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Isle of Man TT: Harrison smashes 17-minute Superbike barrier

Dean Harrison continued to lead the Superbike timesheets during practice week for the 2018 Isle of Man TT, breaking the 133mph barrier on his Kawasaki.

Dean Harrison

Dean Harrison

Isle of Man TT

Isle of Man TT races

The world's most famous motorcycle road races.

Dean Harrison
Michael Dunlop
Dan Kneen
Dean Harrison
Conor Cummins
David Johnson
Dan Kneen
Peter Hickman
Ivan Lintin

Peter Hickman, Michael Dunlop and Ivan Lintin topped the Superstock, Supersport and Lightweight qualifying times respectively during Tuesday evening’s sessions.

Silicone Engineering rider Harrison posted the fastest ever opening lap of a Superbike practice week on Monday with a 131.376mph lap at 17min13.886s, and was on searing pace on the first lap of Tuesday's running on his Kawasaki.

Harrison completed the lap in 17m00.192s at 133.140mph, while Honda's Lee Johnston led the Superstock times with a 128.288mph lap at 17m38.728s, and Devitt Racing's Lintin was top Supersport runner with a 18m24.980s at 122.923mph. 

On his second and final Superbike lap, Harrison became just the second-ever rider to dip into the 16-minute lap bracket with a 16m57.728s at a blistering 133.462mph.

Tyco BMW's Michael Dunlop once again did back-to-back runs with his spare Superbike, and was second with a 17m06.516s lap at 132.319mph, ahead of Manxman Dan Kneen on the sister Tyco bike.

Hickman was fourth from island native Conor Cummins on his Padgett’s Honda Fireblade, with David Johnson guiding his Gulf BMW to sixth behind Bathams BMW veteran Michael Rutter.

James Hillier [JG Speedfit Kawasaki], Norton's Josh Brookes, Philip Crowe on his John Chapman BMW and Martin Jessop, on his Riders Motorcycles BMW, completed the top 10 in Superbikes.

Harrison switched to his Superstock bike for a lap towards the end of the session, and posted a 130.553mph lap in 17m20.407s to depose Smiths Racing's Hickman.

However, Hickman carried on for a second lap, and edged ahead with a 17m19.882s lap at 130.619mph. Kneen once again completed the top three, with Johnston and Cummins behind, while Ian Hutchinson crept into the top 10 in ninth. 

In the second Supersport session, Dunlop and Hillier usurped Lintin's time to lead the 600 timesheets, with the former on his MD Racing Honda lapping at 18m04.840s at 125.206mph, with Hillier managing a 124.860mph effort.

Lintin held onto third ahead of Johnston on his Padgetts CBR600RR, with Gary Johnson completing the top five on his Triumph, while Saturday Supersport pacesetter Harrison pulled out at Ballacraine.

While he missed out on top honours in Supersport, Lintin headed the Lightweight times on his Z650 Kawasaki with a lap of 18m59.579s at 119.191mph, deposing Italian Stefano Bonetti on the Paton.

Adam McLean was third fastest of the Supertwins runners ahead of last year's Lightweight TT winner Michael Rutter and Ian Lougher, both on whom on Patons, while McLean is on a Kawasaki.

Sidecars also in action

The Sidecars had their second practice of the week on Tuesday evening following the solo sessions, with Monday pacesetters John Holden and passenger Lee Cain storming to the top of the timesheets with a 19m33.644s lap at 115.732mph on their Silicone Engineering/Barnes Racing LCR Honda.

Holden and Cain remained unchallenged despite setting the best lap of the night from a standing start, with Ben and brother Tom Birchall going second with a 19m42.401s lap, which they improved to a 19m39.629s at 115.145mph on their second lap on their IEG Honda outfit. 

Alan Founds and passenger Jake Lowther completed the top three on their Yamaha powered Brian Gray Powerbiking machine, with the Peter Founds/Jevan Walmsley DDM Trustlands outfit and A&J Racing Yamaha outfit of 17-time TT winner Dave Molyneux and Daniel Sayle rounding out the top five.

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