Heading into the event, eight of the top twenty-seeded riders in the big-bike classes were all competing aboard Honda machinery, made up predominantly of CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SPs and a single RC213V-S in the recognisable Batham’s colours. 

Honda riders up and down the field produced excellent performances during practice week as near-perfect conditions enabled them to get their heads down from the off and dial in their setups.  The latest model Fireblade, in the hands of Michael Dunlop (Hawk Racing), would lap at a staggering 135.531 mph average lap speed during practice week, setting the quickest-ever Honda lap of The Mountain Course, albeit unofficially as the time was not set during a race. This display of raw speed and aggression had spectators eager to see more come race week.

A revised schedule at this year’s TT would see the opening Monster Energy Supersport Race kick off the racing action on Saturday 3rd June. In this race, the smaller capacity Honda CBR600RR was on display in the hands of multiple teams and would occupy four positions within the top fifteen at the drop of the flag. The highest finisher, Davey Todd (Milenco by Padgetts Motorcycles) in fifth. In the second Supersport race, held later in the week, Davey would better this finishing position with a strong ride to fourth position. 

In the RST Superbike Race, the first six-lap race of the event, Michael Dunlop on his Hawk Racing Fireblade displayed his sensational talent once more, putting in a dominant performance to win the race. Honda’s first Superbike race win since Bruce Anstey in 2015. 

In Superstock trim, the class of racing most closely aligned to the road-going production model of ‘the blade,’ Michael Dunlop (MD Racing) secured a further two podiums with second-place finishes in both races. In each race, six Honda riders would finish inside the top fifteen. 

The final race of the event was the blue riband Milwaukee Senior TT. In this final 226-mile race, also contested aboard a Superbike spec machine, a remarkable seven Honda riders would occupy positions within the top fifteen. Six of which were inside the top ten. And as has been the case throughout the event, the highest-placed finisher was Michael Dunlop, who added another podium to his tally with a third-place finish. 

The factory-owned Honda team, Honda Racing UK, and rider John McGuinness MBE also had a successful TT event competing in the two ‘big bike classes.’ John, who now has an astonishing 108 TT starts (80 of which on a Honda) scored three fighting top-ten results with a best finish of sixth in the opening RST Superbike Race. He also became the only rider to lap the TT circuit in their fifties at an average lap speed in excess of 131 mph.