STORY OF THE HISTORIC TT
The Historic TT may have had only a brief flirtation with racing on the Mountain Course, but it certainly lived up to its name. History was made when it hosted the first-ever TT race win by an American rider, Dave Roper - a moment that remains etched in TT folklore. But how, and why, was it only ever run once in 1984?
By the late 1970s, racing around the world was dominated by Japanese two-strokes, with four-stroke development quietly building in the background. Yet many fans, riders, and organisers remained eager to keep classic machines alive and racing. That opportunity came in 1978, when the first national classic race series launched in the UK, visiting some of the country’s best-loved short circuits.
Adopted by the Kenning’s Group in 1979 and later joined by a similar series from Classic Bike magazine in 1981, the two championships merged in 1982 to form a more unified calendar. Catering primarily for 250cc, 350cc, and 500cc twin- and four-cylinder machines, the series quickly gained popularity. Classic rounds often ran alongside major British championship events like the MCN Superbike and Vladivar Vodka/EBC 250cc series. It attracted seasoned National competitors, and even tempted some famous names from the 60s and 70s back into leathers.
With races held at Oulton Park, Cadwell Park, Brands Hatch, Scarborough, and Aberdare Park, momentum was building. Sensing an opportunity to embrace the classic racing boom, the Isle of Man TT added a one-off Historic TT to its 1984 race week schedule.
While die-hard enthusiasts welcomed the idea of a dedicated three-lap race for 350cc and 500cc pre-1967 two-strokes and pre-1973 four-strokes, not everyone was convinced. The ACU raised concerns about overcrowding and limited practice time, especially with the reintroduction of Production races for the first time since 1976. Even so, the race was scheduled for 7pm on the opening Saturday of TT week, following the Formula One and first Sidecar races.
The entry list was a blend of National series front-runners - John Cronshaw, Richard Cutts, Bob Newby, Dave Pither, Dave Bedlington, and Rob Claude - alongside seasoned TT riders like Steve Cull, Geoff Johnson, Neil Tuxworth, Bob Jackson, Sammy McClements, Rob Vine, and Jim Wells. In total, 84 entries were received: 38 in the 500cc class and 46 in the 350cc, a strong turnout for a debut event.
Practice pace was set by Dave Hughes on the famous 500cc Arter Matchless, lapping at 97.103mph, over 20 seconds faster than Cutts, also on a Matchless. Steve Cull placed third overall on Syd Lawton’s 350cc Aermacchi, with a best of 95.224mph.
Steve Cull placed third overall on Syd Lawton’s 350cc Aermacchi, with a best of 95.224mph.
Unlike the Production TT, the 350s and 500s started intermixed rather than in separate class waves. Cull set off at number one, with Johnson’s 500cc Manx Norton ten seconds behind. Wheeler and Jackson followed on their Aermacchis, while Tuxworth, set to go fifth on the Cowles Matchless, was a non-starter despite placing tenth in practice.
Dave Roper, who had made his TT debut the year before, went off strongly on the Team Obsolete Matchless, immediately taking control of the 500cc race. His opening lap of 96.84mph put him 16 seconds clear of Cronshaw, with McClements in third. Roper went faster again on lap two, posting the fastest lap of the race at 97.21mph, before both Cronshaw and McClements retired - McClements heartbreakingly so on the final lap.
McClements retired on the final lap.
Roper led from start to finish to claim a landmark win - the first by an American at the TT. A surprise second came from 21-year-old Ian Lougher, making his TT debut on the second Cowles Matchless. Geoff Johnson took third ahead of 1968 500cc Production TT winner Ray Knight, Ken Inwood, and Nick Jefferies. Only 13 riders finished the race, with Hughes and Cutts among the retirements.
In the 350cc class, Aermacchis locked out the top four. Although Steve Cull led from the start, he had to work hard for his maiden TT win. Fellow Ulsterman Jimmy Millar pushed him all the way, setting the class’s fastest lap at 95.28mph, and finishing just six seconds behind. Paul Barrett completed the podium, with Alan Cathcart, John Stephens, and Ron Roebury rounding out the top six. 23 riders took the chequered flag in the class.
Despite its popularity, 1984 would be the only year the Historic TT was run. That year’s TT schedule was one of the most ambitious of its time, with nine individual races and 12 winners crowned. As feared, the crowded race and practice week proved too demanding, and for 1985, the Historic TT was removed from the programme. Classic bikes would find their place instead in the Manx Grand Prix, held later in the year, where they continued to honour the Island’s rich racing legacy for many years
Roper led from start to finish to claim a landmark win - the first by an American at the TT.
Today, that tradition lives on under its own banner - the Classic TT, which ran from 2013 to 2019 and makes its long-awaited and highly anticipated return to the Mountain Course on 20 August 2025 after a six-year hiatus.
