Martin Barr signs for PAR Honda

It was a stressful couple of months at the end of last year when the sponsors from last year withdrew their support leaving him with no bikes for 2010.

“I was over in the USA training at the tail end of last year and really had nothing in the pipeline. At one stage there was a chance that I would not be racing this year then Paul Rowlands, team manager, of PAR Honda started texting me about a deal for the new season. I had to do a fitness test last week before finalising the deal and it was thumbs up and smiles all round when at last I signed on the dotted line,” said Barr.

Martin had his first outing on the new bike recently and was impressed. “It was my first time on a Honda and I was happy with the way everything went. I took the bike to the track at Magilligan and went three and a half seconds faster than I had previously on the Suzuki.”

With only a few weeks to go to the opening round of the British Championship at Little Silver in Devon, 22-year-old Martin from Doagh, who finished fourth in last year’s title race, reckons that 2010 could be the year he wins the title.

“This is hopefully the year I win my first British title. I believe I can do it and my team also believe I can do it. I have been dogged by injury in the past and so if I can stay injury free this could be my year,” added the local rider.

No Tandragee 100 road races in 2010

The North Armagh Motorcycle and Car Club made the announcement last week that the popular Tandragee 100 road races would not run in 2010.

In a statement the club said the decision was due to the “current economic climate and circumstances beyond our control”.

The club said it has every intention to run the race again in 2011 and said it would like to extend thanks to its sponsors and landowners for their continued support.

No one will miss it more than the rider who won the final superbike race at last year’s meeting, Keith Amor. The Scot who this year rides for the JMF Yamaha squad and bases himself in Larne during the racing season said: “It is a real shame that this years races are not taking place. It was the only national meeting I had pencilled in to my schedule for 2010. There is nowhere better than the Tandragee to set up the bikes for the Isle of Man TT races.”

Cummins will attend the Adelaide Motorcycle Festival

Boyzone singer and bike fan Shane Lynch will join local rider Eugene Laverty to open the Adelaide Motorcycle Festival which begins a three-day run at Belfast’s King’s Hall on Friday, February 12.

Joining them, Road racing’s fastest rider Conor Cummins will be slowing down for the annual festival.

The 23-year-old set the Dundrod 150 alight last August when he stretched the lap record to a breathtaking 133.28 mph, the best in the world.

On that occasion Cummins was riding a Kawasaki for the Cookstown-based McAdoo team.

So far as the ‘Festival’ is concerned, the lanky Cummins will be appearing along with the evergreen Ian Lougher, courtesy of Blackhorse Kawasaki Racing.

“We have also lined-up Tony Rutter and his son Michael,” confirmed Billy Nutt on behalf of the organisers, Nutt Promotions.

“Hopefully, the Ducati on which Tony won the Formula-Two world championship back in the 1980s will be on display,” added Nutt.

Now 68 years of age, Rutter was Formula-Two world champion four-times, he won seven Isle of Man TT races and nine at the North-West.

Nutt went on, “All the major manufacturers have taken floor space. They include Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Triumph, Kawasaki, KTM and Harley-Davidson.”

“We are confident that both Ducati and BMW will also weigh-in for what is really a massive retail shop-window.”

“The only show launch of the new VFR 1200 Honda on the Saturday will be of particular significance along with Suzuki’s M1500 cc Intruder.”

“The balcony which we are using for the first time in the King’s Hall promises to be a hive of activity with the Chopper Club displaying up to 12-bikes.

“Live action will be provided by the Arena Trials Team and their dare-devil stunts

“New next month will be a Grand Prix paddock featuring a lot of Classic bikes and hopefully some famous machines as raced by the likes of Barry Sheene.”

“Interest in the auto-jumble is growing steadily but there is still some space left,” concluded Nutt.

n On Saturday February 13, Geoff Hill sets off from the festival on another biking epic: “The Adelaide to Adelaide Adventure, around Australia on a Triumph”.

This time it’s with fellow journalist and author Colin O’Carroll who will circumnavigate Australia using the legendary Highway One before the road is decommissioned, taking 10-12 weeks to cover the 15,000 miles. Geoff rode one from Chile to Alaska in his last adventure.

Sam Geddis, director Adelaide Insurance Services and wife Gloria, will be riding the first 2,000 miles. Sam recently completed his IAM Advanced Motorcycle test so is feeling well prepared for the journey.

A two-man camera crew will be joining the party for the full journey and the public can follow this adventure on adelaideadventures.com due to launch on February 12.