Iron Maiden fans who will be attending the rock band’s UK tour have the chance to wear T-shirts that feature the Isle of Man TT races and Peter Hickman’s Supersport Triumph.
The artwork shows the band’s mascot Eddie onboard Hickman’s Trooper Triumph and there is an airship bearing the TT logo and giving the dates for this year’s festival.
Hickman got a call from the band asking him what his bike design would be for 2017, and he got the exclusive that his Triumph would feature on the official tour shirt. The MCE British Superbike rider finished fourth in last year’s Superbike TT and will compete this year on the Trooper Triumph, sponsored by the band’s iconic beer.
Hickman will compete in both the North West 200 and at the TT in the Superbike, Superstock and Supersport class. In addition he will also ride in the lightweight class too. He also hopes to undertake some tests onboard the Smiths Triumph before the TT gets underway.
“They asked me what the bike design would be this year and they have a UK tour and we are on a British bike this year running the Triumph and they are quite keen with that. A couple of weeks later they said it would be on the tour T-shirt, and they love the TT too, and they sent me the design,” said Hickman, speaking to bikesportnews.com.
“Iron Maiden own a beer brand called Trooper and that is what they are sponsoring me with, and the band have a say what goes on and it is really good. Bruce the lead singer is really into it and loves the TT.
“I don’t really know when we are going to test the Triumph. It is not a massive thing - Smiths have run a Triumph at the roads before at the North West and TT, and last year I didn’t even sit on my Supersport bike before the North West and I ended up on the podium. It is not necessarily a big deal, it would be nice if we could get a few laps on it before we go - but its not the be all and end all.
“I will be riding, Superbike and Superstock for Smiths on the S1000RR - Supersport will be the Trooper Triumph, and that will be all for the North West and TT but the extra will be the lightweight bike for Ryan Farquhar at the TT.”
