Story by Ian Groat and Pics by Jay Groat
It’s that time of the year again when history on wheels and the sounds of long forgotten era race bikes will fill the air. Mick Grant’s touring team of British champions have been coming for a sunshine tour around South Africa’s race tracks for nearly a decade and this year his visiting team of former champions and friends will be out on the tarmac once again.
The big news is the participation by Norton Motorcycle Ltd, from the UK. They will be sending a selection of famous Norton race bikes to the event for this special day. Owner and CEO of the re-incarnated Norton motorcycle company, Stuart Garner, who will be there as well, says this is because South Africa played a unique part in the history of Norton motorcycles, and will always have a place in the future plans for the famous Marque. “After all,” says Garner, “South Africa was the breeding ground of so many famous Norton riders, with men like Jim Redman, Gary Hocking, Paddy Driver, and many, many more learning their craft on Norton’s and then arriving in Europe and successfully taking on the world’s best. We want to celebrate that, and what better way than by taking part in the wonderful event put on every year by Zwartkops?”
This historic Norton’s, which will include the incredible rotary engine Norton superbike that won a British Superbike championship and also starred in many Isle of Man TT races, will be there. The iconic “John Player Norton” livery, and the distinctive sound of the rotary engine is unforgettable. The V4 engined SG1 TT race bike will also be seen on track during the day. `There will also be one each of the new Norton models, the 900cc Commando Sport and the Commando Café racer for enthusiasts to drool over. They will be available in very limited numbers in SA next year. The bikes will be coming to SA as part of Mick Grant’s annual UK group of riders.
The two leg series will start in Gauteng at the Zwartkops raceway on Saturday 1 February 2014. The day of champions will see parades at the classic race and has become the biggest draw card of the year on local racing events. Sunday 2 February’s programme will be a full 16 race and parade calendar to see some of the most exotic Suzuki, Norton, Honda, AJs, Matchless Ducatti Grand Prix racing motorcycles that come from the golden era of motorcycle racing.
Norton is now back in South Africa and will show the latest V4 racer along with a full range of new twin cylinder models on view. Keith Zeeman, who has been appointed to sell the Norton brand, says that his family managed concern will be in good shape to back-up one of the most famous names in the bike business.
Local competition from a host of our famous bike heroes will be as intense as ever. Last year’s winner Les van Breda on his very rare Suzuki TR 750 triple works racer will ride with fellow Grand Prix racer stars like Alan North, Mario Radameyer, Ian Scheckter, Ophie Howard, Dave Petersen, Jimmie Guthrie, Jim Redman, Kevin Hellyer and Peter Labuschagne – just some of the expert champions competing.
Combined into the day’s programme will be over 60 competitors from the Historic Motorcycle Group on the Day of Champions, all out to create a wall of sound on long forgotten motorcycles that formed the way forward years ago.
The show and its glorious magic will move to the Cape a week later on Saturday 8 February 2014 to complete the two leg series for the SA TT Revival.
LIST OF CAPTIONS
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Last year’s winner of the TT Revival Series, Les van Breda on the huge 750cc triple works racer. He will head up the local challenge.
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Mick Grant will be aboard one of the Wheatman square four Suzuki GP machines.
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The champion’s team from the UK features some famous TT Isle of Man winners this year.
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Going back of 45 years this classic Norton Manx will be ridden by Jimmy Guthrie, a Manx GP winner.
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Team Incomplete will field some grand prix machinery from the 60’s with a great line up of former stars.
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The racing Norton V4 has competed in the Isle of Man TT races and helps to develop the handling of the range, which gets transferred into the road going Norton machinery.
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The development production V4 racer finished well at this year’s Isle of Man TT races.
