On the face of it the 70s was the TT’s most troubled decade. The boycott of the event by many international stars and the subsequent loss of grand prix status was feared to signal the event’s demise. Yet paradoxically it led to soaring prize money, renewed interest from the factories (particularly in the new Formula 1 class), and a growing sense of the TT as a unique motorcycle festival.
But the period began horribly, with no fewer than six riders killed in 1970, most notably Spain’s Santiago Herrero. Two years later Gilberto Parlotti crashed fatally at the Verandah in appalling conditions. His friend Agostini and others including Phil Read and Rod Gould abandoned the event, denying it any real credibility as a grand prix. In 1977 it was stripped of its status, the British GP moving to Silverstone. In its place a world Formula 1 championship was established, initially as a single race but later including the Ulster GP and then rounds further afield. Partly since riders were no longer obliged – by contract or grand prix ambition – to compete, by 1977 the TT budget reached £150,000, two-thirds of which went to riders and teams, making it the richest event in motorcycling.
The programme, too, was evolving. Not before time, 1971 saw a huge increase in prize money, the first in 40 years, a Senior win becoming worth £750. The same year saw the introduction of the Formula 750 class, which three years later ousted the Senior as the finale of race week, becoming the Classic 1000cc race in ’75. In the same year the 125cc race was axed, the Production TT became a two-rider, 10-lap marathon until dropped after ’76 and a 1000cc sidecar race replaced the old 750cc event. Two years later the 500cc sidecar class was dropped altogether in favour of two 1000cc races.
On the technical front the decade was equally mixed. Beginning as predominantly an unequal duel between factory MVs and assorted Matchless G50s, AJS 7Rs and Manx Nortons, it developed into a two-stroke extravaganza of 750cc triples and fours, Yamaha production twins and later 500cc Suzuki square fours. With the introduction of the F1 series, four-strokes again got a look-in – factory Hondas, in particular, but also a certain Ducati V-twin. Chassis development, largely neglected in the 60s, was revitalised – monoshock rear ends, cast wheels and disc brakes all becoming standard. In 1974 slick tyres also made their debut on Jack Findlay’s Suzuki twin.
The top grand prix talent, however, had gone.
In its place emerged a new generation of riders who, while not strictly TT specialists (many won the odd grand prix), were sublime exponents of the roads. Mick Grant, Tom Herron, Alex George, Chas Mortimer, Tony Rutter, Charlie, John and Peter Williams became the Island’s stars. Individual landmarks included the first double sidecar win, by Siggi Shauzu in 1973 and the first 110mph lap, by John Williams in ’76. Two years later Dick Greasely posted the first 100mph sidecar lap. But above them all stood a middle-aged gimp, Mike Hailwood. His fairytale return to win the 1978 Formula 1 race on the unfancied Ducati remains one of the TT’s outstanding episodes.
With hindsight, this traumatic TT decade had more than its share of stellar riders. Even after the departure of the likes of Ago, Carruthers and Gould, and the second comings of Hailwood and Read, there was Grant, George, Tony Rutter, Herron, Mortimer, Findlay and Hennen – not to mention the three (unrelated) Williams – John, Peter and Charlie. This is a desperately difficult pick.
Numerically, the most successful riders of these years were Charlie Williams with six wins and Agostini with five, the latter all easy pickings on the factory MV. Both Read and Grant mustered four victories, but the laurels must surely go to a man with only two.
Charlie Williams was mainly associated with Yamaha twins. His first win came in the ’73 Lightweight, a class he came to dominate although on the rare occasions he had a competitive ride, the Cheshire man was a force in the larger classes, too. His 112.34mph lap on a fairly standard TZ350 in the ’79 Senior stands out as one of the finest of all time, for no 350 went quicker until the late 80s. In total he amassed eight wins and a total of 26 rostrum places. He’s now best known for his work for Radio TT.
From 1975, when he finally broke Hailwood’s 1967 lap record, until Joey Dunlop came into his prime in the early 80s, Grant was consistently the man to beat in the larger classes of any TT week. The Wakefield rider raced everything from Yamaha twins, factory Honda and Suzuki fours and Kawasaki triples to British twins and triples, first winning in ’74 on Slippery Sam. In total he scored seven TT wins.
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