136 Isle of Man TT starts.
10 Isle of Man TT Wins.
30 Isle of Man TT Podiums.
35 years between first Isle of Man TT podium in 1984 (2nd Historic 500 TT) and last in 2019 (2nd TT Zero).
8 wins 26 podiums North-West 200.
18 wins 44 podiums Ulster GP.
3 wins and 5 podiums at Classic TT.
5 times Southern 100 Solo Champion.
32 Southern 100 record wins.
141 Oliver's Mount record wins.
Corners re-named Lougher's at Dundrod and Oliver's Mount his honour.
It was 1982, and for those of us old enough to remember it was the year of Olivia Newton-John's 'Physical', Survivor's 'Eye of the Tiger' and Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder's 'Ebony and Ivory' were in the charts, Prince William was born, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial was released in the USA, and a young man from Bonvilston in Wales set out on the road to two-wheeled legendary status.
Now, at the close of the 2025 season, Ian Lougher has decided to call time on a truly remarkable motorcycle racing career, bringing to an end over four decades of racing memories.
And who better than the man himself to sum everything up in his own words.
Ian Lougher:
"44 seasons is a long, long time still to be racing isn’t it!!
I never ever imagined after my first trip on a circuit in 1982 that I'd still be racing this long.
I’ve been thinking about my retirement for quite a while now but kept it to myself for a few years, and didn’t want to tell anybody not even Asa my wife, until it was finished, as I thought it would be unlucky as I’m a bit superstitious on certain things.
I sort of retired at the end of 2013 after my good friend Yoshinari Matsushita was killed at the TT, I was just sick of it at that time, especially with running my own team (Team ILR) or Team Blackhorse Kawasaki as we were called then.
At that time we were lying 2nd and 3rd in the BSB Superstock 1000 championship with Filip Backlund and Victor Cox and we were also Kawasaki UK’s official team.
I was also worried I would lose concentration in a race or something, as I was flat out with the team and was over worked to say the least.
I came out of retirement in 2016 when I was asked by Suter to race their own bike at the TT. I just couldn’t pass that one up..it was right up my street, a fuel injected 576cc two stroke.
I also rode it again in 2018.
But even after 2013 I said I would always continue racing at the Classic TT, but to do that you have to obtain a mountain course licence and to qualify for one of those you have to have done at least 6 races, so people will have seen me racing at various places such as Scarborough and other places, and some would comment and say “I thought you’d retired.”
I raced at Tandragee in June this year and quite enjoyed it, but it was 20 years since I last raced there and in mixed weather conditions I wasn’t quite on the pace I wanted to be at.
People will, I suppose understandably, see me as a real road racer but I'm really proud of what I achieved on short circuits as well, and finishing 2nd (by two points) and 3rd in 1998 and 1989 respectively in the 125cc British Championships will forever remain among my career highlights.
I’ve always said I would continue as long as I’m competitive, I’m not one for riding around at the back.
But now I’m 62 years of age and to be honest I still don’t get fazed or nervous going through the bottom of Bray Hill or somewhere like that at 140 mph, but you can’t go on forever, and I don’t want to put my old body through anymore.
I’ve got quite a lot of aches and pains, mainly from my knees, not that I’ve crashed too much really…maybe I’ve just been lucky!!!
That being said, with running my own team I will still have my hand in a bit and there might be the opportunity to don the leathers again for a few laps here and there, all in the name of testing of course!
Seriously though, I’m satisfied I’ve always tried to surround myself with the right people, the right machinery, and all the correct things that keeps you as safe as you can be in this game.
I’m happy and honoured to have raced against a lot of great riders, and met some of the best people around the paddocks in the world, not many people get the chance to do that.
But, I must add, it also takes a lot of willpower and determination to achieve all that....racing has literally been MY LIFE.
In closing, I would like to say a big thank-you to everybody that’s helped me along the rocky road of road racing.
And I must say sorry to all those closest to me over the years, because as a racer you have to be so single minded and selfish at times…I probably have been, and maybe still am, a pain in the arse to live with!"
