Goodwood celebrates 20th anniversary with motorcycle “must”

Festival of Speed attracts 40 VIP riders who’ve won 60 world championships between them including Agostini, Surtees, Schwantz, Roberts, Spencer and Lampkin

This year’s 20th anniversary Goodwood Festival of Speed, taking place this weekend, offers a breathtaking array of famous motorcycles and world-class riders, making it a ‘must’ experience for racing motorcycle enthusiasts.

A number of significant motorcycles, sidecars and riders are set to return to Goodwood as part of the celebrations, but 2013 Festival will also see a stunning selection of UK bike debuts, rarely-seen riders and other two-wheeled wonders participating in the event for the very first time.

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All major competition motorcycle disciplines will be represented at Goodwood, along with around 60 motorcycle World Championships won by the forty VIP riders already confirmed, with more set to follow.

Highlights already confirmed for this July’s Festival of Speed include the following:

500cc World Champions:

Kevin Schwantz (1993 World Champion) on his 1993 championship-winning Suzuki, plus the actual Heron Suzuki Carbon framed motorcycle he scored his first ever 500cc GP points on, which he has not ridden since 1986.
Kenny Roberts (1978, 1979 and 1980 World Champion) riding the last-ever 2-stroke to score a pole position, the Proton KR3, run by Robert’s team, and his 1980 championship winner.
Freddie Spencer (1983 and 1985 World Champion, and the only man ever to win the 250cc and 500cc Championship titles in the same year) on his 1985 World Championship winning Honda NSR500 from the Honda Collection in Japan. This winning combination has never been to Goodwood together.

World Superbike Riders:

Leon Camier (Suzuki)
Jonathan Rea (Honda)
Leon Haslam (Honda)
Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia)
Eugene Laverty (Aprilia)
Chaz Davies (BMW)

Other World Champions:

Dougie Lampkin (12-time World Trials Champion)
Giacomo Agostini (15-time World Champion)
James Toseland (2-time World Superbike champion)
John Surtees (7-time World Champion)
Steve Webster MBE (10-time World Sidecar Champion)
Tim Reeves (4-time World Sidecar Champion)
Tristan Reeve (2-time World Sidecar Champion)
Ralph Bryans (1965 50cc World Champion)

Isle of Man TT Legends:

John McGuinness
Ryan Farquhar
Bruce Anstey
Ian Hutchinson
Stuart Graham

Other Riders and Motorcycles:

Ian King – 6-time and reigning European Champion will demonstrate his Top Fuel Puma drag bike on the Festival hillclimb.
Zef Eisenberg will bring his new and more powerful Augusta 109-powered Jet bike to run on the Hill.
The mythical Britten V1000 will come all the way from New Zealand to run with TT legend and New Zealander, Bruce Anstey.
Taylormade Saxon Triumph – ridden by its original rider, Alan Cathcart (a rival to the Britten) plus the latest Taylormade all-Carbon 2013 Moto2 prototype, never previously seen outside of America.
The world’s only running Foggy Petronas FP1 will be ridden by original World Superbike rider James Haydon.
The famous Crescent Suzuki Team will be here in force – in addition to the World Superbike team, they will bring Chris Walker on his legendary 2000 BSB championship GSXR, as well as John Reynolds on his 2004 BSB championship winning machine.
The tenth anniversary of Ducati returning to Grand Prix racing will be represented by Ducatis GP3, GP5, GP6 and GP11, along with the first Ducati GP bike, the 1970 Ducati 500 GP – all in action on the hill.
The Proton KR3 will make its Festival debut, to be ridden by Kenny Roberts and Jeremy McWilliams.
Mattie Griffin will perform mesmerising stunts on the Hill on his BMW.
BMW will celebrate 90 years of motorcycle production with a line up of very special factory bikes.
Barry Sheene’s first ever GP winner, 1975 Suzuki XR14 RG500.
2012 FTR Moto2 in action; the Alex De Angelis Malaysian GP winner
Honda RC149, the first-ever five-cylinder race bike, from the Honda Collection in Japan, ridden by world champion Ralph Bryans.
Also expect to see a very special display of Grand Prix machines coming all the way from ‘King’ Kenny Roberts’ private collection in San Diego, California.

The Festival of Speed will also display the two major British attempts at the motorcycle Land Speed Record (LSR) as part of a wider LSR display on the Goodwood Cricket Pitch. They are ‘The 52 Express’ – a jet-engined, wheel-driven bike to be ridden James Toseland – plus ‘Jet Reaction’ – a jet-thrust-powered LSR – to be ridden by Richard Brown. Both motorcycles aim to claim the LSR for Britain in 2013/14.

Tickets, grandstand seats, camping and other products for the 2013 Festival of Speed, Moving Motor Show and Goodwood Revival can be ordered from the Goodwood website (www.goodwood.com/motorsport/), or via the Ticket Hotline: Telephone: +44 1243 755055.