IT’S A CLASSIC!
The Isle of Man TT has been run and won this year, but there’s another event rapidly capturing the imagination of riders worldwide: the Isle of Man Festival of Motorcycling, which includes the Manx GP and the Classic TT. The program is packed but it’s a more relaxed way to enjoy everything the Isle of Man (IoM) has to offer.
The Manx GP is the breeding ground for the IoM TT so you won’t know many of the riders. But all the stars come out to play for the Classic TT — the best road racers in the world riding the iconic bikes of the past. You can get up close and personal with them far more easily than is possible during the May/June TT week, and while the joint is still jumping, slightly fewer visitors mean it’s easier to eat, drink and sleep.
The Festival of Motorcycling (FoM) takes place from Saturday, August 18 to Friday, August 31. The first week is qualifying and the racing starts proper on Saturday, August 25. Here’s everything you need to know.
WHY?
The order in which the letters appear in the alphabet is just some fascist directive from the Ministry of Conformity so we’re going to start this guide with the letter W — which stands for “why?” Why should you go to the middle of the Irish Sea in late August for the Festival of Motorcycling? The answer is that it’s the emotional home of anyone who has ever ridden a motorcycle. Racing on the IoM is almost as old as motorcycling itself and the values it has demonstrated almost continuously for the past century are the values woven into the genetic framework of all riders.
You may be 14,000km from Australia when you’re there, but the IoM will feel strangely familiar. Muslims go to Mecca, Catholics go to Rome and bone-deep motorcyclists go to the Isle of Man.
Where does IoM racing sit in the world order? Touring car champion Mark Skaife visited for the first time a while ago to film a segment for his old TV show. “It
