Video: Carlos Checa rides a Norton Manx 30M at Revival

06th November 2025

Russell Campbell

The Goodwood Revival isn’t just a showcase for some of the most beautiful machinery on the planet, it’s also a magnet for some of the greatest riders and drivers to ever grace a circuit. Among them this year was none other than Spanish World Superbike Champion, Carlos Checa.

Checa’s two-wheeled journey began early. He first swung his leg over a bike aged 13 and was racing competitively two years later. By 21, he’d joined the 125cc World Championship, beginning a two-decade career at the sharp end of motorcycle racing that would see him clinch two Grand Prix victories and the 2011 World Superbike Championship crown.

For a man used to cutting-edge superbikes, the Norton Manx 30M — a machine designed before he was even born — might seem like an unlikely choice. Yet Checa relishes the purity of it. The Manx demands concentration and mechanical sympathy, the only safety aid being your own sense of self preservation. And make no mistake, it’s still quick. With a top speed of around 122mph this bike remains a serious piece of kit.

Goodwood Revival

Video: 2025 Barry Sheene Memorial Trophy highlights

Originally engineered to conquer the Isle of Man TT, the Manx’s legendary featherbed frame and punchy single-cylinder engine make it an ideal weapon for Goodwood’s fast, flowing corners.

We joined Checa, his co-rider, and his mechanic as they prepared their bike for the Barry Sheene Memorial Trophy, complete with its trademark Le Mans-style start and a dose of British weather that could politely be described as “challenging”.

How did Checa get on? Will he be back for another go? And what’s it really like to race a 1960s legend in front of a packed Revival crowd? You’ll find all that — and plenty of grin-inducing throttle action — right here as 2011 World Superbike Champion Carlos Checa takes on the Goodwood Revival.