Festival of 1000 Bikes Update

So you can expect to see a splendid line-up of Past Masters – riders like Grant, Marshall, Spray, Simpson, Nation, Robb, Miller, Cooper and Laverda – on track. Furthermore, everyone can have the chance not just to see these heroes on their machines, but to chat to the stars in the paddock on Sunday 15th July.

That’s if you can drag your attention away from the awesome machinery thundering past. The VMCC are delighted to have organised the track debut of the new Norton NRV 588 rotary race bike and the incredible Laverda V6. The new Norton will be in good company as four of its sister Norton rotary race bikes will also be out on the track, all with their original star riders on board. Steve Spray, Trevor Nation and Ian Simpson will be riding, and rotary development engineer Brian Crighton will be proudly showing off the NRV 588.

You’ll also be able to see the Corse Laverda team, visiting from Italy, headed up by Piero Laverda himself and accompanied by ex-factory riders such as Augusto Brettoni, Roberto Gallina and his son Giovanni. This is the first time that the team has visited the UK and is the first opportunity that race fans will have the chance to see (and hear!) the Laverda V6 in action. This technically stunning endurance race bike raced only once at the Bol d’or in the late 1970s, and has to be heard to be believed…

A full list of all the star riders and their machines plus all the events other attractions can be found at www.vmcc.net.

One of those added attractions (in a teeny-tiny kind of way), will be the RealClassic stand where you can pick up any missing issues of the magazine and sort out your subscription. There are a few spaces available on the RC stall this year for RealClassic readers who’d like to display their bikes over the Festival weekend: email TP if you’d like your classic to form part of our display.

If, on t’other hand, what you really want to do is to ride your classic on track this summer, and you’re disappointed to have missed your chance – we have a couple of recommendations.

Hop over to the Trident and Rocket 3 Owners’ Club site and see if there are any places left for this summer’s Beezumph Rally. It takes place on August 17th and 18th at Cadwell Park, with various classes across both days for classic, British, European and American machines. Details about the different classes and sessions are at www.tr3oc.co.uk/beezumph_07.html

Or keep your eyes peeled for news of the Morini Riders’ Club trackday, also at Cadwell Park, currently pencilled in for Wednesday the 19th of September. All bikes are welcome but Morinis get their own track sessions. More information on www.morini-riders-club.com