Isle of Man TT: Early signs are good for Bradford's Dean Harrison
ONE of Yorkshire’s finest puts his skills to the test and his life on the line for the thrill of the Isle of Man TT races over the coming week.
The famous celebration of motorcycle racing is one of the biggest events on the sport’s calendar, mixing danger with excitement.
Dean Harrison, 37, from Bradford is one of the event’s most successful competitors having won the Isle of Man TT five times.
His victories have come in the Lightweight TT in 2014, the Supersport TT in 2018, the Senior TT in 2019 and both Superstock TT races last year, proving that even in his mid-to-late 30s, he is as strong a rider as ever.
He has 35 podium finishes across the various races that make up the Isle of Man TT and comes into this year’s event in good form having stepped on the podium at a Supersport race at Donington Park last weekend.
“We’ve made a few tweaks to the Superbike to make it a bit easier to ride but the sun will be difficult, so the plan is to have two steady laps,” said Harrison earlier this week, having already shown his hand early with a lap of 133.925mph on his Honda Racing UK Superbike, the quickest lap ever seen in a Superbike/Superstock opening qualifying session.
Harrison was set to be joined on the island in the Irish Sea by Saltburn’s Davey Todd, but he was still battling to overcome serious injuries sustained in a crash in America in March to be fit enough to race..
Todd was declared medically unfit to compete at the 2026 Isle of Man TT following injuries sustained at the Daytona 200 in March. Todd suffered multiple fractures in the Daytona crash including his femur, tibia, foot and nose.
“I’m absolutely gutted to say I’m not going to be on the start line for TT 2026,” said Todd. “Especially given all the work that’s gone in over the last nine weeks.”
Practice sessions for the Isle of Man TT have been ongoing all week and racing runs from Saturday until next Saturday, when the senior TT takes headline billing over closed public roads across the 37.7-mile (60km) mountain course.
Superstock and sidecar races take pole position this Saturday, with Sunday’s highlight being the Superbike TT.