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Calibre of racer has never been higher.....

Really? Does he really think that?

The DED are starting to believe thir own ********

to be fair he's probably not far off, there hasnt been many years when there has been as many potential winners in all of the classes has there? And most of the classes have good quality riders right down the field.....only an opinion

I think Paul has it spot on if you take the time to listen to his clip, talking about the spread of speed a cross the field and the winning margins

For some no one will ever replace Mike the bike DJ or Joey, and neither should they it's such an emotional thing the TT, however for a lot of people the competition is close I see anyone in the top 10 winning this year all outside factors considered

Roll on TT2015 cannot wait 😃

What Mr Phillips has possibly forgotten is that going back ten years or more it was still permissable to for a rider to nurse a sick bike home on the last lap.  Many of us will have heard the commentators referring to someone 'touring'. 

This practice is no longer allowed as far as I know and in my opinion has a great deal to do with any possible reduction in the time difference between the first and last finishers.

I'm not so sure that the time differential has actually decreased anyway.  The gap between first and last finisher in last year's superbike race was nearly 20 minutes.  A time difference that had previously been crticised by the gentleman in question if memory serves.  It was about 18 mins the year before.

Is it just me but if the current regime had been in charge say in the 10 years prior to 2005 do you think they'd be saying exactly the same thing as they are now?

Sticky . I do not know if I understood what you mean about the finishing gap, the last person off left about 12.5 minutes after the first so if he stays last over a six lap he was only losing about 1 minute a lap ?

it's the differential between the first finisher's time (e.g. 1hr 45mins) and the last finisher's time (e.g. 2hrs 5mins)  - not the difference in starting times. 

It depends on how long your recent memory is.
For the DED its about 9 years.

I think that what they are worried about is that with the speed differential of 20 mins means that the front runners are running amongst back markers for a full lap and more in a 6 lapper and that is not a good thing at today's speeds , I know I am again in a minority in thinking that the speed differential has big safety concerns but I do firmly believe we must keep that as small as we can, and the only way that can be done is to make the qualifying time higher and cut the number of competitors allowed to start, neither of which would be popular with riders outside the top 40, but if riding a TT was easy it would not be worth doing and we would all want a go

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(09-03-2015, 04:06 PM)cookie77 Wrote: to be fair he's probably not far off, there hasnt been many years when there has been as many potential winners in all of the classes has there? And most of the classes have good quality riders right down the field.....only an opinion

I was specifically referring to the 'calibre of rider quote'. I know that GP status was lost in 75 and there had been a reduction in the numbers of really top riders through the 70's but prior to that the riders competing were the best in the world.

With the utmost respect to McPint, MD et al, none of them would be anywhere near the front at a GP, or even a BSB round.

^^^^ how many GP or BSB runners would be at the front at the TT

Case in point Josh Brooks, wins BSB races will we ever know if he will win a TT

Regardless of the above our boys are the best at what they do by a mile 👍

Well i'm far from PP's biggest fan, and what small amount of respect I held for his gang evaporated when they tried to Hijack the MGP, but that's another story.

The TT has definitely been given a new lease of life in recent years though, if I look back to the mid 1990's it was becoming a sad shadow of what it had been 20 years earlier.

I was staggered for example that on Senior race day all the awnings would be down, the trucks would be turned to face the paddock exit, and the teams operated out of the back doors before rushing off to the boat as soon as their rider was back, it was a case of last man home in the senior close the park gates please, I found the whole thing to be quite an anti climax when I came over from the MGP to the TT in 1995.

What was needed however wasn't rocket science, and before I pump their already over inflated ego's up any further, it just needed a couple of people who knew what they were doing to get a hold of things, it didn't need those characters who now swagger around bathing in their own perceived self importance, claiming the glory for what effectively has actually been done by the television and lots of hard working background volunteers.

From what I saw in 1995, yes the TT needed a makeover, it needed to get more professional, it needed a tidier paddock set up, someone to make a modern day film, and most importantly a television station involved to take the event out the same day or shortly after, all of which it now has, along with the added bonus of characters like Guy Martin coming along.

So overall I think its now in good health, but if you took a step back and looked at it 20 years ago, the things required to move it forwards weren't hard to figure out.

