An Island tour with a legend

What you are watching is a highlight of Mike Hailwood's segment from the racing documentary Take it to the Limit - A Motorcycle Odyssey.

The Yamaha - built by the extraordinary Kel Carruthers - that Hailwood is riding in the clip featured a unique frame with the camera housed within. The voice-over recording provided by Hailwood was done by taping a small mic to the bottom of his lip so he could dictate his guide to the 37.73 mile route.

The section on the Mountain shows the true legend of Hailwood and the other riders of the TT as he blasts through the fog, seemingly blind as he approaches each corner but the onboard footage gives the impression of absolute awareness and control. Where the normal man would struggle to see the hand in front of him Hailwood keeps the throttle twisted.

By Robin Goodwin