The Supertwin TT is a motorcycle road race that is a part of the Isle of Man TT festival - an annual motorcycle event traditionally held over the last week of May and first week of June. Prior to the 2022 edition of the TT, the race was known as the Lightweight TT.

After a weather delay of 24 hours, Ryan Farquhar (2), the winner of the Lightweight TT on his KMR Kawasaki ER-6 650 cc ready at the TT Grandstand startline, 9 June 2012

History edit

The Lightweight class, as it was then known, was first present at the 1920 TT races, as a category in the Junior TT. However it was not until 1922 that the first time the Lightweight TT took place, won by motorcycle journalist Geoff S. Davison riding a Levis, at an average speed of 49.89 mph (80.29 km/h) for 5 laps of the Snaefell Mountain Course. Between 1949 and 1976, the Lightweight race was part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing season.

In the changes following the loss of FIM World Championship status after the 1976 event, the Lightweight TT event was dropped with the 250 cc machines running for the Junior TT in place of the now defunct 350 cc formula. The Lightweight TT returned in 1995 before being split into two distinct events from 1999, dropping from the schedule again after 2004.

The Lightweight TT and the Ultra-Lightweight TT were later reinstated to the 2008 & 2009 race schedules, but were held on the 4.25 mile Billown Circuit in the south of the Isle of Man.[1] For the 2010 races, the Lightweight TT was again dropped from the race schedule on cost grounds.

The event was re-introduced for the 2012 races on the Mountain course, with a change to water-cooled four-stroke twin cylinder engines not exceeding 650 cc and complying with the ACU Standing Regulations.[2]

The event was renamed Supertwin TT in 2022.[3]

The Lightweight category edit

There have been several different categories of motorcycle that can compete in this event. In the 1950s and 1960s, the principal TT solo events were the Senior (500 cc), Junior (350 cc), and Lightweight (250 cc, or sometimes 125 cc). The 125 cc class was occasionally called the "Ultra-Lightweight" class.

Currently the Lightweight class comprises road-based "Super-Twin" solo machines with liquid-cooled four-stroke engines of up to 650 cc engine capacity.

Overview edit

  • 1924–1948: For motorcycles not exceeding 250 cc engine capacity.
  • 1949–1953: FIM World Championship event for motorcycles not exceeding 250 cc engine capacity, held on the Snaefell mountain course.
  • 1954–1959: FIM World Championship event for motorcycles not exceeding 250 cc engine capacity, held on the Clypse Course.
  • 1960–1976: FIM World Championship event for motorcycles not exceeding 250 cc engine capacity, held on the Mountain Course.
  • 1977–1994: event not run (250 cc formula run as Junior TT).
  • 1995–1998: For 2-stroke motorcycles not exceeding 250 cc engine capacity and 4-stroke motorcycles not exceeding 400 cc, held on the Mountain Course.
  • 1999–2003: Lightweight 400 TT for 4-stroke motorcycles not exceeding 400 cc engine capacity, held on the Mountain Course.
  • 1999–2002: Lightweight 250 TT for 2-stroke motorcycles not exceeding 250 cc engine capacity, held on the Mountain Course (the category running within Junior TT in 2003).
  • 2008–2009: For motorcycles not exceeding 250 cc engine capacity, held on the Billown Circuit.
  • 2012–2019: For water-cooled four-stroke twin cylinder not exceeding an engine capacity of 650 cc and complying with the ACU Standing Regulations.[4]

Speed and lap records edit

The lap record for the Lightweight TT is held by Michael Dunlop in a time of 18 minutes and 26.543 seconds, at an average speed of 122.750 mph (197.547 km/h) set during the 2018 race. The race record for the 4 lap (150.73 miles/242.58 km) Lightweight TT is a time of 1 hour, 15 minutes and 05.032 seconds, at an average race speed of 120.601 mph (194.088 km/h), also held by Dunlop during the 2018 race.[5][6]

List of Lightweight TT Winners edit

[7][8]

