The array of striking and famous motorcycles and world-class riders at this year’s Festival of Speed, held at Goodwood Park from 11-13 July, proved to be one of the event’s top attractions. A wide selection of exotic world-beating two-wheeled machinery was on hand including the famous motorcycles of legendary TT winners John Surtees, Mike Hailwood, Joey Dunlop, David Jeffries and John McGuinness, as well as a historic look back at the revolutionary machinery that began racing at Brooklands almost one hundred years ago.
At the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Rizla Suzuki Team Manager Jack Valentine was reunited with David Jeffries 1999 TT winning Yamaha that made history after breaking Honda's 17 year winning domination of the TT Formula one race. Jack had not seen the machine since 2001 when he sold to its current owner following a disastrous season due the cancellation of the TT because of the Foot and Mouth epidemic. This was the first time the actual machine certified by the team as the race winner had been exhibited in the UK, since being sold. Many replicas of this machine that exist have been since masqueraded as the TT winner at numerous shows and exhibitions.