Bikers: your champion needs you
Calling all bikers: Britain’s eight times World Motorcycle Champion, Phil Read MBE, needs your help.
Read, multi-champion in 125cc, 250cc, 500cc and 750cc classes in the 1960s and ’70s, is masterminding a cavalcade of classic motorbikes between two iconic London landmarks – the Ace Café on the North Circular and the rather more stately surroundings of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, home of the Chelsea Pensioners.
The run is part of Chelsea AutoLegends, a celebration of motoring and motor racing on two and four wheels. Dubbed London’s greatest show on wheels, it is to be held on Sunday, September 4.
“As well as being a great opportunity for the biking fraternity to gather together and swap stories over a great breakfast at the Ace before heading out on our bikes, the run will be an opportunity for us all to humbly salute the brave and noble soldiers who fought for our freedom,” said Read, who in 2002 was awarded ‘Legend’ status by the FIM, the worldwide governing body of motorcycle racing.
The idea is for bikers – especially those with classic or interesting machines – to meet at the Ace Café for breakfast on the Sunday morning from about 9.30. Ace owner Mark Wilsmore will launch the ride-out from 10.45 and the run itself will be headed by Read and members of the Royal British Legion Riders Branch (RBLRB).
“As its name suggests, the RBLRB is predominately an association of ex-military riders and their involvement is perfect given where we will be riding to,” added Read.
Once at the Royal Hospital, riders will be able to use a dedicated parking zone within the show. Details on how to apply to be part of the show are on the website at chelseaautolegends.com/ticket-prices. Bike parking tickets are £10 and admission tickets are £15 in advance.
Cavalcade organiser Max Wakefield, said: “With support from the RCLRB, the Ace Café and, of course, Phil Read we are confident that the ride-out could be one of the largest gatherings of two-wheeled machines this side of the TT! It should be a real spectacle.”
Read won’t be the only motorsport personality at the event. He will be joined by Sir Stirling Moss, OBE, who is Patron of Chelsea AutoLegends, with other great names to be announced over the coming weeks.
But the cars and bikes will be the real stars. More than 30 classic Le Mans racers will be on display alongside countless other important historic machines. There’ll be displays of the brutal Group B rally cars of the 1980s, classic motorcycles and the ten most significant road cars of all time, as well as 50th birthday celebrations for the two most iconic British cars of the 1960s, the E-type Jaguar and the Mini-Cooper.
There will be a supercar cavalcade to rival the Ace bikers, other themed displays including one from the Ace Café itself and a special tribute to some of the British ‘Patrons’ − the private race team entrants of the Fifties and Sixties, who took on the factory teams… and often won.
Last year’s inaugural event attracted more than 6,000 visitors, all of whom were bowled over by the cars, the garden party atmosphere and the setting. For 2011, the aim is to double that number and raise even more money for the Royal Hospital Chelsea and the Chelsea Pensioners.
General tickets for this year’s Chelsea AutoLegends are now on sale either via the event’s new website (ChelseaAutoLegends.com) or from the ticket hotline on 0844 581 0760. Those pre-booking can take advantage of considerable savings with adult tickets priced at £15 in advance rather than £20 on the gate. Underlining the event’s family entertainment values, accompanied children aged under 12 will be admitted free of charge.
