Stafford April 2023 Showguide

The Greatest Show on Earth

FOR FANS OF CLASSIC MOTORCYCLES, THERE’S ONLY ONE PLACE TO BE OVER THE WEEKEND OF APRIL 22/23.

Thefilm with which this title refences was made in 1952 – which sits neatly in the middle of the period which both our magazine, The Classic MotorCycle, and this Stafford show celebrates. What happened in 1952? Well, the Vincent Black Shadow was the fastest production motorcycle in the world (125mph), Geoff Duke was the superstar world championship rider for Norton, BSA Bantams were being built in Birmingham in their thousands and Thunderbird, Gold Star, Dominator, Red Hunter and Porcupine were names which every British schoolboy was as familiar with as Matthews, Hutton and Fangio.

Very loosely, motorcycling from around 1900 to 2000 is covered by both The Classic MotorCycle and the April Stafford show. Those aforementioned models of motorcycle above will most likely all be at Stafford, along with hundreds of others, both much older and considerably younger, and not just from Britain, but from all around the world. It really does create some spectacle. And each motorcycle is united by one thing – its owner is an enthusiast, with that owner wanting to share and spread his or her passion with like-minded souls. Stafford is the place where it all happens.

For the whole weekend, and now for over 40 years, the showground is dominated by motorcycle chattering, as old friends renew acquaintances and new friendships are formed, with the unifying subject being classic motorcycles. There are places to look at things, to buy bits, to barter, to banter… If you are interested in anything, or indeed everything, motorcycling from ABC to Zenith, then there’s only one possible weekend destination. Come along and get involved; we’ll see you there.

James Robinson Editor, The Classic MotorCycle

SATURDAY

9am - Bonhams’ Stafford Autumn Sale opens for viewing

10am - Jack Burnicle talks to Giacomo Agostini in the Main Hall

10.30am - John McCrink hosts the live start-up of some incredible machines in the GP Paddock area

11am - Owd Codgers’ trials demonstrations at the Classic Dirt Bike Experience

11.30am - Live stunt show with ‘On The Edge Display Team’

11.30am - Live music by Daisy Belles on the bandstand

12pm - John McCrink hosts the live start-up of some incredible machines in the GP Paddock area, plus special guest, Giacomo Agostini

12.30pm - Live music by The Daisy Belles on the bandstand

1pm - Jack Burnicle talks all things with Giacomo Agostini on stage in the Main Hall

1.30pm - Owd Codgers’ trials demonstrations at the Classic Dirt Bike Experience

2pm - Live stunt show with ‘On The Edge Display Team’

1.30pm - Live music by The Daisy Belles on the bandstand

2.30pm - John McCrink hosts the live start-up of some incredible machines in the GP Paddock area, plus special guest, Giacomo Agostini

3.30pm - Jack Burnicle talks with Giacomo Agostini on stage in the Main Hall.

4pm - Live stunt show with ‘On The Edge Display Team’

5pm - Show closes

SUNDAY

9am - Bonhams’ Stafford Autumn Sale opens for viewing

10am - Jack Burnicle talks to to Giacomo Agostini in the Main Hall

10.30am - John McCrink hosts the live start-up of some incredible machines in the GP Paddock area

11am -Owd Codgers’ trials demonstrations at the Classic Dirt Bike Experience

11.30am - Live stunt show with ‘On The Edge Display Team’

11.30am - Live music by The Daisy Belles on the bandstand

12pm - John McCrink hosts the live start-up of some incredible machines in the GP Paddock area, plus special guest, Giacomo Agostini

12.30pm -Live music by The Daisy Belles on the bandstand

12.30pm - Jack Burnicle talks with Giacomo Agostini on stage in the Main Hall

1pm - Live stunt show with ‘On The Edge Display Team’

1.30pm - Owd Codgers’ trials demonstrations at the Classic Dirt Bike Experience

1.30pm - Live music by The Daisy Belles on the bandstand

2pm - John McCrink hosts the live start-up of some incredible machines in the GP Paddock area, plus special guest, Giacomo Agostini

2.30pm - Live stunt show with ‘On The Edge Display Team’

3.30pm - Jack Burnicle talks with Giacomo Agostini on stage in the Main Hall.

