John 'Morecambe Missile' McGuinness has won an incredible 23 races at the Isle of Man
For
anyone who loves motorcycles and motorcycle racing, John McGuinness needs no
introduction. Also known as the ‘Morecambe Missile,’ Guinness is one of the most
successful motorcycle road racers, an Isle of Man specialist, having won an
incredible 23 races at the most difficult, most dangerous road racing circuit
in the world. Only Joey Dunlop and Michael Dunlop have won more races at the
Isle of Man, while both McGuinness and Mike Hailwood have an equal number of
Senior TT wins at the IoM, at seven races each.
The motivation is as strong as ever and the day it isn’t is the day I won’t do it anymore. I can’t imagine being at the TT and not wanting to win races. I wouldn’t say it gets more difficult, but there is always the threat of the younger, fitter riders on my heels. Having said that, all the racing that I have been doing in EWC with the Honda TT Legends means I am bike-fit. In terms of preparation, I’ve done a lot of hours on the bike and it is definitely paying off.
What are some of the biggest changes that have happened at the Isle of Man in the last decade or two?
Everything about the TT has changed. It’s bigger, it’s more organised and there is definitely an increased awareness of safety. Over the last few years, the interest in the TT has really grown and you can see it all around the paddock. Bigger trucks, better bikes, lots of investment from sponsors. It’s great to see such interest and that can only be a good thing, but you wouldn’t want the event to lose its charm.
How you do deal with the fact that racing at the Isle of Man is so intensely fraught with risk? How does your family deal that aspect of you racing on the IoM?
The risk is all part of it and it’s why a lot of people do it. You don’t think about what could happen, you just get on with the job. If there is an incident on track I don’t look and I don’t ask questions until the job is done. My wife and family are very supportive and always have been. They come to every race. My mum always says to me ‘Make sure you win but don’t go too fast.’ I don’t know how she figures that one out! The wife sits in the grandstand with the other families, radio in her ear and her fingers crossed.
Winning at the Isle of Man – is it science or art? What does it take to win at the IoM? What’s most important – experience and knowledge of the circuit, sheer bravery, talent, the motorcycle, the team – what is it that matters most?
It’s a combination of all of those things and it all has to come together at the right time. Without one or the other, the wins wouldn’t come. I obviously have a really good knowledge of the circuit now, but there are subtle changes every year and without a great bike under me and good team around me I wouldn’t be winning.
How is your IoM TT race-winning Honda Fireblade different from the regular, stock Fireblade that people can buy from Honda showrooms?
My TT bike is not actually too far away from what you can buy in the Honda showrooms. As with any race bike, it spends more time at the top end of the rev range so the engine is tuned to give more top end power. The engine produces around 210bhp compared to about 170 on a stock bike. The chassis is based very closely to the stock bike, as it is a great bike on the road already. We just upgrade the forks and shock to cope with the high-speed bumps and braking from 200mph [320kph!] down to 30mph [48kph]. The same goes for the brakes; there's nothing wrong with the road bike brakes but we do have to be upgraded for the TT course, as they have to cope with so much more and very heavy use, from high speeds down to low speed. The Superstock Fireblade is capable of over 130mph [208kph] average speed around the TT course, compared with 131mph [209kph]on the superbike, this is how close they are.
If the top MotoGP riders were to come to the Island to race, with full factory support, how do you think they would fare at the IoM? Also, if you went to MotoGP or World Superbikes, how do you think you would do there?
I think they [the MotoGP guys] have got enough talent to go well and have success, but if they came for the first time they would get blown into the weeds! It would take a good three years to be really be competitive but there’s not reason why they couldn’t be if they really wanted it. The other way round, at the stage I am in my life now, at my age and at my fitness level I would definitely struggle!
Given your stupendous track record at the IoM, have you ever been tempted to give MotoGP / World Superbikes a shot?
I actually did compete in the World Supersport in 2002 while still doing road racing. I combined the two and of course I wanted to be a short track world champion, but my career took a different path and I’ve excelled on the roads. I also did three 500cc GP races as a British wild card in 98, 99 and 2000 and scored points in all them. I was offered a GP ride in 1999 but the package wasn’t competitive so I changed direction. I would consider doing a wild card again, but I would struggle now.
Who would you say have been your toughest rivals at the IoM, whose racing skills you admire and respect?
It has to be Joey Dunlop alongside David Jeffries. I didn’t race with DJ for very long but he was by far the fiercest competitor I have ever raced against. He did the treble three times in his last three TTs so he was pretty special. Of course, Joey is the most respected rider for me, that goes without saying.
What’s the post-race party scene like, these days, at the Isle of Man?
It is much different now! In the past it was a lot more relaxed and a much smaller event so we’d all go out on the beers, but now the whole thing is taken much more seriously. In 2006 we won three races and I remember being out on the town until 5 am with my mechanics. We were eating chips, cheese and gravy on the seafront and watching the sun come up at 5.15 am with the seagulls stealing our chips! You haven’t done the TT unless you’ve done an all-nighter and fed the seagulls at sunrise! Nowadays though it’s much quieter for me. I have the wife and kids and we spend more time together as a family.
Born in Morecambe, Lancashire, in the UK, McGuinness started competing in
motocross at the age of seven and had his first taste of road racing in 1990,
at the age of 18. His first race at the Isle of Man was in 1996, on a Honda
RS250 and since then he’s won 23 races and is still going strong, having
taken 5th place in the Senior TT at this year’s Isle of Man races,
at the age of 52.
