TV stars James May and Richard Hammond will be selling motorcycles from their personal collections through Bonhams at the 35th Carole Nash International Classic MotorCycle Show at Stafford on April 25-26.

While their future as presenters of BBC’s Top Gear may be uncertain, the duo’s motorcycles are sure to attract a lot of attention.

Among the eight machines being offered by May are a 2010 Yamaha SR400 ‘Grievous Angel’ by Deus Ex Machina, valued at between £8000 and £12,000, and a 1974 Yamaha 49cc FS1-E, which is expected to fetch between £2000 and £2400.

Hammond, who’s selling four machines, is hoping for between £14,500 and £18,500 for his 2010 Norton Commando 961SE and £2500-£3500 for his 1975 FS1-E.

“Just because I’m unemployed now doesn’t mean I have to get rid of everything,” said James May. “I was going to sell these bikes anyway. And those paintings, and my collection of Scalextric cars. Honest.”

Hammond added: “As a serious collector of motorcycles, it’s important to review one’s stable regularly, and the Bonhams Stafford sale is the ideal opportunity to move bikes on and possibly acquire new ones. I also have a canoe, and some Wharfedale hi-fi speakers, if anyone’s interested.”

Ben Walker, Bonhams international head of motorcycles, said: “Jokes aside, James and Richard are offering for sale some great motorcycles from their collections, including examples of Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda and Norton – and we expect the collection to attract a lot of attention at the upcoming Spring Stafford Sale. We’re delighted that they both elected to consign their collections with Bonhams Motorcycle Department, an agreement that originated many months ago”.

The event takes place at Staffordshire County Showground, Weston Road, Stafford ST18 0BD. Appearing as guests of honour will be former motorcycle sport stars and leading industry figures Nick and Tony Jefferies.

Members of Yorkshire’s first family of racing, the pair will also be bringing along two legendary TT-winning machines to display; the Honda RC30 ridden by Nick and the Triumph Rob North Triple ridden by Tony. The brothers will be presenting show awards, signing autographs and chatting on stage with industry favourite and fellow TT champion Steve Plater.

Back at the event by popular demand is the Cavalcade, taking place in the showground’s main ring, which will see several wonderful examples of classic British and European machinery paraded for spectators and new for this year is live music in the venue’s bandstand.

The Classic Racer GP Paddock – showcasing some incredible track and road-racing machines – and the Classic Dirt Bike Experience – celebrating all that’s best about off-road – complete the most action-packed Stafford line up ever.

Tickets for the Carole Nash International Classic MotorCycle Show are now on sale with a one day adult ticket costing just £10 when bought in advance, a £3 saving on the gate price. Passes can be purchased online from www.classicbikeshows.com or over the phone on 01507 529529.

James May in Bonhams Auction. Credit - Joe Dick

This year’s Motorcycle Off-Road Experience (MORE) will be on for four days between Tuesday 7th July and Friday 10thJ uly at Upavon in Wiltshire.

This will be the fourth year a ‘try out’ festival has been held, which allows people to try off-road riding for the first time. The price, which is heavily subsidised by the group behind MORE, will be £30. This includes hire of all kit, bikes and top class instruction for either a morning or afternoon session.

Places are allocated on a first come first served basis via the MORE website www.rideoffroad.co.uk.  The ‘go live’ date is Saturday May 16th from 10 o'clock onwards via the website.

The group behind MORE includes Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Suzuki and Yamaha.  Off-road sporting body AMCA run the practical side of the day and it is project managed by the MCIA to encourage new people to off-road riding and sport.

Sandra Cole, who manages the event for the MCIA says it’s suitable for a wide variety of people:

“You don’t need to be an experienced road rider or have a license.  You just need to be interested in having a go off-road.  Whether your long term goal is some gentle green laning, or becoming the next motocross star, you have to start somewhere and MORE gives you that first opportunity”.

Ivan Lintin is the latest top-flight rider to confirm his appearance at the 2015 Bennetts Classic TT with the Lincolnshire rider contesting the Bennetts 500cc Classic TT.

It will be the 30-year old's first time at the Classic TT but Lintin, who will ride for RC Express Racing during the International road race season, has secured a ride with one of the sport's finest, lining up for Brian Richards Racing on one of Andy Molnar's special 4 valve G50 Seeley's.

The venture, a joint one between Richards and Molnar, will see a purpose-built bike constructed purely for the longer road circuits and as such is being designed to cope with the rigorous demands of the TT Mountain Course. It will have a Seeley MK4 frame with assistance also coming from MV Agusta specialists, Mark and Dave Kay, who will provide the forks while the twin disc front wheel is to be supplied the Seeley disc rear wheel.

Maxton Engineering have modified the forks, and will also provide rear shocks, with Bill Simpson having built the frame, and tanks. Molnar Precision are supplying the engine as parts for Richards to build himself and the whole project is fuelled by the burning desire to prepare the first single cylinder classic bike to lap the TT course at over 110 mph.

Richards knows all about the rigours of the Mountain Course having competed at the Manx Grand Prix and TT over a period of 32 years, from 1961 to 1992, before going on to sponsor several well-known riders, including, Bob Jackson, Bill Horsman and Bill Swallow. His riders won the Senior Classic MGP with Swallow's lap of 108 02 mph in the 1999 Singles TT being, until last year's Classic TT, the fastest by a single cylinder classic bike.

