The 2006/7 TTRA President
heads a star studded line up of men and machines that cover the early days right up to the 1990’s. First and foremost
is Nick’s own TT winning Honda RC30 from 1983 which sits alongside his own collection of machinery and his nephew David’s
GSXR1000 TAS Suzuki on which he last completed a lap of the TT before his untimely death in 2003.
David Hailwood brings
along a selection of bikes including a BMW R69S that raced at the Monthelery 24 hour race, and will join Nick and Yamaha mechanic
to the champions Vince French on the microphone.
Nick’s knowledge
is encyclopaedic. David will talk of his father and Vince of his exploits whilst spannering for Gould, Saarinen, Lansivouri,
Kanaya, Agostini and Cecotto, alongside Ian McKay and Nobby Clark.
At the opposite end of
the timescale the BHR section of the Vintage MCC will bring along a wide selection of hardware including the Hayleck V twin
3 wheeler, a 1928 CSI Norton and the “Butterly Blue” Triumph outfit. Throw in a 1930 Rudge Ulster and a 250 ‘Jones’
Single alongside John Kidson’s NSU that Arthur Wheeler rode to 4th place in the 250 world championship and
you begin to comprehend the breadth of machinery on show.
Mick Hemming will be along
with the fabulous 1962 McIntyre Matchless and Percy Tait’s 500 Triumph that finished second to Ago at Spa in 1969. Ron
Langston brings his Seeley, Wattie Brown his Molnar Manx and Les Whiston some Rob North triples. Ian Simpson’s 1997
916 Ducati (2nd in TT that year) and The Racing 50 Enthusiasts Club’s collection of 50’s, 80’s,
and 125’s (including an ex-Lazzarini Morbidelli) join the two Rocket 3 BSA’s that ‘Moon Eyes’ John
Cooper had at the Beezumph. Added to this are the RG500 bikes of Frank Kennedy
and Stan Woods, plus the ill-fated Hector Neill sponsored RG on which Norman Brown was killed in 1983 and a rare fully refurbished
1959 RUMI racer.
Sammy Miller will not
only bring the AJS Porcupine, the machine that Les Graham won the first ever world championship on, but also his development
1975 305 trials Honda, which will take it's place in the Honda trials display which Sam will talk of in relation to this role
as European Team Manager.
Finally what about the
controversial Owen Greenwood Mini, now restored to its original 1965 condition after lying in a barn for 11 years!