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Category: Events and Shows
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From live action stunts, wall-to-wall bikes, gourmet street food and live music, the UK’s biggest motorcycle show has a brand-new festival feel.
- Brand-new festival vibe at Motorcycle Live in association with Bikesure Insurance - with live action stunts from FMX and Trials riders, and stunt performances by World Record Holders.
- Expect live music, a fresh presenter line-up and racer and celebrity interviews on the new-look Blackhorse stage.
- Curated selection of street food vendors offering gourmet delights from around the world - as well as bars to wash it down.
- With hundreds of exhibitors already signed up, see the latest models, one of a kind classics and customs a-plenty.
- MCL24 in association with Bikesure Insurance takes place at the NEC, Birmingham between 16-24 November.
- Don’t suffer with FOMO, tickets are available now - frozen at last year’s prices from www.motorcyclelive.co.uk.
Revving up for an unforgettable 2024 edition, the UK’s biggest motorcycle show returns to the NEC Birmingham with a brand-new festival vibe. From November 16-24, visitors will experience nine days of electrifying entertainment, live music, gourmet street food, and wall-to-wall bikes, with plenty of opportunities to ride - all included in the price of entry.
Bringing the Festival Flavour
MCL24 is offering visitors the chance to immerse themselves in the exciting world of a two wheeled festival - with no worries about the weather. Expect a carnival of activities spread across the show with jaw-dropping, high-octane stunts by World Record holder performers, and live music. All this alongside exclusive interviews on the new Blackhorse Stage in the ‘Festival Zone’, fronted by a fresh new presenter line-up.
Wall-to-Wall Bikes
With hundreds of exhibitors, and all the biggest two-wheeled manufacturers signed up for the show, MCL24 will showcase the latest models, custom builds, visitors’ dream bikes, and retro classics. From cutting-edge electric bikes to the newest machines, every rider will find something to fall in love with.
Enjoy The Ride
With many riding opportunities, take advantage of the free instruction and circuits - including the brand-new indoor Festival Trail. With kit provided by official clothing suppliers Arai, AGV and RST, visitors don’t even have to bring, or carry, their own riding kit.
A Feast for the Senses
Food lovers, rejoice! MCL is rolling out a curated selection of street food vendors offering gourmet delights from around the world. From classic British favourites, to international street eats, there’s something to satisfy every taste and replenish those energy cells.
Even More to be Announced…
Crowd-favourite features are being redesigned and invitations sent to riding celebrities, so visitors can be sure that the show will be full of all the things they know and love, as well as a whole host of new content to surprise and delight.
More than just an exhibition - MCL24 is a celebration of everything loved about motorcycling, supercharged with a festival vibe that brings together the best of bikes, music, and food. Don’t miss the ultimate day out!
Nobody likes FOMO, but there’s no need to miss out, tickets are on sale now at www.motorcyclelive.co.uk - and they’re currently frozen at last year’s prices – so book your tickets now.
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One of the UK’s biggest motorcycle autojumbles is just a week away! With plenty of bargains to be found, this is the perfect event for all motorcycle enthusiasts!
Taking place at Netley Marsh between September 13-14, Netley Marsh is just off the south coast, not far from Southampton, Hants, on the A336 between Cadnam and Totton, and between junctions one and two of the M27.
Thousands of punters will be gathering at the Eurojumble to hunt for bikes and bargains to complete their projects or start new ones over the autumn months.
The Netley treasure trove is filled with motorcycling gold. You can find everything you need and more in one place, from spares and parts, tyres, memorabilia, and tools, to even complete machines. There are also rare parts not typically found on the high streets or anywhere else in the UK. Hundreds of traders will be gathered across the weekend, selling their unwanted parts. The beauty of the Netley Marsh site is that there’s so much room, no potential traders need to be turned away disappointed.
Have you accumulated ‘stuff’ over the years and want to turn some of it into money? Got some bike parts lying around gathering dust? Why not book a Garage Clear-out plot on Saturday from just £20? Make some extra cash while making room for the parts and projects you really want! It works for everyone: traders have access to potential new stock, while sellers clear space out of their garages!
Get your e-tickets now at www.classicbikeshows.com/netley/
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GET ready for a showdown at Stafford County Showground as racing titans Carl Fogarty and Frankie Chili reunite to relive their legendary battles, victories, and fierce rivalry at The Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show sponsored by Carole Nash. This year's event promises an explosive day out for the whole family, featuring an impressive lineup of special guests, bikes, trade and live entertainment.
Carl Fogarty, a four-time World Superbike Champion, and Frankie Chili, with 17 World Superbike wins, bring unparalleled racing pedigree to this year's event. Fogarty, known as the 'King of the Jungle,' dominated the 1990s with fearless riding. Chili's flamboyant style and tenacity earned him multiple podium finishes, making him a fan favourite. Don't miss this rare opportunity to celebrate the careers of these motorcycle racing legends at Staffordshire's premier classic motorcycling showcase.
