'The year of John': Riders honour Morecambe Missile’s 30 years career

Lovely day for a McGuinness!

Thirty years after making his Mountain Course debut John McGuinness MBE was victorious again this week as he won Monday afternoon’s (24 August) Historic Senior race at the 2026 Classic TT.

It was a commanding win by the 54-year-old, who beat second place Shaun Anderson by over 26 seconds.

The podium was completed by Mike Brown who finished in third.

This year's event saw organisers make substantial changes to the schedule due to this week's weather forecast.

But to round off the meeting TT stars past and present took to the 37.73‑mile course to salute the Morecambe Missile's historic career in the sunshine.

From Milky Quayle to Michael Dunlop, they mounted the machines that have marked McGuinness' glittering three-decades and set off from Glencrutchery Road to give fans around the course a lap to remember.

McGuinness told Radio TT more about what the parade lap meant to him:

The Paul Bird Motorsport-prepared Honda RS250 McGuinness rode on his 1996 debut was ridden by Lightweight legend and 10-time TT winner, Ian Lougher.

Current TT Rider Liaison Officer Richard (Milky) Quayle rode the bike that took McGuinness to his first of 23 TT victories, the Vimto Honda TSR250 from 1999.

John Barton rode McGuinness' 2000 Chrysalis BMW 720.

Peter Hickman, 14-time TT winner and current TT lap record holder, rode the 2003 Valmoto Triumph Daytona that Bruce Anstey rode to victory in the Junior 600cc TT.

All-time TT win record holder, Michael Dunlop, rode the 2004 Yamaha UK Yamaha R1, which organisers described as a 'fitting tribute given Dunlop has taken a Yamaha R6 to the top step of the podium nine times in the Supersport class'. A note here though - Dunlop retired at Quarterbridge.

Next was Keith Amor on the HM Plant Honda Fireblade STK which took him to second in the 2007 Superstock TT.

Jamie Coward rode on the 2009 Padgetts Honda Fireblade STK, whilst John's little brother Kurt McGuinness rode his 2015 EMC2 Honda Fireblade STK.

Local man Conor Cummins rode the Honda Racing Fireblade SBK from McGuinness’s 100th TT start in 2022.

More known for his sidecar racing, Ben Birchall, who made his solo debut around the Mountain Course this year, rode the Honda Racing STK.

Bringing the collection full circle was Dean Harrison, riding John’s bike from this year’s TT the 2026 Honda Racing 30th Anniversary Fireblade SBK, which wore a livery in homage to his 1996 PBM Honda RS250.

And finally, McGuinness himself took to the course on the bike that set the first ever 130mph lap, his HM Plant Honda Fireblade SBK from 2007. 

The bike usually takes pride of place in McGuinness’ hallway.