By I start this article with an intriguing fact, Barry Furber’s TT 2025 start numbers (chosen by good friend, triple TT winner Dean Harrison) are 12 (Super Twins), 34 (Supersport – Clem Davies Racing Kawasaki), 56 (Superbike/Superstock/Senior), 1-2-3-4-5-6, get it!
The Bishop Castle flyer enters this year’s TT with extra confidence, thanks to a podium finish at the Briggs Equipment Northwest 200.
When asked whether, his run to third in the second Super Twins NW200 encounter, is the top moment of his real road racing career to date, ‘Baz’ stated:
“I suppose it probably is it didn’t seem it at the time, I wasn’t really concentrating on where I was finishing, all I was concentrating on at the time was beating AJ Venter, we were battling with him, we were looking up the road at Sweeney (Micko) in front of us.
The race before was probably a better race for me because I was battling with Sweeney (Micko) and I think I would have had the better of him, I could outbreak him everywhere, I just on the last lap of the first race (Super Twins), I went for the wrong side of him, got cut off.
If we could have got up close to him in that second race, would have run with him all day long, so I wasn’t really to bothered whether I was first, second, third or fourth, just to beat the man in front was the aim but it was brilliant.”
Our conversation, moved onto the topic of has any areas of the fabled, other worldly Mountain Course altered, changed since last year’s Manx Grand Prix.
The sixth quickest rider from Friday afternoon’s Super Twins qualifying session (astride DC Motorcycles Newtown MT-07 Yamaha), answer was:
“There’s a big, horrible bump in the middle of Hailwood’s, which I would like to find a way round but other than that it’s good out there, track’s fine.”
Aboard the same Fireblade Honda (DC Motorcycles Newtown title sponsored), he was astride within last year’s TT, the 2014 Newcomers B Manx Grand Prix runner-up, stated he feels in a decent place with the steed, post bulks of track-time, hitting high speeds at the Northwest 200.
“Felt a bit more comfortable on it after the Northwest, didn’t do a massive amount on it at the Northwest but it’s nice to just get comfortable and you can go out there and do 200 mph on it before you get here, you know what it’s doing.”
Planning to sample the Tandragee 100 later this month, Furber’s post TT racing itinerary will also feature the Southern 100 and more than likely the reinstated Classic TT Races, riding his own GSXR 750 Suzuki.
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
