The Ultra-Lightweight TT was a motorcycle road race that took place during the Isle of Man TT festival, an annual event at the end of May and beginning of June. Between 1951 and 1974 this race was part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing season at world-level, representing the British round. The Ultra-Lightweight TT and the Lightweight TT races were both dropped from the 2005 Isle of Man TT race calendar due to lack of entries, but were later reinstated to the 2008 and 2009 TT race schedules held on the 4.25 mi (6.84 km) Billown Circuit.[1]

Engine Capacity edit

The 1924 Isle of Man TT was the first race for Ultra-Lightweight motorcycles not exceeding 175 cc engine capacity, won by Jack Porter, on a New Imperial at an average speed of 51.21 mph (82.41 km/h) for three laps of the Snaefell mountain course. The Ultra-Lightweight TT race was re-introduced for the 1951 Isle of Man TT race for motorcycles not exceeding 125 cc engine capacity until dropped from the TT race meeting in 1974. The Ultra-Lightweight race was re-introduced for the 1989 TT races, again for motorcycles not exceeding 125 cc engine capacity and was part of the TT Festival until 2004.

  • 1924-1925 For motor-cycles not exceeding 175 cc engine capacity.
  • 1951-1953 World Championship event for motorcycles not exceeding 125 cc engine capacity, held on the Snaefell mountain course.
  • 1954-1959 World Championship event for motorcycles not exceeding 125 cc engine capacity, held on the Clypse Course.
  • 1960-1974 World Championship event for motor-cycles not exceeding 125 cc engine capacity, held on the Mountain Course.
  • 1989-2004 for motorcycles not exceeding 125 cc engine capacity, held on the Mountain Course.
  • 2008-2009 for motorcycles not exceeding 125 cc engine capacity, held on the Billown Circuit.
  • 1962-1968 Additional World Championship event for motorcycles not exceeding 50 cc engine capacity, held on the Mountain Course.

Speed and Lap Records edit

The lap record for the Ultra-Lightweight TT is 19 minutes and 18.2 seconds[2] at an average speed of 110.52 mph (177.86 km/h) set by Chris Palmer during the 2004 Ultra-Lightweight 125 cc TT Race.

List of Ultra-Lightweight TT Winners edit

[3][4]

Year Rider Manufacturer Average Race Speed
1924   Jock Porter New Gerrard 51.21 mph
1925   Wal Handley Rex-Acme 53.45 mph
1926-1950 Not Held
1951   Cromie McCandless Mondial 74.85 mph
1952   Cecil Sandford MV Agusta 75.54 mph
1953   Leslie Graham MV Agusta 77.79 mph
1954   Rupert Hollaus NSU 69.52 mph
1955   Carlo Ubbiali MV Agusta 69.67 mph
1956   Carlo Ubbiali MV Agusta 69.13 mph
1957   Tarquinio Provini Mondial 73.69 mph
1958   Carlo Ubbiali MV Agusta 72.86 mph
1959   Tarquinio Provini MV Agusta 74.06 mph
1960   Carlo Ubbiali MV Agusta 85.61 mph
1961   Mike Hailwood Honda 88.23 mph
1962   Luigi Taveri Honda 89.88 mph
1963   Hugh Anderson Suzuki 89.27 mph
1964   Luigi Taveri Honda 92.14 mph
1965   Phil Read Yamaha 94.28 mph
1966   Bill Ivy Yamaha 97.66 mph
1967   Phil Read Yamaha 97.48 mph
1968   Phil Read Yamaha 99.12 mph
1969   Dave Simmonds Kawasaki 91.08 mph
1970   Dieter Braun Suzuki 89.27 mph
1971   Chas Mortimer Yamaha 83.96 mph
1972   Chas Mortimer Yamaha 87.49 mph
1973   Tommy Robb Yamaha 88.91 mph
1974   Clive Horton Yamaha 88.44 mph
1975-1988 Not Held
1989   Robert Dunlop Honda 102.58 mph
1990   Robert Dunlop Honda 103.41 mph
1991   Robert Dunlop Honda 103.68 mph
1992   Joey Dunlop Honda 106.49 mph
1993   Joey Dunlop Honda 107.26 mph
1994   Joey Dunlop Honda 105.74 mph
1995   Mark Baldwin Honda 107.14 mph
1996   Joey Dunlop Honda 106.33 mph
1997   Ian Lougher Honda 107.89 mph
1998   Robert Dunlop Honda 106.38 mph
1999   Ian Lougher Honda 107.43 mph
2000   Joey Dunlop Honda 107.14 mph
2001 Not held
2002   Ian Lougher Honda 108.65 mph
2003   Chris Palmer Honda 108.65 mph
2004   Chris Palmer Honda 108.93 mph
2005-2007 Not Held
2008   Chris Palmer Honda 94.042 mph
2009   Ian Lougher Honda 2 heats

50cc Ultra-Lightweight TT Winners edit

Year Rider Motorcycle Average Speed
1962   Ernst Degner Suzuki 75.12 mph
1963   Mitsuo Itoh Suzuki 78.81 mph
1964   Hugh Anderson Suzuki 80.64 mph
1965   Luigi Taveri Honda 79.66 mph
1966   Ralph Bryans Honda 85.66 mph
1967   Stuart Graham Suzuki 82.89 mph
1968   Barry Smith Derbi 72.90 mph

Ultra-Lightweight TT Race Winners edit

Rider Wins
Joey Dunlop, Ian Lougher Carlo Ubbiali 4
Robert Dunlop, Chris Palmer 3
Chas Mortimer, Phil Read, Tarquinio Provini*, Luigi Taveri 2
Hugh Anderson, M.Baldwin, Dieter Braun, Les Graham, Rupert Hollaus*, Wal Handley, C.Horton, Bill Ivy, Cromie McCandless, Mike Hailwood, Jack Porter, Tommy Robb, Cecil Sandford, Dave Simmonds 1

Ultra-Lightweight TT Race Winners by Marque edit

Marque Wins
Honda 20
Yamaha 8
MV Agusta 7
Mondial, Suzuki 2
Kawasaki, New Imperial, NSU, Rex-Acme 1

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Manx Independent pp44 dated 22 November 2007
  2. ^ 2006 Official TT Race Guide
  3. ^ "TT Fact Zone". Duke Marketing Ltd.
  4. ^ "TT & Manx Grand Prix - iMuseum". iMuseum.