2015 Isle of Man TT Parade Lap
The 2015 Isle of Man TT is now in the history books, but many are still in revery over this year’s festivities – including some of the fastest World Superbike pilots.
Four riders from 2015 World Superbike – Ducati Team’s Chaz Davies, Pata Honda’s Sylvain Guintoli, and the Kawasaki Racing Team’s Tom Sykes and Jonathan Rea – participated in this year’s Isle of Man TT Parade Lap around the 37.73-mile Mountain Course aboard their perspective SBK machines.
And three of these riders commented on the experience, beginning with the reigning World SBK Champion Guintoli, who also raced MotoGP and British Superbike: “What an unbelievable feeling,” the Honda CBR1000RR SP pilot said.
“That felt so fast. I had to push to follow the other riders. I looked down at one point at the speedometer and it said 170 and I thought that’s not right and I even managed to outbreak myself at one point. What a track.”
As for Sykes, though, this was the 2013 World Superbike Champion’s first experience on the TT course: “I can see why all these riders are so in love with the place. I’ve never been round it and suddenly looked down and I’m at 170mph as I go through a village. I would have liked to go behind Milky (TT Rider liaison officer Richard Quayle) the whole way round as I felt I was riding blind when I wasn’t behind him and was really relaxed when I was. We had a fantastic reaction from the crowd and it was a great experience. I only wish I’d been able to do a few more laps.”
Also speaking of his experience was the Welshman Chaz Davies – the 2011 World Supersport Champion – who is one of the top Ducati Panigale 1199 R pilots in 2015: “There was so much to take in over one lap. It was like nothing else I’ve done. My respect levels for the road racers were really high before this but seeing this now, feeling the bumps they’re gone through the roof. I’m currently on a safety commission for WSBK and we complain about a few bumps but it’s fair to say my perspective has definitely changed.”
These riders now head to Misano for round eight of 2015 World Superbike.
2015 Isle of Man TT Parade Lap with World Superbike Pilots