Glasgow dealership TT Motorcycles, established two years ago by Chris Adam (pictured), has been forced into remonikering as CA Motorcycles following legal threats.
Big-league international law firm Evershed Sutherland, acting on behalf of the Isle of Man Government’s Department of Enterprise, recently wrote to Adams, insisting that he must immediately cease using the TT name due to trade mark infringement.
Evershed Sutherland’s letter said: “TT Motorcycles and the stylisation of the TT logo that is in use on your website are highly similar to the TT registrations owned by our client. In view of the high level of similarity between the respective marks and the substantial goodwill enjoyed by the TT registrations, there is a risk of confusion as members of the public may consider your services are connected to our client’s business.” It then went on to suggest the Isle of Man Government could therefore incur damage, such as “loss of sales or dilution to its brand.”
Speaking to Scotland’s Daily Record newspaper, the dealer complained: “It’s been a sore one, to say the least. I’m just a wee business from Glasgow. I can’t compete with a government on this. It’s kind of bully-boy tactics, the way it’s been handled.”