What a downer! Looking like the TT could be a bit of a bust this year? After a beautiful practice and qualifying week it is looking seriously iffy race week with weather.
Managed to squeeze in the first Superbike race yesterday but the remaining schedule not looking wonderful for full racing. Huge congrats to Dean Harrison for finally showing what he’s got.
Big screw up for the sidecar boys sidelined by last minute attempts to ‘modify’ the rules.
I live in hope that something worthwhile might be salvaged. Fingys crossed! 
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According to the Met Office ‘the weather is returning to normal after the heatwave in May’. It’s mostly sunshine and showers here for the next week.
Totally irrelevant but if St.John’s Point wasn’t in the way I could see the Isle of Man from the castle mound at the top of the road (about 200 metres away).
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Like I said, fingers crossed for some decent dry weather.
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I was going to go out today but Met Office app has been saying all this week would be pouring with rain today, so I made other plans, so did it rain today? 'Course not! 
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That has been bugging me for weeks recently! Scrutinising the weather maps for good days to get out, being put off by dire predictions of wet conditions only to find on the day I could have been on the road! Drives me crazy trying to decipher their input. Part of my problem is I don’t keep the bike at my home but about 30 miles away so planning to get out takes an act of faith too often. I think they over predict to cover themselves sometimes. Avoiding a ‘Fish effect?’ 
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Just arrived home after a five day trip, reckon we got the best of the TT this year, but as I write this they’re about to get the Supersport race underway, so that’s good (especially for those I saw waiting to head over on the quayside at Liverpool last night).
Had a fab trip, shame about the sidecars and terrible to hear about Maria Costello.
Tune into the action Live here - https://motorsport.manxradio.com/
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Thankfully overall good so far and just watched the Supersport. Hanging on for the sportbike in a couple of hours. Thunderstorm warnings out for Scotland though!
Never missed a TT for 25 years and got a stock of new tee shirts including 2007, stopped going when I moved to Europe, better weather.
They used to race in the rain and half mist before they bought a helicopter, serious fun sitting in the rain!
Bikes are getting too heavy for me now so relegated to 350 scooter, no gears, very lazy.
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Good ole days huh? 
I am starting to get warier of heavy bikes these days also. Still love the Mandello but hope I never drop it in a parking lot!!
No more racing today.. rain started and next two days do not look promising. Friday a maybe at best. Scotland getting the same so I won’t be riding either. My days of riding in the rain no longer appeal!
I believe they’re looking at using Sunday too.. a Sunday Senior.?
This was my 35th trip over, and yeah, wet racing, and more especially, wet spectating was great ‘fun’.. I sat in a tree near Barregarrow one year for about 4 hours.. in the pisching doon rain, before they eventually called it off. Great 
It’s a funny place, I usually go home with either sunburn, or trench foot, and sometimes both 
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Best race in the rain was Saturday morning senior shortened to four laps Joey Dunlop and Phill Mellor changing the lead , can’t remember the year, old age fug. Mellor was front by a few seconds at Sign post but slipped off at the nook and Joey won and I was very wet.
Last tour on my 1100 Breva in Jersey I sagged to the ground with full panniers and wife in a car park. Lesson learned panniers never went back on and two years later saw the Breva leave to a new home in southern France.
At 82 I dream of new motorcycles but the smaller offerings do not appeal and my preoccupation tends to be weight and construction, that is, possibility of maintenance. Enfield singles look good but weigh too much so the scooter still wins with its low c of g.
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Well done still on the scooter at 82! I am just a little behind you at 74. Facing the same issues of diminishing many things especially strength.
Racing in the rain? Thing of the past nowadays mostly. With the power and speeds posting these days it would be outright silly I believe. Especially on the mountain course.
I’ve been impressed over the last few years with the sheer utility of modern scooters and could be tempted but those small wheels/tyres make me wonder a little. Probably all imaginary mind you. Really ought to try one some time. Whole new learning curve.
My fave wet race was the '98 Lightweight, shortened to three laps Joey pulled a master stroke and rather than pit for fuel after lap one, carried on, sure enough the race was cut to two laps so while all others had ‘lost time’ pitting for fuel, Joey cruised to the win.
I was sat on the banking just after Signpost (where you can no longer sit), got soaked but great to cheer on as Yer Maun chalked up another victory.
Re scooters.. yup, they are a super-useable tool, they’re mad for em all over the rest of Europe but oddly they’re yet to catch on here. Easy to manhandle, great luggage carrying ability, and with the 300 - 750 ones available now, capable of crossing continents happily. In fact the guy next to me in the queue for the ferry home was an Italian on a Honda ADV 350. Offering 80mpg, 48l under-seat storage and weighing less than 190kg.. @ sub £6K new they’re a superb piece of kit.
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My scooter days started in Barcelona where I hired a car, disaster, no where to park.
Saw a guy on a hired scooter parking on the path, they’re very relaxed about this, so I took the details off the side of his bike and swapped the car, result, park anywhere, helmets under the seat and off you go.
Got back home and the Kymco followed about three weeks later. The Breva was relegated to longer escapades and the scooter used more locally, wife loved the easy stowing of gear and shopping. The lack of gears makes you lazy but there are some drawbacks. You can’t feather the clutch on wet islands and the smaller wheels are not so pot hole friendly but I still have to admit being converted.
I think I might be a little embarrassed with it on the IOM not the same bragging rights as my old Ducati .
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Yeah it’s quite a switch mentally/emotionally given a lifetime on ‘proper’ motorcycles. That itch will never die but.. nothing lasts forever!
I confess I have never spent much time considering them apart from a brief grudging admiration gained talking to a guy years ago on his Burgman. They are unquestionably a ‘real world’ tool. Comfort, weather protection, brilliant storage and long distance capable. What’s not to like? Image? Almost ashamed to admit that. Sensible? Not something I have ever been accused of so what does that say about me? 
Just watched a review of a Zontes 350G. Got to say I was impressed on every front. Design,equipment and close to 300 mile range. Hmm belt drive and CVT gears?? Now I am scaring myself!
I wonder if the dislike in the UK stems from the Mods v Rockers days.?
Back in 1972, r’kids CB175 always seemed waaay cooler than the massed ranks of scooters his pals all rode.
As you say, they do tick so many boxes and make utter sense as a ‘real world’ tool. I still fear however, I’m not confident enough in my own sexuality to actually own one
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Interesting though. Yeah I’m not ready to part with the Mandello any time soon but, realistically, my day will come.. if I make it to 80 maybe?
Zontes looks good but the engine is 368cc, makes it less attractive here in Portugal. Any bike under 350, that is, 348cc no road tax, big arm twister. The bigger wheels however and other extras means a trip to the local (I don’t need much persuading) dealer to see if he can talk me out of the Kymco which has excellent performance.
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I did have a Piaggio X10 maxi-scooter for a few years, surprisingly capable, 85 mph top speed, CVT twist-and-go, ABS and linked brakes, big fairing, massive under-seat luggage space and I had a big topbox on it too. 350cc water-cooled 4-stroke, the nicest unit of the 3 options (125, 350 and 500 cc. The 500 was reputedly vibey and the centrifugal clutch could be snatchy). It also had possibly the best lighting I’ve ever had on a motorbike, 2 x H7 dip beams and a H1 high beam. With a simple mod you could have all 3 on at the same time. Country roads were lit up like daylight.
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There is a whole world of them out there I’ve never paid much attention to but not thick on the ground in the UK I guess. Gonna look them over a bit more against the day I have to change horses again.
