2018 Prescott Bike Festival Is Delayed Until June

Planning a weekend enjoying motorcycles on April 14-15th? You might need to update your calendar as the 2018 Prescott Bike Festival is delayed until June. The annual Blood Bikes fundraising event will still take place over two days for the first time, but it will now be run on June 16-17, 2016. Which means it’s now a potential outing to celebrate Father’s Day as well as motorcycle hillclimbs, exhibits, classics and more.

The event has been held since 2011, and the 2018 Prescott Bike Fest was announced as a two day event earlier this year, with even more attractions than ever before. We’ve made it along in the past, and Rescogs contributor Sam also took part in the hillclimb part of the weekend.

Unfortunately the unseasonal bad weather in the UK means that the exhibitor and public parking areas are unusable, and there’s more rain forecast for this weekend. Which means it could become a mudbath. Especially with a big number of exhibitors from rare and classic bikes to modern and electric machines. Plus trade stands, beer tent, and more to find dry space to pitch up on.

Event Organiser Gordon Downie said “It has always been our goal to host Two Amazing Days – One Winning Weekend. We know that we could not deliver this promise if we were to proceed next weekend. We feel that, rather than relying on wishful thinking, that it’s better to reschedule to a more favourable and warmer time in the year”.

All Advance Ticket holders, Run the Hill Entries, Competition Winners and Exhibitors will be contacted by the organisers directly via email, regarding the change of date.

With plenty of bikes and riders already booked, hopefully many of them will be able to reschedule and still attend. The previous list included the jet propelled ‘Shopping Trolley’, with a KTM 250cc engine to help it manoeuvre, and a plane for pilot Matt McKeown to achieve a 100mph record in it this summer.

Other highlights previously booked include:

• 1962 Honda RC163 250cc – Race replica as ridden by Jim Redman and Mike Hailwood.
• 1972 Mv Agusta 750cc factory World Superbike formally ridden by Alberto Pagani. When Count Agusta heard that Ducati were entering the Imola200 round of newly formed world 750cc championship in 1972, he instructed the race shop to build and enter a factory bike to win the race. Arturio Magni the race-shop manager produced a small number of bikes for factory riders including Giacomo Agostini and Alberto Pagani.
• 2006 Bimota Tesi 2D – 1 of only 25 ever made and the only one currently in the UK. They are mainly kept in Glass Boxes or form part of private collections worldwide.
• 1998 Honda CBR600 600cc – This bike was raced by World Superbikes Champion James Toseland when he was first contracted to Castrol Honda
• 1997 Triumph Speed Triple 955cc – The bike was campaigned by Captain Mark Phillips during the 1997 Speed Triple Challenge Series
• 2005 Suzuki GXSR 1000cc Ex John Reynolds factory Superbike that John raced to defend his BSB title in 2004
• 2008 Suzuki GXSR 1000 – The Factory Bike campaigned by Tom Sykes in the 2008 British Superbike Championship. After struggling to sort out the handling on this +200hp motorcycle during the first half of the season, Tom went on to win 3 races during the second half of the season.
• 1994 Aprilia RSV 250 – A factory bike ridden by Jean-Philippe Ruggia
• 1998 Magni Australia 998 – A very rare bike built by the legendary Arturo Magni who 38 world championships with MV Augusta while he was Chief Race Engineer
• 2000 Honda Joey Dunlop SP1 Vimto 1000 – This is a replica bike as raced by Joey Dunlop in 2000 Isle of man TT. This bike is full race prepared and has lapped the IOM TT in the 2010 parade
• 1903 Royal Sovereign. The only known survivor from the London Machinist Company who produced motorcycles between 1902-1904. Found in a cellar in Birmingham by the previous owner, restoration had been commenced but he passed away before completion. The present owner purchased the bike and completed it in 2016. It has since been voted ‘Best Veteran’ at the 2016 Stafford Classic Bike show and class winner at the 2017 Salon Prive.
• 1914 Triumph Roadster 4.5hp. One of just eight working bikes left in the world. It ran in the inaugural London to Brighton Pioneer Run. The current owner has a photograph of the 1st owner on the bike at Tattenham Corner on the 2nd Pioneer in 1931 as well as all the history from 1919.
• 1922 Unibus. The granddaddy of the modern scooter. This example is believed to be the only working Unibus in the world and is normally tucked away in a glass case at the Jet Age Museum. This is a unique occasion to see the machine in action. The Gloster Aircraft Company built a handful of these machines post WWI. Talented aviator/designer Harold Boultbee used aviation practice to design a truly “ahead of its time” (by some 30 years!) scooter.
• 1963 Norton Manx 350cc Reverse Head built and developed by Ray Petty, the renowned Manx Norton tuner in the mid 60’s and extensively raced by Derek Minter. The documented progress of its build and race history makes interesting reading. It’s the only remaining example of this experiment. This machine which has been carefully restored and in fact is race ready is for display but will not run the hill in case the owner drops it!
• 1962 BSA Rocket Gold Star 650cc. Only 1372 were made in 1962 and early ’63. This is a genuine original built as club racers with the ultra-close ‘RRT2’ gearbox and very tall 1st gear, much clutch slipping is needed to pull away from the start line!
• A Prototype 1927 Velocette KSS 350cc affectionately known by enthusiasts as the ‘Spring-Heeled Jack’. It was the only one ever built at Hall Green, Birmingham. The motorcycle was a one-off for Alec Bennett, the factory’s number one rider at the time
• 1964 Bianchi 498cc Factory Grand Prix race bike designed by the renowned Italian engineer Lino Tonti. This bike has been built utilising original race shop spares with others being re manufactured using the original race shop drawings and casting patterns.
• 1914 Douglas 2 3/4hp 350cc – A wonderful little lightweight ‘Duggie’, also ‘Pioneer’ eligible. 2 speed – ‘run and bump it’. No clutch, next to no brakes, total loss oiling – ‘one drip every 8 seconds’ or there-abouts. Mix your own air/fuel as you go and adjust the timing the faster you go!
• A rare 1967 Triumph TR6c 650cc Street Scrambler built exclusively for the California market. Rarer than all other Triumphs. The green one is original ‘as it came out of the box’ in 1967, with just 825 miles on the clock.
• 1968 BSA 750 special – This beautiful example of a classic British motorcycling icon is probably the finest BSA twin in the UK.
• 1969 Paton Factory Grand Prix bike. This tiny Italian manufacturer produced a small number of 4stroke 500 twins in the late 60s and early 70s which had great success in the World Championships. This bike was sponsored by Liverpool motor dealer Bill Hannah, a well-known sponsor at the time and was raced extensively.
• 1972 Mv Agusta Factory 750cc 4Cyl World Superbike. When Count Agusta heard that Ducati were entering the Imola200 round of newly formed world 750cc championship in 1972, at the very last minute he instructed the race shop to build and enter a factory 750cc bike to win the race. Arturio Magni the race-shop manager produced a small number of bikes for factory riders Giacomo Agostini and Alberto Pagani. This bike was ridden by Pagani.

So hopefully all these bikes will be able to attend now the 2018 Prescott Bike Festival is delayed until June. It will take place on June 16-17, 2018 at Prescott Speed Hillclimb, Gotherington, Cheltenham, GL52 9RD. Advance tickets start from £10, and under 16s are free when they’re accompanied by a paying adult.