The Isle of Man TT is an annual motorcycle and sidecar event that takes place at the 37.73-mile Snaefell Mountain Course on the Isle of Man each May.
The first week is typically reserved for practice, whereas the races take place on the second week.
This year’s week of practice is in the books, and unfortunately saw the death of two competitors following two separate crashes on Saturday.
The question always lingers: Why do the riders do this? And the answer is simple: Because there is nothing else like it in the world.
Proof is never more than a video away, and so we’ve gathered five of the best from the opening week of practice, most of which are from the Official Isle of Man TT YouTube account.
Video 1: The start
GyroCam is 10 times better on a motorcycle. Look no further than this awesome video from Horst Saiger as he blasts down Bray Hill at the start of the lap for proof.
Video 2: Onboard with Michael Dunlop
A bit more of a rural ride this time, but Michael Dunlop isn’t able to enjoy the scenery as he battles his way through traffic during Superbike practice. Dunlop set the first sub-17-minute lap during the Superbike race on Saturday.
Video 3: View from the hedges
A lot of professional photographers at the Isle of Man like to hide in the hedges and see how close they can get to the riders. Here’s a small taste of what that must be like.
Video 4: Full onboard 360-degree lap
360-degree videos are fantastic, and now they’ve finally uploaded one of the full 37.73-mile course. Unfortunately, the placing of the camera isn’t ideal on the motorcycles (it’s behind the rider’s back), but how about this on the sidecar!
Video 5: This is more like it
Thanks Due moto una missione for this one - and for shooting it from the rider's perspective. Ride onboard his BMW as he takes to the mountain portion of the course during the time when the track is open to the public between sessions.
