MISSION IMPROBABLE: BOOTHY TAKES ON THE CLASSIC TT

It seemed like a good idea when I was sat in the pub with five or so pints sloshing round my belly, to start throwing bids at two-wheeled rust buckets left, right and centre, and when I woke up in the morning and realised I’d bought myself a wretched example of a 1992 Kawasaki ZXR 750, I thought there was only one thing for it – The Classic Superbike TT! After a decent run at the (modern) Isle of Man TT earlier in the year, but not quite enough laps to satisfy my cravings due to the pants Manx weather, I thought the Classic would be a great way to get a few extra laps in, and to stand me in good stead for my assault on the TT next June.

What I didn’t realise was just how wretched the bike I had bought was going to be. When I went to pick it up, it wouldn’t start, it was absolutely filthy and smelt worse than a rat catcher’s dog. What had I bought? With only four weeks to go until the event (and one of those weeks was spent at the Ulster GP racing the modern race bike) we