Team Kiwi TT 2026 - Final Report
Kiwi Velocettes at Classic TT 2026
Author - Phil Price
Trial upon Trial. Everybody informed even a little bit about racing on the Isle of Man knows it’s a multitude of back to back challenges. Making bikes from scratch and coming from the other side of the world just adds to that challenge. This year, 2026, is the 100th anniversary of the first win on a Velocette by Alec Bennett, in the Junior TT of 1926. So we, being Nick Thomson and myself, had put a lot of extra work in. Working somewhat by satellite as he stayed in Kiwi preparing our two DOHC circa 1936 machines, with girder forks, and me in Germany and Holland building a new 350 machine with a 1950’s set up around an absolutely brilliant replica MK8 KTT engine from Jan De Yong of ABSAF fame. The latter very disappointingly came to nothing, the reasons why are an entire article in itself, but in my view was the worst type of failure because it was not forced. With tail already between legs we all turned up to the paddock to start the week of practice and qualifying on one Junior and one Senior Historic Classic Motorcycle. Both the Kiwi bikes are now sporting billet aluminium crankcases as we had previously suffered failures in new magnesium castings, so there was some confidence in these. However the 350 was immediately having a problem scavenging (oil) and came in from its first lap glistening with oil overflowing from the filler cap. That attended to, cleaned up and tested on back roads we were ready for another lap. The 500 stopped just after Glen Vine. Just stopped dead. Rhys (Hardisty) said it was like it ran out of fuel and an air lock was suspected in the fuel line. We had newly fitted Mikuni carbs on both and with the low slung fuel tank, the tubes had to sweep up and this was felt to be a problem. Then the Clerk of the Course made a complete change to the entire program compressing all events by three days due to bad weather coming. Both bikes bought up to the paddock ready for another lap with the 350 race that afternoon. At that time we even wondered whether it was a good idea, safety wise, to let Rhys out if, as suspected, the oil pump was heavily worn. But as it turned out he got a good lap and so the race was on. Two laps and with a sea of K4 Hondas ahead, he set off about 24th position, and rising, due largely to attrition, to 12th at one point and the fastest single. Retirement came on the last lap at Signpost Corner, almost close enough to push it home, maybe in the old days…. Actually we were not disappointed with that as his first lap was okay if not startling, at 93.4mph average. We suspect the big end failed, possibly challenged by previous wet- sumping issue. The following day the 500 with nearly a full tank and much higher head of fuel, plus rearranged fuel lines, set out on a two lap practice. Gets just past Crosby on the second lap and does the same thing (Stops dead). Bill Swallow says "raise the tank", Rhy Hardisty says "put a fuel pump on it", neither ideal but something had to be done. We got the use of a small vacuum pump and duly fitted this, again tested on back roads and it feels good pulls strongly and sounds right. No chance however to get a lap of practice so it’s straight into the race, again not ideal. In the Senior Race of three laps Rhys retired on the second with an entirely new problem for us in that it would not change down nor indeed select any gear. He also said it was rich in mixture, which previously had been a good balance between sea level and mountain top. So that was it! We came we tried and we got found out. That is how it is at Isle of Man. Phil Price, 26th August 2026 https://velocetteowners.com/image-uploads/Rhys_Hardisty_Team_Kiwi_350.JPEG https://velocetteowners.com/image-uploads/Rhys_Hardisty_Team_Kiwi_500.JPEG
