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250cc and 350cc strokers from the seventies racing this weekend

Old GP bikes at Goodwood

Written by Ben Purvis , Date 4:49 PM
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Motorcycles have been a key component of the Goodwood Festival of Speed and Goodwood Revival for years but until now they’ve been excluded from the prestigious Goodwood Members’ Meeting.

This year’s 74th Members’ Meeting marks their inclusion for the first time, with a new class that accepts 250cc and 350cc GP bikes that originally raced between 1970 and 1982. The race has been named the Hailwood Trophy and its planning was helped by former GP rider Gordon Russell. He said: “This was a truly golden era in motorcycle racing, when anyone could effectively go Grand Prix racing. These were simple bikes that pretty much anyone could work on and they were much scarier to ride than modern bikes – you had to be a real man to race Grand Prix bikes of the 1970s and ‘80s.”

Goodwood’s Lord March said: “At the Goodwood Revival, we have enjoyed for many years the epic battles fought out on track in the Barry Sheene Memorial Trophy races, where hordes of bikes from the 1950s and ‘60s scrap for honours.

“Now it is the turn of the Members’ Meeting to welcome the leather-clad heroes. The bikes that will be featured in the Hailwood Trophy race are from a golden era of motorcycle racing, when heroes such as Phil Read, Walter Villa, Giacomo Agostini, Johnny Cecotto and Kork Ballington won numerous world titles. It promises to be a treat for the eyes and the ears.”

As many as 30 bikes are expected on the grid, with Yamahas making the majority but appearances from other manufacturers including Bimota, Harley-Davidson, Harris, Juchem, Rhingini and Spondon. Although tickets for the event (19-20 March) are sold out, it will be streamed live on the Goodwood Road and Racing website (grrc.goodwood.com).

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