The annual Goodwood Festival of Speed’s vast array of famous motorcycles and world-class riders has long been an integral part of the event, but for sheer variety and breadth of bikes and riders, this year’s 20th anniversary event makes the 2013 Festival of Speed (11-14 July) an absolute ‘must attend’ experience for all racing motorcycle enthusiasts.
A large number of highly significant and memorable motorcycles, sidecars and riders are set to return to Goodwood as part of its 20th anniversary celebrations, but this July’s Festival will also see an amazing selection of UK bike debuts, rarely-seen riders and other bikes participating in the event for the very first time.
All major competition motorcycle disciplines will be represented at Goodwood, along with 15 motorcycle World Champions already confirmed.
Highlights now 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 RGV500, 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 his championship winning Yamaha OW48R YZR500 and the 2002 Proton KR3.
- Freddie Spencer(1983 and 1985 World Champion, and the only man to ever win the 250cc and 500cc Championship titles in the same year) on his 1985 Honda NSR500 from the Honda Collection in Japan This winning combination has never been see at Goodwood together.
World Superbike Riders:
- Leon Camier (Suzuki)
- Jules Cluzel (Suzuki)
- Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia)
- Eugene Laverty (Aprilia)
- Chaz Davies (BMW)
- James Haydon
Other World Champions and motorcycle legends:
- Randy Mamola (one of the greatest riders never to win the World Championship) will be riding the stunning ex-Valentino Rossi Ducati GP11 MotoGP machine on the hill – this being the only 800cc MotoGP machine running outside of the championship)
- Dougie Lampkin (12-time World Trials Champion)
- Giacomo Agostini (15-time World Champion)
- Kenny Roberts (3-time 500cc 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 Reeves (2-time World Sidecar Champion)
Isle of Man TT Legends:
- John McGuinness
- Bruce Anstey
- Ian Hutchinson
- Alan Cathcart
- Ian Mackman
- Stuart Graham
Other Riders and Motorcycles:
- Ian King– 6-time (and reigning European Champion) will demonstrate his 1500bhp 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.
- Celebration of the tenth anniversary of Ducati returning to Grand Prix racing, with Ducatis GP3, GP5 GP6 and, GP11. The first Ducati GP bike (the 1970 Ducati 500 GP) will also be in action at Goodwood.
- The Proton KR3 will make its Festival debut, to be ridden by Kenny Roberts and Jeremy McWilliams. They will be joined by Proton KRV5 XM2 and KR211V-Honda from King Kenny’s private collection in San Diego.
- Mattie Griffinwill perform stunts on the Hill on his BMW.
- BMW will celebrate 90 years of motorcycle production with a line up of special racing 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
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 by James Toseland – plus Jet Reaction– a jet-thrust-powered LSR – to be ridden by Richard Brown. Both motorcycles aim to claim the LSR for Great Britain in 2013/14.
