Brian Higgins is the new Chairman and John Collins the new Vice Chairman of the ACU after being appointed by the Board of Directors earlier this week.

Both Higgins and Collins will lead the ACU for three years commencing from 1st January 2011, in what is widely anticipated to be a forward thinking partnership to help motorcycle racing grow and expand against a difficult financial and economic backdrop.

Higgins moves from being Vice Chairman into the Chairman's position and is one of the most widely respected members of the ACU. He has an excellent grounding in bike sport being a Trials and Enduro competitor and has a keen understanding of the commercial requirements to operate events successfully. He takes over from Jim Parker who has stepped down from the Chairman's role and will now concentrate on his position as Managing Director of ACU Events Ltd.

Higgins has organised many motocross events through his club – West Devon MCC - and for the last four years has been the Series Manager for the MAXXIS ACU British Motocross Championship, viewed by many as one of the best domestic Motocross Championships in the world. Higgins has been Chairman of the Motocross Committee for three years and runs a successful vehicle hire company in Tavistock, Devon.

He said: "Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the contribution and progress Jim Parker as Chairman has made in the past seven years of moving the ACU into the 21st century. My aim, together with the rest of the Directors, will be to maintain this progress and ensure our grass roots sport is able to survive in these difficult times and, together with our clubs, move forward with value for money events in the future.

"I shall expand my knowledge of off road events further by supporting some more Trials, Enduros and Track Racing this year and visit as many Road Race events as possible, which will be a vast learning curve for me. However, I believe the ACU Road Racing is in very good hands with some very professional Promoters and Clubs and I do not wish to interfere in this. Behind the scenes there is much to do over the next few months and I am looking forward to the challenge."

New Vice Chairman Collins is another enthusiastic Trials and Enduro competitor. An ex school teacher, Collins has his own motorcycle shop in Port Talbot, Wales. He was the West South Wales Centre Secretary for over 20 years and has been Chairman of the Trials & Enduro Committee for 10 years.

Collins has just been appointed onto the FIM Enduro Commission in the recent restructuring of the FIM and officiates and plays a key role in the organisation of all major British Championships in Trials and Enduro events.

Collins said: "My role is to work with the new Chairman, assist him and do what I can to promote motorcycle sport. I think we've made progress under Jim's Chairmanship and we now want to carry on with the work he started.

"I would hope my experience as Chairman of the Welsh Federation and Secretary of my Centre for many years will help me to be the interface between the Centres/Clubs and the new commercial people involved in our sport. As a rider in Trials and Enduro events I will also keep close to the grass roots and continue to understand what it is our riders want from their sport and the ACU."