Photographing the Isle of Man TT 2026

Photographing motorcycle road racing at the Isle of Man TT is always a highlight of the year. 2026 is no different. Two of us travelled to the island to cover the greatest free motorsport event in the World. RPW attended as an accredited photographer shooting for Duke Media, the Isle of Man Tourist Board and PistonClick.com. I was there as editor for PistonClick, covering the TT from a fan’s perspective from the spectator areas.

In reality, that meant more of what we already do — writing a few words, chasing good light and trying to capture the atmosphere that makes the TT unlike any other event in motorsport. The difference is the scale. A trip to the Isle of Man takes planning, patience and a lot more logistics than a normal race weekend at a circuit.

Getting to the TT

The biggest challenge is simple. The Isle of Man sits in the middle of the Irish Sea, separated from the UK and Ireland by a substantial stretch of water. If you want to move around the island properly during TT fortnight, you need transport.

Public transport on the island is excellent, but once the roads close for racing your options become limited. The TT course uses public roads, so closures affect everyone — spectators, photographers and locals trying to go about daily life.

Over the years we’ve tried several ways of getting around. For me, a motorcycle is still the best option. The problem is luggage. Add camera bodies, lenses, waterproofs and a laptop, and space disappears quickly. A van carrying small bikes has proved the best solution for the PistonClick team. Honda MSX Groms have been our go-to machines for years. This time we added a Monkey Bike to the fleet. Mechanically it’s almost the same as a Grom, just wrapped in retro styling. Small bikes work perfectly at the TT. They are easy to park, cheap to run and ideal for moving between locations before the roads close. There is also a huge community of small bike riders on the island during the event, which adds to the atmosphere.

IoM TT Travel

Booking ferry crossings early is essential. The Steam Packet Company releases TT sailings for the following year before the current event has even finished. Miss that window and your preferred dates can disappear quickly. We have already booked our crossings for TT 2027.

Accommodation is easier to find, although prices rise sharply during the fortnight. Everything is available, from campsites to luxury hotels. Homestay is another popular option, with locals renting rooms to visitors.

If you use homestay accommodation, make sure the property is licensed by the Isle of Man Government. As always, scammers appear every year hoping to take advantage of visitors searching for last-minute rooms.

IoM TT 2026 – Day One – Practice Week Begins

The TT is split into practice week and race week. We arrived on day two of practice, only missing a handful of sessions. One of those sessions ended early after a serious incident at Parliament Square in Ramsey. A rider crashed on the exit of the corner and the motorcycle struck barriers, pushing them into spectators.

Eight spectators required hospital treatment alongside the rider, who was reported conscious with leg injuries. By the following day, all but two spectators had been discharged from hospital. The incident led to the remainder of the evening’s action being cancelled while marshals, medical crews and emergency services responded. It was a sobering reminder of the risks that still surround the TT.

Because the races take place on public roads, organisers run practice sessions in the evenings to reduce disruption for residents. Roads usually close between 17:00 and 18:00 and reopen no later than 21:00. For photographers, evening practice can be both brilliant and frustrating. The late light often looks fantastic, but changing weather and fading daylight can make shooting difficult.

Ballaugh Bridge

As always, our first stop was Ballaugh Bridge. It sits close to our accommodation and has become something of a tradition for us. Standing by the bridge waiting for the session to begin, we chatted with fellow fans — two from Manchester, an Australian and a lot of Germans. That mix of nationalities sums up the TT perfectly. Fans travel from all over the world to experience it.

The solos arrived first, flying over the bridge in spectacular fashion. Superstock, Superbike, Twins and Supersport all roared past. Dean Harrison arrived first on the #3 bike. Odd as they set of in numerical order. It was announced after Dean had completed his first 37.730 mile lap   he had set the quickest lap ever seen in an opening qualifying session at 133.925mph.

Even after years of covering the TT, this made the first evening beside the course feel special. The sound echoes across the countryside long before the bikes appear. Then, within seconds, they are gone again — flat out towards the next village. Few sporting events deliver that kind of atmosphere and the shock as a race bike screams past on a record lap is something else.

The sidecars followed the solos but all too soon the practice session was halted. A red flag waved, a hushed silence, a red flag is never a good thing at the IoM TT.

Maria Costello MBE and Shaun Parker crashed at Brandish during the second sidecar lap.  Both were reported conscious and have been transported to Nobles Hospital.

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Thanks to RPW Photography for the images used in this IoM TT 2026 – Day One report. Our other IoM TT reports can be found at the link below.