Michael Grant (born 10 July 1944) is an English former professional motorcycle road racer and TT rider. A works-supported rider for Norton, Kawasaki, Honda and Suzuki, he is a seven-time winner of the Isle of Man TT motorcycle race on various makes, including 'Slippery Sam', a three-cylinder Triumph Trident.Mick Grant career profile at the Isle of Man TT web site The son of a coal miner, the soft-spoken, down-to-earth Yorkshireman from Wakefield, was a sharp contrast to the brash, playboy image presented by Londoner Barry Sheene during the 1970s.

Race career Grant began his racing career as a privateer, entering his first Manx Grand Prix in 1969 on a Velocette 500 cc, and his first TT in the following year, again using the Velocette and placing 18th in the Junior (350 cc) class on a Lee-sponsored Yamaha TD2. TT Official site, Mick Grant TT and MGP results. Retrieved 14 February 2014. Silverstone GP programme 1975, competitor profile by MCN's Norrie Whyte. Retrieved 14 February 2014

Later supported by businesses including Clive Padgett, heading Padgetts of Batley, on TD2 250 cc and TR2 350 cc Yamahas, and Brian Davidson of John Davidson Group on TZ Yamahas,Motorcycle Mechanics, November 1973, p.56/57. Mick's Giant Killer. Yamaha TZ350 track impressions by Charles Deane. "...Mick Grant kindly brought his race wagon complete with a brace of Yamahas to Snetterton..." "You'll find she's much more flexible than the two-fifty...". Accessed 25 July 2013 Grant was equally versatile on either two- or four-stroke machines.

Grant quickly became a works Norton rider alongside Peter Williams and Phil Read, part of the first Norton factory team since the Norton race-shop was disbanded in 1962, headed by ex-racer Frank Perris.Motorcycle Mechanics, March 1972, p.26. Frank Perris interview Accessed 14 February 2014 In 1972, he teamed with Dave Croxford to win the Thruxton 500 endurance race on a 745 cc Norton Commando, Southampton and District Motor Cycle Club Thruxton 500 Race Results Retrieved 1 January 2014 and finished second to Williams in the 1973 F750 TT. IOM TT Database 1973 F750 TT race results Retrieved 1 January 2014Motorcycle Mechanics, December 1974, centrepage MCM Superstars Mick Grant. "Kawasaki's No,1 rider of the Boyer prepared 750H2R, he regularly storms to success on the John Davidson Yamahas in the 250 and 350 classes...Mick Grant must make an even greater impact for Kawasaki next year". Accessed 1 January 2014

In late 1974, Grant was the chosen rider for the then-new, UK-based Boyer Kawasaki Racing Team, based on two air-cooled triples. Stan Shenton, head of motorcycle business Boyer of Bromley, previously having a long background of racing Triumphs, was Team principal. They were one of a selected network of regional Kawasaki dealers, part of a controlled expansion and roll-out to establish a UK dealer-network. As part of the development process, Grant's racing included Ontario, California in late 1974.Inside the Hundred-Horsepower Race Teams, Bike, October 1975 pp.32-39 by Jim Greening. Accessed 21 May 2016

In 1975, Grant completed the first-ever 120 mph lap of the North West 200 circuit. Also in 1975, it was Grant who finally broke Mike Hailwood's absolute TT lap record for the Isle of Man Snaefell mountain course, set in 1967 on a 500 Honda, raising the average-speed of one lap to 109.82 mph on a Kawasaki KR750 two-stroke triple entered by the Boyer team and Stan Shenton. TT Official site, 1975 races overview. Retrieved 21 July 2013. Although Grant failed to finish the race, retiring at the Gooseneck with a broken chain caused by a mis-aligned rear wheel spindle,TT '78 A Motorcycle News Special. p.42, section writer Peter Howdle. Accessed 25 May 2016 he won the 500 cc Senior TT race. TT Official site, 1975 Senior race result. Retrieved 21 May 2016. In 1977, Grant raised the lap record to 112.77 mph, again on a 750 cc Kawasaki.

