News

Isle of Man beer engine

The beer engine at the Sulby Glen Hotel means bikies can have their pints pulled through a Honda bike engine. The device was made from a reclaimed engine by a member of a German bike club who regularly stays at the hotel during the IoM TT races.

Beer through a Honda engine, while bikes are hurtling by at 290km/h only 20 metres away.

The Isle of Man’s first Honda in-line-four beer engine was installed at the Sulby Glen Hotel, back in 2009, said HV website subscribers John Warrian and Phil O’Brien. They enjoyed the experience and are going back in 2023.

The modified Honda bike engine uses an electric pump to pour four different beers via its four exhaust ports and is a copy of one spotted by Sulby Glen directors Rosie and Eddie Christian on a pub trip to Germany in 2008.

“It was the brainchild of Hans Georg Petrovic, from Waltrop in Germany,” Rosie said.

“He is president of the Waltrop Motorrad Club, which has been visiting the Isle of Man for TT and at other times since 1967.

“On a trip to Waltrop we said how we liked the beer engine in their club house and he said that you too shall have one.

“I will make it specially for you”.’

The engine was donated from a restoration project belonging to Sulby Glen customer, Norman Cunningham and first had to be liberated from the scrub.

The tree that was growing through the bike frame had to be cut down and then the frame of the bike cut.

Salvage operation complete, the engine was handed over to Mr Petrovic who effected the transformation back in Germany. The engine was completely stripped and repainted and then beer lines were threaded up through the barrels. Hans Georg returned it, carried in a sidecar outfit.

Rosie and Eddie were grateful to Mr Cunningham for his donation; Mr Petrovic for his work on the conversion; John Cojeen of Heron & Brearley for his technical services connecting all the beer lines and ensuring they worked correctly and to Tony Temple who located the right size and shape of beer badges for the front of the engine.

Firing up the equipment to serve its inaugural pints back in 2009 were sidecar driver and Southern 100 winner Matthew Sayle, sidecar passenger and solo rider TT, southern 100 and Manx Grand Prix winner Daniel Sayle and two-times world enduro champion, Sulby resident David Knight.