Colin Appleyard Motorcycles is the country's number one motor bike dealer.

The Keighley and Leeds-based dealership scooped the prestigious Motorcycle News dealer of the year award at a gala dinner held at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London.

The awards are organised every year and the ceremony was attended by top names in the industry, including designers, manufacturers, race riders and dealers.

Colin Appleyard, left, received the award from Adam Duckworth, editor of Motorcycle News, who co-hosted the evening with Steve Rider from BBC TV's Grandstand.

He paid tribute to the company's commitment to customer care, and described the dealership as offering the best in terms of range and quality of service.

Representatives of Motorcycle News had anonymously visited the Keighley and Leeds showrooms on a number of occasions to put the Colin Appleyard staff to the test.

A delighted Robin Appleyard, who manages the Leeds operation, says: 'When you consider there are over 2,500 motorcycle dealers in the UK, to be picked as number one is a major achievement.

'I see this as a just reward for my father, for all the hard work he has put in, not just building a successful business but behind the scenes, promoting the cause of biking and ensuring our customers get the very best service.'

Colin himself says: 'I'd like to thank all our hard-working staff who have made this award possible. We've certainly something to live up to now!'

CAPTION

Number one .... Keighley motorcycle dealer Colin Appleyard, left, receives his UK dealer of the year award from Motorcycle News editor Adam Duckworth

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.