A visit to the Isle of Man TT isn't really a vacation--the level of activity surrounding the races on this tiny, usually sleepy island is anything but restful. After the races were cancelled in 2001 due to an outbreak of Hoof-and-Mouth Disease on the Island, TT action at the Isle has bounced back bigger than ever. This year's two-week TT celebration saw 234 racers turn out to compete on the treacherous, 37.73-mile Mountain Course, and more than 50,000 spectators who came from around the world to watch the racing, sample the course themselves, and, judging from the way beer flowed at the famous Bushy's beer tent, run their livers up to the rev-limiter, also. The TT may very well be the world's most challenging road race (and most dangerous, as the tragic death of nine-time TT winner David Jefferies attests), but the fortnight-long festival is as much about making the scene and having a lot of crazy motorcycle fun--as the photos on the following pages prove.
 A double Christ by Scottish...  A double Christ by Scottish Stunt Champion Sonnie Ferguson and his partner Julie Porteous at the Ramsey Sprints stunt show. |  Crowds line the roadside at...  Crowds line the roadside at Creg-Ny-Bar as Gordon Blackley (#14) overtakes Chris Heath (#12) in the Formula 1 TT. |  You can only imagine the cop's...  You can only imagine the cop's first thought when he nicks this guy for speeding. |
 "Six-pack abs" means something...  "Six-pack abs" means something entirely different to this TT fan. |  Manx ladies patrol the busy...  Manx ladies patrol the busy Douglas Promenade in search of the perfect pint. |  This bloke gives the bobbies...  This bloke gives the bobbies a run in the silly headgear department. |
 Neil Porter drags tail at...  Neil Porter drags tail at Ramsey. |  Front-row seating: TT fans...  Front-row seating: TT fans watch racers blast past. At over 100 mph, a fall would hurt...bad. Note the distinct lack of air-fencing on the buildings across the way. |  Hanging off at 120 mph is...  Hanging off at 120 mph is standard operating procedure through Brandywell on the mountain section of the course. Not much runoff up there, and, hitting one of those posts might actually be preferable to sailing off the 250-foot drop beyond. |
 The Isle of Man--where everybody...  The Isle of Man--where everybody knows your name. Local sidecar monkey Geoff Bell waves to a neighbor while driver Jake Beckworth approaches 100 mph on Snaefell Mountain. |  Anytime racing isn't happening,...  Anytime racing isn't happening, the TT course is open to civilian traffic. Most dress more sensibly than this guy before venturing out. |  Ramsey is ground zero for...  Ramsey is ground zero for "Mad Sunday" action. Bikes shows, drag races and stunt competitions fill the day, and temporary discos spring up in even the stodgiest Victorian hotels to keep enthusiasts from 30 different countries partying through the night. |
 Exhausted after six laps (226...  Exhausted after six laps (226 miles) on the TT course, Ian Lougher, second-place finisher in the Formula 1 race, submits to an interview. |  Brand loyalty to the extr...  Brand loyalty to the extreme. |  Neil Porter, the big-boned...  Neil Porter, the big-boned Brit stunter, struts his stuff on the street in Douglas. |
 Hard course, harder men--Jim...  Hard course, harder men--Jim Moodie, midair on the Valmoto Triumph Daytona 600, wears a bandage around his neck after tangling with power lines hanging across the road in the aftermath of David Jefferies's fatal practice crash. |  More action from the Douglas...  More action from the Douglas street stunt show--for TT week at least, the police kindly look the other way. |  A sick, nitrous-injected Yamaha...  A sick, nitrous-injected Yamaha V-Max waits its turn at the eighth-mile Ramsey Sprints. |