Car versus bike on the Isle of Man TT - the ultimate showdown

But the ‘06 Honda Fireblade was the real masterpiece; the one I broke 130mph on. I used to walk towards it, and know it’d be just like the wife; I knew what it was going to do when it was underneath me, if you know what I mean! 

It’s in my house; every time I walk from the front room to the kitchen I walk past it. But to be fair, that's what paid for the house, so…

Do you ride and drive on the road in your spare time?

GS: I’m absolutely not interested in driving – or riding – on the road. I just want to be like Little Miss Daisy! I don’t have fancy cars, I don’t collect road bikes or anything. I do the odd track day on my track bike; that gets the adrenaline going. But I guess that’s because I can have so much fun doing my job on a track. 

When it’s late on a Sunday night at Brands Hatch, I just want to relax, jump in my automatic Honda CRV and drive home.

JM: I’ve got a bit of a flash motor; bought it in 2006 after I did the treble here (at the Isle of Man TT). It’s German and quick, and the engine’s in the back. 

But I blew it up a few years ago. Me and Stuart Easton were driving it back from the Cardiff Speedway Grand Prix and it did a big end on the M5. I was driving it like a bit of a loony, and I ran it low on oil; something I’m not particularly proud of. It wasn’t very intelligent. But being in the industry, I thought: “I’m not going to pay for any oil if I can get it for free.” Then it started rattling, and I thought “Oh no, big mistake.”

But I’ve still got it, and I’ll probably keep it forever. It looks like a million dollars.

I had that McLaren for a bit on test drive, too: that “MP12-dash-forward-slash-your-wrists” car, whatever they call it. It was terrifying. I had it for a week, and I raced my superbike against it. To be honest, I’m glad they came and took it away, ‘cos I’d either have put it through a hedge or ended up in jail. I’m not the greatest driver in the world, but those things just suck you into believing you are.

What’s the best thing a car or bike has ever won for you beyond a trophy? Or the most it ever cost you?

GS: My first car almost got me thrown out of the house. Me and my dad went and bought an Austin Metro. We paid £900 for it or something like that. I’d just passed my test. We got half a mile from the guy’s house, and I’m mucking about with the stereo while my dad’s stopped in the road up ahead for a roundabout. I went straight into the back of him - literally within three minutes of buying it! I got out of the car and there’s my dad, banging his head against a lamppost…

JM: I’m very lucky that a bike’s never personally cost me much – besides a few injuries. I feel stupid for not buying that £10-worth of oil for the Porsche. That ended up costing a bit! My first car was a blue Honda Civic automatic, which I swapped for a caravan to put on the back of my van. 

I’ve got a few bikes in the garage. When I buy a new bike, the wife doesn’t talk to me for a few days; it’s like having the television on with no sound! But she gets over it.

You can have one more race. Where is it, and what are you driving or riding?

JM: Here. On my Fireblade, in the ‘Senior’. This’ll be where I hang up my leathers.

GS: I’d go back to Bathurst in Australia and race V8 sports cars there. 

Here are our favourite car versus bike challenges from the Autocar archives.

McLaren 12C versus Ducati 1199 Panigale S

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Range Rover Sport versus speedway world champion

It's Autocar's Matt Prior in a Range Rover Sport against Tai Woffinden, the youngest ever speedway world champion. Who will triumph on the formidable dirt track?