02/19/2025
Mick Grant, the British motorcycle racer, won seven Isle of Man TT races during the 1970s and 1980s. In 1982, he rode the Suzuki XR69, a race bike developed by Suzuki and tuner Pops Yoshimura to compete against Honda’s four-stroke machines. The XR69 featured a 1,000cc air-cooled four-cylinder engine from the GS1000, housed in a chrome-moly steel frame with Grand Prix-spec suspension.
Grant achieved notable successes with the XR69, winning the 1982 North West 200 and setting a lap record at Donington Park. He also secured second-place finishes at the Isle of Man TT and the Macau Grand Prix. Upon retiring in 1985, Suzuki gifted him his XR69, which remained in its original racing condition, featuring a dry clutch, magnesium carburetors, billet forks, and twin spark plugs.
In 2021, Grant decided to auction the historic bike, offering collectors a rare opportunity to own a piece of racing history. He even promised to sign the fuel tank and include a set of his racing leathers. His legacy with the XR69 remains a testament to both his skill and the engineering excellence of Suzuki’s iconic race machine
