Ryan Farquhar and Keith Amor are making stunning racing comebacks as team-mates at the 2014 Isle of Man TT Races, fuelled by Monster Energy. The former arch-rivals will race under Farquhar’s KMR Kawasaki banner on identical 650cc ER6 machines in the 3-lap BikeSocial.co.uk Lightweight TT Race.
The return of two of the sport’s leading riders is a terrific coup for both the event and the Lightweight Race and will no doubt see them challenging for honours once more on Farquhar’s immaculate KMR Kawasaki’s. The Dungannon rider won the first ever TT Race for Supertwin machines back in 2012 to make it three TT wins and 13 podiums in total whilst Amor achieved five TT podiums between 2008 and 2011.
The Scotsman is presently the 12th fastest rider ever to have lapped the Mountain Course at 130.177mph with Farquhar two places further back at 129.883mph. However, both recently retired from the sport - Amor in 2011 and Farquhar in 2012.
Farquhar called time on his illustrious career during the 2012 Manx Grand Prix with his last race the 500cc Classic Race, which he won to claim his tenth Manx GP victory. Having made his TT debut in 2002, his last TT came in 2012 and included the Lightweight win as well as a third in a close Superstock Race.
Amor's final race was the Ulster Grand Prix in 2011, as part of the Honda TT Legends team. Shoulder injuries sustained in a spill during practice at Quarter Bridge for that year’s TT ultimately led to his retirement from racing but he still scored some impressive results in that final season, finishing in the top five in all five of the TT Races he started, with his best result the runner-up place he achieved in the opening Supersport Race.
The pairing enjoyed some terrific battles in the Irish Road Racing Championship between 2007 and 2011 with Farquhar publicly stating that the scot was his biggest rival. It will be Amor’s first time on a Lightweight machine.
Speaking about the news, Ryan Farquhar commented: “My heart is still very much in the TT and I want to be part of what happens on the track again. I also want to develop the KMR ER6 Kawasaki package further and the best way to do that is to ride the bike myself so I can fully evaluate the changes I’m making. But the deciding factor for me was to have the opportunity to team up with Keith Amor. Keith was the hardest rider I have ever ridden against and I have always had the upmost respect for him as a rider and a person. I am delighted to be welcoming him to KMR Kawasaki.”
Keith Amor added: “When Ryan called me with this opportunity it didn’t take long to say yes. Ryan and I have always had a lot of mutual respect from our days racing together in Ireland and I know better than most how good a bike he can build. I’ve never ridden a Supertwin machine but I guess if you are ever going to ride one, they don’t come much better than a KMR machine. I’m looking forward to getting back out on the TT Course with no pressure and just concentrating on having lots of fun.”
