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 4^th 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 (2^nd 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!

Bikes:

Alf Hagon’s world sprint record JAP

Alf Hagon's 1300cc V-twin supercharged JAP on which he set a world sprint record for the quarter mile of 10.64 seconds (average speed 84.63mph) at Elvington Airfield in Yorkshire in October 1965 when 17 world records were broken. Alf also took the ‘flying’ and ‘standing’ start kilometre records. His starts were the most dramatic of the day. He needed dramatic wheelspin at the start, which the grippy runway surface did not assist. So, using only one gear for both quarter and kilometre runs, Alf raised the JAP onto a spring loaded centre stand then, with the clutch fully home and the motor on full song, he pulled the trigger. Up flew the stand, the madly spinning rear wheel scorched the tarmac and Alf disappeared like the genie of the lamp amid a cloud of billowing smoke!

The Greeves
Amongst 20 competition models will be:
- 1954 197cc Scrambles 20S model, of which only 3 are in existence
- 1957 197cc 20T Trials
- 1958 25SA Hawkstone Twin - only 32 made
- 1960 ISDT 250 Griffon
- Vic Allan's 380cc Griffon

The Mini

Owen Greenwood’s 1071cc controversial ‘three wheeler’ was debuted in March 1965 and instantly showed potential. Six months later at Mallory Park’s Gold Cup meeting it shattered the lap record as, despite gear selector troubles, Owen and passenger Terry Fairbrother beat Chris Vincent and Colin Seeley to give the Mini its first big win. It always had to start off the back of the grid in every race for safety reasons.