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Rumours abound on the interweb currently, that the charismatic racer, Guy Martin is set to return to race at the Isle of Man TT in 2017 on board the new Honda CBR 1000 RR.
We do not know how accurate this story is, since Martin had stated that he had no intention of racing again at the IOM TT or any other motorcycle race. But the rider has flip-flopped over this statement, by stating that he cannot predict what might come up in the future!
In 2015 the Grimbsy man hasn't raced after the crash at the Ulster Grand Prix in 2015, where he fractured multiple vertebrae. He then chose to opt out of the 2016 IOM TT races as he said he was focussing on other things in life. Which included being a TV star, writing a book and taking part in the gruelling Tour Divide MTB Race. He also set a world record by riding at 125 kmph on the Wall of Death. He then headed to the Bonneville Salt Flats with Triumph to break the land speed record. This is what he had to say before the Tour Divide cycle race:
It is not impossible to see Martin returning to the IOM TT, but before he does so, he needs to race in 6 different races to be eligible to race on the mountain course. He has though never won there and last year Ian Hutchinson and Michael Dunlop cleansweeped the races on their BMWs. It will be anything but an easy return, if he does choose to return. Even TT legend John McGuinness struggled on his long in the tooth Honda to keep up with the BMWs.
Enter the new Honda CBR 1000RR SP2! Martin is rumoured to have signed up with Honda to race their new bike on the mountain course. Most probably racing alongside McGuinness, who would be happy to have new machinery! This though comes as a bit of a surprise, as Martin has been actively involved with Triumph Motorcycles in 2016 and one would have expected him to race the Daytona 675R in the Supersport race if at all he chose to make a return to the island.
Though new machinery doesn't guarantee success at the TT, as we saw last year with Bruce Anstey on the Honda RC213v-s. The first year for any new machine generally requires time for data gathering and only in the second year do you see success. The new Fireblade will be raced in WSBK with Nicky Hayden and Stefan Bradl piloting the machine.
Will the first year bring immediate success to the Honda riders on their new machinery? An uphill task, more so for Guy Martin, if these rumours do turn out to be true, since he has been off the competitive saddle for an entire year! Though the IOM TT paddock will be glad to have the maverick back!
Source: Drivetribe and Newsletter UK
We do not know how accurate this story is, since Martin had stated that he had no intention of racing again at the IOM TT or any other motorcycle race. But the rider has flip-flopped over this statement, by stating that he cannot predict what might come up in the future!
In 2015 the Grimbsy man hasn't raced after the crash at the Ulster Grand Prix in 2015, where he fractured multiple vertebrae. He then chose to opt out of the 2016 IOM TT races as he said he was focussing on other things in life. Which included being a TV star, writing a book and taking part in the gruelling Tour Divide MTB Race. He also set a world record by riding at 125 kmph on the Wall of Death. He then headed to the Bonneville Salt Flats with Triumph to break the land speed record. This is what he had to say before the Tour Divide cycle race:
Plenty of folkhaverace
It is not impossible to see Martin returning to the IOM TT, but before he does so, he needs to race in 6 different races to be eligible to race on the mountain course. He has though never won there and last year Ian Hutchinson and Michael Dunlop cleansweeped the races on their BMWs. It will be anything but an easy return, if he does choose to return. Even TT legend John McGuinness struggled on his long in the tooth Honda to keep up with the BMWs.
Enter the new Honda CBR 1000RR SP2! Martin is rumoured to have signed up with Honda to race their new bike on the mountain course. Most probably racing alongside McGuinness, who would be happy to have new machinery! This though comes as a bit of a surprise, as Martin has been actively involved with Triumph Motorcycles in 2016 and one would have expected him to race the Daytona 675R in the Supersport race if at all he chose to make a return to the island.
Though new machinery doesn't guarantee success at the TT, as we saw last year with Bruce Anstey on the Honda RC213v-s. The first year for any new machine generally requires time for data gathering and only in the second year do you see success. The new Fireblade will be raced in WSBK with Nicky Hayden and Stefan Bradl piloting the machine.
Will the first year bring immediate success to the Honda riders on their new machinery? An uphill task, more so for Guy Martin, if these rumours do turn out to be true, since he has been off the competitive saddle for an entire year! Though the IOM TT paddock will be glad to have the maverick back!
Source: Drivetribe and Newsletter UK
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