The long established Ulster Motorcycle Show is being held at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast for the first time.

The event, which is to be staged from 27 February to 1 march 2002 is being sponsored also for the first time by Open+Direct which has enabled the event to be held at the bigger venue.

Billy Nutt of Nutt Promotions said the support of Open+Direct was "great news for motorcycling".

The event has experienced outstanding growth since its inception. Continued annual expansion meant that the event has had to move to St. George's Market, to the Antrim Forum and now the Odyssey Arena in order to accommodate rising attendance numbers and exhibitors.

Every year, Nutt Promotions puts the profits made from the show back into the local motorcycle scene. Last year, profits totalling more than £20,000 were given to the Enkalon Motorcycle Club who then distributed the funds to different facets of the sport.

Joe Doyle, Managing Director of Insurance Services at Open+Direct said: "We are delighted to get involved with this fantastic event as it comes to the Odyssey Arena for the first time."

Sam Cathcart, Insurer Relations Director at Open+Direct said: "Being the largest motorcycle insurance broker in Northern Ireland we are very proud to be the title sponsors of Ulster's number one motorcycle event.

"Northern Ireland is a recognised location for many prestigious motorcycle events such as the North West 200 and more recently the UK Supercross, which Open+Direct also sponsored. The Ulster Motorcycle show is an another important event that bike fans from all around the UK and the Republic of Ireland can support."