TEAM COLIN APPLEYARD RIDER TO RIDE IN BRITISH 125 GRAND PRIX

15/6/2010

Team Colin Appleyard/Macadam Racing star Deane Brown has been given a wild card entry into next Sunday's British 125cc Grand Prix at Silverstone.  This is the first time the team has had a rider in the race since team manager Robin Appleyard rode the last of his GP races in 1996.

For the young Scot, who is still only 17, this is just reward for a very promising start to his British 125cc Championship challenge this season.  He has already notched up two, second places in his last couple of races which have followed on from two pole position starts in previous races.

Robin Appleyard said "We are all delighted for Deane.  He fully deserves this opportunity to test himself against the world's top 125 riders.  It also give him an excellent chance to get some valuable practise in at Silverstone ready for the British Championship round on the same track in September."

Silverstone is a fast track and the 125 riders will reach speeds of up to 140mph with their Moto GP counterparts topping 200mph.  Deane will be racing on the full Silverstone circuit used by the Formula 1 GP drivers.

COLIN APPLEYARD RESTRUCTURES MANAGEMENT TEAM

1/6/2010

Despite difficult trading conditions experience over the last 18 months, Colin Appleyard Motorcycles and Cars has weathered the storm in good shape.  The government’s scrappage scheme, for example, gave a real boost to car sales and on a recent visit to Yorkshire Suzuki Sales and Marketing Director David Seward congratulated the company on becoming the UK's No. 1 Suzuki car dealer.  Now the company is looking to invest in the future by strengthening and restructuring its middle management team.

Reporting directly to the board of directors the team now comprises Lee Morton (After Sales) Kevin Feeny (Motorcycle Sales) Dave Scott (Car Sales) Dave Evans (Finance & Insurance) Judith Parker (Servicing) Amanda Allan-Calleja (Accounts) and Tracy Cooper (Marketing and Administration).

Managing Director Robin Appleyard said: "This young team is at the very core of Colin Appleyard's success. Their commitment is total and their contribution immeasurable, we are very lucky to have the benefit of their expertise. Although relatively young many have been with us a long time and have progressed as the company has grown. Lee Morton, for example, joined 20 years ago straight from school as an apprentice technician. After completing his three-year apprenticeship he worked for a number of years as a fully qualified motorcycle technician in the Keighley Workshop before moving across to set up  and run the newly established Leeds workshop. This in turn led on to being appointed Service Manager for both bike dealerships before being promoted last year to Group Service Manager responsible for all the company's After Sales customer Care.

DEANE BROWN CLOCKS UP SECOND CONSECUTIVE PODIUM FINISH FOR TEAM COLIN APPLEYARD

26/5/2010

The large crowd that gathered at Cadwell last weekend enjoyed not only hot sunny weather but also some cracking motor sport.  Team Colin Appleyard/Macadam Racing certainly contributed to the excitement as both the team’s riders followed their success at Oulton Park with two more excellent finishes.

In the 125ccc Championship Deane Brown closed the gap on the Championship leader, James Lodge, with another impressive performance.  He and Lodge dominated Saturday’s qualifying sessions and everyone expected Sunday’s race to pan out in the same way.  It didn’t work out that way!  Lodge got off to a poor start and in attempting to make up ground crashed out.  This left Deane to scrap it out with  two other riders, Taylor Mackenzie and Rob Guiver.  In the end, with the bike running a tad rich, the young Scot gave it everything but couldn’t quite pip Mackenzie and crossed the line in second just 0.1 second adrift. 

Afterwards his manager Robin Appleyard commented, “This was another great ride from Deane.  It is only a matter of time before he gets his first race win of the season.  As it is he’s gained 20 Championship points on his main rival and after the early season hiccups he’s now riding with a new maturity”. 

