All about bikes: The exact date of the first Senior TT Race on the famous Mountain Course is to be commemorated this Sunday 3rd July with a parade lap of 100 vintage machines, a hundred years to the day after Oliver Godfrey’s victory. All of the entrants will receive a replica of the 1911 finishers medal.
The event, which has been organised by the Isle of Man branch of the Vintage Motorcycle Club, will feature vintage machines at least 70 years old with 11 of the bikes officially in the ‘veteran’ class, dating from pre-1914. Riders and passengers are entering into the spirit by wearing period riding gear.
The machines will be setting off from Glencrutchery Road at around 9.30am, in the shadow of the TT Grandstand and they will then pause at the original start line on Quarterbridge road, where a plaque will be unveiled. The bikes will then follow the TT course to Ramsey before featuring in a display in Parliament Square in the morning. They will then leave Ramsey again at around 1pm, returning to the TT grandstand before being on display at the Grandstand to 4pm.
A special commemorative souvenir programme, giving the full list of entrants and documenting the early history of the event as well as featuring period photography, has also been produced. The programme also features a foreword by John Surtees, OBE, the only man to win world championships on two and four wheels and an article by Geoff Duke on his first TT experiences. It will also contain a copy of the original 1911 TT Races programme. Money raised by programme sales will be donated to support local charities including the hyperbaric chamber.
Sunday’s re-enactment is part of a series of vintage club events running from Saturday to Tuesday, which has attracted participants from as far afield as Holland, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain, America and New Zealand.
Richard Birch the Chairman of The Isle of Man Branch of The Vintage Motorcycle Club commented:
“I would encourage anyone with an interest in motorbikes, or the Isle of Man’s history to look out for this event on Sunday. It is a great opportunity to recognise one of the most significant events in the Island’s long history and will be a chance to see some of the world’s most interesting motorcycles in action.”