10 Isle of Man TT Wins.
30 Isle of Man TT Podiums.
35 years between first Isle of Man TT podium in 1984 (2nd Historic 500 TT) and last in 2019 (2nd TT Zero).
8 wins 26 podiums North-West 200.
18 wins 44 podiums Ulster GP.
3 wins and 5 podiums at Classic TT.
5 times Southern 100 Solo Champion.
32 Southern 100 record wins.
141 Oliver's Mount record wins.
Corners re-named Lougher's at Dundrod and Oliver's Mount his honour.
It was 1982, and for those of us old enough to remember it was the year of Olivia Newton-John's 'Physical', Survivor's 'Eye of the Tiger' and Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder's 'Ebony and Ivory' were in the charts, Prince William was born, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial was released in the USA, and a young man from Bonvilston in Wales set out on the road to two-wheeled legendary status.
Now, at the close of the 2025 season, Ian Lougher has decided to call time on a truly remarkable motorcycle racing career, bringing to an end over four decades of racing memories.
And who better than the man himself to sum everything up in his own words.
Ian Lougher:
"44 seasons is a long, long time still to be racing isn’t it!!
I never ever imagined after my first trip on a circuit in 1982 that I'd still be racing this long.
I’ve been thinking about my retirement for quite a while now but kept it to myself for a few years, and didn’t want to tell anybody not even Asa my wife, until it was finished, as I thought it would be unlucky as I’m a bit superstitious on certain things.
I sort of retired at the end of 2013 after my good friend Yoshinari Matsushita was killed at the TT, I was just sick of it at that time, especially with running my own team (Team ILR) or Team Blackhorse Kawasaki as we were called then.
At that time we were lying 2nd and 3rd in the BSB Superstock 1000 championship with Filip Backlund and Victor Cox and we were also Kawasaki UK’s official team.
I was also worried I would lose concentration in a race or something, as I was flat out with the team and was over worked to say the least.
I came out of retirement in 2016 when I was asked by Suter to race their own bike at the TT. I just couldn’t pass that one up..it was right up my street, a fuel injected 576cc two stroke.
I also rode it again in 2018.
But even after 2013 I said I would always continue racing at the Classic TT, but to do that you have to obtain a mountain course licence and to qualify for one of those you have to have done at least 6 races, so people will have seen me racing at various places such as Scarborough and other places, and some would comment and say “I thought you’d retired.”
I raced at Tandragee in June this year and quite enjoyed it, but it was 20 years since I last raced there and in mixed weather conditions I wasn’t quite on the pace I wanted to be at.
People will, I suppose understandably, see me as a real road racer but I'm really proud of what I achieved on short circuits as well, and finishing 2nd (by two points) and 3rd in 1998 and 1989 respectively in the 125cc British Championships will forever remain among my career highlights.
I’ve always said I would continue as long as I’m competitive, I’m not one for riding around at the back.
But now I’m 62 years of age and to be honest I still don’t get fazed or nervous going through the bottom of Bray Hill or somewhere like that at 140 mph, but you can’t go on forever, and I don’t want to put my old body through anymore.
I’ve got quite a lot of aches and pains, mainly from my knees, not that I’ve crashed too much really…maybe I’ve just been lucky!!!
That being said, with running my own team I will still have my hand in a bit and there might be the opportunity to don the leathers again for a few laps here and there, all in the name of testing of course!
Seriously though, I’m satisfied I’ve always tried to surround myself with the right people, the right machinery, and all the correct things that keeps you as safe as you can be in this game.
I’m happy and honoured to have raced against a lot of great riders, and met some of the best people around the paddocks in the world, not many people get the chance to do that.
But, I must add, it also takes a lot of willpower and determination to achieve all that....racing has literally been MY LIFE.
In closing, I would like to say a big thank-you to everybody that’s helped me along the rocky road of road racing.
And I must say sorry to all those closest to me over the years, because as a racer you have to be so single minded and selfish at times…I probably have been, and maybe still am, a pain in the arse to live with!"