Category: Random

1. Mugen confirms McGuinness and Martin for 2017 Isle of Man TT Races Campaign

   Posted on 12:00pm Wednesday 15th Feb 2017

   Japanese based Mugen, which has won the last three SES TT Zero Races, has confirmed a two strong rider line up for the 2017 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy.

   M-TEC Company President, Mr Tomoyuki HASHIMOTO, confirmed that 23-time TT winner John McGuinness is back with TEAM MUGEN for 2017, and this year will be partnered by Guy Martin, who is also team-mate to McGuinness in the Honda Racing team at this year’s TT.  

   After missing out on a hat-trick of victories in 2016 with a freak incident that shut down his machine in the middle of the race through no fault of his own, McGuinness will undoubtedly return with even more determination to recapture the TT Zero crown in 2017.

   After a one year sabbatical from the TT while he concentrated on other challenges, Martin returns to the island with a renewed focus as well as an element of unfinished business at the TT as he targets his first race win.

   Both riders will fly to Tokyo in April where they will meet up with their 2017 TT Zero machines, SHINDEN ROKU (SHINDEN 6), and the dedicated team behind the machine that is aiming to break the land-mark 120mph barrier for the first time in the class. The team is the current lap record holder for the class with McGuinness’s lap of 119.279mph (18:58.743), which he set in winning the 2015 Race.

   Having been an integral part of the Mugen Shinden project since the start of the programme in 2012, for John McGuinness it will be like returning to family, and for Guy Martin it will be an introduction to the battery-powered bike that he hopes will take him to his first TT Zero victory.

   SHINDEN ROKU has been extensively developed from the 2016 race-winning machine, (SHINDEN GO) and will be unveiled at the 2017 Tokyo Motorcycle Show at Tokyo Big Sight in March, 2017.

   

2. Roses are red, violets are blue, I love my motorbike, do you?

   Posted on 9:30am Tuesday 14th Feb 2017

   

3. Prescott Bike Festival - update and Chinese Whispers...

   Posted on 10:00am Tuesday 7th Feb 2017

   There seems to be a little confusion out there about what we're up to, so here it is from the horse's mouth as they say.

   Prescott Bike Festival is going like a dream, Run the Hills entries are almost sold out, Paddock Specials are full, new exhibitors are signing up, exciting stuff for everyone and we have some ambitious plans that take us out to 2020 and beyond. All good stuff. Hope you'll be able to join us on April 9th 2017.

   Shelsley Bike Festival, unfortunately, didn't work out as well as we'd hoped. We just didn't get enough visitors to make the Festival's proceeds reflect all the hard work our volunteers put in to organise the day. Lots of reasons for this (and believe me we've talked about them a lot) but none we can do much about. The 2016 Festival made just under £3k 'profit' - a nice amount but I'm afraid just not enough for all the effort required. So we will not be running an event at Shelsley this year.

   So - as an old boss of mine used to say, "do what you do well and do it better" and that's just what we're going to do. Build our successful Prescott Bike Fest into something even bigger and better and I look forward to sharing our exciting plans with you in due course.

   In the meantime, I hope to see you at Prescott on April 9th and I thank you for your support.

   Best wishes
   Gordon
   Festival Organiser

   

4. Two TT Legends – McGuinness and Martin

   Posted on 12:00pm Wednesday 1st Feb 2017

   You’ve seen the teaser and now Honda Racing is pleased to bring you the full version of new team-mates John McGuinness and Guy Martin; available on Facebook or by visiting YouTube.

   What happens when two TT legends talk about being team-mates, tea, running and who is fastest over the mountain? Well, this is the result.

   John McGuinness and Guy Martin – team-mates talk business is available now. 

   

5. Which motorcycle legend would you like to see enter the 2017 Motor Sport Hall of Fame?

   Posted on 12:00pm Wednesday 1st Feb 2017

   Twelve of the greatest names in motorcycle history have been shortlisted for this year’s Motor Sport Hall of Fame Awards. The prestigious event takes place on 7th June in the spectacular surroundings of the Royal Automobile Club’s Woodcote Park in Surrey, and its down to motorcycle fans to vote who will be the next to join legends such as John Surtees, Giacomo Agostini, John McGuinness and last year’s inductee Valentino Rossi.

   The nominees for 2017 are…

   • Soichiro Honda: as founder and president of the eponymous marque, Honda had a seismic impact on the world of motorcycling.
   • Casey Stoner: the Australian star dominated the 2007 season with Ducati, then switched to Honda for 2011 to become a two-time MotoGP champion by the age of 26.
   • Barry Sheene: motorcycling’s answer to the swashbuckling James Hunt during the 1970s, Sheene won consecutive 500cc titles in ’76 and ’77.
   • Wayne Rainey: a fierce rivalry with fellow nominee Kevin Schwantz lit up the top division of Grand Prix racing, and inspired him to take a hat-trick of championships in 1990, ’91 and ’92.
   • Mike Hailwood: few could forget the victorious late-1970s TT return of ‘Mike the Bike’, a fabulous encore for a peerless career that resulted in 14 Isle of Man wins and nine Grand Prix world championships. 
   • Geoff Duke: the Isle of Man legend was a household name in the 1950s, winning three world titles for Norton before repeating that success with Gilera.
   • Kevin Schwantz: 25 times a Grand Prix winner and the 1993 500cc world champion, the hard-charging Schwantz was part of a golden era for motorcycle racing.
   • Freddie Spencer: the versatile ‘Fast Freddie’ scored a historic double in 1985, claiming both the 250cc and 500cc world titles.
   • Kenny Roberts: America’s first world champion and a fierce safety campaigner, Roberts secured his third and final title in 1983 after a memorable season-long battle with Freddie Spencer.
   • Joey Dunlop: a genuine icon of road-racing, ‘Yer Maun’ still holds the record for the most TT wins – a remarkable 26 victories over the course of 23 years.
   • Eddie Lawson: as part of an incredible group of American racers who starred during the 1980s and ‘90s, Lawson won four 500c world championships.
   • Mick Doohan: the dominant force during the 1990s, Aussie Doohan won five consecutive 500cc titles from ’94. 

   Motorcycle enthusiasts can choose who among those great names will inducted into the Hall of Fame by going to www.motorsportmagazine.com/hall-of-fame. You can also vote by visiting the Motor Sport stand at Race Retro on 24-26 February, where Freddie Spencer will be taking part in autograph sessions and interviews on the Live Stage. The latter will host an unmissable blend of motoring heroes and industry experts over the course of the show, which takes place at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire.

   You can hear Spencer discussing the 11 other nominees on a special Motor Sport podcast (www.motorsportmagazine.com/hall-of-fame/hall-fame-2017-motorcycling-podcast-and-voting), while everyone who casts a vote will be entered into a free prize draw for the opportunity to win tickets to the exclusive Hall of Fame Awards Dinner – where you will able to rub shoulders with famous faces from the worlds of two- and four-wheeled motor racing – plus Motor Sport books, luxury luggage and much more.

   To cast your vote or to buy tickets, visit: www.motorsportmagazine.com/hall-of-fame