My reflections: My dreams started 30 or 40 years ago while reading Cycle World or Guide. The thing I remember most was due to it's funny name, "The pub at Creg-ny-baa is a popular hangout for local race fans" I like bikes, I like beer, so I wanna go there. I knew it was expensive, I knew I could not afford such a trip, I worried about being poor
and broke. I knew I should think long and hard if a TT vacation is a good idea. I decided to do all my thinking and worrying the very first minute when I get back from the TT
This is motorcycle nirvana nothing short. In the end however I was hoping vacation would be "best ever", it ender up a lot closer to "real Bummer"
No racing occurs in any rainy ,wet, or damp conditions, on wet roads, or reduced visibility. 2019 got the most rain
of any year since 1981. Many races were postponed, canceled, eliminated, or shortened. This is not baseball.
rainouts are not rescheduled. if race has not happened by end of week 2, it aInt gonna happen. RAIN, WHAT RAIN?
I live in SoCal, what's rain? It figures. Like they say, "sometimes your luck is good, and sometimes....
But I am now the proud owner of 2 official TT hats, 2 shirts, 1 coffee mug, and a letter opener. And it only cost me 12 grand

A big surprise was there are sooo many way bitchen bikes not available in USA, especially in smog restriction Cal.

I found it very difficult to convince most people I met that "yes, I am from America, yes I am big, bald, old and fat, and NO, I do not ride a Harley" If you are American, it is assumed you ride a Harley>

Enuf for now, more boring drivel headed you way soon

Hey Rook, I've read enuf of you stuff to tell you to change TT thinking, It's not one of your top 5 destinations, it needs to be changed to your only destination that matters. Trust me. Pray for clear weather.
To Rook and Grn14 on riding the course. Most people from europe ride their own bikes that they put on ferry. We U&SA type will have to rent. Most rentals require min 3 days. Unlike the as suggests, there is nothing even close to free.
Since races are every other day, 2 of the 3 days you pay for. the course is closed, and since you will be watching they races any way. you pay for bike that you don't use. I also was scared. But be scared not of dying in a high speed crash on the course. Be chicken of getting into an accident on a rented bike where there are a million crazy bikes in small area, on narrow unfamiliar one way roads, where everybody drinks and drives on the wrong side of the road. It scared the hell out of me

Keep on writing ...Good look from ordinary folk....

Hey Rook, I've read enuf of you stuff to tell you to change TT thinking, It's not one of your top 5 destinations, it needs to be changed to your only destination that matters. Trust me. Pray for clear weather.

How much in advance do you need to book your living accommodations? I might do it in a few years. Glad you got to ride the course. That is a MUST after you make the trip.

More reflections:
Re: "world famous Isle of Man Manx dairy ice cream" Me: just ice cream, gimme a Ben & Jerrys all day
Re: beer Me: limited choices of warm and weak. Nothing over 4.5% No such thing as craft beers or Micro-brewery
Re: viewing Me: where you watch matters. Approaching riders can be heard long before seen so you can hear them approaching. Then ZOOM, he goes by for 3 or 4 seconds and is gone from view. 16-20 minutes later he will ZOOM by again for 3 or 4 seconds and repeat. At those speeds you don't see much of any rider. With many riders it's the old
right to left head bob like a tennis match. ZOOM. 3 sec. Zoom sec. etc. Can't barely even read number plate. The long high speed stretch up the mountain is way better viewing but... Since usually you have to drive on the course road just to get there, you have to go early on raceday before course road closes and are stuck there all day until road re-opens after race. Nowhere near food, beer, or bathroom. If you want to be 'up close to the action against the wall railing' in popular viewing area, arrive early as these are highly coveted. Otherwise youl be on tippy toes peering over crowd 10 or more deep.

Grandstands are paid seating. You still only see zoom zoom zoom as the bike fly by at speed. They aren't more than cramped high school football bleachers, but it is a place to sit and watch without arriving early and guarding your spot.
Since it's so spread out, You won't see the drama of top riders racing side by side and jockeying for position, or track progress/position of any particular rider. The scoreboard is boy scouts writing lap times on a chalkboard.
Either way, for each rider a few seconds of high speed ZOOM, wait 20 minutes, repeat. But it's still way cool. If I only had a helicopter.
Oh, that's right, there is a helicopter following the action. Every other major sporting event in the world has a jumbo-tron for paid premium seats. No jumbotron or huge billion megapixel scoreboard here. They value tradition. Tradition is boy scouts and chalk board. No live feed viewing available. Not on jumbotron. TV, or even PPV. It's really sad. As though they have no interest in attracting new fans with larger audience, or providing better entertainment value to current race fans. You gotta wonder
The IRTV mentioned by Piken is a nightly 1 hr show with highlights and results of days events. There is no live
feed TV. The episode 1 about 2018 was re-run several times due to no events to cover on rained out days

