Bennetts has renewed its status as an official sponsor of the Isle of Man TT Races and agreed terms with the Isle of Man Government to remain the title sponsor of the Classic TT Races. The leading motorcycle insurance specialist will be the official exclusive insurance category partner for both events.

The brand originally became involved with the TT Races in 2007 and stepped up to take the title sponsorship of the Classic TT Races which will continue to be known as 'The Classic TT Races presented by Bennetts’, in 2014. The company will also retain title sponsorship of the Bennetts Lightweight TT and Bennetts Senior Classic TT Races.

The sponsorship is part of the company’s strategy to bring the motorcycling community and industry together and the brand’s commitment to enhance its classic bike insurance cover.

Bennetts is an established insurer in the motorcycle industry and provides quotes on motorcycles from the 1900’s onwards at Bennetts.co.uk or directly from the Bennetts specialist call centre.

The Classic TT races take place over the Bank Holiday weekend in August, 25th – 28th with four races held over the famous 37 ¾ mile TT Mountain Course as well as the VMCC Festival of Jurby on Sunday 27th August with parade laps featuring some of the world’s most iconic Classic machines and additional activity including period events, exhibitions of exotic racing motorcycles and legendary riders autograph sessions which all add up to an incredible celebration of motorcycling nostalgia.

As well as the title sponsorship, Bennetts also has naming rights to the blue riband  ‘Bennetts Senior Classic TT Race’ which opens up the race schedule on the morning of Saturday 26th August. The 2016 Bennetts Senior TT Race saw John McGuinness memorably end his Classic TT duck with victory on a team Winfield Paton from Dean Harrison with Maria Costello claiming the final podium place.

Many of the leading road racing names are due to appear at the Classic TT Races in 2017 including John McGuinness, Michael Dunlop, Bruce Anstey, Michael Rutter, Conor Cummins, William Dunlop, Cameron Donald, James Hillier, Peter Hickman and Gary Johnson.

They will be riding priceless machines from iconic historic marques such as Matchless, Norton, MV Agusta, BSA, Moto Guzzi, Ducati, Vincent, AJS and Aermacchi as well as the established Japanese manufacturers, Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki. The event will also feature a number of memorable parades including notably an appearance by Michael Dunlop riding a Kay family replica of the MV Agusta that Bob McIntyre rode to complete the first 100mph lap of the Mountain Course sixty years ago.

Vince Chaney, Managing Director, Bennetts said:

“The increased profile of the Isle of Man TT Races and Classic TT Races gives Bennetts an important platform to promote our services to the Motorcycling community and is an integral part of our annual communications programme. Bennetts is a motorcycle insurance specialist with over 85 years of heritage and we are able to provide high quality comprehensive support and cover for many different machines. The TT represents a great way of speaking to our existing customers as well as reaching new motorcyclists."

"This year we will focus our efforts on using our exclusive partnership with the Isle of Man TT and Classic TT to deliver exciting money can’t buy experiences for our customers on the island. We will also provide a behind the scenes look at the events via our social media and BikeSocial platforms for those who can’t be there."

Rob Callister, MHK, Political Member, Isle of Man Government Department of Economic Development for Tourism and Motorsport commented:

"We are really pleased to have retained the support of Bennetts across both events which is a major endorsement of the continued strength and appeal of the TT Races and Classic TT. The company has been a long term partner for us on the Isle of Man and they are an important contributor to the growing success and rising popularity of both events."

Your weekly update about the Manchester Bike Show, brought to you from the team at Instantfocus Ltd...

Zoe Cano – Biker, Adventurer and Photographer

Zoe was a big hit last year both on the stage being interviewed by Les Clayton about her latest book “Bonneville, Go or Bust – on the roads less travelled” and signing her book on Phil Youles Triumph stand.  Since we last met Zoe has had built an affordable custom bike by Ben at Vale Speed in Worcestershire. Both Zoe and Ben will be at the show along with the bike in the photo although where in the halls exactly we are not quite sure but what we are sure about is that Zoe will be on stage again talking to Les Clayton throughout the weekend. Well worth a listen, makes you wonder what worthwhile you have done with your life!

Exhibitors List

The exhibitors list is now up on the website and shows 41 clubs who have already confirmed their stands along with 27 private entries and 93 trade exhibitors.

Clubs

This week we have welcomed the Preston and District Motorcycle Club to the ACU display although we know that several forms are in the post as I write so more news next week. We are now up to 510 bikes on display in the club section.

Private Enthusiasts

A couple of cracking bikes booked in this week, a Honda Dream 50 TT road racing bike belonging to Raymond Dennerley of Stockport and John Cook for Stoke on Trent will be bringing his extremely rare 1957 Sun Hornet.  We are about half way there with 27 private entries so again get your space booked with us.

Trade Exhibitors

An impressive 93 individual trade exhibitors have booked in with us so far including nine alone since last week.

Trade exhibitors who have confirmed this week include North West Customs (stands 566 & 567) who have been with us for four years, CCM Motorcycles (Stand 453b) from Bolton who will be bringing their race bikes as they did last year, Gorgeous Bikes are coming up from London on stand 328 and it will be good to see Colin again as he used to support us nearer home at Ally Pally. 

Also appearing will be Arcadia Guitars who come to our Classic Car & Bike Events at Capesthorne Hall and reliably inform us that many show attendees also play musical instruments although I am not one of them!  A couple of touring holiday companies have booked in this week, MCI tours who attended last year although Paul Myers is now fully in charge and you can meet him on stand 461, John Johnston of Hadrian V Twin Tours will be with us once again on stand 404 and will be giving a talk on the stage “Myths and Magic of Route 66” finally a couple of charity stands, firstly The Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust on stand 572 and finally the Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service will be offering their “Biker Down” courses on stand 587. 

Advance tickets

Advance tickets continue to sell incredibly well, and are holding steady at 95% up on the same time last year, so we are confident of a record attendance at this year’s event.

So there we are, I have just received an email from XS Manchester asking for the copy for the radio & big screen adverts in the Trafford Centre plus photos for their website. We had a meeting earlier today with a view to putting up a Twitter Wall (brave new world!) up in the catering area in Hall 3 so we will see how that progresses. We are looking forward to seeing what next week brings as the event moves closer still.

Andrew Greenwood
#MancBikeShow

MANCHESTER BIKE SHOW
SATURDAY 25TH & SUNDAY 26TH MARCH
9:30AM-5:00PM
EVENTCITY

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. 

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