PRIVATE,i

“THE ONLY PROBLEM WAS MY KAWASAKI ZX-10R WAS ALREADY VERY ‘USED’”

My first experience at the Isle of Man TT was as a spectator and, I suppose, it was similar to that of most – frequented by sharp intakes of breath, elongated swearwords and disbelief. It was incredible, and I knew the second I saw the first bike fly past that I needed to have a go. So I did. Okay, it was five years later but that’s because in the early 2 010s I was writing more bikes off than C arole Nash in the British Superstock C hampionship (which was taking its toll on my body and my wallet). C ome 2 016 , I’d learnt to stop crashing (you just go a bit slower) so I entered the TT. I had to prove to the organisers that I was committed to getting myself fully prepared by completing in at least six race days during the period leading up to the TT, as well as spending half a doz en weekends over there going round and round and round in a hire car learning the course, all of which I did. And the hard work paid off. My first TT was an awesome experience, lapping at 12 3mph on a BMW S1000RR and winning the Vernon C ooper award for the Fastest Newcomer.

Fast forward to this year, and after having had my 2 017 TT rug pulled from under me at the eleventh hour, I decided not to rely on other people to bring me a bike across. I thought I’d bring my own. The only problem with that was my K awasaki Z X -10R was already very ‘used’, and there were more than a few of my close friends and acquaintances who’d suggested that the old ‘Ten’ was far too old and worn out to tackle the TT course on, most vocal of whom was my chief mechanic, G eorge