Will you join the TT Legacy lap?

Hairy Biker Dave Myers is being remembered this year

There are loads of reasons why bikers love going to the Isle of Man TT Races.

For some it’s about the racing, to others it’s the festival atmosphere. Many like the ability to ride their own bike around the same course as the racing heroes, with no speed limits over the Mountain section (albeit there’s still other traffic) and for others it can just be about meeting up with so many kindred spirits.

One event which ticks many of the TT boxes is the annual TT Legacy Lap. It’s a mass participation ride out around the course which attracts thousands of riders and pillion passengers. This year it takes place on the morning of Sunday 2 June, ahead of the RST Superbike TT Race.

The ‘Legacy Lap’ name comes because TT organisers say the ride is a good opportunity for participants to remember riders and competitors no longer with us, but who shared a passion for motorcycling, in particular around the iconic 37.73-mile Isle of Man TT course.

This year some riders are using the Legacy Lap to remember Dave Myers, one half of TV duo The Hairy Bikers, and to coincide with a number of charity mass ride outs being held across the UK at the same time. Dave passed away from cancer earlier this year, with the ride outs supporting numerous cancer charities.

The lap is set to head off down Glencrutchery Road at 9.30am, under the instruction of TT Clerk of the Course Gary Thompson. It’s historically preceded by a 60 second ‘Sound of Thunder’ when the participants rev up their machines for a minute before departing. It creates quite a spectacle, even for those watching

Sign up takes place at the Hailwood Centre, behind the TT Grandstand, on the five afternoons before the ride out. Registered participants receive a wristband and are asked to assemble at the TT Grandstand an hour ahead of departure, and the craic down pit lane provides another great part of the experience.