4pm - Awards presentation in the Main Hall

5pm - Show closes

Somewill say that the only reason Giacomo Agostini has the statistics which back up his claim of the being the best motorcycle racer of all time is that, for some years, on the all-conquering and vastly superior MV Agusta he had little or no opposition. That may be true to some extent –though he could only beat what was put up against him – but arguably his greatest ever achievement came when he switched to Yamaha and took two more world titles, the 1974 350cc crown and 1975 500cc title. In doing so he became the first twostroke rider to win the premier class crown. And he’d only won all his titles because of the four-stroke MV, right? Fittingly, he returned to MV and in 1976 claimed the marque’s last ever 500cc GP win, it also being the last four-stroke to triumph in the class and his own last GP victory. It was the perfect end to a largely perfect career.

Born in Brescia in central northern Italy in 1942 to a relatively well-todo family, young Giacomo had to hide his motorcycle racing from his parents, though he was soon excelling in hill climbs and then road racing - clinching the important Italian national 175cc title in 1963, then the 250cc crown the year after, both times on single cylinder Moto Morinis. He also claimed two fourth places in 250cc GP outings, at Solitude,

The greatest of them all

ROSSI? HAILWOOD? DOOHAN? DUKE? MARQUEZ? THEY MAY ALL HAVE A CLAIM OF COURSE, BUT, FOR MANY, GIACOMO AGOSTINI IS THE BEST MOTORCYCLE RACER EVER – HIS CREDENTIALS UNDERLINED BY 122 GP WINS AND 15 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TITLES.

Germany and Monza, Italy.

After years of ‘foreign’ riders wining world titles on its motorcycles, Count Domenico Agusta, boss of MV Agusta, maker of the dominant 350 and 500cc GP class machines, wanted an Italian rider to carry the flag and in young Giacomo, he recognised his man. In his first season, 1965, on the bright red ‘fire engines’ Giacomo was four times a GP winner (three 350cc and one 500cc) and finished runnerup in both classes.

In 1966, Mike Hailwood had left MV Agusta to ride the fearsome 500cc Honda in the blue riband class, leaving Agostini as team leader; bested in the 350cc class again (by Hailwood’s Honda six) the Italian claimed his first 500cc world title, a feat he repeated in 1967; both times, Hailwood was runner-up. In the latter season, Hailwood and Agostini went head-to-head in what many regard as perhaps the finest ever Isle of Man Senior TT; after a fearsome highspeed battle, Mike won out, but only after Giacomo was reduced to tears on his 25th birthday when his chain broke.

Then at the end of 1967, Honda withdrew from racing. From now on, for the most part, Giacomo’s tears were those of joy, as he raced to world title after world title; every year 196872 inclusive, he was a double 350/500 world champion and in 1968-70 he

won every GP in which he raced. It was a remarkable record of speed and consistency – and testament to the MV’s reliability, it must be said. There were 10 TT wins, too.

However, the applecart was somewhat upset when MV (with Count Agusta having died in 1971) hired the divisive Phil Read as Agostini’s teammate – the Englishman wrestled the 1973 500cc title from the Italian’s grip, with Giacomo suffering an unheard-of host of retirements early season. 

To the surprise of all onlookers, at season’s end Agostini quit, signing for Yamaha. Few saw that coming.

What he did next is perhaps the defining section of Agostini’s career – on his Yamaha debut he won the Daytona 200 in 1974, then in the GPs he won four 350cc rounds and retained his crown, while in the 500cc class he bagged two victories on the four-cylinder two-stroke TZ500, on his way to fourth in the title chase. Next year, although he lost his 350cc title

(though he was still second) he scored the big one, besting MV and Phil Read to take the title. It was a defining moment for the sport – and Giacomo Agostini.