Year Rider Manufacturer Average Race Speed
1922   Geoff S. Davison Levis 49.49 mph
1923   Jock Porter New Gerrard 51.93 mph
1924   Edwin Twemlow New Imperial 55.44 mph
1925   Edwin Twemlow New Imperial 57.74 mph
1926   C. W. Johnston Cotton 57.74 mph
1927   Wal Handley Rex-Acme 63.3 mph
1928   Frank Longman OK-Supreme 62.9 mph
1929   Syd Crabtree Excelsior 63.87 mph
1930   Jimmie Guthrie AJS 64.71 mph
1931   Graham Walker Rudge 68.98 mph
1932   Leo Davenport New Imperial 70.48 mph
1933   Syd Gleave Excelsior 71.59 mph
1934   Jimmy Simpson Rudge 70.81 mph
1935   Stanley Woods Moto Guzzi 71.56 mph
1936   Bob Foster New Imperial 74.28 mph
1937   Omobono Tenni Moto Guzzi 74.72 mph
1938   Ewald Kluge DKW 78.48 mph
1939   Ted Mellors Benelli 74.26 mph
1940-1946 Not held
1947   Manliffe Barrington Moto Guzzi 73.22 mph
1948   Maurice Cann Moto Guzzi 75.12 mph
1949   Manliffe Barrington Moto Guzzi 77.99 mph
1950   Dario Ambrosini Benelli 78.08 mph
1951   Tommy Wood Moto Guzzi 81.39 mph
1952   Fergus Anderson Moto Guzzi 83.82 mph
1953   Fergus Anderson Moto Guzzi 84.73 mph
1954   Werner Haas NSU 90.88 mph
1955   Bill Lomas MV Agusta 71.37 mph
1956   Carlo Ubbiali MV Agusta 67.05 mph
1957   Cecil Sandford Mondial 75.80 mph
1958   Tarquinio Provini MV Agusta 76.89 mph
1959   Tarquinio Provini MV Agusta 77.77 mph
1960   Gary Hocking MV Agusta 93.64 mph
1961   Mike Hailwood Honda 98.38 mph
1962   Derek Minter Honda 96.68 mph
1963   Jim Redman Honda 94.85 mph
1964   Jim Redman Honda 97.45 mph
1965   Jim Redman Honda 97.19 mph
1966   Mike Hailwood Honda 101.79 mph
1967   Mike Hailwood Honda 103.07 mph
1968   Bill Ivy Yamaha 99.58 mph
1969   Kel Carruthers Benelli 95.95 mph
1970   Kel Carruthers Yamaha 96.13 mph
1971   Phil Read Yamaha 98.02 mph
1972   Phil Read Yamaha 99.68 mph
1973   Charlie Williams Yamaha 100.05 mph
1974   Charlie Williams Yamaha 94.16 mph
1975   Chas Mortimer Yamaha 101.78 mph
1976   Tom Herron Yamaha 103.55 mph
1977-1994 Not held
1995   Joey Dunlop Honda 115.68 mph
1996   Joey Dunlop Honda 115.31 mph
1997   Joey Dunlop Honda 115.59 mph
1998   Joey Dunlop Honda 96.61 mph
1999   John McGuinness Honda 116.79 mph
  Paul Williams Honda 109.01 mph
2000   Joey Dunlop Honda 116.01 mph
  Brett Richmond Honda 104.00 mph
2001 Not held
2002   Bruce Anstey Yamaha 115.32 mph
  Richard Quayle Honda 109.27 mph
2003   John McGuinness Honda 109.52 mph
2004   John McGuinness Honda 110.28 mph
2005-2007 Not Held
2008   Ian Lougher Honda 100.741 mph
2009   Ian Lougher Honda 101.168 mph
  Ian Lougher Honda 100.273 mph
2010-2011 Not Held
2012   Ryan Farquhar Kawasaki 114.155 mph
2013   James Hillier Kawasaki 117.694 mph
2014   Dean Harrison Kawasaki 117.460 mph
2015   Ivan Lintin Kawasaki 118.936 mph
2016   Ivan Lintin Kawasaki 118.454 mph
2017   Michael Rutter Paton 118.645 mph
2018   Michael Dunlop Paton 120.601 mph
2019   Michael Dunlop Paton 121.646 mph
2022   Peter Hickman Paton 120.006 mph
2023 (Race 1)   Michael Dunlop Paton 120.505 mph
2023 (Race 2)   Peter Hickman Yamaha 119.318 mph

Race winners (riders) edit

Rider Wins
Joey Dunlop 6
Charlie Williams 5
Mike Hailwood, Jim Redman 3
Fergus Anderson, Manliff Barrington, Kel Carruthers, Michael Dunlop, Ivan Lintin, Ian Lougher, Phil Read, Tarquinio Provini, Eric Twemlow 2
Dario Ambrosini, Bruce Anstey, Maurice Cann, Syd Crabtree, Ryan Farquhar, Gary Hocking, Jimmie Guthrie, Wal Handley, Werner Haas, Dean Harrison, Tom Herron, James Hillier, Bill Ivy, Ewald Kluge, John McGuinness, Ted Mellors, Derek Minter, Jack A. Porter, Richard Quayle, Jimmie Simpson, Omobono Tenni, Carlo Ubbiali, Graham Walker, Stanley Woods 1

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Manx Independent pp44 dated 22 November 2007
  2. ^ International Isle of Man TT Regulations 2012 page 41-42 Appendix-E ACU Events (Isle of Man) Ltd (2012) Isle of Man Department of Economic Development
  3. ^ Miller, David (11 June 2021). "Lightweight TT becomes Supertwin TT in 2022". BikeSport News. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  4. ^ International Isle of Man TT Regulations 2012 page 41-42 Appendix-E ACU Events (Isle of Man) Ltd (2012) Isle of Man Department of Economic Development
  5. ^ "Dunlop proves a heavy hitter in thrilling Bennetts Lightweight TT Race". Isle of Man TT. Duke Marketing Ltd. 6 June 2018. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
  6. ^ "Bennetts Lightweight TT - Result Sheet" (PDF). Isle of Man TT. Duke Marketing Ltd. 6 June 2018. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
  7. ^ "TT Fact Zone". Duke Marketing Ltd.
  8. ^ "TT & Manx Grand Prix - iMuseum". iMuseum.