I went in 1989. Best time EVER! IOM makes Daytona look like a block party. Lots more diversity in the bikes, too. You don't see that many of the GPTB (tm-kpaul, inc.).
On Mad Sunday, I was passed by a formula Ford race car in the mountains. Then I passed a trials sidecar rig with a blowup sex doll as a 'Monkey". It absolutely is mad.
Every rider should go before they quit riding. Truly amazing.
Apparently, the hot set-up is to fly into London and rent a bike, then take the ferry. I was stationed in Germany at the time, and rode there from Worms.