Twin motorcycling champions stay true to farming roots

• Twins Tim and Tom Neave pledge to stay involved with farming despite motorcycling success

• Sponsorship from New Holland and Lincolnshire Motors vital to racing success

Advertisement

Lincolnshire twins, who are preparing to compete in the National Superstock 600 Championships, say farming will always be part of their life despite their main passion being motorbikes, saying: “We would always want to stay involved in the farm, even if biking is something we can do as professionals.”

Tim and Tom Neave, 20-year-olds from Saxby, have been involved in their fifth-generation family farm for as long as they can remember but bikes started to take over as a new passion when they were just nine.

Since then Tim has beaten the best to become Dirt Track Riders Association’s British Flattrack Champion and they have both earned the title of Junior Flattrack Champion. Thanks to the sponsorship support of their local New Holland dealer Lincolnshire Motors, they are now hoping to further their career on the tarmac swapping their single-cylinder dirt bikes for 600cc road bikes.

“Our obsession started when we were nine years old, after our grandfather bought us a quad bike. We got into dirt bikes seriously when we were 13”, says Tim. “We’ve always been involved in farming, riding around in tractors, and then working on the farm full-time. We took three weeks off the bikes this year to make sure we were there for harvest but 2016 will have to be a bit different. Now that we’re competing in the British champs, we’re not going to be missing any races.”

With round one of the National Super Stock 600 taking place at Silverstone in April, the twins are already preparing to find farm-cover for one of the race meetings which will clash with some of their farm work.

Living the dream

“It definitely helps being active and being outdoors all the time,” says Tom. “Working on the farm means I earn money to go racing but I also enjoy watching the farm do well. We take pride in our work. It keeps us grounded as well. I wouldn’t want it any differently. I am living the dream really.”

The twins admit that their ultimate dream would be to race self-funded but they know they can get a lot further thanks to the sponsorship from New Holland and Lincolnshire Motors – their local agricultural machinery dealer, based in Louth.

“The sponsorship has 100% made a difference. When New Holland and Lincolnshire Motors came on board, it allowed us extra track time and to get more races in. The more track time we get, the more confidence we get which makes a real difference. It was really good having their input this year and hopefully next year will be perfect”, says Tim.

Jon Plaskitt, Sales Manager at Lincolnshire Motors which will be celebrating 100 years as a New Holland dealer in 2019, said he approached New Holland to join him in supporting the bikers after he saw how much passion they had.

“My hobby is motorsport”, confesses Jon. “I met the twins when their dad bought a New Holland combine harvester from us and it just progressed from there. The first time I saw them I could see there was something special, but they needed funds. Both of them are very talented boys. They present themselves well and are down to earth, normal lads who will do well. I can see their talent and I think other people can too. I’m looking forward to next season.”

Farming for life

Tim and Tom Neave both work full-time on their family farm, J Neave (Saxby) Ltd, based in Saxby, Lincolnshire.

They currently farm some 2,500 acres: a mix of both arable crops and livestock. With 200 Aberdeen Angus cattle on around 150 acres of grassland, the rest of the farm is devoted to wheat, oilseed rape, barley, sugar beet, rye and maize.

At this time of year the twins’ main job is feeding the cows which have been brought in for calving, but apart from driving the combine, there is no job they don’t get involved in. The farm also boasts an impressive fleet of machinery, including a New Holland CR 9.80 combine.

On top of the farm work and the National Superstock 600 Championships, the twins’ plans also involve continuing to compete in the British Flattrack Championships.

“The racing has been a really good grounding for both of us”, says Tim. “We do most of the work on the bikes ourselves and spend a lot of time in the workshop. We will be as prepared as ever next year. We have learnt a lot and everything is looking good at the moment.

“Even if biking is something we can do as professionals I will always be involved in farming and our farm for the rest of my life. I’m not going to be racing when I’m 60.”

Andrew Watson, Business Director at New Holland, adds, “We’re delighted to continue our sponsorship of Tim and Tom. It is really uplifting to see such a great pair of young men with such a passion and we are proud to know our support has given them the confidence boost which might be the edge they need in 2016.”