A NUMBER of legendary race bikes will be on display at this year's Manx Grand Prix Festival.
They include TT winning bikes and GP and MotoGP winning machines.
Fans will be thrilled to see the 1975 Suzuki XR14 on which Barry Sheene won his first 500GP at Assen, the classic Yellow/Black 1980 Yamaha OW48R that Kenny Roberts clinched his last world championship on in Germany and the 1982 Honda NS500 on which Freddie Spencer won his first 500GP.
Notable TT bikes include the 1978 Suzuki XR23b that Pat Hennen rode to become the first person to lap the course in under 20 minutes, the 1981 Yamaha OW53 that Barry Sheene raced for the first part of the year and which Charlie Williams rode in the TT the following year setting the fastest outright lap and the 1975 Kawasaki KR750 on which Mick Grant beat Mike Hailwood’s eight year-old outright lap record.
Mick Grant's 1980 Open Classic TT winning Honda RS1000 will also be on display.
MotoGP fans can see Loris Capirossi's 2003 Ducati Desmicedici, which was the first Ducati to win a MotoGP race, while Carl Fogarty's World Superbike FP1 machine, the only FP1 outside the factory and the only British bike to score World Superbike points and achieve a pole position will also be available for viewing.
Chris Wilson, who owns the collection, is part of a worldwide membership based organisation of racing bike collectors called Amicale that has the aim of providing original genuine bikes at events and displays.
The full collection of bikes will be on display in a marquee behind the main grandstand from Saturday, August 20 to Sunday, September 4.
Political member for Isle of Man Tourism Geoff Corkish MHK said: "We are really pleased to have secured this prestigious collection for this year's Manx Grand Prix, which I'm sure will prove popular with visitors and residents alike.
"I'd like to thank Chris Wilson for the very generous loan, and The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company for their support, and to encourage as many people as possible to take the chance to see these memorable machines."
Photo courtesy of Mortons Archive
