TT champ switches rides after near collision at Isle of Man

Eleven-time Isle of Man TT winner and reigning Senior TT champion Michael Dunlop has switched from Milwaukee Yamaha to BMW ahead of next week’s racing events.

The 26-year-old Northern Irish rider, who is the nephew of the legendary Joey Dunlop, will race for the Buildbase BMW team in Saturday’s 6-lap Superbike Race and next Friday’s Senior TT. Dunlop won the Senior TT last year riding a BMW.

However, the decision for Dunlop to switch may have been made up during qualifying on Wednesday, as eight-time Isle of Man TT winner Ian Hutchinson flew by him on his Kawasaki under braking entering Kirk Michael (video above).

It was a very scary moment for both riders, however, with Hutchinson only just able to keep his bike up on two wheels as he made the pass over the bump and then slid right in front of Dunlop’s bike.

We’re sure the bike wasn’t the only thing Dunlop changed after the session…