In this episode of Startline, Beth Espey is joined by Irish road racer Andy Farrell - a rider with two Manx Grand Prix wins, membership of the Tommy Club, and more than a few stories from a life spent around bikes.

Andy’s love of racing started in Skerries and what began as a fairly impulsive decision to go road racing turned into a 20-year journey through Irish national road races, the Manx Grand Prix, podiums, crashes and comebacks.

This is a funny, honest and hugely entertaining conversation. Andy talks about the Honda RS250 that lives in his front room, why the road racing paddock means so much to him, the highs and lows of racing on the Mountain Course, and what it felt like to win twice at the Manx Grand Prix in 2018.

While Andy reflects on the tougher side of the sport, above all, this is a conversation about passion. About the people, the friendships, the family support, and the pull of the Isle of Man that keeps bringing riders like Andy back. And there are some top life tips thrown in there as well...

You can follow Andy on Facebook here and Instagram here.

The Startline podcast is brought to you in partnership with the Manx Motorcycle Club, the Promoter and Rights holder for the Manx Grand Prix.

Startline is on Facebook and Instagram, so please give the pages a follow and keep up to date with the latest episodes and see some extra content.

And if you'd like to be part of the podcast, you can email beth@startline.im

In this episode of Startline, we meet Fraser Heginson - a Manx-based rider whose love of bikes runs through just about every part of his life.

From growing up around the TT paddock and watching his heroes on the Mountain Course, to racing CB500s, Aprilias, classics, and even having the odd go as a sidecar passenger, Fraser’s story is full of humour, honesty and genuine passion for the sport.

Now he’s preparing for his first road race at the Pre-TT Classic on the Billown Course - taking on the challenge on a Honda NC30 that, by his own admission, may not be ideally suited to someone who’s six foot three.

We talk about grassroots racing on the Isle of Man, the realities of getting parts, bikes and people ready from an Island base, the family garage full of motorcycles, and why, despite the cost, the effort and the nerves, Fraser simply loves everything about bikes.

This is a warm, funny and very relatable conversation with a rider taking his next big step on the road racing journey.

You can find Fraser on Facebook here.

The Pre-TT is on from Friday 22 until Sunday 24 May 2026, and you can up to date with live commentary on Manx Radio AM1368 and vis the Manx Radio Motorsport page.

The Startline podcast is brought to you in partnership with the Manx Motorcycle Club, the Promoter and Rights holder for the Manx Grand Prix.

Startline is on Facebook and Instagram, so please give the pages a follow and keep up to date with the latest episodes and see some extra content.

And if you'd like to be part of the podcast, you can email beth@startline.im

In today's episode we are talking again about the 2026 Pre-TT Classic Road races.

We speak to some riders taking it on the Billown Course for the first time, while others are back for another go.

Liam Wood, Ben Grainger, Lee Stanaway and George Anderson talk us through their newcomer prep, while Wayne Avis and Adam Randells share what it’s like to return to the event.

The Pre-TT is on from Friday 22 until Sunday 24 May and you can up to date with live commentary on Manx Radio AM1368 and vis the Manx Radio Motorsport page.

The Startline podcast is brought to you in partnership with the Manx Motorcycle Club, the Promoter and Rights holder for the Manx Grand Prix.

Startline is on Facebook and Instagram, so please give the pages a follow and keep up to date with the latest episodes and see some extra content.

And if you'd like to be part of the podcast, you can email beth@startline.im