT, with William Dunlop signing to ride a rotary Norton machine for the National Motorcycle Museum at the event. The...

Column: British championship or roads - a racer's dilemma

Column: British championship or roads - a racer's dilemma

As former Irish superbike champion Nico Mawhinney finalised his 2015 racing plans he was presented with two very different offers. “I was approached by a team boss and offered a deal to race in the...

Guy Martin clarifies statement on retirement

Guy Martin clarifies statement on retirement

Guy Martin has gone on the record to clarify the comments he made in an interview with the Times this week, which was widely interpreted as saying that the Tyco BMW rider was dramatically set to walk...

Cameron Donald joins Valvoline Padgetts Honda for Supersport TT effort

Cameron Donald joins Valvoline Padgetts Honda for Supersport TT effort

Double TT winner Cameron Donald is to be reunited with formerteammate Bruce Anstey after joining the Valvoline Padgetts Honda team for TT 2015. The 37 year old Melbourne racer will race the CBR600RR...

Mick Grant to ride NW200 parade

Mick Grant to ride NW200 parade

2015 will see Mick Grant and his record breaking 1975 750cc Kawasaki back at the 2015 North West 200 race week. It is 40 years since Grant set a new lap record of 122.62mph for the sea side circuit,...

Kneen in search of machinery after Millsport Suzuki plans fall through

Kneen in search of machinery after Millsport Suzuki plans fall through

Manxman Dan Kneen’s 2015 road racing plans are in ruins after the Ballymoney based Millsport Suzuki squad pulled the plug on their race plans last week. The Ulster and Irish champion, who dominated...

Johnston and East Coast Racing make BMW switch

Johnston and East Coast Racing make BMW switch

Northern Irishman lee Johnston is set to remain with his East Coast Racing team for the 2015 Isle of Man TT; but with a change in equipment, as the team makes the switch from Honda to BMW. Johnston...

Column: Is it harder to win a TT than it was twenty years ago?

Column: Is it harder to win a TT than it was twenty years ago?

There is nothing that provokes fiercer debate than trying to make comparisons between different eras of Isle of Man TT racing. Even the most mealy-mouthed opinion is enough to spark a row amongst...

Hegarty teams up with Downshift Motorsport for roads and stocks

Hegarty teams up with Downshift Motorsport for roads and stocks

Former Norton TT rider Dan Hegarty has teamed up with Downshift Motorsport for a joint campaign on the road racing season as well as the National Superstock 1000 series. He’ll also be joined on the...

Team Padgetts set to line up at Carole Nash MCN London Motorcycle Show

Team Padgetts set to line up at Carole Nash MCN London Motorcycle Show

Legendary team boss Clive Padgett is set to bring an incredible line-up of machinery to the Carole Nash MCN London Motorcycle Show, including some of the fastest bikes ever to lap the Isle of Man TT...

Bridgestone to partner Oliver’s Mount racing

Bridgestone to partner Oliver’s Mount racing

Tyre manufacturer Bridgestone is set to become a key partner of Scarborough’s Oliver’s Mount circuit for 2015. A newly signed deal will see their presence at England’s only road race expand...

Maria Costello signs for Ice Valley Racing BMW

Maria Costello signs for Ice Valley Racing BMW

Maria Costello has signed for Ice Valley Racing BMW, the team that took Peter Hickman to his fastest ever TT newcomer award, as the Northamptonshire racer targets her ‘best ever’ season on the roads...

Gareth Keys to make TT debut

Gareth Keys to make TT debut

Northern Irishman Gareth Keys has been announced as the latest in a list of talented newcomers planning their 2015 Isle of Man TT debuts. The 24 year old is set to race in both Supersport and...