“We saw a chance and took it” says Mike Grainger, of GT Motorcycles. “Our rider Geoff Johnson was reckoned to be one of the best riders of the time racing production bikes, so we taped over the indicator lenses, took the main stand off for more ground clearance and did any modifications that were allowed under the rules”.
Mike’s gamble paid off as Johnson ran a faultless race and played a part in creating a chapter in Ninja history that now stretches across a quarter of a centaury. Paying homage to that heritage, Grainger has been persuaded to bring the actual race winning bike out of his private collection and prepare it for an emotional series of parade laps at Brands Hatch on August 8 and 9. For such a significant occasion only a TT rider would be appropriate.
As one of only a handful of riders that have lapped the TT course at an amazing average of 130mph, Conor Cummins has been selected to pilot this priceless piece of Kawasaki Ninja history. Normally astride his McAdoo Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R, Manx born and bred Cummins is relishing the prospect.
“I know how hard it is to try and win a TT and that’s on a bike that has been built just for the TT course. To last the distance and win on a bike that you could have bought in any motorcycle shop shows just how right the Ninja was right from the start”.