From there, Giacomo’s career was to tail off, albeit there were a couple of remarkable results in 1976, when he won the Dutch (Assen) 350cc TT and the German 500cc GP at the mighty Nürburgring. It was a fitting venue for MV’s, a fourstroke’s and Agostini’s last 500cc GP triumph.

‘Ago’ retired from motorcycle racing at the end of 1977, having endured a winless season back on Yamaha (though he still notched three runner-up GP finishes) and switched his attention to cars, driving up to F1 level in nonchampionship events. Then he turned to team management, steering numerous riders to GP success. 

Top 10

Top 10 all-time moTorcycle GP winners

Giacomo Agostini, Italy, 122

Valentino Rossi, Italy, 115

Angel Nieto, Spain, 90

Mike Hailwood, GB, 76

Jorge Lorenzo, Spain, 65

Marc Marquez, Spain, 61

Mike Doohan, Australia, 54

Dani Pedrosa, Spain, 54 Phil Read, GB, 52

Jim Redman, Rhodesia/ Zimbabwe, 45 Casey Stoner, Australia, 45

Essential viewing

Winter is a busy time for all of us classic bike enthusiasts. If you’re not working on a full restoration, then you’re fettling your pride and joy and tending to all those little jobs.

Once finished, you need to show it off and Stafford in April is without doubt the best place to showcase your work.

Here is a selection of just five bikes (private entries in the main hall) that have come out of the garage ready for the 2023 season that you need to check out.

As if to celebrate the upcoming coronation of King Charles III it would seem utterly befitting to have Ian Hemsley’s 1976 Suzuki GT750, three-cylinder, water-cooled beast on display. We think you’ll agree, it looks utterly resplendent in its custom Union Flag livery. God save the king!

Marc Lamb is bringing his late grandfather’s 1955 Norton ES2/ Manx which was left to him. The bike evokes many memories and as a youngster he and his grandfather would take the bike to shows all around the country. Marc is bringing the bike to Stafford to try and win a trophy in memory of his grandfather. Good luck Marc!

Just finished is Mark Bingham’s stunning Brough Superior SS80, built and registered all the way back in 1936. A ground-up restoration taking years, this is the first time it has been seen at a show.

Nathan

has just finished his

ready for Stafford. It’s a numbers matching engine and frame and restored from a complete basket case but with some modern tweaks, such as a 12v ignition system.

Entering her beautiful

is

A bike she purchased new on April 16, 1975, over the years it has been used for work, holidays and as a general mode of transport. Finally, Karen decided to get on with the job of bringing it back to its 1975 glory, starting the restoration process in 2018.

Honda CB750/4

Karen Wicks.

Hill

1959 T100 Triumph

Sights and sounds of yesteryear

Sights and sounds of yesteryear

The Grand Prix Paddock, also known as the ‘Live Start Up Area’, is famous for giving classic bike fans an up close and personal experience of the sounds of days gone by.

Alongside a bevy of racing metal we’ll also be starting the Sanderson Steam Motorcycle (see other story).

Here are three incredible machines being revved for your pleasure:

Colin Seeley was, for many, an engineering maestro associated with British bikes, but first off the line is Neil Brailsford’s beautiful 1972 Seeley-framed Suzuki 500cc ‘stroker’. This Anglo/ Japanese weapon is fitted with a six-speed gearbox, straight cut primary drives and works barrels, and campaigned (very successfully) in the 500cc classic championship in 2022, finishing a very respectable sixth overall.

This 1974 Ducati 900 Imola is the larger-capacity descendant of the now legendary 750GT-based Ducatis that shocked the world to take a onetwo finish at the Imola 200 in 1972. Ducati was, at the time, better known for its smaller capacity motorcycles up until this surprise victory in the hands of Paul Smart. This stunning example has many special and works parts, making it a very trick bike indeed.

Last but not least is this 1979 Laverda Motodd; a Mark 2 version, it uses the second-generation Jota engine renamed as the RGS with the same 120° crankshaft and 998cc. It has a special lightweight race frame, one of only five made, and is, according to its owner, extremely fast and handles superbly.

