1904 The first race on the Isle of Man

The TT Races have a rich and tantalising history with early riding titans carving the way for modern day legends like Ian Hutchinson and John McGuinness. They are shaped by stories, lore and Yamahas. By leathers, dynasties and dreams. But let's start from the beginning ...

In 1904, three years prior to the first TT motorcycle race, trials were held to decide who would represent Britain in the Gordon Bennett Cup, an annual race contested between nations

Sir Julian Orde (Secretary of the Automobile Club of Great Britain and Ireland) was on the hunt for a new place to hold the Gordon Bennet Car Trial as an act of Parliament banned racing in the UK and introduced a 20mph nationwide speed limit.

He travelled to the Isle of Man hoping that the Manx Government would be more lenient than the UK’s in terms of road racing. He was right. The Highways Act of 1904 had recently been enacted, allowing the Island’s 52.2 miles Highlands Course to be the backdrop for the Gordon Bennet Car Trial.

HOWEVER, this ‘Highlands’ course was too hilly for motorbikes and as such, they were banned from the course.

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