Ultra-Lightweight TT explained

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 4.25miles Billown Circuit.[1]

Engine Capacity

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 51.21mi/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.

Speed and Lap Records

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

List of Ultra-Lightweight TT Winners

[3] [4]

YearRiderManufacturerAverage Race Speed
1924 Jock PorterNew Gerrard51.21 mph
1925 Wal HandleyRex-Acme53.45 mph
1926-1950Not Held
1951 Cromie McCandlessMondial74.85 mph
1952 Cecil SandfordMV Agusta75.54 mph
1953 Leslie GrahamMV Agusta77.79 mph
1954 Rupert HollausNSU69.52 mph
1955 Carlo UbbialiMV Agusta69.67 mph
1956 Carlo UbbialiMV Agusta69.13 mph
1957 Tarquinio ProviniMondial73.69 mph
1958 Carlo UbbialiMV Agusta72.86 mph
1959 Tarquinio ProviniMV Agusta74.06 mph
1960 Carlo UbbialiMV Agusta85.61 mph
1961 Mike HailwoodHonda88.23 mph
1962 Luigi TaveriHonda89.88 mph
1963 Hugh AndersonSuzuki89.27 mph
1964 Luigi TaveriHonda92.14 mph
1965 Phil ReadYamaha94.28 mph
1966 Bill IvyYamaha97.66 mph
1967 Phil ReadYamaha97.48 mph
1968 Phil ReadYamaha99.12 mph
1969 Dave SimmondsKawasaki91.08 mph
1970 Dieter BraunSuzuki89.27 mph
1971 Chas MortimerYamaha83.96 mph
1972 Chas MortimerYamaha87.49 mph
1973 Tommy RobbYamaha88.91 mph
1974 Clive HortonYamaha88.44 mph
1975-1988Not Held
1989 Robert DunlopHonda102.58 mph
1990 Robert DunlopHonda103.41 mph
1991 Robert DunlopHonda103.68 mph
1992 Joey DunlopHonda106.49 mph
1993 Joey DunlopHonda107.26 mph
1994 Joey DunlopHonda105.74 mph
1995 Mark BaldwinHonda107.14 mph
1996 Joey DunlopHonda106.33 mph
1997 Ian LougherHonda107.89 mph
1998 Robert DunlopHonda106.38 mph
1999 Ian LougherHonda107.43 mph
2000 Joey DunlopHonda107.14 mph
2001Not held
2002 Ian LougherHonda108.65 mph
2003 Chris PalmerHonda108.65 mph
2004 Chris PalmerHonda108.93 mph
2005-2007Not Held
2008 Chris PalmerHonda94.042 mph
2009 Ian LougherHonda2 heats

50cc Ultra-Lightweight TT Winners

YearRiderMotorcycleAverage Speed
1962 Ernst DegnerSuzuki75.12 mph
1963 Mitsuo ItohSuzuki78.81 mph
1964 Hugh AndersonSuzuki80.64 mph
1965 Luigi TaveriHonda79.66 mph
1966 Ralph BryansHonda85.66 mph
1967 Stuart GrahamSuzuki82.89 mph
1968 Barry SmithDerbi72.90 mph

Ultra-Lightweight TT Race Winners

RiderWins
4
Robert Dunlop, Chris Palmer 3
Chas Mortimer, Phil Read, Tarquinio Provini*, Luigi Taveri2
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 Simmonds1

Ultra-Lightweight TT Race Winners by Marque

MarqueWins
20
Yamaha8
MV Agusta7
Mondial, Suzuki2
Kawasaki, New Imperial, NSU, Rex-Acme1

See also

Notes and References

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