Wakefield hairdresser-biker to race of Isle of Man TT course

Oliver Dean, who owns a salon on Wood Street, will race the Manx Grand Prix – a “feeder” race to the Isle of Man TT.

It covers the same path as the senior race through closed roads with riders reaching speeds of up to 200mph.

The route is notoriously dangerous with six people killed on the track last year alone.

Oliver was given one of only 25 newcomer places available across the world to compete this August and says he might be the only hairdresser taking part in the sport.

On the racing the course, he said: “It’s like jumping out of an aeroplane without a parachute and chasing the parachute down trying to catch it.

“You have a sense of freedom. You feel alive. The buzz is indescribable. The motorbike is travelling in one direction and you’re in control of it – you’re riding it but it’s riding you.”

Participants in the competition spend extensive time training and learning the track.

Oliver said: “You need to get yourself up to speed because it is arguably one of the fastest tracks in the world and certainly one of the longest at 37 and three quarter miles.

"You can’t really take risks. You need to know it. They say it takes three years to understand the track."

Asked if people involved in the sport are surprised at his day job, he said: “There’s some older gentlemen we know and at first I asked my friends not to tell them I was a hairdresser.

"Not because I was embarrassed but just to be judged on me and not what I do for a living.

“They didn’t know until I told them. It changes their opinion – not in a bad way. They take the mick.

“There is someone who races the TT who’s a barber but I’d say I probably am the only hairdresser.”

He will ride his own Aprilia 660 Supertwin for OC Graphics backed by L74 race products for the August event.

Oliver is hoping to drum up some local interest for the project from local businesses in sponsorship and support.

Search Oliver Dean on Facebook to get involved.