1967 Suzuki TR250 Geoff Perry Race Motorcycle

Description

New Zealand’s extremely popular motorcycle rider Geoff Perry was the son of Kiwi legend Len Perry, the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy racer, winner of 48 national titles.

During the early 1970s Geoff Perry enjoyed sparkling success riding an Air New Zealand-sponsored Suzuki. He first appeared at Oran Park in December of 1971, fiercely battling with World Champion Giacomo Agostini. In 1972 he joined the United States Team Suzuki as works rider to race in the AMA series in America. Perry gained the ride after leading the 200 Miles of Daytona for most of the race on a private entry.

Geoff Perry lost his life in a plane crash, at the age of only 23. He was killed en route to Laguna Seca for a Champion Sparkplug Classic event, when the Pan-Am Boeing 707 he was travelling in crashed soon after take-off from Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia, in July of 1973, killing all 78 passengers on board. Ironically, the name of the plane was Wing Clipped Racer.

Perry worked as an apprentice aircraft engineer with Air New Zealand. He usually flew with this company, but for his last trip to America he decided to switch to another airline for a change. It happened because his mechanic Mike Sinclair couldn't get a seat on the same aircraft, so they booked with Pan-Am.

At the time Geoff Perry was considered one of the best riders of his country and rated among the top six in the world. He had been widely tipped for success in both the United States and Europe.

Several months after his death, it was reported that the Suzuki TR500 owned by Geoff Perry was ridden by Cal Rayborn, who was killed during a New Zealand Motorcycle Road Race Series event at Pukekohe, New Zealand, on Saturday 29 December 1973.

The Suzuki TR250 was powerd by an air-cooled, parallel twin cylinder, two-stroke engine with a pair of Mikuni VM29 carburettors. It produced 35 brake horsepower at 9000rpm.