Cost can vary widely. You can go pretty cheap on low budget. (airline cost excluded). depends on what you are comfortable with. If you bring pup tent and sleeping to sleep in and cook your own beans and dogs, it won't cost much and little reservation needed if any at numerous campsite areas where you pay a few bucks for a spot of grass for a tent and use nearby porta-potties. 20-30 yrs ago that would have been just fine, maybe even preferred,a young man adventure. Young no more. Gotta have a nice hotel with a bar and restaurant. Taxi to get around. That's gonna cost a little more. Especially the 11 day beer tab.
Of course it's always best to book reservations early as you can. But there is not much truth to "gotta book way in advance" for accomodations.
I booked my found and booked my trip in later part of Jan this year and was told only a few spots left.
so that was less than 5 months in advance. It's difficult to get rooms at hotel of your choice directly as most rooms are available to tourist companies before public. I went through company offering travel packages for strictly motorsports events. Depending on your comfort level and determination. I think you could find someplace to stay up two the last month or two before.
Overall the racing was not quite as good as I hoped for. This was due mostly due to bad luck weather, but also not realizing that watching all the best action on a 38 mile course with no cameras or helicopter live video feed, just aint gonna happen. But as event about sportbikes and racing attended by like-minded enthusiasts at the same place and time separated from the rest of the non motorcycle population of the world, there is nothing else close.
BTW there were a huge number of ZX-14's on isle. Very popular and commonly seen. A lot were 2 up. Way more so than in US.
That's what I think. Thanks for listening.
TIB

Thank you very much for all teh info..First hand stuff that really applies !!

Sorry you had the bad weather.
My friend went last year. They booked with Pole Position Travel. Not the cheapest but he was VERY pleased.
Had a room right on the ocean for 2 nights. Spent one race day having beer and burgers in the backyard of a local homeowner, who was cooking the food while the bikes came down the hill and turned the corner fight in front of the house. He was blessed with really good weather all week. Brought back some real nice pictures.
My wife and I are thinking of at least 2 major overseas events. Misano including visiting Rossi's store in Tuvulia and Phillip Island, although instead of the GP, when the weather can suck, we're thinking of going to a fast growing event at PI. The Classic Races. Held during the summer. Lots of overseas entrants now too.This year including Jason Pridmore and Josh Hayes on tricked out FJ1100s.

Mad

M. evil, your pal did it right. No doubt he wished he had more than 2 nights. I talked to a few people that stayed with locals. It's called "safe Stay" It's all the rage now. Bout the same as Airbnb. They had similar stories. If you can find a rental with backyard fronting (backing?) the course, God just sent you to heaven. Premier viewing, comfy chairs, no crowds, the best. The eliminated the middleman (Pole Position) and searched web and deal directly with homeowner. These rooms need advance reservations if you can find one. Most are 7 day min.Everyone I spoke to had same place for more than 1 year. AS long as you didn't piss off the landlord and followed house rules you get first chance at following year rental. They liked it so much that they don't dare lose right to get next time, that makes the good ones hard to find since they are not often available

They actually stayed a week but had a couple different hotels. Pole Position was the ones who set up the backyard viewing. They contract with local homeowners. At one venue they were really crowded. Pole Position told my friend that they were dropping that place and would find a better deal next year.

Mad

you picked a bad year to go weather wise, unlucky man!
i live in dublin, so its not so far from me,
but still a pain in the ass to get to usually go by dublin ferry and return by belfast, 12000 dollars sounds like a fukin lot of money to get there!!
yes finding the viewing areas best suited is not easy, we take the vasn, put bikes in back, for riding across the mopuntain when roads are open
then, race/practice days, find a field somewhere, van has deck chairs, radio,beers,cooking ,coffee facilities, it makes being stuck out on circuit a lot more relaxing and enjoyable
accomodation...the TT website has some share house listings, ive used them before, good value and bike friendly owners
yes, english beer is shit...
if you know where to go... ive been drinkin till 6 am with Troy Corser,Keith Amor,Dan SAyle,Ian Lougher, Michael Dunlop

watching tt races on you tube, does make it seem more exciting, its timed/intervals you rarely see what you might call racing...and they are past you in a flash...
you really need transport on the island
riders are accessible, you can roam around paddock
you need to find a spot with live timing screens/and listen to local radio, but yes, racing was less exciting than previous years
...im stil in shock at 12,000..... cost me less than 1000

there are live feed huts in some spots around the track, last time i went they were handind out free small radios with earphones, so you could tune into local radio for live feed

* Last updated by: motero on 6/21/2019 @ 9:12 AM *

Let me guess you forgot to tell them that English hookers are butt ugly

Welcome back, it's too bad that the weather did not cooperate... I had no idea it just doesn't happen with all of the efforts put into that event.
Interesting observations, gives me some clue about what to expect if I was to venture there one day.... still on the bucket list anyway.
Loved the "fat old bald guy, must ride a harley" reference, it does seem pretty typical unfortunately except the only ones who can afford the darn things now, 50k up here for a touring rig.... that is way out of line to me anyway. 2 new 14R and a Connie with change for some proper exhausts...
Anyway, thanks for the report, it did help with some of the what to expect stuff for sure.