The bike paddock at the 2017 Goodwood Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard was in rude health this year. For fans of two-wheeled fever, it’s perhaps the best we’ve ever had. One display, in particular, holds extra significance, with the arrival of the Dunlop Dynasty celebrating the unsurpassed achievements of road racing’s first family.
JUL 04th 2017
The Dunlop dynasty celebrated at FOS
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It’s 40 years since Joey Dunlop secured his first of 26 Isle of Man TT wins, and many of his famous number 3 bikes are here, including the last ‘big bike’ he ever rode to his stunning 2000 Formula One TT victory, the Honda VTR SP1, coming all the way from Japan to be part of the proceedings.
The Dunlop Dynasty also celebrates the race-winning accomplishments of Joey’s younger brother Robert – a talented and successful road racer in his own right – most notably with the Rotary Norton JPS Works machines. Together the two brothers notched up a staggering number of victories including 31 IOM TTs, 28 North West 200s and 33 Ulster GPs.
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Of course, today, the Dunlop name is carried with considerable pride around the road racing circuit by Robert’s sons, William and Michael. Both are forging their own successful careers, with Michael charging to 15 TT wins to date, including two victories at the 2017 event.
Watching both William and Robert taking on the hill – along with a whole host of motorcycling greats – aboard a number of machines made famous by their father and uncle was a special moment for any bike fan.
Photography by James Lynch
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