The People's Bike Continue to Support Rising Stars

The People’s Bike team have been a popular part of the road racing paddock for more than a decade and this year’s Manx Grand Prix will be no exception with the Manx-based team set to run newcomer Frankie Stennett in the Mylchreests Group Senior Race whilst also supporting Rhys Hardisty in the RST Classic Superbike race.

Formed in 2009 by a group of road race enthusiasts, spearheaded by Mark Cubbon, the team is focused on supporting up and coming riders and newcomers. Their two main objectives are to support newcomers and inexperienced riders at the TT, Southern 100 and Manx GP with financial backing and team infrastructure and to welcome racing fans to become more actively involved with a team and feel part of the TT experience.

Rhys Hardisty rode in the 2022 Isle of Man TT Races supported by The People's Bike

Cubbon has more than 25 years’ experience in international karting, rallying and motorcycle racing and founded The People’s Bike team because of his passion for motorsport and his desire to assist up and coming racers.

Wife Janet joined the team in 2012 and takes care of all the administrative duties whilst the highly experienced Paul Thompson, currently working for Leon Haslam’s Completely Motorbikes/Affinity Kawasaki Academy, provides technical support and advice to all of the team’s riders.

Steve Mercer was the first rider to ride for The People’s Bike team when he made his Isle of Man TT debut in 2009 and the team have subsequently provided the road racing platform on the Mountain Course to Stephen Thompson, Dan Hegarty, Alan Bonner, Seamus Elliott, Tom Weeden, Paul Jordan, David Jackson, Rhys Hardisty, Matt Stevenson and Stephen Parsons.

Rising star Frankie Stennett made his TT Mountain Course debut thanks to The People's Bike.

2022 saw Jonathan Perry, Parsons and Hardisty receive support at the TT with the latter named being joined by Stennett at the Manx GP. Hardisty will campaign a 500cc Suzuki in the Classic Superbike race with Stennett making his debut around the 37.73-mile Mountain Course on a Kawasaki in the four-lap Senior race.

Stennett is the team’s ‘Rising Star’ in 2022, the project having been introduced in 2017 with the aim of taking a newcomer rider, or a rider with little experience of the Mountain Course, and providing them with support, guidance and stability during the Manx GP.  This in turn enables them to learn the course, improve their riding skills and self-confidence and ultimately raise their personal profile within the race paddock. 

For the selected rider. it is a maximum three-year programme for the Manx GP, guiding them through their newcomer year and helping them progress with the continued support and stability of the team through to the third and final year. Having already competed successfully at the Southern 100, Stennett will now be aiming to take full advantage of the team’s wealth of knowledge and make his mark at the Manx.

Follow Stennett and Hardisty's progress at this year's Manx Grand Prix by subscribing to the Live Timing Service or listen to the live coverage of every qualifying session and race day on the Manx Radio.