This is an AI-generated digest of global and domestic motorcycle news. For full details, please read the original article.
Ben Birchall, a 14-time sidecar race winner, will compete on a solo (two-wheeled) motorcycle for the first time at Classic TT 2026. His switch from three wheels to two comes at a time when the sidecar class at the TT has been losing its once-secure standing.
A man with 14 sidecar wins switching to solo — that takes real resolve. Between three wheels and two, the way you use your body is fundamentally different from corner entry to exit. Watching someone who's reached the summit deliberately challenge unfamiliar territory gives me chills. And on top of that, it's the Isle of Man's public-road TT. How far his accumulated instincts carry over, I'll be holding my breath watching.
Login required to post a comment
Just his solo debut being news on its own shows how big this person's presence is.
What's actually different between sidecar racing and a normal motorcycle race?
With three wheels, the passenger shifts their body weight to build the cornering attitude - it's basically a completely different sport.
14 wins - how many years of a career does that span? I'm curious about this Birchall guy's sidecar record.
Can someone who's done three wheels their whole career suddenly deliver results on two wheels? Feels like a completely different field of experience.
Sidecar racing trains balance and nerve pretty hard too, so I'd guess the adaptation itself comes quickly.
That thing about the sidecar class's standing declining is sad, but I guess it's the tide of the times.
A sidecar legend with 14 wins switching to solo is a pretty unusual move even by TT history's standards.
![[Video] MV Agusta Unveils the Brutale 1000 ABT, a Special Model Collaboration With ABT](https://ebcyllahemayvlukmyyw.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/article-images/1121d65b-0a25-4d21-9077-46c76a5ab102.jpg)