With over 1,000 bikes on display, vibrant club stands, and the best in trade and autojumble offerings, the show offers something for every motorcycle aficionado. Live music and thrilling stunt displays by the Bolddog stunt team add to the excitement, making it a must-attend event.
Tickets for the Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show are priced at £16 online and £20 on the gate, available for purchase at www.classicbikeshows.com
The Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show, Stafford Showground
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Fourteen-times Isle of Man sidecar TT winners Ben and Tom Birchall are the latest and much-deserved winners of the Royal Automobile Club’s Segrave Trophy, awarded for ‘outstanding skill, courage and initiative’.
“We are delighted to recognise the remarkable achievements of Ben and Tom,” says Club Chairman Duncan Wiltshire. “Racing at the Isle of Man TT is always a perilous adventure, the Birchall brothers’ efforts perfectly mirror the adventurous spirit of Sir Henry Segrave, after whom the trophy is named. They pushed both themselves and their machines to the limit in pursuit of speed.”
There are few motor sports quite like racing sidecars around the 37.73-mile mountain course – driver and passenger threading the eye of the needle between hedgerows and farmhouses – no room for error, just like the pioneers of motor racing a century and more ago.
The first races on the Isle of Man were organised by the Automobile Club of Great Britain, which later became the Royal Automobile Club, as the Gordon Bennett Eliminating Trials in 1904 and 1905. Later in 1905, the Club organised the first Isle of Man Tourist Trophy for racing automobiles, and the first Isle of Man TT for motorcycles was held in 1907. The latter was organised by the Auto-Cycle Club, later the Auto-Cycle Union, a branch of the then-Automobile Club of Great Britain.
Ben (47) and Tom (37) started racing together twenty years ago, with Ben working the handlebars and Tom working as passenger. A sidecar passenger is much more than the name suggests, as they have to position themselves through corners to stabilise the three-wheeled machine. Being moveable ballast at speeds of up to 170mph is not a job for the fainthearted!
The brothers took their first TT victory in 2013 and have since won thirteen, going unbeaten between 2015 and 2023. They have also won four sidecar world championships.
“Sidecar racing, especially around the Isle of Man, is also the epitome of teamwork,” adds Duncan Wiltshire. “Watching Ben and Tom around the TT course you see how they work together to extract the most out of their machine. It’s a spectacular show and I salute their skill and bravery.”
The Segrave Trophy has previously been won by some of Britain’s greatest motorcycles racers, from fellow sidecar racer Steve Webster and TT legend Joey Dunlop to Barry Sheene, Mike Hailwood, John Surtees and Geoff Duke.
Ben can hardly believe he now ranks alongside those greats. “To be put anywhere near those names – I’m so thrilled we’ve been chosen, it means so much,” he says.
“It’s absolutely mind-bending,” adds Tom. “Motorsport and the TT are such wonderful environments and to get an accolade like this is just bizarre.”
During the 2023 TT the Birchalls became the first sidecar pairing to lap the TT course at over 120mph, an incredible speed for a vehicle powered by a 600cc engine and carrying two people.
Following that landmark success younger brother Tom decided to retire from the sport, happy with his record and feeling that he had rolled the dice enough.
“I was always dead honest with myself,” says Tom. “Every year I’d ask myself, are you ready to commit to this? And I’d always said, yes. But after last year’s TT I asked myself and I couldn’t say it.”
Achieving the first 120mph sidecar lap was the perfect time to make the decision.
“The final two laps of that race were the most sublime, surreal experience I’ve ever had – doing that speed, getting cheered on in the sunshine,” adds Tom. “We pulled into the winner’s enclosure and I just thought, this is it, this is as good as it’ll ever get and it just felt like the right time. I’ve got good memories and I’m glad it happened, not sad that it’s stopped.”
At this year’s TT Tom was replaced by Frenchman Kevin Rousseau who helped Ben to a second-place finish in the second sidecar TT, when rider and passenger were still gelling with each other and their LCR Honda outfit.
About the Segrave Trophy
The Segrave Trophy is named after British pilot and pre-war racing driver Sir Henry Segrave – a man who pushed himself and his machines to the limit in the pursuit of ultimate speed. He was the first man to hold both land and water speed records, although the latter cost him his life in 1930. With such drive and determination in mind, the Trophy is awarded for ‘outstanding skill, courage and initiative on land, water and in the air – the Spirit of Adventure’.
The first recipient of the Segrave Trophy was Air Commodore Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, for his transatlantic and England to Australia flights in 1930. Previous holders of the trophy have included Amy Johnson CBE (1932), Sir Malcolm Campbell (1933 and 1939), Bruce McLaren (1969), Sir Jackie Stewart (1973 and 1999) and Sir Frank Williams (1992). The Trophy is awarded only if the Segrave Nominations Committee feels there is a suitable recipient that meets its criteria each year.
At this year’s TT Tom was replaced by Frenchman Kevin Rousseau who helped Ben to a second-place finish in the second sidecar TT, when rider and passenger were still gelling with each other and their LCR Honda outfit.