Grant raced in the Grand Prix motorcycle racing circuit in 1977 for the Kawasaki factory team alongside teammate Barry Ditchburn and the following year with Kork Ballington and Gregg Hansford.Mick Grant career statistics at MotoGP.com In 1979, Honda chose Grant to help develop their exotic oval-cylindered NR500, unfortunately with disappointing results.Mick Grant at world.honda.com Grant also won the Macau Grand Prix in 1977 on the Kawasaki KR750 and again in 1984, riding a Heron-Suzuki.

Grant usually raced with number 10 and carried the initials JL on his helmet, even after retirement from competition, as a tribute to his early sponsor – mechanic, fabricator and frame-builder Jim Lee of the 'Dalesman' marque.Motor Cycle 19 August 1966, p.207 Orpin's latest flyer by David J Dixon. "The new frame, built specially for Peter Williams by ace welder Jim Lee of Leeds..." Accessed and added 26 December 2014Dalesman Retrieved 27 December 2014

Grand Prix motorcycle racing results

Points system from 1969 onwards: Position 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Points 15 12 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Class Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Points Rank Wins1970 350cc Yamaha GER- YUG- IOM18 NED- DDR- CZE- FIN- ULS- NAT- ESP- 0 – 0 500cc Velocette GER- FRA- YUG- IOMNC NED- BEL- DDR- FIN- ULS- NAT- ESP- 0 – 0 1971 350cc Yamaha AUT- GER- IOM7 NED- DDR- CZE- SWE- FIN- ULS- NAT- ESP- 4 36th 01972 250cc Yamaha GER- FRA- AUT- NAT- IOMNC YUG- NED- BEL- DDR- CZE- SWE- FIN- ESP- 0 – 0 350cc Yamaha GER- FRA- AUT- NAT- IOM3 YUG- NED- DDR- CZE- SWE- FIN- ESP- 10 17th 0 500cc Kawasaki GER- FRA- AUT- NAT- IOM3 YUG- NED- BEL- DDR- CZE- SWE- FIN- ESP- 10 17th 01973 250cc Yamaha FRA- AUT- GER10 IOM- YUG- NED4 BEL- CZE- SWE- FIN- ESP- 9 23rd 0 350cc Yamaha FRA- AUT- GER- NAT9 IOMNC YUG- NED9 CZE- SWE6 FIN- ESP- 9 22nd 0 500cc Yamaha FRA- AUT- GER- IOMNC YUG- NED- BEL- CZE- SWE- FIN- ESP- 0 – 01974 250cc Yamaha GER- NAT- IOM2 NED10 BEL- SWE6 FIN- CZE- YUG- ESP- 18 10th 0 350cc Yamaha FRA- GER- AUT- NAT- IOM2 NED- SWE5 FIN- YUG- ESP- 18 11th 0 500cc Yamaha FRA- GER- AUT- NAT- IOMNC NED- BEL- SWE- FIN- CZE- 0 – 01975 250cc Kawasaki FRA- ESP- GER- NAT- IOMNC NED- BEL- SWE- FIN- CZE- YUG- 0 – 0 500cc Kawasaki FRA- ESP- AUT- GER- NAT- IOM1 NED- BEL- SWE- FIN- CZE- YUG- 15 14th 1 1976 500cc Kawasaki FRA- AUT- NAT- IOMNC NED- BEL- SWE- FIN- CZE- GER- 0 – 0 1977 250cc Kawasaki VEN- GER- NAT- ESP- FRA- YUG- NED1 BEL14 SWE1 FIN2 CZE- GBR- 42 8th 21978 250cc Kawasaki VEN- ESP6 FRA- NAT- NED- BEL- SWE- FIN7 GBR4 GER- CZE- YUG- 17 14th 0 350cc Kawasaki VEN- AUT- FRA- NAT- NED7 SWE9 FIN- GBR3 GER- CZE- YUG- 16 14th 01979500cc Suzuki VEN- AUT10 GER- NAT- ESP- YUG- NED- BEL- SWE- FIN- 135th0 Honda GBRNC FRA- 1984 500cc Suzuki RSA- NAT- ESP- AUT- GER- FRA- YUG- NED- BEL- GBR17 SWE- RSM- 0 – 0

References

Bibliography