Honda

The Honda TT Legends team will again run two riders in 2012 with 17-times TT winner John McGuinness expected to lead their attack. It was widely anticipated that Michael Rutter would fill the second seat but that no longer appears to be the case so Keith Amor, currently recovering from a shoulder operation, could retain his seat despite rumours of the Scot retiring. Gary Johnson and Cameron Donald were also in the frame until placed elsewhere while there’s also the World Endurance Championship angle to consider so a proven Superbike competitor with WEC races under his belt could find his way into the team.

Padgett's Racing will continue with Bruce Anstey after a highly successful first season together in 2011 with Gary Johnson now expected to also line up in the rainbow colours having signed for Honda Racing to contest the National Superstock Championship. No doubt McGuinness will also feature for the squad in the Supersport and Superstock Races.

Wilson Craig Racing are expected to continue with their 2011 line up of Cameron Donald and William Dunlop, the latter already confirmed. William’s brother Michael could switch to Honda power for 2012 with his usual consortium of sponsors. Meanwhile, Dan Stewart will again be the Wilcock Consulting team’s rider and will once again ride Hondas in the Superbike and Supersport classes.

There’s also the possibility of BSB refugees SMT Honda taking part in the in the 2012 TT. Michael Rutter has previously ridden for Robin Croft’s well-run team so could be a possibility whilst Conor Cummins is believed to have had talks with the Lancashire businessman.

Manxman Dan Kneen is another rider who could make the move to Honda power in 2012.

Yamaha

With a two-year deal signed at the beginning of 2011, Ian Hutchinson will finally get to lead Yamaha’s attack on the TT in 2012. Now fully recovered, the Bingley rider will line-up for Shaun Muir’s team in all classes as he looks to add to his haul of 8 TT wins.

Suzuki

TAS Racing will again run a TT team in addition to their BSB effort and although it has yet to be confirmed, Guy Martin is expected to re-sign for the Tyco-sponsored team. They could continue with just the one rider or they may revert back to a two-man squad (which they ran from 2002 until 2010). Philip Neil is thought to be a long time admirer of Conor Cummins, whilst Michael Dunlop would fit well with the Northern Irish squad, although whether having two maverick riders on their books is possible remains to be seen. Gary Johnson rode for the squad at Macau and is also in the fray for the second seat.

Kawasaki

A number of manufacturer-supported teams will be at TT2012 with KMR Kawasaki (Ryan Farquhar and Jamie Hamilton), Black Horse Kawasaki (Ian Lougher) and Bournemouth Kawasaki (James Hillier) all confirmed. Farquhar could well run additional riders in the new Lightweight Race whilst the Bournemouth squad may expand to two riders.

Michael Rutter has been linked with a new Bathams-sponsored team, for both BSB and the roads, whilst Michael Dunlop and Dan Kneen could continue with the green machines in their privately-run efforts. McAdoo’s participation remains unclear and could well depend on whether their rider of the last two years, Conor Cummins, continues with them for a third term.

Ducati

The Irish JMF Millsport squad have announced they will be returning to the sport after a two-year lay-off with the all new 1199 Ducati Panigale machine in both Superbike and Superstock spec. They intend to field a one rider squad with a number of riders already believed to have been spoken to including Michael Dunlop, Michael Rutter, Conor Cummins, Simon Andrews, Dan Kneen and Steve Mercer.

MV Agusta

The Italian marquee will be back on the Island with a team run by World Performance Racing. Headed up by Neil Haslam (who ran Conor Cummins, Alastair Seeley and Chris Palmer for the NCT/Vanfit team in 2008), they intend to run both the F3 and F4 machines although it is believed that Steve Mercer recently turned down the ride. Simon Andrews and Dan Stewart could also be on the radar.

Aprilia

British Superbike team Splitlath campaigned two of the RSV4s at TT2011 with Mark Miller and Hudson Kennaugh and although reliability was in issue, Miller did lap at close to 122mph. They intend to run at least two riders next year (and could run as many as 4) although they could yet switch to a different manufacturer. Miller is expected to remain with the squad although other riders are at this moment unclear.

BMW

Now back to full fitness, German ace Rico Penzkofer will again run BMWs in 2012 as he looks to get back to the form he showed in 2010 when he finished 12th in the Senior and lapped at 125mph. Paul Shoesmith will also be BMW-mounted once more with his Ice Valley-backed team and will field (at least) two additional riders with Dean Harrison (who made a superb debut in 2011) and Hungarian Sandor Bitter likely candidates for the other seats.

Triumph

The British Supersport team Oxford Products/TAG Racing have been in talks with the TT organisers about running a one rider team in the two Supersport Races at the 2012 event. Possible riders could include Simon Andrews and Conor Cummins.

KTM

Having won the 2011 German IDM Superbike Championship, the Austrian manufacturer aims to have a factory-endorsed effort on the Island in 2012. Run by the British Redline Motorcycles team, a pair of RC8Rs could be ridden by Spaniard Antonio Maeso (who’s already lapped at a non too shabby 122.6mph) and a British rider. No names have been confirmed but Ben Wylie is believed to be in the fray.

Norton

The legendary British name had a disastrous TT in 2009 when Michael Dunlop failed to complete a practice lap on the RCW588 and whilst their entry in 2012 remains a doubt, they are believed to be building a V4 Moto GP-spec 1000cc bike with an FTR chassis. The rider for the project is unknown.