GT to the TT

general_piffle

general_piffle

Senior member
Location
London/Hampshire
On Monday 25th I'll leave Hampshire on the 750 GT heading for Heysham Port to get to the Isle of Man - for the Classic TT.

This is significant to me for 3 reasons:
  • It'll be my third trip to the island for a TT race event
  • My first time at the Classic TT
  • The furthest I will have travelled so far on the 750 GT, that I've kitted out to become a proper touring machine as it was meant to be
Especially excited about the fact that 3 Ducati 916s will be competing in the Formula 1 TT on Wednesday 27th. I can't wait to hear them as they hurtle past!

Davey Todd, Mike Browne, and Rob Hodson are all on 916s, with Browne having won the 2025 Classic Superbike MGP race on one. In qualifying they're lapping the island at around 125mph. Not bad for a 1990s Duc.

So, I thought I'd record the journey and the event here.
 
So, checks all done today ready for tomorrow. Just as well as the front brake light switch was disconnected.
Including:
  • Cables lubed (in situ)
  • Oil level checked
  • Clutch cable lever end fresh grease, lots of it
  • Nuts around the bike checked for tightness (esp. exhaust at cylinder head etc.)
  • All electrical connections checked and given some water dispersing lube
  • Tyres checked
  • Lights, brake etc. checked
  • Chain will be lubed in the morning before setting off
I'm carrying some spare oil with me, not because I expect the bike to burn it or dump it but 'just in case' maybe I'll need to top it up a bit, or it might come in handy to help someone else on an old thumper.

I've got a high visibility flashing (or constant) LED light I'm attaching to the collar of my jacket, after narrowly avoiding that woman in the Volvo that pulled out on me the other week I'm especially wary of junctions. So, I ride with the headlight on for distance perception, and the intermittent light clipped to my jacket will hopefully gain attention.

Clothes and wash kit (I've shrunk everything to fit into a pouch about half the size of a regular wash bag) all packed in the 20l dry bags that sit in the saddle bags.

The fuel cap has had the thinner 2mm thick seal fitted, been cleaned up, and everything now fits a treat. When you look at the original seal next to the new one, the replacement is about 1mm thicker.

Hamish (@The Sock) I'll let you know if it's now fuel tight once I've done some miles, but it certainly seems to fit more snugly and it closes positively. The 3mm thick seal just wasn't working.

Some pics.


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general_piffle said:
So, I ride with the headlight on for distance perception, and the intermittent light clipped to my jacket will hopefully gain attention.
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A single headlight does nothing for distance perception, try visually judging the distance between you and any planet in the night sky?
Twin headlights close together, ie. all motorcycles so fitted, deceive in regards to distance, increasing the risk of a vehicle pulling out with insufficient space.
That's why constrution and use regs were changed, forcing Land Rover to move the headlights from the grille to the wings.
general_piffle said:
Hamish (@The Sock) I'll let you know if it's now fuel tight once I've done some miles, but it certainly seems to fit more snugly and it closes positively.
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I await your road report, Joel.
 
Exmoor beast said:
That will be special- if it stays together I think he will put in a flyer!
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I was there in 1990 when Robert Dunlop was running the Rotary along with Trevor Nation and Steve Spray. The Nortons were the fastest bikes down Sulby Straight and were clocked at 197mph down the Creg.

The two pics that I've attached were taken at the Norton "Works" shop when they let me in to snap a couple of pics. It was only a couple of blocks off of the Dougals Promenade behind the grandstand if memory serves me correctly.

The Rotary's sounded incredible. Listening to them on the run from Brandish to Hilberry was amazing.

Cheers
 

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Ian Short said:
I was there in 1990 when Robert Dunlop was running the Rotary along with Trevor Nation and Steve Spray. The Nortons were the fastest bikes down Sulby Straight and were clocked at 197mph down the Creg.

The two pics that I've attached were taken at the Norton "Works" shop when they let me in to snap a couple of pics. It was only a couple of blocks off of the Dougals Promenade behind the grandstand if memory serves me correctly.

The Rotary's sounded incredible. Listening to them on the run from Brandish to Hilberry was amazing.

Cheers
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So you didn’t by any chance catch on film Steve and Trevor shagging the brolly dollies?
 
We in Oz had a famous Adventure Rider bloke called Tony Kurby, he loved to travel light. Everything on his back and nothing in the bike. One of his tips was cutting half the handle off his toothbrush to save weight. He was pretty extreme.
www.advrider.com

RIP Tony Kirby

Thankyou Tony for awakening me to adventure riding ,and many others im sure,with your sidetrack mag.Thankyou for the subscribers rides you took us on,i...
www.advrider.com www.advrider.com
 
Andy J said:
So you didn’t by any chance catch on film Steve and Trevor shagging the brolly dollies?
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No but I did meet a wonderful young lady who worked for the Durex Suzuki Team...... she was a fantastic brand ambassador. :)

I still remember where I stayed, Ashfield House, 19 Hutchinson Square, Douglas.
 