Commenting on his Classic TT debut Ivan Lintin said:

"It will be great to have another run round the Mountain Course and this is a really interesting project with all the right people involved. We've got a proper target with the first 110 lap for a single and it would really be something to be proud of if we could achieve that. I've followed the Classic TT meeting for a couple of years so it will good to get the chance to be part of it."

Having provided numerous machines for recent displays and parade laps, Team Collins & Russell will make their debut on the grid at the 2015 Classic TT presented by Bennetts with Jamie Hamilton, James Neesom and Billy Redmayne lining up for the experienced outfit.

Northern Ireland's Hamilton will spearhead the team, run by long term road racing supporters Des Collins and Ronnie Russell, riding a specially built ZX750K in the Motorsport Merchandise Formula 1 Classic TT Race.  The machine is a joint venture with Alasdair Cowan and Hamilton will be hoping to see the chequered flag this year having been forced to retire from sixth place in the corresponding race last year when riding the Mistral Racing Kawasaki.

Joining him in the Formula 1 Race will be last year's Lightweight Manx Grand Prix winner James Neesom who gets his first taste of the Classic TT.  The Bempton- based rider will be on board Nigel Fitzimmons' ZXR750RR for the four lap race.

TCR are also entering the Motorsport Merchandise Formula 2 TT where they will be running a KR1S 250 Kawasaki.  They have secured the services of top local rider Billy Redmayne who won last year's Newcomers Manx Grand Prix and placed 2nd in the Junior MGP Race, where he also set the fastest lap at a superb 119.062mph.

Once again TCR will have an extensive marquee at the Classic TT where they'll be displaying and parading a lot of new and interesting machines from Europe, the UK and the Isle of Man.

In addition, TCR will run New Zealand rider Michael Moulai in the Manx Grand Prix where he will ride ZX6R 600 and ZX7RR 750 machines. The kiwi placed second in last year's Senior MGP.

Bautista and Melandri on the track to improve with their RS-GP bikes

Austin (Texas - USA), 7 April 2015 - The second round of the 2015 MotoGP season, scheduled on the track at Austin, Texas, has Aprilia continuing its growth and development project.

In the opening round at Qatar it was Marco Melandri who rode his Aprilia RS-GP across the wire in his first race distance outing, whereas Alvaro Bautista – who had shown excellent signs during the test sessions on Saturday – was forced to withdraw due to damage to the braking system after contact with Marc Marquez in the first lap.

Bautista's performance in particular would have been important to have a “snapshot” of the progress made by Aprilia Racing Team Gresini, since this is the testing spirit with which the team is facing this first part of the season. In any case, the American round will provide the setting for a second and important test bench.

ROMANO ALBESIANO (Aprilia Racing Manager)
“A season that is so packed, with eighteen GP races on the calendar, doesn't leave us much time even to complain. We left Qatar disappointed that we weren't able to assess Bautista's performance over race distance, but here is a second chance. For us it will be another fundamental test on our itinerary and obtaining information during the race would be really important. In the opening weekend we received confirmation of just how hard a challenge we accepted, but we also achieved some positive results that we'll be able to confirm during this American round in order to lay some solid cornerstones for development.”

FAUSTO GRESINI (Team Manager)
“After a Grand Prix as peculiar as the night race in Qatar, in Texas we'll be back on the track in conditions that we are obviously more accustomed to. The Losail track proved to be particularly demanding, but we expected that. Our Championship strategy is to learn all the tracks on the calendar so we can arrive at the 2016 season fully prepared from every point of view. Looking at it that way, Circuit of the Americas, which is a very complete track with fast turns and long straight stretches mixed with a more flowing part, represents another important test bench and a chance to collect important data. After the episode that involved Alvaro with no fault of his own during the race in Losail, our goal for this round is to have both riders finish the race, testing and taking a first step forward in terms of performance as well, both on the flying lap and race pace.”

ALVARO BAUTISTA
“In Texas we'll be taking on a completely different track than the one that hosted the first Grand Prix of the year. During the winter test sessions at Valencia, Jerez and Sepang the bike consistently performed the same way basically, whereas in Qatar we were facing new situations, but we don't know if that had to do with the particular characteristics of the track or the particular racing conditions with not much grip on the tarmac. So I'm anxious to get onto the track in Austin, a track with some hard braking sections and long straight stretches where we'll be able to check some important things concerning the way the RS-GP performs and continue our development work on the bike. It is essential for us to find the right motivation straight away after our disappointment in the first Grand Prix, where I was unable to complete even the first lap of the race, and get back to work with a positive attitude.”

MARCO MELANDRI
“Austin is a new track for me, so I am expecting a demanding weekend. In any case I think that finishing the race in Qatar was a helpful first experience and I hope it was also useful for the guys at Aprilia to make some important changes that will be able to help me gain more confidence on the bike. Now I'd like to take a few steps forward and at least try to get into the pack of riders ahead of me. It won't be easy, but I'm anxious to try.”