Stafford firSt timers!

Zero Motorcycle

A big welcome to Zero Motorcycles. The Californian company is taking the next step in motorcycle evolution by combining the best aspects of a traditional motorcycle with today’s most advanced technology.

Zero produces high-performance electric motorcycles that are lightweight, efficient, fast off the line and fun to ride. Each motorcycle is optimised from the ground up to leverage the revolutionary Z-Force electric powertrain and uses a specially designed rigid, aircraft-grade aluminum frame to minimise weight, which is pretty damn impressive! The model range is incredible, so make sure you stop by and look at the future. You’ll find them outside on stand E316

www.zeromotorcycles.com

Bridgestone Tyres

After Bridgestone Tyres met the Stafford audience in October, they quickly booked in for this April’s show. Bridgestone has delivered premium engineered tyres for over 90 years and has its heart in motorcycling. The team will be on hand all weekend to talk about your

CCM Motorcycles

CCM, the cult British motorcycle manufacturer which was founded in 1971 by Alan Clews, will be bringing a range of incredible machines to Stafford. Alan’s son Austin will be showcasing the incredible Spitfire range at the show along with the beautiful Tracker, Maverick, Heritage and Moto bikes. See them outside on stand B175

tyre needs and how to make the right choice for your motorcycle. They are located on stand M80 in the main hall.

www.bridgestone.com

retailers and auTojumbles unite

The Stafford Classic Bike show is the KING of classic motorcycling events. With more than 900 traders onsite, Stafford offers the biggest selection of spares, parts, paints, clothing, reg plates, oils, lubes, chains and carbs; just about everything you could possibly need to get the most out of our favourite hobby. Both inside the halls and outside you will also find the best motorcycle autojumblers from all over the UK. You just need to brush up on your negotiating skills! From complete, mint classic bikes to battered garage finds, everything is for sale at Stafford.

In 2023 alongside names such as Hagon Shocks, Central Wheels, J J Cables, Yeomans, B.O.M. Batteries, the show welcomes back AMAL Carburetors and many more manufacturers and retailers.

Stafford set to brim with quality trade

bumper spring sale

Brough Superiors lead the consignments for Bonhams’ spring Stafford sale when the auction house’s motorcycles team returns to The International Classic MotorCycle Show following another successful, record-setting year in 2022.

The first of these legendary bikes of the ‘golden age’ under the auctioneer’s gavel is a 1931 Show Model Brough Superior 998cc SS100 (estimate £150,000 – £180,000). This superbike of motorcycling’s between-the-wars era could be in your garage by Sunday night provided you’ve got some deep pockets. The Brough Superior was hailed as ‘The Rolls-Royce of all motorcycles’ and was synonymous with high performance, engineering excellence and quality of finish.

As ever with Bonhams, there is something to suit every budget and this 1979 Laverda Montjuic looks decidedly, well, juicy in its resplendent orange paint. This 500cc Italian beauty is estimated at £10,000 -£15,000. Bellissimo!

Probably the Classic Bike Shows team’S favourite has to be an incredibly rare Works Honda Racing motorcycle. This 1963 Honda 250cc CR72 (estimate £120,000 – £150,000) was ridden throughout Rhodesia in the 1960s by none other than six-time world champion Jim Redman.

Star Lot for BonhamsThe 1931 Brough Superior SS100

Bonhams 1979 Laverda Montjuic

The Redman Express; the 1963 Honda CR72

Sympathetically restored

The Spring Stafford Sale

Network

Lancs, Yorks, N. Counties & Scotland

+44 (0) 7811 899 905 mark.garside@bonhams.com

Midlands & Peak District

+44 (0) 7710 615 868 phil.ingle@bonhams.com

Shropshire, Glos & Wales

+44 (0) 1299 270 642 jim.reynolds@bonhams.com

Lincs & East Anglia

+44 (0) 1507 481 890

David Hawtin

Herts, Beds, Bucks & Oxon +44 (0) 7973 661 051 martin.heckscher@bonhams.com

Home Counties & London +44 (0) 7774 747 017 david.hancock@bonhams.com

Hampshire & Dorset +44 (0) 1794 518 433

Mike Jackson

Wiltshire

+44 (0) 1380 816 493 greg.pullen@bonhams.com

Devon, Cornwall & Somerset +44 (0) 1872 250 170 jonathan.vickers@bonhams.com

That’s right folks, the National Motorcycle Museum will be giving away a brand new 2023 BSA Gold Star Legacy Edition 650cc motorcycle at the show.

