Many of the top names associated with road racing for the past 50 years will be on the Island for the Parade of Champions on Friday, June 8.

Heading the list will be iconic riders such as 15 times world champion Giacomo Agostini, fellow world champions Geoff Duke OBE, John Surtees MBE, Jim Redman MBE, Phil Read MBE, Carl Fogarty MBE, Kel Carruthers, Dieter Braun and Italian great Carlo Ubbiali.

Ex-TT winners like Rod Coleman, fellow New Zealanders Graeme Crosby and Dennis Ireland, Phillip McCallen, Stuart Graham, Mick Grant, Roger Burnett, Ron Haslam, Robert Dunlop, Mitsuo Itoh, Dave Leach, Chas Mortimer, Brian Reid, Barry Smith, Ian Simpson and Charlie Williams will also feature prominently in the parades.

Other solo riders set to appear at various stages over race week include Michelle Duff, Iain Duffus, Marc Flynn, Alan Jackson, Nick Jefferies, John Kidson, Ray Knight, Jan Kostwinder, Brian Morrison, Mat Oxley, Steve Parrish, Frank Perris, Richard Quayle, Johnny Rea, Tommy Robb, Heinz Rosner, Frank Whiteway, Barry Woodland and Stan Woods, with many more to be added.

Top sidecar names from yesteryear and the present will also be included, such as 10-times world champion Steve Webster, four-times world champion Max Deubel, the first sidecar driver to lap the Mountain Course at 100mph Dick Greasley, Geoff Bell, Mick Boddice, 10-times winner Rob Fisher, Trevor Ireson, Nigel Rollason and outright lap record holder Dave Molyneux, who will have George O'Dell's former passenger Kenny Arthur in the chair of his 750 O'Dell replica Windle Yamaha.

The above will be appearing throughout race week and many of them will relive their golden days as they take to the Mountain Course once more.

They will be riding legendary machines from Honda, Yamaha, MV Agusta, Suzuki, Benelli, Kawasaki, Norton and BMW, some aboard the machines that gave them some of their finest days.

Never before has such an array of world class stars been assembled on the Isle of Man.

One additional name of interest is Suzuki legend Kevin Schwantz, the 1993 World 500cc Grand Prix Champion who never rode the TT but who has visited the Island before socially.

With a hectic week of events organised by Suzuki GB for customers and dealers, Kevin will join in on the many Suzuki themed activities across the Island throughout race week as well as the TT Centenary dinner on June 7.

Joining him will be Mitsui Itoh, the only Japanese rider to win a TT, who will ride the 50cc Suzuki which carried him to that victory in 1963.

The major events where the personalities will be appearing are: 1907 TT Re-enactment, St John's Course — Monday, June 28; TT Concours D'Elegance, Castletown Square — Mad Sunday, June 3; TT Centenary Parade, Snaefell Mountain Course — June 4; TT Day of Champions, TT Grandstand — Thursday, June 7; TT Centenary Dinner, Villa Marina — June 7; TT Parade of Champions, Mountain Course — Friday, June 8.

Most of the activity will be centred around the Grandstand and the paddock giving members of the public the opportunity to get close to their heroes and meet some of the most successful men in motorcycling history.

It promises to be a memorable fortnight for two and three-wheel enthusiasts.