The Tourist Trophy welcomed two motorcycles closely derived from Grands Prix this year, with a Honda RCV Replica entered for Bruce Anstey by dealership Padgett's, and a Suter MMX 500 prepared by the Swiss manufacturer for Ian Lougher.
The Honda RC213V-S was manufactured in 200 units, based on the Honda RC213V-RS Open from MotoGP from 2014, with the same electronics, but without the seamless gearbox, and with the pneumatic distribution replaced by valve springs. With an empty weight (with oil and water, without fuel) of 170 kg for the road and 160 for the track, it has 215 horsepower at 13 rpm. Its price is 000 euros.
At the TT, the Honda was clocked at 311,2 km/h top speed in Sulby Straight (official record 332 km/h by Bruce Anstey in 2006 on 1000 Suzuki) and she was clearly one of the favorites, until Bruce Anstey (46 years old) fell very violently during testing on Thursday June 2 in Keppel Gate at 226 km/h. The New Zealander was airlifted to Nobles Hospital to have his injured ankle checked at the North West 200. He was riding a CBR1000RR and not the RC213V-S when he crashed. But the driver was very shaken, and it took a lot of courage and determination for him to finish fifth last Friday in the star event of the Tourist Trophy: the Senior TT.
In this Senior TT, winner Michael Dunlop broke the event's lap record at an average of 215,590 km/h. This was incredibly fast, and quite close to the absolute single lap record set by a GP bike during a Grand Prix race averaging 220,721 km/h by Barry Sheene (Suzuki) at Spa (on the 14,120 km circuit) on July 3, 1977. It was a four-cylinder two-stroke, just like the Suter MMX 500 brought by the Swiss manufacturer this year to the TT. Manufactured in 99 units, the Suter is equipped with a 4 cm2 576-stroke V3 which delivers 195 horsepower. Its weight is 127 kg and its price is 120 euros.
How to operate a 4-cylinder 2-stroke engine correctly on the circuit Snaefell Mountain of the TT, 60,7 km long, is a real headache, with variations in altitude and humidity. This is why the Suter started operating normally last Wednesday, during the test lap for the Senior TT. Its driver Ian Loucher ranked 34e of the race of this senior TT, and if this performance seen from the continent only aroused moderate enthusiasm, on the other hand on the spot the British specialists of the event applauded with both hands " a new bike at the TT, with a novice team and a 52-year-old rider coming out of retirement just for this race ". Ian Lougher, ten times winner of the TT and nine times of the North West 200, also has 32 victories at the Southern 100. As in the TT, the Superbike category is open to any motorcycle "with the agreement of the organizer", he will no longer remain only to come back next year to try to approach Barry Sheene's legendary record. Suter has already announced his return for 2017, when Padgett will participate in his 40e TT.
