Thunderbike debut as fast-growing Scottish hi-fi brand Fyne Audio takes to the racetrack

Fast-growing Scottish hi-fi brand Fyne Audio is backing a motorcycle racing championship that its sales director is also set to participate in.

The loudspeaker designer and manufacturer, which recently opened an enlarged production and warehousing facility in the Bellshill area, has become an official sponsor of the British Motorcycle Racing Club Thunderbike 500 Racing Championship for the 2025 season. In an exciting twist, the audio company’s sales director, Max Maud, will take to the track as a competitor in the adrenaline-fuelled racing series.

The sponsorship marks Fyne Audio’s first significant foray into sports partnerships. The firm has experienced strong growth since its launch in 2017, building up export sales across Europe, Asia and the Americas and attracting a string of awards. It has developed its premium loudspeaker ranges around its innovative point-source “IsoFlare” driver technology and holds several technical patents in audio engineering, including for its BassTrax porting system.

Fyne Audio sales director Max Maud (pictured, number 88), will be racing the championship on a Honda CB500.

Maud said: “At Fyne Audio, we believe in delivering exceptional experiences, whether through sound or supporting exciting initiatives like the Honda CB500 Championship. Motorcycle racing embodies passion, precision and performance - values that align perfectly with our brand ethos. As both a sponsor and a competitor, I’m thrilled to be part of this incredible series.”

Open to amateur and seasoned racers alike, the championship showcases the talent and tenacity of riders aboard 500cc motorcycles. The British Motorcycle Racing Club and its events have given some of the UK’s most notable motorcycling heroes a start on the track, including Moto GP world champion Casey Stoner and World Superbike champion Carl Fogarty.

The 2025 season will take in some of the UK’s most iconic racing circuits, including Brands Hatch and Oulton Park, with the season finale at Donington Park.

Fyne Audio’s recently opened site close to Glasgow spans nearly 50,000 square feet with more than 20,000 square feet of working space, including dedicated warehousing, manufacturing and engineering facilities - with room to expand further. The move represents a substantial investment and brings many of the company’s loudspeaker production processes under a single roof, from design and engineering to assembly and testing, allowing for greater efficiency and control over quality, bosses said.

Forget whisky and shortbread, Scotland should also be known for making world-class hi-fi