2026 Isle of Man TT: Michael Dunlop ends Superbike speculation as practice begins

The beginning of practice at the 2026 Isle of Man TT has brought an end to the speculation over Michael Dunlop’s machinery in the Superbike class.

Dunlop has a history of making last-minute bike changes in road racing, most recently switching the Triumph Street Triple 765 RS Supersport bike for a more familiar Yamaha R6 in 2024 during practice week.

This year, the 33-time TT winner took delivery of a 2026 Ducati Panigale V4 R ahead of the North West 200 for the Superbike class, but after testing it at the official BSB test at Oulton Park in April he showed up at the North West with a Honda CBR1000RR-R for the main category.

The Fireblade remains in the MD Racing tent at the TT, too, today (25 May), the opening day of practice at the 2026 TT, which is really the only point at which you can be sure what machinery the factory-unaffiliated Dunlop will have available to him for the fortnight, as noted by Davey Todd.

“I don’t think you can ever fully confirm, even the day before the TT, what bike Michael [Dunlop] will be riding,” said Todd, who is missing this year’s TT due to injuries sustained at the Daytona 200, on the Isle of Man TT official broadcast today.

“There was a lot of hype about him riding the new Ducati V4. And, whatever’s happened with that, he’s ended up deciding not to ride it and to pull out a Honda Fireblade instead.

“We know he’s going to be fast on that. He set his personal best lap time around the TT on a Fireblade.

“And a BMW I think in the Superstock class, which again he proved last year he’s very fast on.”

On the surface, switching to the Honda seems like a step back for Dunlop, but the Ballymoney man was in control of the Superbike TT aboard the CBR1000RR-R in 2024 before a visor change went wrong in the final pit stop. His fastest ever lap of the TT course also came on the Honda at a 135.970mph.