Dunlop, Victory Eager to Impress at IoM TT

Dunlop, Victory Eager to Impress at IoM TT

Racing legend William Dunlop says he has set his sights on a podium finish for Victory Motorcycles' electric Victory RR race bike at this year’s Isle of Man TT.

Dunlop will be hoping for a better result than last year, when a last-minute injury ruled him out of riding in the TT Zero race. He was replaced with just a few hours to spare by Guy Martin, who managed a respectable 4th place considering he had had almost no practice on the bike.

Thirty-year-old Dunlop has since gotten healthy and has been racking up a number of great road racing results this season. A member of Northern Ireland’s dynastic Dunlop family (his father, brother and uncle all etched their names in Isle of Man TT history), he is eager to prove himself in this year’s contests.

“I’m very happy that Victory has decided to return to the TT,” said Dunlop. “I had a good time on my first ride with the electric bike last year, and I’m looking forward to getting another chance to race... I feel as though there’s some unfinished business to take care of.”

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The Victory RR is a new beast, however, different from the Empulse RR that Dunlop rode last year.

“Compared to last year’s Empulse RR the new Victory RR has more battery on board, which should allow us to go faster,” Dunlop explained. “With Mugen and Sarolea also bringing all-new bikes this year, it will be interesting to see how all this new technology stacks up against each other.”

Incidentally, Victory’s race-focused Empulse RR will be put to use this year at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, where it will be ridden by Cycle World Editor Don Canet.

Team manager Brian Wismann says he has been working closely with Dunlop over the past few months, briefing him about what to expect from the new Victory RR. The team has also carried out some testing ahead of the first TT Zero practice lap on the evening of Friday 3rd June.
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“William is a very talented racer and we are happy to have him back,” said Wismann.

Meanwhile, Dunlop admits he hasn’t followed the development of electric motorcycles too closely. In true racer spirit, what he cares about most is that the bike goes fast.

“As a rider, it’s just another motorcycle to race and try to win on,” he said. “Which probably says the most about how far they’ve come.”

After Friday’s practice, the second practice for the SES TT Zero is scheduled for Saturday, 4th June, with a final qualifying session to be held on Monday 6th June. The actual race is scheduled for Wednesday 8th June.

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