The Place

Hi all

Merry Christmas to all sidecar crews from the Isle of man TT, dont spend all your money at christmas chaps because you will all have to have matching helmets and leathers to compete in TT2017, even if you are doing a one-off ride with someone, great if you are a well supported crew but for the rest of the paddock tough.

Does that mean that if your something happens to your passenger last minute and the stand in doesn't fit the leathers you can`t ride,would never surprise me considering the people who organise the meeting.Seasons greetings anyway

Peter, I take it that when you say organisers you mean politicians or people working for politicians?
Very sad when said politicians can dictate our sport
Simple answer is, all wear black leathers & black lids, simple expensive problem solved!

I heard that this rule was currently being "consulted on" and it wasn't a given that it would e happening.

Besides the issue of extra expense - there's also the issue of getting suits made. There's not many manufacturers and the one's I've spoken to already have 2 month waiting lists.

If they also have to make leathers for the usual start of season demand, then add in this extra requirement as well and it may well be a problem for them literally getting done in time.

And if they don't confirm this as a requirement until Feb next year - then a 2/3 month wait for leathers to be made is cutting things very tight!

Time to invest in some cheap black leather dye. You can make any 2 sets of leathers look the same.

As brought up in the thread in the TT section on here, I can't see it mattering much way back down the grid. Almost tongue in cheek I said there that it will probably only matter for TV and they think there are only 4 sidecars (or solos for that matter) worth filming, in fact only 10 worth putting names to in the results at all.

From email sent by Paul Phillips : Competitors Personal Safety Equipment
You should have previously seen an e-mail we sent out covering off changes to the minimum standards of personal safety equipment set to be introduced ahead of TT 2017. I would appreciate any comments anyone has to make on these changes, however I am sure you will agree that they represent a positive change. There are to be two further amendments to these new regulations which we will roll out in due course, which both effect the Sidecar competitors. They are:

1) Changes to the rules laid down for body armour for sidecar competitors. Final spec TBC.
2) The requirement for all sidecar crews to wear matching personal safety equipment in terms of colour scheme etc. Final spec TBC. Dispensation option at promoters discretion to be included.

I wont panic until the final spec is confirmed. Also note the last sentence.

I like the bit that says "I'm sure you agree that they represent a positive change" really

"Dispenation option at promoters discretion" - be interesting to see how/when this is applied as if I need a new set of leathers to match my drivers then it'll be a 8-10 week lead in time and approx £1k I'll need to find. I'll need time to sort that out.

I'd agree with ianw, go black,and have Velcro attachments which will enable you to attach a sponsors name





They say that wearing black makes you look slim

Dont enter the TT, simple. e mail/write in to tell the organisrer's why and if entries tail off, they will soon sweep that under the carpet.

Alan Richardson wrote:Dont enter the TT, simple. e mail/write in to tell the organisrer's why and if entries tail off, they will soon sweep that under the carpet.

No they wont, what they will do is get rid of the sidecar race.
I loved racing around there but it is getting more and more difficult to do.
The only reason the sidecar race is there is because the public want it not the promoters and you can't blame the ACU as they only organise the races.

Exactly that Keith!