28-05-2025
Isle of Man TT rider Nathan Harrison talks preparing for racing while managing family business
TT rider Nathan Harrison takes ITV Granada Reports' Isle of Man reporter Joshua Stokes onto the TT course
For many people, the Isle of Man lies dormant for the majority of the year feeling like a distant lump of rock, waiting patiently for that annual influx of tourists in May.
But for TT rider Nathan Harrison, the island is much more than a race course.
While many competitors travel back to their respective homes at the end of the festival, the local Manxman travels mere minutes to settle back into island life.
A lifestyle that sees him balance competing as a professional racer, while helping to manage the family business H&H Motorcycles in Douglas.
Nathan said: "It's the perfect shopfront window for us, as we're able to showcase what we have on the island, and we're showing that the bikes are being prepared in our workshop and then out on the TT course."
However, he still believes racing the motorbikes is "the best feeling in the world", that cannot be compared to running the business.
Nathan has lived on the island his whole life, born into a family with road racing at its heart - his father, Dean Harrison, has previously competed in the TT, as well as his brother Glenn Harrison.
Both work as part of Nathan's racing team, working to make sure the bike is as fast as it can be, but also crucially as safe as it can be.
Dean said: "Obviously when he's out there, it's a worry you know, it's a worry for any parent.
"The worst thing you can have on your wrist is an Apple Watch because it obviously clocks your heart rate, but we do it because we love it, and as my late wife said he could be down on Douglas Promenade full of drink and drugs, but he's fully committed to the job.
"He doesn't drink, he trains like hell, and with that we put as much into him as we can."
The 26-year-old first competed at the Isle of Man TT in 2022, and took 7th place in the Senior race in 2024.
A strong trajectory, which Nathan says is helped by living on the island, helping to familiarise himself with the 37 and three quarter-mile course.
He said: "If it's a nice night, I'll just go for a lap round and just see what's changed because year-to-year you have different road surfaces - trees come down in the storms - there's so many variables that change."
Nathan's current record sees him setting an average speed of 129.1mph around the Mountain Course.
A statistic he's hoping to build on during race week on the island, proudly watched on by a family of racers.
