Double former TT winner Steve Plater will parade an authentic works six-cylinder 250cc Honda in next month’s Classic TT.

The bike, one of the most iconic in road racing history, is the only surviving RC165 in the world.

Owned by American collector Rob Iannucci of Team Obsolete, the bike was first raced by Jim Redman, then by Stuart Graham before Mike Hailwood took it to victory in the 1966 Czechoslovakian Grand Prix.

The Snaefell Mountain Course will reverberate to one of the most distinctive racing sounds from the 1960s during a demonstration lap on Monday, August 28, day two of this year’s Classic TT meeting sponsored by Bennetts.

The ’six’ was one of the most interesting and most technically advanced racing motorcycles of its time and was built to put a stop to the run of victories for the 250cc Yamaha which, in the hands of Phil Read, won the 1964 and 1965 250cc World Championships.

Although the 250cc Honda six did not win the championship in 1965, it was able to put up a competitive fight against the two-cylinder Yamaha, ridden by Read and Mike Duff.

Redman won the 250cc TT that year for the fourth time in a row.

Ex-factory Honda rider Plater, winner of the 2009 Senior TT and current presenter on the TT and Classic TT ITV4 highlights programmes, will hopefully complete the demonstration lap ahead of the Motorsport Merchandise Superbike Classic TT race.

The Honda six will also appear at Vintage MCC’s Festival of Jurby on the Sunday for some shakedown laps with Dave Roper, winner of the 1984 Senior Classic TT, at the controls.

Jim Redman and Stuart Graham will attend the Classic TT to talk about their experiences with the bikes.

ITV4 will feature the Honda six in a highlights programme with Plater, as expected, embracing the Classic TT spirit by riding in replica leathers and helmet, evoking memories of the machine’s 1960s heyday.

Team Obsolete has supported the Classic TT with a series of iconic bikes since the event was established in 2013.

’The Classic TT has emerged as the crown jewel of classic motorcycle sport worldwide,’ said Iannucci. ’We are honoured to have received an invitation every year since its inception to share our historic bikes with our friends. All of us come because we must.

’Regardless of where we hail from, we are all drawn to something very special. We all know that we belong here. We see it in each other’s faces and we feel it in our bones.’

Steve Plater added: ’It is an honour to have been asked to ride of the most iconic and technically ground-breaking motorcycles ever built on the most famous race circuit in the world.

’Whenever a bike like this gets demonstrated at other events, it is normally over a very short run, so you have to admire the ambition of Robert Iannucci and Team Obsolete in making this happen for a full lap of the Mountain Course.

’I’m sure the fans coming to this year’s event are in for an assault on their senses when this bike comes past!’