A 41-year-old man from Norfolk Park, Sheffield, is dusting off his 30-year old Kawasaki Ninja bike to complete a lap of the 37-mile course of the Isle of Man TT circuit, hoping to raise funds to support a stroke charity.
Jay McGreneghan wants to raise money for FAST Test and Stroke and Association Support to express his gratitude for the help and support he and his family have received from the charity to cope with the difficulties associated with the condition of his father. The 69-year-old man had a series of strokes that have left him bedridden for the last ten years.
Jay is getting help from a number of businesses to get the bike on the road again, including Kawasaki, which is using the motorcycle in its celebrations for the 30th anniversary of the Ninja brand. The motorbike is currently being restored in Plymouth in order to get it ready for the event, which will run between 24 May and 6 June. After the race is over Jay plans to raffle the bike off for charity, local newspaper The Star reports.
Kawasaki Ninja was the bike that the late Geoff Johnson rode when winning the 1984 Isle of Man Production TT race on his first attempt. Now, 30 years later, Jay’s machine will carry Geoff’s name to pay tribute to the three-time TT winner.
Jay has been a long-time volunteer at the Stroke Association Support charity. He collects and delivers furniture for the charity shop using his VW van, which has also been rebuilt by several businesses, to raise money for the charity.