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+--- Thread: Plater Will Take Part In South African TT Revival (/showthread.php?tid=8563)
Plater Will Take Part In South African TT Revival - Malcolm - 27-12-2009
Steve Plater will be joining a contingent of British Classic racing bike enthusiasts on a trip to South Africa at the end of February. 2010. They will be taking part in the annual " South African TT Revival" weekend at the historic Zwartkops Raceway on the outskirts of Pretoria, the country's capital city.
This event is part of a full program of classic racing which includes famous '60s era sports cars like the Porsche 917 and Ferrari 312. The motorcycle event commemorates the "SA TT " held in the early 70's, where many British and European riders used the event to prepare themselves for the upcoming season. The sunhine and warm weather in mid-Summer South Africa is the ideal testing weather. Riders like Jim Redman, Mike Hailwood, Barry Sheene and Agostini used to compete in this series.
A very young Mick Grant also made the trip out there and is now the International co-ordinator of the modern event. This year he has put together a group of some 15 riders from the UK, which includes 8 times World Champion Phil Read. Some amazing race machinery is on it's way to the sunny circuit, including the factory Suzuki XR70 500 ridden by Suzuki team mates in 1986, Franki Chili and Dave Petersen.
Plater will be riding an early racing Honda Fireblade supplied by NS 2-Stroke in South Africa. Past South African Champion Keith Zeeman will be reunited with a Suzuki RG 500 Mk 5, and will be joined by old Suzuki team mate Les van Breda on a 1973 factory Suzuki TR 750 which has been hanging on a factory wall for 30 years until being retored last year by van Breda.
To add to the sense of occasion, Phil Read will be staying in South Africa's first dedicated motorcycle museum, owned by ex-British championship racer John Boswell, and which opened it's doors earlier this year