TT racer turned TV personality Guy Martin will be making a rare public appearance next month, as the guest of honour at the International Classic Motorcycle Show, sponsored by Carole Nash, on Sunday 21 April.
The hugely popular Lincolnshire celebrity will be on stage to recall tales from his career, while no doubt enjoying the hundreds of classic motorcycles on display at the iconic show. The day before, 11-times TT winner Phillip McCallen will be star guest for the opening day of the show. Now one of Northern Ireland’s biggest motorcycle dealers, McCallen is a captivating personality whose past achievements also include wins at the North West 200 and Ulster GP, television punditry and a not insignificant role in developing the very first Honda FireBlade during the early 1990s.
Once again there will be two ‘Stafford Shows’ with April’s International Classic Motorcycle Show joined by the season-ending Stafford Classic Mechanics Show in October.
April’s event will reprise all the activities for which the shows have become renowned. Over 900 traders are expected to attend, with the massive autojumble a highlight of the year for many classic motorbike aficionados. From spare parts through to consumables, barn finds and even rare minters, the show is a must-attend event for those looking to buy, restore or fix-up a classic motorcycle. The show will once again incorporate Bonham’s Spring Stafford Sale, where some seriously rare and high-end motorcycles will be going under the hammer. Expected highlights include a 1938 Vincent-HRD 998cc Rapid Series-A, which is expected to fetch between £240-280,000, a factory Kawasaki H2-R Formula 750 racer from 1972 and one of only 34 Vincent Black Lightning Series-Cs. More modest offerings include a pair of barn find Suzuki TS200s, sold without reserve, and some other humble commuter machines, while the most outrageous bike going under the hammer will almost certainly be the 4.2-litre, 48 cylinder Whitelock Tinker Toy. The custom bike, built by Simon Whitelock, comprises of 16 two-stroke Kawasaki KH250 three-cylinder engines and appears in the Guinness Book of World Records as the ‘Vehicle engine with the most cylinders.’ While difficult to place a value on such a unique machine, Bonhams have placed an estimate of between £40-60,000 for the Whitelock – which works out at a rather reasonable £833-1250 per cylinder!
As the Stafford shows are real highlights in the classic motorcycle calendar, it brings out some of the best private bikes, collections and club displays. Part of the charm of the event is being able to wander around and enjoy the many bikes which have been lovingly restored and maintained, chatting to the owners and getting a rare opportunity to see (and sometimes hear) bikes from a past era. The April show, as always, will have a big focus on British bikes – and someone will ride home with the coveted ‘Best in Show’ award.
Other perennial Stafford favourites include the Grand Prix paddock, with its live fire-up area. A number of cool classics will be brought to life over the weekend, allowing visitors to experience the sounds and smells of some exotic race equipment from years gone by, while next door will see a hall crammed full of classic racing machines from across all disciplines. Outdoors, the Owd Codgers Trials Club will be showing off with some feet up demonstrations for the entertainment of visitors over the weekend.
Behold the famous Wall of Death!
An additional attraction at the 2024 International Classic Motorcycle Show is the Fox family’s world-famous Wall of Death.
The spectacular carnival attraction, which has been around since the 1920s, sees riders perform death defying stunts as they ride vintage Indian Scouts around the inside of a 20 foot high wooden cylinder. It’s a spectacular performance, with spectators able to look down on the performance from the top of the wall – just centimetres from the action.
Nick Mowbray, exhibition manager for organising company Mortons Media Group, said: “We couldn’t be more delighted to have Phillip McCallen and Guy Martin as this year’s Stafford guests. Their racing history and combined star power are sure to make for an unforgettable experience. This is certainly not one to miss!” With Guy Martin and Phillip McCallen as star guests, this year’s event promises to reach new heights of excitement and entertainment.”
Rebecca Donohue, Marketing Director for sponsors Carole Nash, added: “We’re delighted to be back at Stafford. Sponsoring the biggest classic bike shows in the world and supporting the hobby is vitally important as looking after customers and their classic motorcycles have always been at the heart of our business. There’s no better place to experience the classic scene than at Stafford!”
The International Classic Motorcycle Show, sponsored by Carole Nash, takes place at the Stafford County Showground on the weekend of 20-21 April. A one-day adult ticket costs £20 on the gate (parking and accompanied under 16s are free) or £16 when booked in advance through www.classicmagazines.co.uk
