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Ace Cafe
A great place to grab a burger comes to the NEC»
Yamaha Classic Race Team
Racing motorcycles from the Japanese manufacturer’s glorious GP past»
Yamaha Classic Racing Team
The Yamaha Classic Racing Team, based in Holland, will display fully race prepared ex-works Yamaha GP racing motorcycles from the Japanese manufacturer's glorious GP racing past.
The team was founded and is managed by former Yamaha GP mechanic Ferry Brouwer who will also be attending along with some of the racing champions from the team.
The Yamaha Classic Racing Team (YCRT), born out of passion for racing heritage, is aimed at conserving Yamaha's history from their early golden years of road racing. This truly magnificent period started in the sixties and continued into the seventies. Ferry Brouwer has been into racing since he was six years old after being introduced to it by his father. He's been a big fan of Yamaha road racing 2 strokes ever since, and worked as a Yamaha factory mechanic from 1968 to 1973 for riders such as Jarno Saarinen, Phil Read, Chas Mortimer and Tepi Lansivuori. In 1982, Netherlands based Dutchman Ferry founded "Arai Helmet Europe BV".
His passion for classic racers never died however and he remained active in that field, working on an impressive collection of classic Yamaha racers and founding a dedicated team to race his machines. In 1998 Ferry was the driving force behind the "Assen Centennial TT", bringing together many famous former GP stars to ride their restored racers.
Recently he retired from Arai and now focuses all his time on the Yamaha Classic Racing Team (YCRT). He owns an impressive list of 14 classic Yamaha racers, all in superb condition, and has plenty of plans to extend this line up
The machines are of course the real stars, some of them painstakingly restored production machines, all in absolute mint condition and completely original. Others are reconstructions of works machines that had to be built from scratch, as the original work bikes were, as was the custom of the day, destroyed.
Examples include the unique YZ634 350 cc 2 cylinder 2 stroke bike, the factory racer in 1972 and the 500cc YZR500 OW45 GP bike ridden so successfully by Kenny Roberts in 1979. The 1972 screaming 2 stroke YZ623C 125cc and the YZ634A 500cc 2 stroke GP bike of the same year are race bikes that were completely recreated by the team. Yamaha fully endorsed the building of these replicas. The absolute stars of the team are the breathtakingly beautiful 125 (RA31A) and 250 cc (RD05A) works 4 cylinder machines which in the hands of Phil Read gave Yamaha a double world championship in 1968.
The Yamaha Classic Racing Team riders form an incredible roll call of those glorious racing days. Names include Dieter Braun, Svend Andersson, and former Yamaha Factory riders Michelle Duff, Rodney Gould and Chas Mortimer, as well as Giacomo Agostini, Steve Baker, Christian Sarron and Luca Cadalora.
Motorcycles, rock 'n' roll and the Ace Cafe. Three simple expressions but they represent perhaps the most powerful fusion, not only in yesterday's and today's bike scene worldwide, but also in tomorrow's. On a bike you can strike out, find new friends, feel the freedom and have a sense of independence.
Inspired by rich heritage and traditions, the Ace Cafe still embodies the same values as it did when it was first home to the Ton Up Boys (and girls) and the Rockers. What could be found on a Triton in the 50's and 60's is emulated today on modern sports bikes and streetfighters. If you have visited the cafe, you will have seen lines of formidable machinery.
The Ace has an unparalleled and almost religious significance to an ever-increasing numbers of riders from around the world who share the passion. The bikes and the music may change but the spirit remains the same, so the atmosphere and energy of the Ace Cafe will be coming to Classic Bike... with a replica Cafe.
Seminar Stage
The live stage will be hosted by TV motoring presenter Mike Brewer. Although best known for his used and new car programmes, Mike hosts the Isle of Man TT Racing for ITV and has a Lambretta scooter of his own! He will be joined by special guests throughout the show to talk buying, restoring, maintaining and racing classic motorcycles.
A full timetable is just being confirmed and will be posted in the coming weeks along with any autograph signing sessions.
And Mike is even planning a classic game show with some great prizes so don't miss it!
Bikejumble
Planning a restoration or searching for that rare part? The Classic Bike will feature a "Bikejumble" that will be a haven of motorcycle parts, tools and memorabilia.
