'Racing is a lot different for someone like me than it is for somebody else'

Michael Dunlop lost his father Robert, brother William, and uncle Joey to the sport he loves. This year he stands on the edge of history-two more Isle of Man Tourist Trophy (IOM TT) wins and he will overtake Joey to become the most successful TT racer of all time

- Mat Oxley

MICHAEL DUNLOP was born half a century too late. In an age when many professional motorcycle racers spend their days away from racetracks training and tweeting, the 25-time IoM TT winner still builds his own bikes, from the crankshaft up, drives his own race truck, and enjoys social media as much as he enjoys a bad dose of norovirus.

Dunlop does not fit the 21st-century racer stereotype, but he would have fitted right in with the old Continental Circus. Back in the 1960s, British racers sallied forth each summer to crisscross Europe, contesting grands prix and spending their spare weekends racing around different towns, which turned their streets into racetracks once a year and paid handsome cash prizes to attract star riders.

That kind of lifestyle would have been perfect for Dunlop: fettle your Norton Manx, race around the streets, collect a wedge of francs, liras or pesetas at the post-race dinner, pack your van on a hangover the next morning, and head off to the next race-always your own man, nobody telling you what to do and no tiresome media conferences or sponsor events to attend.

Like the one we are at. There are a dozen journalists from all over Europe, sitting with Dunlop around a big conference table at the South London headquarters of D30 (pronounced "three oh", not thirty), the clever people who make the body armour that goes inside Dunlop's leathers.

We listen as the two-time TT winner, Steve Plater, asks the 35-year-old Northern Irishman a few questions for the benefit of the cameras, then we each get 10 minutes one-on-one with the main man.

Dunlop does not exactly thrive in such situations. When we start our chat, I realise very quickly that he is brilliant at brushing aside questions about himself, for the simple reason that he does not like to talk about himself.