One of the most famous bikes in the history of speedway is going on show in North Wales for the first time.

The bike ridden by legendary world champion Peter Collins during the golden age of the sport in the Seventies will be on display at this year’s Motorbike Show at Llangollen.

It now belongs to John Peers, from Gresford, a fan of the sport in its halcyon days who got to know Peter Collins long after he had retired.

He will be bringing the bike along to display at the Motorbike Show at the Royal International Pavilion at Llangollen on Saturday and Sunday, August 1 and 2.

The show, organised by David Green of Xuberance Events, launched last year and was a roaring success, attracting bikers from throughout the UK.

John, 50, whose business, John Peers Insurance, specialises in lorry and plant insurance, also offers cover for bikers and even for speedway riders but his interest in the sport dates from his teenage days in the 1970s.

In those glory, glory years of the sport massive crowds packed famous floodlit venues like Belle Vue in Manchester, Coventry, King’s Lynn and Wimbledon’s Plough Lane to roar their heroes round the dirt ovals.

Mounted on a 500cc bike with no brakes and no gearbox, Collins duelled with speedway titans like Denmark’s Ole Olsen and New Zealander Ivan Mauger.

And in those crowds at Belle Vue was the lad from Wallasey who was bitten by the speedway bug: “I loved it,” explains John.

“It was just so exciting, the speed and the skill of the riders, and Peter Collins was one of the biggest names, the big name among British riders.

“I started off going to Ellesmere Port and, once I was old enough, to Belle Vue and in those days it was Britain’s second biggest spectator sport – only football attracted bigger crowds.

“People like Peter, Ole Olsen and Ivan Mauger were big stars then and ITV’s World of Sport regularly showed it on Saturday afternoons.”

The climax for Collins came in 1976 when he won the world championship at Katowice in Poland, the first British rider to win it for 14 years.

“That was a phenomenal year for British motorsport,” says John: “Peter won the speedway world championship, Barry Sheene won the 500cc motorbike world championship and James Hunt was the Formula One champion – don’t know when we’ll see that again.”

Collins, who also won four world pairs championships, actually tried to defend his world title the following year despite being on crutches with a badly broken leg.

It was years later that John got to know his hero: “I was working in insurance and actually was insuring most of the top speedway riders when we were introduced.

“I was just thrilled and we talked and have been friends ever since. Peter is a really nice man and still lives in Cheshire where he has a fleet of vintage cars which he uses for a wedding business.

“But he also restores old bikes and has a fantastic collection of them. One day out of the blue he just turned up at my office with this bike which is a Czech-made Jawa he rode in exhibition races.

“It runs on methanol – aircraft fuel – has a four-strike engine and will reach 65mph on a speedway straight. It will do four laps of a football field in 60 seconds.”

He tried it himself once: “I paid to have a go on a weekend trial and when you come into a corner at 65mph and you remember you haven’t got any brakes, that’s the moment it hits you.

“You know you have got to get it round or hit the fence.

“I still follow speedway though and have been all over Europe – it’s massive in Poland – and there’s still a British league but nowadays they get crowds of 2,000 rather than 20,000.

“I ride a bike too, a Yamaha R1, and my wife often comes on the pillion. I die it to work too and often to see clients.

“I still love bikes and I’m really looking forward to the Motorbike Show.”

So is David Green who is promising an even bigger and better show this year: “It’s great that John is able to bring the Peter Collins bike along – that’s part of speedway history.

“We have had fantastic support from the riders but I have been saying for years that Llangollen is the ideal location for a Motorbike Show because this area is already a popular destination for motorcyclists from all over the UK.

“The A542 road up to the Horseshoe Pass regularly features in bikers’ polls as a top ride and the Ponderosa Café up there is another massive favourite with them.

“Last year we proved that we have a superb venue and we can grow this event into a major show.”

The Motorbike Show will feature an array of events including motorbike displays, expert advice clinics, a club corner, a live action arena featuring Airraid FMX and Trials bike displays as well as a new Custom bike show.

There will also be a wide range of trade stands, bike safety training, fairground rides and amusements, a food court, bars and live bands with free bike parking and even a helmet crèche.

For more information go to www.themotorcycleshow.co.uk