In the Supersport 600 race Jack Kennedy also had a successful weekend.  He was disappointed with his second qualifying session on Saturday afternoon which dropped him back from sixth to tenth on the grid.  He was however, soon back to his best during Sunday’s warm up, clocking up some great lap times.  Although he didn’t get off to the best of starts in the race itself he rode positively and quickly started to pick off riders ahead of him.  In the latter part of the race, whilst scrapping it out in a group of four other riders, the bike’s engine started to overheat and the lack of power held him up which meant he eventually crossed the line in sixth.

The Championship now takes a break before Mallory Park in four weeks time.  In the meantime both riders are off to Knockhill on Friday for a mid season testing session.

Team Manager Robin has also applied for a wild card entry for Deane in the 125cc British GP to be held at Silverstone in three weeks time.

APPLEYARD'S NEW FRANCHISE IS BACK TO THE FUTURE

17/5/2010

Colin Appleyard Motorcycles has taken on the LML Scooter franchise.

The Yorkshire dealer has taken an initial delivery of five scooters, which are modelled on the classic styling of the Vespa so popular with 'Mods' from the 'Mods & Rockers' era of the sixties.

Appleyards are offering a choice of 3 different styles - the Glamour, Classic or Vintage, with 125cc and 150cc, two and four stroke engines. All feature chrome mirrors, accents, classic looks and comfy leather seats.

Roger White for Colin Appleyard commented, "The LML Range is genuine nostalgia and will appeal to bikers young and old looking for an economical, stylish and fun way to get around."

Colin Appleyard is one of the country's foremost independent motorcycles dealers and multi franchise scooter retailers.  The company has bike dealerships in Keighley and Leeds as well as Suzuki car showrooms in Keighley, Huddersfield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Shipley.

ROSTRUM PLACE FOR BOTH TEAM COLIN APPLEYARD/MACADAM RIDERS

5/5/2010

Team Colin Appleyard/Macadam Racing enjoyed its best weekend of the year as both its riders put in superb performances to claim rostrum places in their respective races.
 
A large Bank Holiday crowd at Oulton Park revelled in some thrilling riding, particularly in the 125cc race, which saw an epic battle between three of the main championship contenders.
 
After crashing out of the first two races of the season Deane Brown was determined to get his title bid off the ground and start fulfilling his potential.  Throughout free practice and the two qualifying sessions he rode with genuine maturity and, with the bike also going really well, he clocked up some excellent lap times to qualify on the front row of the grid in third.
 
Right from the start of Monday’s race Deane and his two main rivals, John McPhee and James Lodge, hit the front and drew away.  What followed was, without doubt, the race of the season so far, with all three riders giving everything right to the flag.  In the end McPhee took it from Lodge by a tyre’s width with Deane riding sensibly in the final stages to finish close behind and register his first finish and rostrum of the year. There was, however, a final twist in the tale as the scrutineers later disqualified McPhee for being underweight therefore lifting Deane to second.
 
Shortly afterwards Jack Kennedy matched his teammate by grabbing his first rostrum place in the Supersport 600 race.
 
On Sunday, in dry but cold and windy conditions, the young Irishman had enjoyed a good first practice and was even on pole for a short time.  Unfortunately in the dying moments of the first session as the team sent Jack out on a second new tyre, to try secure a front row start, Jack crashed heavily at Cascades pushing hard.
 
The bike was heavily damaged and Jack was unable to go out in the 2nd session and dropped from 4th to 7th on the grid.

Frantic work back in the pits got the bike ready to race and despite his bumps and bruises warm up went well.  It was then that it started to rain and, as he has proved in the past, Jack goes well in the wet. This again proved to be the case as he was quickly up with the leaders and, as in the 125 race, three riders pulled away.  A thirteen second lead instantly disappeared half way through the race when the “course car” came out.  However once the race resumed the status quo was immediately re-established and Jack stormed on to cross the line in an extremely impressive third place.
 
Team Manager Colin Appleyard was delighted with both his riders. “It was a great weekend, not only did the team claim its first ever 4 stroke podium place but Deane showed his sensible side to get his championship challenge well and truly off the ground.” 
 
Robin also reported Ashley Beech was well on the road to recovery and there was an outside chance he could be fit to ride at Cadwell in three weeks time.