The Different Breed

If you want to be a world class racer in the world of motorsport, bravery is the essential pre-requisite. Now if you want to be in the top class of two-wheeled racing, that bravery has to be up a notch. Now if you want to be a racer at the Isle of Man TT, that bravery has to be in another league.

If you ask people about motorcycle racing stars, most people will say names like Valentino Rossi, Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo. Some people with a bigger memory might tell you of Mick Doohan and Kevin Schwantz. However, there are at least two names that deserve to be on that list, but unfortunately don't receive the same credit. These two names would be Joey Dunlop and his modern day successor John McGuiness.

These two fellows might not have won Moto GP Grand Prix or Superbike titles, but they have mastered the toughest, most dangerous motorcycle road race in the world, the Isle of Man TT.  And they have not only won it once but multiple times.

I think it is safe to say that the riders at the TT are a different breed than those who ride at Moto GP. Don't get me wrong, they are all talented racers. But the TT requires the racers to be made of different stuff. If we say that racing in the Moto GP takes bravery, well then racers in the TT need nerves and cojones of steel. Ever felt you like you need proof of the bravery these racers have? Simply watch the video below.

 

This footage is from the 2010 TT race and features Superbike racer Connor Cummins, who was in contention for a strong finish in the race. Prior before his crash he had achieved a 131mph lap. But when you race at the Isle of Man the risk is high.

In the 106 year history of the TT, more than 230 people have lost their lives on the Mountain Circuit. That sheer level of risk and one of the toughest if not the toughest road races make it the ultimate challenge for any motorcycle racer.

Cummins' crash left him with a multiple broken left arm, two bone fractures in his back, a dislocated knee and damaged knee ligaments, bruised lungs and a hairline fracture of his pelvis. He came back the following year! Yes, he came back. 

Many people might wonder know why these racers and their families do this. I thought that what Mrs Dobbs, wife of Paul Dobbs who died in a crash at the 2010 TT, said about the TT in the Closer to the Edge documentary of 2011 sort of explains it. She said: 

"Anyone could lose their partner tomorrow. People step in front of a bus, people lose their life everyday in road accidents. You talk and joke about it all the time "I might not be here next week". It is what people say. But it is part of your conscious, even a sub-conscious part it really does make you love life. It makes you appreciate who you've got and what is special about them. The reason we go racing is the while you know have a good time, how can we get the most fun out of life. Still love the TT, still love the island. You can't change that. You can't love the death and you can't love the loss but you can't love the excitement and thrill without knowing its part of it. It wouldn't be so exciting if it didn't have the risk. That is why they want to do it. They do what they love and they are willing to risk their lives for the sport they love.

We live in a world where sport does all it can to make events safer for the competitors, the TT remains a throwback where the risks are all too real.

TT racers are modern-day daredevils, but let's not kid ourselves. They're not crazy. They're among the most precise, disciplined, focused racers on the planet.
And that's why they deserve to be lauded.