I would find it hard to believe that anyone who had even an ounce of interest in motorbikes would fail to be completely awed by the Isle of Man TT races. No matter how accomplished a rider there is simply no easy way to grasp exactly how the likes of John McGuinness, Guy Martin and Ian Hutchinson do what they do without wrapping themselves round a lamp post every time they get on a bike.
How anyone could be ignorant of the challenge thrown down by the TT course is beyond me, but for those whose education is incomplete, let me attempt to enlighten you; 37 miles of country roads, over 200 bends, rising from sea level to 1,300 feet, passing through villages and towns; the course lined with houses, stone walls, fences, hedgerows, lamp posts, sign posts, garden gates, tree trunks, blind brows, hairpin bends, flat out straights, up hill and down dale, all at an average speed in excess of 130 miles an hour (200kmh+).
Words simply cannot describe it, which is why you should all go out and buy or rent this DVD. Following the 2010 TT races, the film concentrates on Guy Martin, the straight talking, no-nonsense, completely entertaining rider out to claim his first TT win. Against him is the formidable John McGuinness, winner (at the time of filming) of 15 TT races and not a few other brilliant riders, some of whom have opened their account on the Island with a win or two.
It is a fascinating insight into the mind (or lack of!) of a TT racer and what he has to do to achieve the seemingly impossible. Death is never far away at the TT, but the film does not dwell unduly on this aspect whilst acknowledging that no account of the TT would be complete without reference to it.
Rather, the film revels in the glory of free choice that makes such an amazing race possible. Every year there is talk of banning the races due to the death toll, but thankfully, wiser heads prevail and the TT goes from strength to strength as the last bastion of the great, uninhibited road races that are the stuff of legend in motorsport.
This documentary is sufficient evidence to show that, whatever else the bureaucrats do in our ‘interest’ for the sake of safety, they must never be allowed to stop something whilst there are racers who are willing to risk all just to see their name on a trophy alongside the greats.
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