I had an opportunity to interview John McGuinness back in 2012, for Faster
and Faster, a motorcycle website I used to run at that time. That website
no longer exists but I wanted to preserve this interview, hence posting it
here, where I hope it’ll remain forever. It goes without saying that I’m a huge
fan of McGuinness. Anyone who races 200bhp, 300kph motorcycles at the IoM has
to be barking mad and McGuinness is right up there with the maddest of the mad.
But anyway, here’s my little interview with the great man.
The motivation is as strong as ever and the day it isn’t is the day I won’t do it anymore. I can’t imagine being at the TT and not wanting to win races. I wouldn’t say it gets more difficult, but there is always the threat of the younger, fitter riders on my heels. Having said that, all the racing that I have been doing in EWC with the Honda TT Legends means I am bike-fit. In terms of preparation, I’ve done a lot of hours on the bike and it is definitely paying off.
What are some of the biggest changes that have happened at the Isle of Man in the last decade or two?
Everything about the TT has changed. It’s bigger, it’s more organised and there is definitely an increased awareness of safety. Over the last few years, the interest in the TT has really grown and you can see it all around the paddock. Bigger trucks, better bikes, lots of investment from sponsors. It’s great to see such interest and that can only be a good thing, but you wouldn’t want the event to lose its charm.
How you do deal with the fact that racing at the Isle of Man is so intensely fraught with risk? How does your family deal that aspect of you racing on the IoM?
The risk is all part of it and it’s why a lot of people do it. You don’t think about what could happen, you just get on with the job. If there is an incident on track I don’t look and I don’t ask questions until the job is done. My wife and family are very supportive and always have been. They come to every race. My mum always says to me ‘Make sure you win but don’t go too fast.’ I don’t know how she figures that one out! The wife sits in the grandstand with the other families, radio in her ear and her fingers crossed.
Winning at the Isle of Man – is it science or art? What does it take to win at the IoM? What’s most important – experience and knowledge of the circuit, sheer bravery, talent, the motorcycle, the team – what is it that matters most?
It’s a combination of all of those things and it all has to come together at the right time. Without one or the other, the wins wouldn’t come. I obviously have a really good knowledge of the circuit now, but there are subtle changes every year and without a great bike under me and good team around me I wouldn’t be winning.
How is your IoM TT race-winning Honda Fireblade different from the regular, stock Fireblade that people can buy from Honda showrooms?
My TT bike is not actually too far away from what you can buy in the Honda showrooms. As with any race bike, it spends more time at the top end of the rev range so the engine is tuned to give more top end power. The engine produces around 210bhp compared to about 170 on a stock bike. The chassis is based very closely to the stock bike, as it is a great bike on the road already. We just upgrade the forks and shock to cope with the high-speed bumps and braking from 200mph [320kph!] down to 30mph [48kph]. The same goes for the brakes; there's nothing wrong with the road bike brakes but we do have to be upgraded for the TT course, as they have to cope with so much more and very heavy use, from high speeds down to low speed. The Superstock Fireblade is capable of over 130mph [208kph] average speed around the TT course, compared with 131mph [209kph]on the superbike, this is how close they are.
If the top MotoGP riders were to come to the Island to race, with full factory support, how do you think they would fare at the IoM? Also, if you went to MotoGP or World Superbikes, how do you think you would do there?
I think they [the MotoGP guys] have got enough talent to go well and have success, but if they came for the first time they would get blown into the weeds! It would take a good three years to be really be competitive but there’s not reason why they couldn’t be if they really wanted it. The other way round, at the stage I am in my life now, at my age and at my fitness level I would definitely struggle!
Given your stupendous track record at the IoM, have you ever been tempted to give MotoGP / World Superbikes a shot?
I actually did compete in the World Supersport in 2002 while still doing road racing. I combined the two and of course I wanted to be a short track world champion, but my career took a different path and I’ve excelled on the roads. I also did three 500cc GP races as a British wild card in 98, 99 and 2000 and scored points in all them. I was offered a GP ride in 1999 but the package wasn’t competitive so I changed direction. I would consider doing a wild card again, but I would struggle now.
Who would you say have been your toughest rivals at the IoM, whose racing skills you admire and respect?
It has to be Joey Dunlop alongside David Jeffries. I didn’t race with DJ for very long but he was by far the fiercest competitor I have ever raced against. He did the treble three times in his last three TTs so he was pretty special. Of course, Joey is the most respected rider for me, that goes without saying.
What’s the post-race party scene like, these days, at the Isle of Man?
It is much different now! In the past it was a lot more relaxed and a much smaller event so we’d all go out on the beers, but now the whole thing is taken much more seriously. In 2006 we won three races and I remember being out on the town until 5 am with my mechanics. We were eating chips, cheese and gravy on the seafront and watching the sun come up at 5.15 am with the seagulls stealing our chips! You haven’t done the TT unless you’ve done an all-nighter and fed the seagulls at sunrise! Nowadays though it’s much quieter for me. I have the wife and kids and we spend more time together as a family.
John McGuinness, the fastest man on a motorcycle around the Isle of Man Quick Shift
Your favourite cuisine: Chinese
Your favourite music/band: I’ve never bought a record in my life, but I like a bit of an 80s power ballad! Anything from Duran Duran to Madonna.
The motorcycle you wanted most when you were a teenager: Joey Dunlop’s factory Honda RVF750
Your dream car: Now I’m a bit older, a Rolls Royce Phantom
Your favourite film: TT3D: Closer to the Edge
Your favourite actress: Kate Winslet
Your favourite drink: Gin and Tonic
Note: I did this interview with John McGuinness in mid-2012
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