John McGuinness still has fire for Isle of Man biking at 50 years old
John McGuinness MBE attended his first Isle of Man TT motorbike race with his father at the age of 10.
Competing in an event himself that day, McGuinness Sr passed the torch on to his son and kick-started a distinguished career.
Now 50, the English veteran and second most successful TT rider of all time, completed his 100th Isle of Man start on Sunday.
McGuinness, who has won 23 races on the picturesque island course, finished fourth in Sunday’s qualifying rounds with a speed of 125 mph on his Honda superbike.
“It’s something you have to witness live,” McGuinness says. “You can’t fully understand it until you see how raw it is, how close you can get to it.
“There aren’t many places in the world where you can stand three feet away from a motorbike doing 180 mph.”
The raw nature of the event, which takes place on 37.73 miles of public roads, has always been an important draw for the fans. But, unfortunately, with this ethos comes risk.
Since 1907 when the race began there have been over 150 deaths on the TT course, with many more at the surrounding Manx Grand Prix and Classic TT events. In excess of 250 people in total have died racing on the island.
“When you speak to people about competing in the TT it’s hard to give advice because it’s so dangerous,” McGuinness says. “You have to carve your own path in the event.”
Considered a “real roads” specialist, McGuinness has experience in many motorcycle disciplines. He has competed in 24-hour endurance races such as the Bol d’Or and Le Mans and in 500cc grands prix.
Yet he is best known for his performances on the Isle of Man. There in 2007 he was the first person to break the 130 mph barrier at the TT, when he bettered his own lap record of 129.451 mph.
In 2021, when the Isle of Man TT was cancelled for a second time by the local government because of Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, McGuinness announced that he was considering putting an end to his career as a professional TT racer.
“I’ll be 50 years of age when I next look down Bray Hill on a superbike and I don’t know if that’s going to happen,” he told Manx Radio last year.
“The people around me, the family, the friends, the sponsors, the bike will be there if I want it. But a couple of years is a long time ahead, isn’t it?”
Ahead of this year’s TT, where he is due to compete in the six-lap Superbike race on Saturday , it’s safe to say he had changed his tune.
“I just turned 50 but the fire is still there,” he said. “I don’t think I’ll ever retire. You’ll have to wheel me out.”
It’s an apt metaphor for a life spent on two wheels. McGuinness has a quick wit off the bike and on the bike is still setting personal bests.