This top prize in the museum’s winter raffle is the top-of-the-range version of this much-anticipated new arrival from the resurgent BSA company.

The lucky winner will be drawn at random at the show on Sunday, April 23. Raffle tickets are available from the museum’s stand in the main hall (stand M45) and are priced at £2 per ticket.

It could be you…

National Motorcycle Museums BSA

Raffle Priz

Sammy Miller’s Norton Kneeler to star at Stafford

Thisyear multiple world champ and museum owner Sammy Miller is bringing his 1953 350cc Norton ‘Kneeler’, also known as the ‘Silver Fish’.

Pulled out of Sammy’s Norton collection at his museum in Hampshire, this bike is, well, unique!

The ‘Kneeler’ was Norton’s experimental attempt to improve the outdated Manx Norton’s performance, and where better to start than the

aerodynamics. Sheet aluminium was hammered into fairings and mounted around a racer that was lying practically flat, the theory being that bike and rider will cut through the air with reduced drag and improve the mph.

The project made its debut at the 1953 North West 200 race, where works rider Ray Amm set a lap record before retiring with fuel pump problems. The ‘Silver Fish’ (as

it was nicknamed for obvious reasons) was never seriously raced again, mainly because of issues with stability, as the bike was slender and fast in a straight line but prone to buffeting laterally.

Ray Amm and Eric Oliver used this bike to set numerous speed records at Montlhery, achieving 60 world records. You can find the ‘Kneeler’ on Mortons’ magazine stand M1a in the main hall.

Living on the edge

of,

The team, which consists of British, European and world championship standard riders, will be riding over numerous obstacles which require a high level of skill, balance and technical control of their motorcycles… not to mention bravery; 15ft jumps up vertical walls, drop offs and other interactive stunts will amaze and entertain you. You can find them next to the GP Paddock outside. Check the timetable for show times and set your faces to ‘stunned’.

Mark ‘Sandy’ Sanderson’s Incredible Steam Bike

HOME-MADE? COAL-POWERED? SURELY IT CAN’T BE A REAL MOTORBIKE…

Thereare other steam bikes, of course, and you can easily find them on YouTube, etc., but they’re either gas-powered or ‘flash’ boilers (a single-tube design heated by liquid fuels) but no one has built a proper coal-burner in the manner of the original steam locomotives and traction engines… until Mark ‘Sandy’ Sanderson, a proper uber engineer, turned his hand to building one.

It takes about 40 minutes to steam up once a fire’s been lit, and it’s not the sort of thing you can just fire up and leave to do its

thing; no, it requires almost constant attention, fussing with, to ensure it does, safely, what it’s intended to do. It’s heavy at 350 kilos (with a full tank of water), and the damn thing’s literally red-hot, so care’s needed moving it about, and at full chat it does about 20mph – quite fast enough, he says sagely, with a fire burning away just below your nether regions, and no front brake. Make sure you check the timetable and map to see this incredible feat of engineering in action in the GP Paddock Area and on Mortons Main Stand M1.

