The machines - a 1993 RS 250 Honda and a 1992 YZR500 - are authentic machines. Their parts are entirely original.
“I bought the YZR off Yamaha in 1995 and we ran at Suzuka and it ended up finished 8th, which was ahead of the factory Yamahas.”
But running period machines isn’t easy. “It is a challenge to keep them running because they are old but they are, at the end of the day, proper racing bikes.”
Padgetts are on something of a high after the Ulster GP, where the team had the most podium finishes of all the teams. “We had Conor Cummins, Bruce Anstey and Lee Johnston. And they all finished on podiums. Lee joked that we had the ‘oldest, the tallest and the smallest.”
So what’s the secret to this racing bunch from Batley?
“I think it’s because we’re a bunch of professionals who happen to be mates as well who enjoy going racing. Four of our team members are former TT racers, which means that - with the riders - we have seven racers on the team. Everyone on our team is passionate and we’ve worked with the same people for a long, long time. And I think that has a lot to do with it.”
Between now and the Classic, Clive will no doubt be counting down the ‘sleeps’ before the first qualifying session. Just like a kid before Christmas.