It’s less than four weeks until the celebration of classic motorcycles returns to Staffordshire County Showground.
The Carole Nash Classic Mechanics Show takes place over the weekend of 14-15 October.
Guest of honour this year is flying Kiwi Aaron Slight (second picture) – surely the best rider never to win the World Superbike title.
As fast and smooth on the track as he was flamboyant and controversial off it, and often sporting a multi-coloured Mohican haircut, Slight will have some entertaining tales to share with the Stafford audience.
Exhibition manager Nick Mowbray said: “We are so excited to have Aaron Slight at this year’s Carole Nash Classic Mechanics Show. With more than a decade racing in the World Superbike series, the New Zealander will have plenty of great races to draw from.”
On site will be nearly 1000 trade and autojumble stalls, stunning club stands and private entries – the perfect place for any classic motorcycle fan to pick up that elusive part and meet thousands of other like-minded individuals.
There will also be a Suzuki Village overflowing with famous race bikes, including the 1976 and 1977 world championship-winning RG500s rode by Barry Sheene.
This year’s Classic Racer Grand Prix Paddock features a display of Honda RC45 race bikes.
All of the RCs assembled have genuine racing history, including Jim Moody’s TT record-breaking factory bike, and many of them will be fired up during the weekend.
The Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club, the UK’s premier club for classic Japanese bikes, will be running the unique Restoration Theatre, its members sharing their combined years of knowledge and experience with visitors.
If it’s off-road bikes you’re after then check out the Classic Dirt Bike Hall, which will hold some of the tastiest off-road machinery available anywhere.
The Stafford Bonham’s auction has become as traditional an October treat as the show itself and will once again be held on the Sunday.
Recent Stafford events have seen record-breaking lots and this year’s auction has more than 50 bikes including championship speedway and long track motorcycles.
Interesting bikes up for auction this year include the 2007 Aprilia 250cc Grand Prix racing motorcycle which was ridden to World Championship victory by Jorge Lorenzo and the collection of speedway supremo Ivan Mauger, who holds six world records including most world speedway wins.