Have you been, or ever wanted to experience the Isle of Man TT?
Let's follow the adventures of DOCNZ 2020 Good Bugger, Perry, and his mates Kevin, and Mark... here's the inside scoop from three IoM rookies.
✍️📸 Perry Dunfoy
I’ve been asked to put pen to paper to annoy you about the epic adventure that was Kevin, Mark, and my journey to the Isle of Man in 2023.
The story takes us back to 2019 when 10 of us kicked the planning off. But our enthusiasm sort of took a vacation for a couple of years for some reason.
Fast forward to 2023, and we're back in action, albeit with a smaller crew of 4. Then, wouldn't you know it, the tour leader pulled out due to some personal stuff, leaving us 3 brave souls to conquer the Isle of Man as total rookies!
Steam-Packet tickets in hand, as we were advised that if you don’t have ferry tickets booked it’s nigh on impossible to get on the ferry to the IOM, we tackled the whole accommodation, bikes, and airfare puzzle. And that's when the excitement really started to build up.
Departure idiocy begins. If you can, go for the premium economy – people like me really need that extra leg room! AK to UK through the US – that US leg, a bit of a pain with all the luggage shuffle and a couple of rounds at customs, and then the hunt for the next flight. Touchdown at Heathrow, found our way to the bus depot, hopped on a local bus to Woking, and finally flagged down a cab to head up to the office of Road Trip UK. There we met Iain and Keith, the masterminds behind our biking experience. BMW F750 (with a lower seat for me, bless them), BMW F900 for Mark, and a Multistrada for Kevin – Our power trio.
After an overnight pit stop in Woking, we hit the open road to Heysham, a solid 6-hour stretch. Big shout-out to Stuart and Murray for their quick-reference road maps, and to Mark for getting the NAV kit for the bike.
Next up, Heysham to Douglas via ferry. That ferry was carrying a boatload of bikes! – a sight to behold!
Once we docked, it was time to navigate our way to Castletown, our home for the next two weeks.
Once there we found we were right next door to another racetrack, the Southern 100, held just three weeks after the legendary TT (Cowasaki).
Now, the real adventure kicked in. With so many The Isle of Man viewing spots for the races, picking just one to start was a nightmare. Our debut viewing location was Crosby, a straight stretch where the speed reigned. The next day, it was Ramsey's turn and the thrill of the approach to Parliament Square, watching them slam on the brakes for that sharp corner right angle corner – the adrenaline!
An early start the next day, to Douglas, where we mixed a bit of shopping and sightseeing with the buzz of the pits before the racing. Braddon Bridge in town made for good viewing, we sat in the stands right by a charming church!
Next day we toured to Joey's, which is on top of the mountain only to be met with low clouds, damn. So back to the fan zone and caught the action at Crosby instead. The next day, what a change a day makes. Joey's was pure gold for race viewing.
For our next trick, we found ourselves at the famous Goose Neck, perched above Ramsey. It wasn't all racing and no play. We even dashed back into Douglas one evening for a tasty dinner and a cool display by the RAF RED ARROWS.
Lastly, we parked ourselves at the iconic Greg Ny Baa Pub, coughing up £30 for some primo seats. The perks? Food, toilets, and front-row views all the way from Kate's cottage to the heart of Douglas.
We spent whole days at each of these spots, while many others hopped around throughout the day. Trust me, there was no shortage of epic viewpoints around this island, and you'd probably need a fair few years to cover them all. We rode the circuit every single day, and we saw some die-hard fans claiming their prime viewing spots as early as 7 in the morning.
So, would I do it all over again? Absolutely, no question about it! The Isle of Man is a rider's dream, packed with sights, sounds, and experiences that'll keep you coming back for more!
