Martin Finnegan - plant mechanic and competitor in the Isle of Man TT races
What will you be riding in the upcoming TT races and what are your hopes for the races? I'll be riding four bikes during the TT races: a Suzuki 1,000 cc superbike; a Yamaha R6 Supersport 600 cc; Yamaha production 600 cc and a Suzuki 1,000 cc. As for my hopes, as a privateer in the races, to finish in the top 10 would be a fantastic achievement.
What was your first machine and how much did it cost (and how did you find riding it)? My first ride was on an 80 cc Yamaha grass track bike worth £300. I was 10 at the time and it was absolutely fantastic. I was hooked from the beginning.
What attracted you to motorbikes? My brother-in-law was racing grass track and moto-X and in the village where I live - Lusk, Co Dublin - there's a great motorcycling interest.
Is there any biking heritage in your family? No, there's no history of biking in our familiy.
How did your family react to your decision to race? The family have been a great support. My sister Geraldine handles my PR, my brother-in-law is a mechanic for me. My four brothers also lend a helping hand on the day, and friends help out with everything from pit boards to timekeeping. It's really a small family affair. Unfortunately I'm even missing my brother's wedding because of this year's TT races.
What is your current machine for road travel and what did it cost? I don't ride a bike on the road. While I do road racing I think it's safer to race on the road than to ride in the traffic.
How much do you spend on bike gear? Round Tower Racing funds my season's racing, involving 13 road races. The North West, the Ulster Grand Priz and the Isle of Man TT, all of which combine to cost €100,000. This includes the cost of the team, running the bikes. As for gear I spend about €2,000 on leathers, another 2,000 on helmets, 1,000 on boots and €400 on gloves. There's a difference between the ordinary road gear and the racing outfits, particularly in terms of weight and level of protection.
Have you ever had an accident on the bike? Just a few cuts and bruises while racing in motor-cross. I once broke my wrist riding as well.
Who would be your overall biking hero, and current favourite? My all-time hero is of course Joey Dunlop, but my current favourite is Ian Lougher, the Welsh rider.
What do you say to people who describe road races like the Isle of Man TT as suicidal? Racing in the Isle of Man TT is a controlled environment. It has its risks but I still think it's safer than riding a bike on the open road with other traffic.
What are your hopes for the future? For the future, my hopes would be to win at the TT races. Being only 22, hopefully I'll still be racing in 10 years or so.
Martin's first race is this Saturday, and he will also be racing on Monday, Wednesday and Friday