AntG

Michael Dunlop will ride a PTR prepped CBR600RR in this years international road races. He was last with them in 2013 when he won both Supersport races and set a 128.6mph average lap, a record which still stands now. Just needs to reveal his Superbike and Superstock machines now!

https://www.newsletter.co.uk/sport/m...2018-1-8374338

Theo

I hope you don't mind me adding this https://www.newsletter.co.uk/sport/m...life-1-8368888
TBH I was hoping he'd retire especially after the comments in the article, they make me very jumpy and I like John a lot he's amazing.

AntG

No problem, I kind of agree too. 2015 would have been the perfect time for him to retire, he'd been well off the pace all week at the TT and then he turned it on for the Senior and walloped them, if he'd called it a day then he'd have gone out as the fastest rider ever around there.

It's funny how quite a lot of people just associate John with the TT yet after reading his book you realize just how much experience that man has, not only was he a regular frontrunner in the British championships he was a champion in 1999, he twice finished in the points as a wildcard in 500cc Grand Prix beating guys like Alex Barros and Garry McCoy, he won AMA races at Daytona as well as big wins at the NW200, Ulster GP, Scarborough and Macau. He fast on everything whether it was a 500 two stroke, a v-twin Ducati or a straight 4 Fireblade, incredible rider and much like his old friend David Jefferies it's a shame we never saw him get a proper factory bike in the British championships.

I think he still has the ability to win at the TT but when you've got Dunlop and Hutchinson blasting 133mph laps from a standing start as well as rising stars like Brookes, Kneen, Hillier, Hickman and Harrison it's probably as hard to win there now as it was when John was on the up at the TT back in the late 90's when along with the roads boys like Joey and Phillip McCallen you had proper British championship quality riders like Simpson, Moodie, DJ and Rutter who was even scoring points in 500 GP's back then.

As long as he's on the Norton I just can't see it happening, a BMW perhaps but as fast as the Norton is, it's some way off the BMW's and if Michael stops teasing us and reveals he's using the GSXR again then I expect that to be even more developed and even quicker because that was an absolute weapon in last years Senior. John will do well to beat Brookes I think.

Wow long post

Theo

I like Brookes, not seen him IRL yet, but hope to this year. Agree about David Jefferies and the thing was they were so down to earth.
I got John's book last week and have yet to read it, but will on my next holiday.

AntG

It's a great book. DJ was one of my biggest heroes growing up, he was a proper biker as well where most racers never ride road bikes. I remember reading about him when he did a few rounds of the 500cc championship in 1993 riding an unsponsored Yamaha, a couple of the American and Australian lads would have problems with their motorhomes and he'd be straight underneath them with spanners, he'd do anything for anyone, in 2002 after he won a hat trick of TT's riding a Suzuki he was given one as a gift, he gave it to a good friend of his who was just coming out of the club racing scene and into the British championships and that friend was Ian Hutchinson.

Theo

Have you read Road Racers by Stephen Davison? That's a very good book and there's some great pictures in it. BTW if you do buy it get the hardback edition.

AntG

No not read it, I got the Guy Martin one for Christmas, which is a compilation of Davisons photos of Guy from 2002.

Theo

I am guessing thats the biography, or am I wrong?

AntG

It's basically a photo book with Davisons pictures from Guys first road race until his most recent, very little words in it, still some fantastic photos though.

Theo

Sounds very nice will have to have a look.