The Isle of Man is a strange and alien beast. Perhaps not on the surface, which is strewn with green fields dotted with grazing cows and picture-postcard cottages. But it plays host to a competition and a culture that are unlike those anywhere else in the world. If you live on or are visiting the Isle of Man, you are a motorcycling enthusiast, and odds are pretty good that you also like danger, speed, and the intoxicating smell of petrol.