Motorcycle Adventures helps Canadian Navy officers tick a visit to the TT off their Bucket List
Nine serving members of the Canadian Navy have travelled halfway across the world to tick something else off their Bucket List – riding the Isle of Man TT course during the TT festival!
The party were brought to the Island at the start of Practice Week by Manx company, Motorcycle Adventures, who specialise in giving motorcyclists access to the world-famous TT course and an experience never to forget. Bikers can book their inbound travel and accommodation together on www.motorcycleadventures.im, a service facilitated by Mann Link Travel’s specialist booking technology, and then hire a bike from Motorcycle Adventures.
The company’s owners, Mike and Sheila Banks, have a wide range of machines to choose from including Hondas, Suzukis and Kawasakis, and will tailor bespoke VIP holiday packages for their guests. Motorbikes run in the family’s blood; Mike himself has successfully raced both Solo production bikes and Sidecars across the UK, and his father competed in both the TT and Manx Grand Prix in the 1950s.
The Canadian Naval officers, Watchkeepers, Engineers and Operators from Nova Scotia on the country’s East coast, have spent the last six weeks on exercise across Europe. Riding the TT course has been a life-long ambition. Group spokesperson, Fred Rideout, commented: “I’ve been a TT fan for as long as I can remember and have watched it on the TV for years, and always wanted to come to the Island one day to watch it.
“When I found out we were going to be in Liverpool for the Battle of the Atlantic commemorations and that the date tied in with the start of Practice Week, we all booked our trip and bikes through Motorcycle Adventures as soon as we could.
“The Isle of Man is a lovely place, and reminds me a lot of home! I’m totally sold on it, and we’re all planning to come back again for another TT visit. The roads are amazing especially as in Canada it’s mainly just highways where we live and no rural roads. I’m absolutely delighted we’ve come here to ride the TT course – it’s definitely been an experience never to forget!”
Mike Banks, owner of Motorcycle Adventures, said: “Helping bikers to achieve their ambitions, no matter whether they want to visit the Island during TT or at another time of year, is why we launched our company and it really gives me great pleasure to meet groups such as the Canadian Naval officers and help them to fulfil their dreams. Seeing how happy they were to finally be in the Isle of Man and riding the TT course makes this job incredibly worthwhile, and I am looking forward to welcoming them back again soon.”
Brian Kelly, CEO of Mann Link Travel and its parent company, the Online Regional Travel Group, commented: “The TT is undoubtedly the Isle of Man’s largest global brand, and to be able to play a part in helping these members of the Canadian Navy to experience a lifetime ambition to come here and ride the TT course is just fantastic.
“Mann Link Travel has the technology to facilitate inbound travel and accommodation bookings to the Isle of Man together on one portal by guests anywhere in the world, and this is being employed by a number of partner websites and specialist interest tour operators already including Motorcycle Adventures. After recently welcoming a guest to the Isle of Man from the Falkland Islands, I am looking forward to seeing where next on the map we will be welcoming visitors from!”
Image Caption: (l-r) Sheila Banks, far left, and Mike Banks, far right, owners of Motorcycle Adventures, pictured at the end of Pit Lane at the TT Grandstand with some of the Canadian Naval party visiting the Isle of Man ahead of their first lap of the Mountain Course.