Specification:

2021 Sanderson Steam Cycle double-acting steam engine (Petter diesel stationary engine crankshaft/modified cases/modified piston, one-off boiler/fire-box/chimney/steam slide-valve chest/piston/cylinder/copper & brass pipework/ valves/underslung water tank/smokebox/ regulator/chain primary, Ariel Square Four Burman gearbox/clutch)/front & rear subframes/ foot-boards/girder forks/seat/handlebars/ inverted clutch lever/brass & wood grips/coal panniers, old brass steam gauge, old brass lawnmower throttle, Ferguson T20 tractor 19-inch wheels (modified), 1940s Willys Jeep external rear drum brake (modified), aftermarket rear mudguard (modified), one-off rear sprocket/axle, 520 chain

Thanks to:

“Roger Loxley for advice on the intricate workings of a steam engine; Taff & Rob for making the YouTube ‘steam cycle’ video; & all the doubters who spurred me on to see it through…”

Finish:

Black with gold coach-lining & lacquer by owner, brass & copper polishing by owner

Engineering:

Bike built & all engineering by owner

RETIRED. REBUILT. REBORN. KEEP YOUR CLASSIC 100% SUZUKI

Whether you’re undertaking a complete restoration, or you just need the odd part, or you’re simply looking for some advice, we can help you to keep your Classic Suzuki motorcycles where they’re supposed to be... on the road!

New Team Classic Suzuki merchandise available now! Order online before 31st of March 2023 and receive 10% off your order.

Bikes included:

GT750

GSX-R750F TO H

RG500 G & CH

Katana GSX1100S

GSX-R1100L

GSX-R750 SRAD T-X

GSF600Y-K4

GSF600S-ST / X – SX

GSF1200 T-Y

SV650X K2

GSX-R1000 K1-K2

GSF1200 K1-K5

TL1000RY

TL1000S

RGV 250 VJ21

RGV 250 VJ22

Plus more!

Contact your local vintage dealer for more information.

Search online for the parts you need for your vintage Suzuki.

Buy online using the discount code: Feb2310%

For more information or to find out what other bikes are in the programme, contact your local Authorised Suzuki Vintage Dealer at bikes.suzuki.co.uk/vintage or shop now at shopvintage.suzuki.co.uk

The Classic Dirt Bike Show Sponsored by Hagon Shocks 11-12 Feb Telford International Centre, TF3 4JH

The Bristol Classic MotorCycle Show 25-26 Feb

The Royal Bath & West, BA4 6QN

The International Classic MotorCycle Show 22-23 April Staffordshire County Showground, ST18 0BD

5-7 May Scampston Hall, YO17 8NG

APRIL 22-23, 2023

It’s a special shout-out to…

… the Stafford International Classic MotorCycle Show, as the April event finally turns 40 years old. Well, not quite true… the Covid years put paid to us celebrating this a couple of years ago.

Our star guest Giacomo Agostini is in his 80th year and will be signing a special book published for the event and available on our main stand in the middle of the hall near the stage.

Norton Owners’ Club celebrates 125 years of Norton (founded in 1898) and will be putting on a brilliant display of Norton motorcycles through the ages.

The Cossack Owners’ Club comes in from the cold to celebrate its 50th anniversary as a club and will be putting together one of the biggest collections of Soviet motorcycles in the UK.

It’s 60 years since the Sunbeam Owners’ Fellowship came together to form a club, and members will be putting on a proper birthday theme on their club stand.

Lastly, a big shout-out to the Trident & Rocket 3 Owners’ Club, with members celebrating 50 years since the launch of the Triumph Hurricane in 1973.

Useful bits Useful bits

To make your day a better experience we’ve got a bar open all day, every day, music from the Daisy Belles, lots of seating around the bandstand, toilets located all over the site including disabled loos. We’ve got free parking for all including, again, disabled parking areas which are closer to the site entrances.

If your kids are under 16 years of age they can come along for free. We’ve plenty of food outlets, indoor cafes and outdoor units serving a variety of food, teas and coffees. An information desk is located at the front of the main hall where one of the Classic Bike Shows team will be only too happy to help.

When you get to the show there is a free map and timetable telling you all the things going on, or alternatively you can visit the website www.staffordclassicbikeshows.co.uk and you can download a copy.

Check us out on Facebook @classicbikeshows and Instagram @classicbikeshows and Twitter @classicbikeshow for all the latest news.

STAFFORDSHIRE COUNTY SHOWGROUND, ST18 0BD