Charlie Williams to appear at 2012 Honda Broadford Bike Bonanza

A native of Cheshire in northern England, Williams began his racing career with a short-lived stint as a sidecar passenger in 1969.
"I gave that away after four races - that was enough," Williams said. "After buying a Yamaha TD1C from Aussie legend Jack Findlay, I rode in my first Manx Grand Prix in 1970, winning the Newcomers Award for fifth place in the Lightweight (250 cc) class."

The following year Williams won the Lightweight Manx GP and moved up to the TT for 1972, where he scored five top-six finishes from six starts. It was the beginning of an illustrious TT career that brought eight wins from 1973 to 1980. At his last TT start in 1984, Williams finished second to Aussie Graeme McGregor.

While in the prime of his TT career, Williams was recruited by Honda to partner friend and near-neighbour John Williams (no relation) in the 1973 Spa 24 Hours Endurance race, scoring a first-up victory. The Williams/Williams Honda pairing became a regular at major endurance events over the next three years, often riding experimental factory-supplied bikes.

In 1976, Williams was joined in the Honda Britain Team by another Cheshire lad, Stan Woods, and together they won the 1976 Barcelona 24 Hour Race, the 1977 Nurburgring 8 Hour and the Thruxton 1000 km. 1978 began with a win in the Zandvoort 6 Hour and ended with victory in the Brands Hatch 1000 km, going on to finish runner-up in the Endurance World Championship.

Williams's only visit to Australia thus far was in 1979, when he competed in the Advertiser Three Hour Race at Virginia Raceway on a Honda CB900, where he was teamed with local John Inkster.

At the HBBB, Charlie will be riding David Murray's locally-built Honda RS1000 Endurance racer replica - an interesting throwback to his days in Honda colours in the gruelling and popular endurance events of the 1970s.

The 2012 Honda Broadford Bike Bonanza takes place at the State Motorcycle Complex in Broadford over the Easter long weekend, 7-8 April.

Further details on the 2012 Honda Broadford Bike Bonanza, including entry forms and other information, can be found at the dedicated HBBB website - www.ma.org.au/hbbb.