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general_piffle said:
So, checks all done today ready for tomorrow. Just as well as the front brake light switch was disconnected.
Including:
  • Cables lubed (in situ)
  • Oil level checked
  • Clutch cable lever end fresh grease, lots of it
  • Nuts around the bike checked for tightness (esp. exhaust at cylinder head etc.)
  • All electrical connections checked and given some water dispersing lube
  • Tyres checked
  • Lights, brake etc. checked
  • Chain will be lubed in the morning before setting off
I'm carrying some spare oil with me, not because I expect the bike to burn it or dump it but 'just in case' maybe I'll need to top it up a bit, or it might come in handy to help someone else on an old thumper.

I've got a high visibility flashing (or constant) LED light I'm attaching to the collar of my jacket, after narrowly avoiding that woman in the Volvo that pulled out on me the other week I'm especially wary of junctions. So, I ride with the headlight on for distance perception, and the intermittent light clipped to my jacket will hopefully gain attention.

Clothes and wash kit (I've shrunk everything to fit into a pouch about half the size of a regular wash bag) all packed in the 20l dry bags that sit in the saddle bags.

The fuel cap has had the thinner 2mm thick seal fitted, been cleaned up, and everything now fits a treat. When you look at the original seal next to the new one, the replacement is about 1mm thicker.

Hamish (@The Sock) I'll let you know if it's now fuel tight once I've done some miles, but it certainly seems to fit more snugly and it closes positively. The 3mm thick seal just wasn't working.

Some pics.


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That stainless “R” pin is higher in the galvanic table than the steel used in the rest of the bike. My fear is it will use the bike as a sacrificial anode-you come out to find it has gone rusty! Also remove the ear tag from the seat cover or you may need to show defra paperwork at the ferry😂😂 Joking apart , all looking good- I haven’t been since ‘93 . The classic week appeals to me more than the actual TT - enjoy!
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general_piffle said:
So, checks all done today ready for tomorrow. Just as well as the front brake light switch was disconnected.
Including:
  • Cables lubed (in situ)
  • Oil level checked
  • Clutch cable lever end fresh grease, lots of it
  • Nuts around the bike checked for tightness (esp. exhaust at cylinder head etc.)
  • All electrical connections checked and given some water dispersing lube
  • Tyres checked
  • Lights, brake etc. checked
  • Chain will be lubed in the morning before setting off
I'm carrying some spare oil with me, not because I expect the bike to burn it or dump it but 'just in case' maybe I'll need to top it up a bit, or it might come in handy to help someone else on an old thumper.

I've got a high visibility flashing (or constant) LED light I'm attaching to the collar of my jacket, after narrowly avoiding that woman in the Volvo that pulled out on me the other week I'm especially wary of junctions. So, I ride with the headlight on for distance perception, and the intermittent light clipped to my jacket will hopefully gain attention.

Clothes and wash kit (I've shrunk everything to fit into a pouch about half the size of a regular wash bag) all packed in the 20l dry bags that sit in the saddle bags.

The fuel cap has had the thinner 2mm thick seal fitted, been cleaned up, and everything now fits a treat. When you look at the original seal next to the new one, the replacement is about 1mm thicker.

Hamish (@The Sock) I'll let you know if it's now fuel tight once I've done some miles, but it certainly seems to fit more snugly and it closes positively. The 3mm thick seal just wasn't working.

Some pics.


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Don't forget these for your seat 😉
 

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Left Hampshire this morning and followed Google Maps, avoiding all motorways. If it was a straight run it would have been 3 hours 48 minutes, but with a couple of stops it took me just over 5 hours.

I’ve arrived at The Down Inn in Shropshire, which is about halfway to Heysham. I’ll leave at about 6am tomorrow to give enough time to get to Heysham Ferry Port without a rush.

The bike behaved impeccably.

Hamish, @The Sock, happy to report that the revised fuel cap works perfectly. Even when brimful there’s no seepage, trickling, or other unpleasant escape of liquids. They say size doesn’t matter, but that extra 1mm thickness seems to have worked wonders.

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Have a great time. I'm a TT regular and have been to a few Classic TT and MGPs, and have always enjoyed them. Not so busy as the TT, but the racing is just as great! Get down to the Sound Cafe looking across to the Calf of Man; Good food, great cake and you might even get to see some seals!
 
And where might you be staying?
B&b, hotel or the proper place, camping?
15 years for me going to the Manxgp classic TT. Camping at Cronkaashen farm, barns to park your bike in over night, dry your kit in there as well. Safe and secure. Kitchen area to cook in, just sleep in small tent. Lots of showers.
Lots of our Dutch friends stay there.
Inside the course as well, so able to traverse the mountain etc.
 
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