Description
Author: David Wright, ISBN:97818479 75522, 288 pages, Hardcover, Published in 2013
Run over the everyday roads of the Isle of Man for over 100 years, the world-famous Tourist Trophy races have gripped the imaginations of successive generations of motorcyclists. From the earliest days of single-speed, belt-driven machines delivering 5bhp, to the highly developed projectiles of today offering a fearsome 200bhp, race fans have thronged the roadside banks and watched in awe as the best racing motorcyclists in the world rode the fastest machines of their day around the twists, turns and climbs of the 373/4 mile Mountain Course, all in pursuit of the coveted Tourist Trophy.
Written in an easy style and illustrated with over 250 pictures, this book reveals the event's colourful history through the high-speed activities of great riders such as the Collier brothers, Stanley Woods, Geoff Duke, Mike Hailwood, Giacomo Agostini, Mick Grant, Steve Hislop, Joey Dunlop, David Jefferies, Dave Molyneux, John McGuinness and many others. It also looks at the machines, mechanical developments and race organization, plus the financial rewards and commercial interests, setting them all in the context of the triumphs and tragedies of a great sporting event that has seen average lap speeds rise from 40mph to over 130mph.
The century of racing captured within these pages is from a very special event, for the IT really is unique. There is no other meeting that offers the combination of a week of practice sessions, riders starting at 10-second intervals, racing through towns and villages, a mountain climb, hump-back bridges, first-gear corners, pit-stops, tyre changes, plus ultra-close viewing of the race action. Whilst the TT meeting of today has expanded to provide a multitude of events within what is called a 'Festival' of biking, its core activity remains the gathering of riders with the courage to pursue the purest form of motorcycle racing — that which takes place over the unforgiving roads of the Snaefell Mountain Course.
About the Author:
interest in the TT goes back over fifty years to the era when the Italian machines of Gilera and MV Agusta dominated the races in the hands of riders like Geoff Duke, John Surtees and Carlo Ubbiali.
A constant follower of Island racing ever since, he greatly admires the performances of today's TT-winning machines from Japan and the riders who have the courage and talent to race over the famous Mountain Course. David is the author of several books including Vincent — The Complete Story and TT Mixture.
