Honda celebrate at 100th Anniversary Isle of Man TT

Honda's relationship with the TT began in 1954, when the company's founder, Soichiro Honda, vowed to take part. Five years later, a party of four riders and five engineers began Honda's love affair with the Tourist Trophy races.
With a sixth, seventh, eighth and tenth place, the Honda team claimed the Manufacturers' title on debut. Just two years later Honda won its first race thanks to the legendary Mike Hailwood.

Honda's riders dominated the 1961 Ultra Lightweight TT when Hailwood led a sweep of five Hondas into the top six, which he followed up with a win in the Lightweight TT on the same day. Since then, Honda has continually won at the TT - over 130 victories to date - and Honda Racing now also holds the outright lap record of 130.118 mph (208 kph), set this year by John McGuinness on board his HM Plant Honda CBR1000RR in the Senior TT. The 130mph average lap was a major milestone for the 100th Anniversary TT, as no rider has ever achieved this pace before on the unforgiving road course.

Honda dominated all classes, winning the Senior & Junior TT, Superbike, Supersport and Sidecar races. McGuinness also won the Superbike TT and was a close second to fellow Honda rider, Ian Hutchinson in the Supersport TT.
Some ANZAC pride came courtesy of Kiwi rider, Bruce Anstey, who won the Superstock TT on board a Suzuki GSX-R 1000. Fellow Kiwi, Shaun Harris crashed heavily in the same race, and remains in a critical condition as this issue went to press.

Tragedy also followed an incident on the last lap of the Senior TT when British rider, Marc Ramsbotham, lost control and plowed into the crowd, killing two spectators, including one Australian, as well as critically injuring two marshals.