2015

Year: 2015

Month: ALL

Anstey: ‘We’ll be close to sub-17 minute lap’

24 March 2015 by Simon Patterson

Isle of Man TT lap record holder Bruce Anstey says that he can foresee the lap record he holds – of 17:06.682 (an average of 132.298mph) – falling again this year at the TT if conditions are just...

TT World Series: The dangers ahead

21 March 2015 by Stephen Davison

This is a very busy fortnight in the road racing world with the launch of the TT last week and the North West 200’s 2015 send off scheduled for Tuesday. In other race series there is usually a season...

Rutter and Thompson reunited at Penz13.com BMW

20 March 2015 by Simon Patterson

2014 Bathams BMW riders Michael Rutter and Stephen Thompson will be reunited for the 2015 road racing season at former TT racer Rico Penzkofer’s Penz13.com BMW team. Bathams, a personal sponsor of...

Dan Kneen handed Padgetts lifeline

20 March 2015 by Simon Patterson

Manxman Dan Kneen has been handed a lifeline for his 2015 season after signing to ride for Padgetts Honda at the international road races. Kneen was originally scheduled to ride for Northern Irish...

Factory MV Agusta returns to TT with Hutchy

20 March 2015 by Simon Patterson

Iconic Italian manufacturer MV Agusta will return to the Isle of Man TT in 2015 with five-in-a-week TT winner Ian Hutchinson. Hutchionson will ride under the banner of British Supersport team...

Chris Walker to make TT circuit debut – on Kawasaki H2R!

17 March 2015 by Simon Patterson

The Kawasaki H2R will take to the Isle of Man TT course later this year for the very first time, with Kawasaki legend Chris Walker scheduled to ride a parade lap on the supercharged machine during the...

Watch the Isle of Man TT launch live at 7.30pm!

17 March 2015 by Simon Patterson

This year’s Isle of Man TT launch is scheduled to get underway at 7.30pm tonight, and will be live on YouTube for your viewing pleasure. The event, live from Douglas’ Villa Marina, will be hosted by...

Column: Can Michael Dunlop make the new R1 a TT winner?

14 March 2015 by Stephen Davison

I was reminded of a famous tale told about Joey Dunlop last week. I was in Spain to watch Joey’s nephew, Michael, have his first ride on the new Milwaukee YZF R1 Yamaha at Alcarras that he hopes will...

Gary Johnson saves Supersport TT campaign with Martrain Yamaha

13 March 2015 by Simon Patterson

Just weeks after failing to agree terms with Smiths Triumph – despite the combination racing to victory at last year’s Isle of Man TT – Gary Johnson has saved his 2015 supersport plans with an...

MCN Exclusive: Michael Dunlop makes Milwaukee Yamaha debut

11 March 2015 by Stephen Davison

Michael Dunlop, Milwaukee Yamaha’s new road race signing for 2015, has had his first outing on the R1 Yamaha he will race at the North West 200 and TT in Spain. The 11 times TT winner wasn’t scheduled...

TT World Series attracts commercial interest

11 March 2015 by Simon Patterson

The plans for an Isle of Man TT World Series have taken another step forwards with the confirmation by the Manx government that thirteen bids have been received for the tender to privatise the new...

TT Privateer Champion Lintin enjoys positive Spanish test

11 March 2015 by Simon Patterson

2014 Isle of Man TT Privateers’ Champion Ivan Lintin has enjoyed a positive first run out on his RC Express Racing Kawasakis, taking to Spain’s Cartagena circuit last week in preparation for the...

Meet the stars of the North West 200

10 March 2015 by Simon Patterson

A host of North West 200 stars will be in attendance at the race’s official launch later this month in Belfast’s exclusive Titanic Building. The event will run on the 24th March, with an evening of...

Guy Martin: ‘The BMW goes like you know what off a shovel!’

10 March 2015 by Simon Patterson

Guy Martin has been left blown away with his new Tyco BMW S1000RR, after getting his first test on the machine at Spain’s Almeria circuit yesterday. Riding alongside road racing teammate William...

Column: Privatising the TT

07 March 2015 by Stephen Davison

When an email dropped into my Inbox last November from the Manx Department of Economic Development inviting ‘expressions of interest’ from anyone “suitably qualified” to provide a service at the Isle...

Amor delighted with on track return

05 March 2015 by Simon Patterson

RigDeluge Racing rider Keith Amor has been left delighted with his first time on track since August, after the Scottish racer made his 2015 debut at the opening day of the Cartagena Pro...

2015 TT start numbers released

05 March 2015 by Simon Patterson

The numbers at which the top twenty riders at this year’s Isle of Man TT go off the line have been released, with twenty one time TT winner John McGuinness once again taking over the number one plate...

Rutter and Lougher team up for Paton TT Lightweight

02 March 2015 by Simon Patterson

TT veterans Michael Rutter and Ian Lougher have teamed up for at attempt at lifting the Lightweight TT crown on Italian café-racer styled Paton machinery. Rutter will ride for Lougher’s team, who...