I agree its better now than a few years ago.. the arm wrestlers our side bushys, those self propelled trams ( excellent engineering just not TT.. and as already mentioned the big screen being removed on Thursday and the rush to get off the island.. I would like to see more development around the pits ... and maybe some grandstand seating that is FREE.. as my island visit with hotel is not cheap ( dont tell the misses) ... love the racing would come if there were no big names...

Sorry but I can't see how today's riders, good though they are, can be of the same calibre of those in the World Championship days.  Those guys rode on all sorts of different circuits, by no means all short circuits, and still came out on top.  Add to that they could be riding a complete variety of bikes all in the one day, unlike now when they are all very much the same.  
Today's TT riders are roads specialists and unfortunately are rarely in the top half of the field anywhere else.

(10-03-2015, 04:13 PM)roger9650 Wrote: Sorry but I can't see how today's riders, good though they are, can be of the same calibre of those in the World Championship days.  Those guys rode on all sorts of different circuits, by no means all short circuits, and still came out on top.  Add to that they could be riding a complete variety of bikes all in the one day, unlike now when they are all very much the same.  
Today's TT riders are roads specialists and unfortunately are rarely in the top half of the field anywhere else.

Sorry Roger but we're talking TT riders. Nothing else. 

Eddy,

"I know I am again in a minority in thinking that the speed differential has big safety concerns but I do firmly believe we must keep that as small as we can, and the only way that can be done is to make the qualifying time higher and cut the number of competitors allowed to start, neither of which would be popular with riders outside the top 40, but if riding a TT was easy it would not be worth doing and we would all want a go "

The fields have dwindled down to nothing now !
Sidecars numbering up to the high 80,s/ 90,s,
Production bike field, numbered into the 124,s !
What number did Klaus Klein run in his first TT ? ???

A Certain works Rider suggested that the field be limited to 40 odd, years ago,
It never happened then,
But the way its going, He might get his wish very soon !
And who will pay stupid money to watch that ?

BengiesDad you say

A Certain works Rider suggested that the field be limited to 40 odd, years ago,
It never happened then,
But the way its going, He might get his wish very soon !
And who will pay stupid money to watch that ?

I was and am not suggesting going to that sort of extreme , but what he was concerned about was the speed differential experienced in the last two laps , he was of the opinion that it was too dangerous having people touring ( now not allowed any more ) and slow riders holding front men up , and as you know if you get held up at one point it can influence the next few miles and ultimately the outcome of a race ,

I may not express what I mean vary well , but my take on it is that to minimise that problem it is a simple mathematical calculation you have to have an amount of time from first man setting off to last man setting off based on the time laps from last man and the capability of the last men to leave , the slower your last man away is compared to first man requires a wider gap , the other consideration is the duration of the race you could have maintain the numbers and the slowness of the last riders by shortening the race , all of which can be worked out mathematically , it all boils down to the organisers desire to run it with what they think is acceptable risks , some thing I often disagree with them over , but that's just me being me

(11-03-2015, 10:31 AM)Steady the Edward Wrote: what he was concerned about was the speed differential experienced in the last two laps , he was of the opinion that it was too dangerous having people touring ( now not allowed any more ) and slow riders holding front men up , and as you know if you get held up at one point it can influence the next few miles and ultimately the outcome of a race

Just playing devil's advocate though Eddy, many riders have said that it's much easier (and therefore safer) to pass the slower riders at the back of the field than those at the front who are travelling at similar speeds when they get caught. If this is the majority or universal opinion then the only way to stop it happening is increase the gaps between competitors and therefore reduce the field considerably. Top 20 only with a minute between start times anyone?

What`s wrong with going back to starting in pairs?  OK you may say for safety reasons but as the race progresses you will often see 2,3,4 or more riders on the road together.
What does Splashdown think?

I know Stats can be juggled to suit whatever result, the person,s compiling them wants,,,
But it would be interesting to find out if when the top guys were lapping slower guys,
How many incidents took place doing so !
Its not as if we don't see back markers at a short circuit these days is it ?
Do they spoil the race, not always,
As Hammer head said its easier to pass them than somebody on a level playing field !

Just my thoughts,,,