TTXGP – What is it? Was it worth it?

The 2009 Isle of Man TT featured a new event this year.  TTXGP stands for Time Trial Xtreme Grand Prix.  This particular race consists of just a single lap but there is a slight twist.  All entrants to the race must ride motorcycles which are powered by fuels that are carbon free.  This means that the machines do not produce damaging greenhouse emissions.

Notice anything different about the sound?

The motorcycles are capable of about half the speed of the bikes that are typically seen during a superbike race, but they are not emitting the toxins that the carbon-fuelled superbikes do.  The motorcycle designs that were featured in this event were fairly diverse.  Most of the entrants into the TTXGP were supported by major corporations and collegiate institutions around the world that have a vested interest in producing capable and efficient ‘green’ machines.

There are two TTXGP classes that includes Pro and Open. The Pro class provides entrants with several options: the 3a class requires a motorcycle that is powered by electricity, which is typically stored within some form of a battery.  The 3b class has been established for motorcycles that rely on fuel cell technology.  The 3c class is for motorcycles that feature an internal combustion engine that runs on a fuel that is not carbon based. There is also a 3d class which is designed for hybrid motorcycles.

The electric bikes are a bit better than this

The TTXGP Open class requires entrants to build specialised bikes that run on electricity.  This particular class has been designed for those who want to experiment more with the technology.  There are a few rules that entrants need to abide by.  Motorcycles designed to participate in this class are required to come within a pre-determined budget.  The power sources that are used within the motorcycles also have to be purchased ready built.

To qualify to participate in the inaugural TTXGP event during the Isle of Man TT, racers had to complete a single lap in less than 50 minutes without stopping.  The weight of the motorcycle had to fall between 100 and 300 kilograms.  A special weigh-in of the motorcycles took place before the race.  Keep in mind that a single lap on the Mountain Course, which is used during the Isle of Man TT, is 37.733 miles.  This would require that the motorcycle must be able to go at a speed of at least 45 miles per hour in order to qualify.
There were 23 official entries into the TTXGP event.  The entrants came from a total of seven different countries.  Many of the racers were also participating in other events during the Isle of Man TT.  The vast majority of entrants fell within the Pro class 3a with a few Open entrants also.

This is only half the circuit

A team from the United States called Mission Motors had generated a great deal of publicity leading up to the race.  The team claimed that their motorcycle would be able to go as fast as 150 miles per hour.  The motorcycle featured an electric powered design and was expected to be one of the top competitors during the race.

British company EVO Design Solutions had two entries into the TTGXP.  The company marketed their entries as having systems that were both designed and constructed in Britain. This included both the motor and the chassis.

Looks pretty cool, doesn’t it?

Several other teams made up the list of entrants including those representing Kingston and Brunel universities.  A number of American teams including Barefoot Motors, MotoCzysz, and Brammo also participated in the TTGXP.

If you have seen a superbike race on TV or have had the opportunity to attend an event in person, you will expect a great deal of very loud sound when the race starts.  The TTGXP race proved to be quite the opposite.  Instead of the typical engine screams that are heard, the electric powered bikes were rather quieter.

Many people may be surprised that the TTGXP is just a single lap but there are a variety of reasons for this.  Because the motorcycles are powered by electricity which is typically stored within a battery, the distance that the motorcycles can travel is limited.  Most motorcycles that were entered into the race were not capable of exceeding the nearly 40 mile length that a single lap of the Mountain Course requires.

The course. Of Course

Aside from the length of the course, speed is also an issue.  The electric powered motorcycles travelled much slower than did those of the traditional superbike entrants.  While Senior TT entrants were able to finish a single lap of the Mountain Course in as little as 17 minutes, even the top performer in the TTGXP race required nearly 26 minutes to complete the single lap.

The top finisher in the first TTGXP race was Rob Barber who represented the AGNI team. Barber raced a motorcycle that produced 80 horsepower with the help of a lithium battery.  The motorcycle that was used during the race was developed from a GSX-R750.

Rob Barber - en route to a history-making victory

Although team Mission Motors was expected to out-perform competitors, the team ended up with a fourth place finish.  Despite a great deal of development on their motorcycle, it failed to produce the results that most people expected.  Racer Thomas Montano finished the lap in a little more than 36 minutes.

Another serious contender was Brammo’s Mark Buckley who managed to pull off a third place finish.  The time for Buckley was around 30 minutes to complete his lap which was less than a minute behind second place.

Of all of the entries for the TTGXP, only 16 ended up competing in the race.  Of these 16, just nine actually finished the TTGXP.  The last racer to cross over the finish line was team Brunel X which was forced to push their motorcycle across the finish line several minutes after the other racers were finished.
Needless to say, the TTGXP is a work in progress but is certainly a look at the future of racing.  As technology improves, interest in this unique sport will increase and so will the competition.  Until that time, the TTGXP will certainly be an entertaining way to enjoy motorcycle racing!

And the future is already here as next year, a full series will be set up to race electric bikes. The future of motorsport? It’s silent.

Related News