Talking TT...

It was towards the back end of last year when Johnny came up with his cracking idea: to see how fast a supernaked could cut it around the TT. Of course, back then, with Covid still rife, there was little guarantee the TT would even go ahead. And then there was the question of finding a manufacturer with the right tool and enthusiasm for the test, before attention turned to sourcing tyres that’d do the job proud and, last but not least, the pretty significant hurdle of gaining permission from the event’s organisers to make the gig happen in the first place. I’m not saying inviting ourselves round to the Queen’s house for afternoon tea would have been easier, but it would’ve probably ranked on a par. It was a massively tall order, with the only assured factor being that if it were to happen, seven-times TT winner Michael Rutter would be up for the craic… and what a cracking job he did. Both he and Johnny, who steered the gig all the way and literally made it happen, navigated more plot twists than you’d find in a game of Cluedo. If you’re wondering why he’s now got a few less hairs than he had at the start of June, that question will be answered in just a few pages’ time, along with how KTM’s 1290 Super Duke R Evo cut it around the world’s most gruelling assault course. But let me say, it was an epic undertaking and an exclusive like no other, categorically defining just how closely a modern day, super-trick naked compares with the likes of a fully fledged sportsbike. You might be surprised by the findings, and I guess to an extent we were too. What I wasn’t surprised about was the sheer brilliance of being back at the TT. I was lucky enough to get out there myself and spend some time with 100-times TT racer John McGuinness, who, like Rutter, showed that age is no handicap as he powered to a memorable fifth place in the opening Superbike race. That guy is something else, both on and off the track, and you could say the same for everyone that takes on the TT, whether they finish first or last. In all the years I’ve been going, I’ve seen the highs and the many tragic lows, but what’s also been consistent during that time is the draw to the Island from racers and fans alike, to partake in what is arguably the most exciting spectacle known to two wheels.

Enjoy the mag