Motorcycle Live 2012 kicked off with a bang today as a star-studded line-up took part in the official opening ceremony for the nine-day biking extravaganza at The NEC, Birmingham.

Rugby star Matt Banahan and BBC MotoGP commentator Matt Roberts were joined on stage by 13 racing stars, including Cal Crutchlow, Leon Haslam, Leon Camier, Bradley Smith, Scott Redding, Tom Sykes, John McGuinness, Randy Mamola, Tommy Hill, Chris Walker, Glen Richards and Tarran MacKenzie.

All the celebrities took part in a re-creation of the 2012 Motorcycle Live advertising campaign, which stars real bikers chosen through a social media promotion earlier this year. Each celebrity held the individual letters of the show’s logo until the appointed moment when the letters were flipped to reveal the legend: “It’s show time…”, complete with confetti and streamers.

The moment signalled the start of the UK’s biggest and most popular motorcycle show, which offers Britain’s bikers unrivalled opportunities to view the latest two-wheeled offerings from the world’s major manufacturers.

Crutchlow, who scored his first MotoGP podium during the 2012 season, said: “It’s great coming back, especially for the fans. Of course, I do some stuff for my sponsors, but it’s great to be up close with the fans that support us all year and sign some autographs for them.”


Finlay McAllan, managing director of MCI Exhibitions Ltd, added: “It’s fantastic to see all these biking celebrities on stage and I can’t think of a better way to open the show.”

The all-inclusive Motorcycle Live ticket offers seven FREE opportunities to ride a bike*, plus non-stop entertainment from some of the biggest names in biking on the Blackhorse Stage in the British Eurosport Entertainment Zone. The show also features the BSH/Streetfighters Custom Xtreme Zone, the Yamaha Escape Zone, the Classic Zone in association with Coventry Transport Museum and FREE entry into the Ramp’d Up Freestyle Motocross Arena*.

Motorcycle Live 2012 runs from Saturday 24 November to Sunday 2 December at The NEC, Birmingham.

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*All activities are subject to availability

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