200 MPH, dodging trees and stone walls.

Photo: Tony Goldsmith

Isle of Man TT defies comprehension, explanation and physics.   Every year we are left speechless at how riders are willing to hurl themselves between trees, stone walls and houses at speeds which your mind tells you are impossible with little apparent regard for their own mortality.

It's terrifyingly awesome.

We ride on a BMW S1000 RR during practice with possible Top Gear replacement host/Wolverine stand in, Guy Martin.  Duke Video's description claims 200 mph.

No further comments needed.

Crazier than the Isle of Man TT: Irish Road Racing

Imagine the Isle of Man TT but with everyone starting together.   Can't?  Have a look a these videos.

Guy Martin Southern 100 by Alan McKibbin/Flickr

The Isle of Man TT is generally regarded as the peak of motorsport insanity,  riders hurling themselves at 200 mph between trees and stone walls.  But for as crazy as that is, it still essentially a time trial.

Irish National Road Racing is  wheel to wheel combat on narrow country roads, often lined with sidewalks or barbed wire.   It is beyond insane and perpetually on the cusp of being banned.   An almost unknown sport outside of its relatively small fan base, amateur racers with  a complete disdain for runoff area and safety barriers have gathered for years in places like Skerries, Tandragee, Killalane, to race on narrow roads and over big jumps.

"Road racing's dangerous, yeah but it shouldn't be stopped" said Carl Fogarty" if you don't want to do it, don't do it"

Guy Martin  has no time for race tracks "It's all tire walls and safety barriers, I'm not interested,  I like a bit of danger"

Now that's understatement.

Requires more than two balls...

There is a line in Stephen Mitchell's documentary about the Carrera Panamericana :

"Those races had a Hemingway-esque quality that not only defied danger but almost seemed to welcome it"

I think Hemingway would have liked the TT.

The 2012 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy runs from May 26 through June 8.