About the Segrave Trophy
The Segrave Trophy is named after British pilot and pre-war racing driver Sir Henry Segrave – a man who pushed himself and his machines to the limit in the pursuit of ultimate speed. He was the first man to hold both land and water speed records, although the latter cost him his life in 1930. With such drive and determination in mind, the Trophy is awarded for ‘outstanding skill, courage and initiative on land, water and in the air – the Spirit of Adventure’.
The first recipient of the Segrave Trophy was Air Commodore Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, for his transatlantic and England to Australia flights in 1930. Previous holders of the trophy have included Amy Johnson CBE (1932), Sir Malcolm Campbell (1933 and 1939), Bruce McLaren (1969), Sir Jackie Stewart (1973 and 1999) and Sir Frank Williams (1992). The Trophy is awarded only if the Segrave Nominations Committee feels there is a suitable recipient that meets its criteria each year.
The Royal Automobile Club
The Royal Automobile Club was founded in 1897 and its distinguished history mirrors that of motoring itself. In 1907 the Club was awarded its Royal title by King Edward VII, sealing its status as Britain’s oldest and most influential motoring organisation.
The Club’s early years were focused on promoting the motor car and its place in society, which developed into motoring events such as the 1000 Mile Trial, first held in 1900. In 1905, the Club held the first Tourist Trophy, which remains the oldest continuously competed-for motorsport event. The Club promoted the first pre-war and post-war Grands Prix at Brooklands in 1926 and Silverstone in 1948 respectively, while continuing to campaign for the rights of the motorist, including introducing the first driving licences.
Today, the Club continues to develop and support automobilism through representation on the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and RAC Foundation while promoting its own motoring events including London Motor Week each October, which culminates in the RM Sotheby’s London to Brighton Veteran Car Run.
The Royal Automobile Club awards a series of historic trophies and medals celebrating motoring achievements. These include the Segrave Trophy, the Tourist Trophy, the Dewar Trophy, the Simms Medal, the Torrens Trophy and the Diamond Jubilee Trophy.
article supplied
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Indian Motorcycle came ready to entertain with the big-bore thrills of the Challenger RR and sideways flat track action of the FTR750 at the prestigious Goodwood Festival of Speed last weekend as legendary racer Jeremy McWilliams piloted the King of the Baggers racer and Brandon Robinson brought his American Flat Track expertise over from the US.
Rubbing shoulders with the greatest riders, drivers and vehicles from all forms of motorsport, the Indian Challenger RR offered festival goers a unique chance to witness the thundering sounds of the King of the Baggers racer as Jeremy McWilliams smoked the Challenger RR rear tyre during full throttle rolling burnouts on the famous Goodwood hill. And it wasn’t just the crowds that were impressed as famous names from the history of motorcycle racing gathered around the Challenger RR at the start line to ask McWilliams what it was like to ride and race.
“There’s not many, if any, events like this anywhere in the world,” said McWilliams. “Seeing these baggers racing on YouTube is one thing, but seeing and hearing them up close is something else, so it was great to put on a show for the Goodwood crowds with the Challenger RR. I think we’ve really surprised a lot of people with the sound and performance of the bike.”
Offering collectors the chance to own a piece of history, just 29 Challenger RR customer bikes were created to celebrate the 2022 King of the Baggers crown. Built to the identical specification and setup as Tyler O’Hara’s #29 championship-winning bike, interested collectors should contact their Indian Motorcycle dealer as soon as possible to secure the last couple of bikes available to purchase.
Totally dominant in American Flat Track Racing, the Indian FTR750 hit the Goodwood hill in the capable hands of Brandon Robinson who has amassed nine wins and 23 podiums over the course of the last five seasons and is currently third in the 2024 SuperTwins standings aboard his Mission Foods Roof Systems FTR750.
Stepping in for Wrecking Crew rider and nine times American Flat Track SuperTwins champion, Jared Mees, who was unable to make the journey at the last minute, the chance for Robinson to be part of the famous UK celebration of motorsport culture that is the Goodwood Festival of Speed was a truly unique experience.
“Goodwood Festival, what’s not the love? This place is insane,” said Robinson. “I didn’t really know what to expect. I’ve always heard good things about it, but then to be here, experience it and ride up the hill with all the nostalgia, the famous riders, drivers, and all the different machines that have been so influential in motorsports is incredible. To be a small little part of that is truly a blessing and I’m stoked to be able to ride the Indian FTR750 here. It’s just my favourite race bike from the last five or six years, it’s got so many wins, and it means a lot to be able to showcase that for our sport in front of all the people here. This place is nuts. I’ve never seen so many people in one place for a motorsport event in my life.”
With seven consecutive American Flat Track SuperTwins Championships since Indian Motorcycle Racing returned to the series with the clean-sheet design, the FTR750 is the most sought-after ride in the flat track world due to its combination of a high-performance 750cc V-Twin engine and ultra-light steel frame that were developed in-house by Indian Motorcycle Racing.
For more information on Indian Motorcycle visit IndianMotorcycle.eu and follow along on Facebook and Instagram.
article supplied
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