Ducati1199

Took my track bike in this am for some dyno work to sort out the fueling with the Power Commander V I installed a while back. Anyway it got me in the mood to get my monthly fix of the "Road Warriors". This is a short video clip of road racing in the UK. This is not track racing but racing on closed roads and includes such races as the Isle of Man TT, Ulster GP, North West 200, etc. Apologies this isn't a GT3 thread or even about cars but you might want to marvel at the skill, bravery, ***** and maybe pure stupidity of these real men!!! My favorite quote is right at the beginning - "the conditions are very iffy but they're going anyway"!!!!!!
The second video is about the IoM TT itself.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU-ynRoqDEs

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7o7yM81IlrE

Drifting

Thanks mate,

Incredible video, and something I will show my girlfriend as proof of how safe I'm being by only tracking a GT3, not racing motorcycles on tight, twisty, wet, English roads around occasional rock walks.

Those guys are nuts!, but they definitely have cahones.

Rovman

Yep, lots of testicular fortitude right there. Years ago when I lived in Scotland, I was lucky enough to ride my motorcycle to the IOM (by ferry of course) and went to the event. Amazing place. On mad Sunday the course is open to the general public. I was able to run the course with a past IOM participant (guy I used to ride with in Scotland). Following my friend around was an amazing experience that I will never forget. These guys who run the IOM are some amazing riders but truly you have to be a bit nuts as well.

916Bob

You just had to remind me how much I miss my bikes... The GT-3 helps but it just isn't the same.

kosmo

These guys are from a completely different universe.

Im just a little child playing w my toys in the sand box.

Drifting

I have admiration, but those guys don't understand the risks.

I raced motorcycles in high school and college.
Later in medical school, I spent several months working in the ER and on the inpatient Trauma service. I remember how callous I thought the ER nurses to be the first week, when they referred to motorcycles as "donor cycles" for transplant organs.

After a couple months in which I saw two brain dead transplant organ donors, a traumatic brain injury causing permanent 3rd grade mentality, and an incredibly cool guy who became a paraplegic, all from motorcycle accidents, I sold my motorcycle and I haven't rode one since.

Tracking a car isn't risk-free. However, steel frames, roll bars, crumple zones, seat belts, and air bags protect us so much better than when our frail human bodies are just flung into the air at 75 mph into various immovable objects.

Ducati1199

You're right that riding bikes is inherently more dangerous than cars. I have friends who've heard of someone's near death experience and just sold their bikes on the spot. I wish they hadn't but I respect their decision.
I personally will never ride unless I'm in FULL gear all the time (ATGATT). It's also one of the reasons why I started tracking my bikes several years ago as the track is the safest place to ride - everybody going in the same direction, no trees or lamp poles to hit and full medical staff right there. Of course people can still get hurt there too.
I also think that once you've ridden a bike on our roads it makes you far more aware of generally how bad car drivers are!!!
And I don't have any of the attributes required to do what these guys do in the videos!!

Red GTS

Man that is some awsome video's makes one want to go to the track
problem is my skill set is not what it used to be Ha ha