The best of the Goodwood Revival

TT winner and TT Honda Legends world endurance rider Cameron Donald was brought up on classic racing in Australia. He adores the Goodwood Revival. “It’s so relaxed away from the pressure of the TT and world endurance. It’s my favourite event of the whole year, I simply love it here.

“We can have fun, chill out and Kaz [his partner] loves it here, the clothes, the atmosphere, the attention to detail, I simply love it”. Who better then we thought, to give us a guide to his top bikes at Goodwood this year?

	Velocette MSS “I’ve got one now back home in Oz – I always wanted one after dad used to race one. A mate of mine tracked it down for me and I had to have it. I’ve fully restored it and it’s lovely. Mine is similar to the race bike, small seat and spring guards. The 500, which I guess was Velo’s most successful race bike in the 50s and into the early 60s before multi cylinder bikes and Japanese bikes took over, that’s the era for me. It wasn’t a thoroughbred race bike like the Manx, but still an amazing bike.”
BSA Gold Star “You were either a Manx, Matchless or BSA fan at the time; they were the superbikes of the time. I was brought up with dreams of a Manx Norton but my uncle raced a BSA at the same time my dad was on the Velocette. It was BSA’s most successful GP bike. Just from the shape of the fuel tank and the lines you know it’s a BSA Gold star from a mile away, and it’s just as iconic as the Manx Norton for many.”
	Gilera 4 “I love the Gilera, it’s an exotic, sexy machine, just look at the lines of it – you know it’s Italian, flamboyant. Personally I have a soft spot for the British singles but the Gilera is a lovely machine. Look at that engine and when you hear the sound, you got to love it. It’s the quickest through the speed traps which I guess it should be, but 127mph true is impressive from a bike built in the 50s. At the time they were quick, quicker than the British stuff, but it wasn’t until Geoff Duke got them handling did they have real success. She’ll rev to around 9,0000rpm which is an impressive bit of engineering from the Italians back then.”
Rudge TTR “The oldest bike out there, solid rear end, springer front and yet it’s in the top 20. For a bike made in the 1930s with hardly any suspension, that’s impressive. This is a TT model, they made 50 of them for club racers and they finished first, second and third at the Junior TT in 1930 – 70mph -plus laps with no rear suspension. Check out the twin fuel and oil filler caps, designed so it doesn’t matter which side the pit wall is, TT on the right or on the left like on the continent.”