Smiths Triumph hit back at Gary Johnson after Guy Martin deal

02 March 2015 by Simon Patterson

Smiths Triumph team boss Rebecca Smith has hit back at the team’s 2014 Isle of Man TT winner Gary Johnson, as a war of words erupts around the team’s decision to recruit Guy Martin in place of his...

Guy Martin: His best chance yet?

28 February 2015 by Stephen Davison

I began last week reading the headlines that Guy Martin could retire from racing at the end of the 2015 season. This column reflected on Guy’s impact on road racing and how things would be without him...

William Dunlop reunites with CD Racing for Yamaha supersport campaign

26 February 2015 by Simon Patterson

William Dunlop will reunite with CD Racing, the team he first tasted four stroke victory with back in 2009, for the 2015 road racing season. The Yamaha-powered deal comes after his Tyco BMW squad’s...

Armoy Road Races announce new title sponsor

26 February 2015 by Simon Patterson

The Armoy Road Races have announced that Hull-based production and package management company SGS International will become title sponsors for 2015. The announcement comes as the national race looks...

Martin insists focus remains on winning TT

25 February 2015 by Simon Patterson

Tyco BMW rider Guy Martin has reiterated that his focus for this year remains on taking his first win at the TT, further dismissing rumours that he is set to retire at the end of the 2015...

Martin to race Smiths Triumph at TT

23 February 2015 by MCN Sports Desk

Guy Martin has signed a deal to race a Triumph Daytona 675 for the double British Championship winning team, Smiths Racing at the Isle of Man TT. The Gloucester based team sensationally won on their...

Column: Long way from Nutt's Corner for Guy Martin

21 February 2015 by Stephen Davison

Like all bike fans I was stunned and saddened to read last week that Guy Martin was considering cutting back on his racing at the end of this season. I first met Guy when he came to race in Ireland in...

Black Eagle Racing MV Agusta recruits Harrison and Johnston for Classic TT

19 February 2015 by Simon Patterson

Rising TT stars Dean Harrison and Lee Johnston will team up for this year’s Classic TT, with the twenty five year olds aboard a brace of ultra-exotic MV Agusta machines run by the Black Eagle Racing...

Johnston and Farquhar team up for Lightweight TT

18 February 2015 by Simon Patterson

TT rising star Lee Johnston will team up with fellow Northern Irishman Ryan Farquhar for the lightweight class at the 2015 Isle of Man TT. 26 year old Johnston will join Farquhar’s KMR Kawasaki team...

Hickman return to TT with Briggs Equipment BMW

18 February 2015 by Simon Patterson

Peter Hickman will return to the Isle of Man TT in 2015, as the Lincolnshire rider aims to better his incredible 129mph newcomers lap from last year. He’ll ride for the Lee Hardy Racing BMW team that...

Keith Amor set for full roads campaign

18 February 2015 by Simon Patterson

Former Honda TT Legends rider Keith Amor will make a full return to the road racing paddock in 2015, expanding his bikes to include a 1000cc machine for the first time since his retirement after...

Dave Johnson to make Classic TT debut

17 February 2015 by Simon Patterson

Australian Dave Johnson will make his Classic TT debut in 2015, with the TT frontrunner signing up to ride a Suzuki GSX-R1100 in the Formula One class for Yorkshire based Team York Suzuki/Big Dog...

Dunlop name reunites with Norton for Classic TT

15 February 2015 by Simon Patterson

The historic partnership of Norton and Dunlop will reunite for the 2015 Classic TT, with William Dunlop signing to ride a rotary Norton machine for the National Motorcycle Museum at the event. The...

Column: British championship or roads - a racer's dilemma

14 February 2015 by Stephen Davison

As former Irish superbike champion Nico Mawhinney finalised his 2015 racing plans he was presented with two very different offers. “I was approached by a team boss and offered a deal to race in the...

Guy Martin clarifies statement on retirement

12 February 2015 by Simon Patterson

Guy Martin has gone on the record to clarify the comments he made in an interview with the Times this week, which was widely interpreted as saying that the Tyco BMW rider was dramatically set to walk...

Cameron Donald joins Valvoline Padgetts Honda for Supersport TT effort

12 February 2015 by Stephen Davison

Double TT winner Cameron Donald is to be reunited with formerteammate Bruce Anstey after joining the Valvoline Padgetts Honda team for TT 2015. The 37 year old Melbourne racer will race the CBR600RR...

Mick Grant to ride NW200 parade

10 February 2015 by Stephen Davison

2015 will see Mick Grant and his record breaking 1975 750cc Kawasaki back at the 2015 North West 200 race week. It is 40 years since Grant set a new lap record of 122.62mph for the sea side circuit,...

Kneen in search of machinery after Millsport Suzuki plans fall through

10 February 2015 by Stephen Davison

Manxman Dan Kneen’s 2015 road racing plans are in ruins after the Ballymoney based Millsport Suzuki squad pulled the plug on their race plans last week. The Ulster and Irish champion, who dominated...