Isle of Man TT 2023: When is it and what to expect

THE Isle of Man TT 2023 races will be the 102nd running of the event, and will once again see the authorities close the roads and welcome the hordes of fans that travel to ‘The Rock’.

The first proper Isle of Man TT event took place in 1907, although competitive trials for both two and four-wheeled vehicles had been happening on the island as far back as 1904. Fast forward to today and the event is almost unrecognisable compared to those founding competitions, where racers would regularly take six hours or more to complete the distance.

Whether you are planning on riding to the Isle of Man TT 2023 or simply want to follow the action from the comfort of your own home, this article should provide you with all the information you need. If more information is required, we’ll include links to point you in the right direction.

This page will be updated with more information in the run-up to the event.

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Supersport | Superstock | Supertwin | Sidecars | Event Schedule | Travel | Coverage

Isle of Man TT 2023 races and classes

Superbike

The top level of Isle of Man TT racing comes from the Superbike class. Most of these will be based on production bikes, and will still look just like the machines you can walk into a dealership and buy. Beneath the skin though extensive modifications will have taken place, to help the bikes handle the rigours of the course and to improve performance. Most of the bikes in this class will be motorcycles of 1,000cc in capacity and boast power outputs in excess of 200bhp.

Not all of the Superbike class machines are based on road-going motorcycles, and some non-production bikes, such as the Suter MMX 500 and Norton V4SS, can compete if they are granted an entry by the race organisers.

Supersport

The Supersport class features a field of bikes that are considerably less powerful than those found in the Superbike events. That said, with considerably less weight to hurtle around the course, the lap times are not far off the higher-spec Superbikes.

Again, the bikes will be largely based on those that we can buy and ride on the road, and extensive modifications are allowed to improve performance and reliability.

Superstock

The Superstock grid is, again, comprised of 1,000cc sports motorcycles that are based on production bikes. The main difference between the two classes centres around the modifications that can be done to the bikes, and the tyres that they use. While Superbikes can be modified extensively for both performance and reliability, Superstock bikes are much more tightly governed. The main modifications that can be done to the superstock machines are to improve safety and reliability.

You are also allowed to swap the rear shock, and the front fork internals, while the fuel tank can be changed (to allow it to hold more fuel for the race distance). The stock exhaust can also be changed, although the tyres must be road legal, and the wheels used have to be standard to the homologated model.

Supertwin

Originally devised as a more cost-effective way of racing at the TT, the Supertwin class quickly became one of the most competitive in the program. Since 2022, the class was opened up to allow two-cylinder bikes of less than 700cc, as long as they were available to buy in stock form in the UK. This brought bikes like the Aprilia RS660 and Yamaha MT-07 into the fray. For the Isle of Man TT 2023, the Yamaha R7 will also be making its second appearance at the event, with Michael Rutter choosing to pilot one at the in the Supertwin races.

Not only is the racing highly entertaining, but the Supertwin class is a favourite with racers also taking part in the larger classes of racing. John McGuinness, Peter Hickman, Michael Dunlop, and many more will be swinging a leg of a Supertwin machine during race week.

Sidecars

Sidecars are an intrinsic part of the Isle of Man TT, with the first Sidecar TT taking place way back in 1923. Sidecar use in the UK may have dwindled since then, but the site of these purpose-built machines taking on the course is still something to behold.

These machines are out-and-out purpose-built racing machines and must be powered by either a 600cc 4-cylinder, 675cc 3-cylinder, or 900cc parallel twin-cylinder engine. The driver (not ‘rider’) is the one who starts, stops, and steers the machine. The passenger is there to provide mobile ballast and can be seen clambering around the machine to get into the best position ready for the next corner. When they aren’t making their way through a turn, the passenger will seemingly shrink away, hiding beneath the fairing of the machine to maximise straight-line speed.

Isle of Man TT 2023 schedule

The Isle of Man TT 2023 will take place across two weeks in May and June 2023. The event kicks off with practice and qualifying week on Monday 29th May, and ends with the blue riband event, the Senior TT Race, on Saturday 10th June.

How to travel to the Isle of Man TT 2023

Situated in the middle of the Irish Sea, the Isle of Man is around 20-miles from the north-western coastline of England, and the same from the east coast of Ireland. Your options to travel there for the event are really limited to two methods. If you’re in England you can either get to Heysham or Liverpool. If you’re in Ireland you can cross from Dublin or Belfast. In both cases, the Steam Packet ferry takes you directly to Douglas in around three hours. Crossings cater for motorcycles, cars, campers, and foot passengers. The ferry obviously gets extremely busy in the run-up to race week, best get the tickets booked now if you’re looking to head across.

Naturally, getting on a bike and riding to the TT is a rite of passage for any biker, and by far and away the best option in my mind. It allows you two quickly and conveniently get around the course when the roads aren’t closed, and the traffic can be heavy meaning motorcycles have an advantage.

For those not wanting to ride, drive, or walk, you can also fly, with Belfast, Birmingham, Blackpool, Edinburgh, Jersey, and Liverpool all connecting to the dinky Ronaldsway airport in the south of the island. Flights outside of the TT weeks are cheap and plentiful, although trying to book close to or during race week can be both expensive and sometimes impossible. If you’re looking to take a plane over to the event, it’s best to plan well in advance.

How to watch the Isle of Man TT 2023 at home

2021 saw the Isle of Man TT go digital, for the first time offering fans the chance to follow the racing live from their TV, phone, or tablet with TT+. TT+ is free to sign up for, and you can do it now and enjoy an array of exclusive content including the recently released movie, Tourist Trophy. To follow all the racing live and as it happens no matter where you are, an Isle of Man TT 2023 TT+ Live Pass is just £14.99 and allows access to all qualifying and racing.

More information on TT+ and the Live Pass can be found on the official website.

2023 Isle of Man TT News

• Raul Torras dies in Supertwin TT crash - The 46-year-old Spanish racer crashed at Alpine on the final lap of Supertwin Race 1.
• 2023 Isle of Man TT results - Dunlop dominates Supertwin Race 1; Browne, Coward complete the podium.
• Brookes to race Supertwins with Dafabet Racing - Josh Brookes will replace the injured Gary Johnson in the Dafabet Racing team for the Supertwin races.
• Sidecar parade lap - To mark 100 years since the first Sidecar TT, a parade lap featuring Sidecar TT legends will take place on Saturday 10 June.
• 2023 marshal sign-ons open: Find out how to become a marshal on the 2023 Isle of Man TT races.
• Dunlop to Hawk Racing: Michael Dunlop signs with Hawk Racing for 2023 races, as the team itself is set to make its road racing debut with Honda, following its split from Suzuki.

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