Frank Perris facts for kids

Frank Perris (born May 28, 1931 – died March 17, 2015) was a super fast Canadian motorcycle racer. He was known for racing in Grand Prix events and the famous Isle of Man TT. The Suzuki team noticed his talent in 1961.

He became a Suzuki factory rider from 1962 to 1966. His best year was 1965, when he won two big 125cc races. He finished second in the world championship that year. Later, he helped run the Norton-Villiers motorcycle racing team.

Starting His Racing Journey

Frank Perris moved to England with his family in 1938. He started riding motorcycles on roads in 1948. His first bike was a very old 1914 Douglas. Then he bought a 1934 BSA Blue Star and joined the Chester Motor Club.

First Races and TT Dreams

In 1949, Frank visited the Isle of Man TT races. He was so inspired that he decided to become a racer. For 1950, he sold his BSA Blue Star. He bought two older bikes: a 1934 250cc Velocette MOV and a 1931 Norton International.

He changed these bikes to make them ready for racing. His first race was at the Antelope track in North Wales. He crashed his Velocette but was not hurt. He still finished the 500cc race on his Norton.

Gaining Experience

For the 1951 season, Frank got a Velocette KTT. He rode at many different tracks to get more experience. He entered his first TT race that year. He also got a sponsored bike, an OK-Supreme, from the father of fellow racer Bill Smith.

In 1952, he finished 18th in the TT. To get even more experience, Frank traveled around Europe for five weeks. He rode his KTT Velocette from race to race, competing in four events.

New Bikes and Big Wins

In 1953, Frank sold his old bikes. He bought a new Triumph Grand Prix. He won his first race with this bike at Brands Hatch. As he got better, he started working with top bike tuners and teams.

Frank was chosen for the factory AJS team in 1955. He had a contract for 1956, but then British motorcycle makers stopped their racing programs. For five years, Frank rode Manx Norton bikes. He finished third in the 500cc World Championship in 1961.

Racing for Suzuki

Frank's big chance came in 1962. Because of his third-place finish in 1961, the Suzuki team noticed him. He became a factory rider for Suzuki for five years. He raced for them until the Japanese manufacturers stopped their racing efforts after 1966.

Life After Suzuki

After 1966, Frank retired from racing for a bit. He moved to South Africa and ran a business for two years. But he missed racing! He came back to England and raced in the 1968 TT. He rode Suzukis for Eddie Crooks and again for part of 1969.

In 1971, Frank got a new Yamaha TD2 bike. He also rode a Suzuki Daytona 500. On the Suzuki, he earned third place at the 1971 TT.

Leading the Norton Team

In 1972, Frank met Dennis Poore, the head of Norton. He was offered a job as the Competitions Manager for Norton-Villiers. This meant he would run the new Norton road race team. It was the first time in ten years that Norton had a factory racing team.

Frank had to build the team from scratch. He hired famous riders like Peter Williams, Phil Read, Mick Grant, and Dave Croxford. The team had some good successes. However, Norton-Villiers faced financial problems in 1974.

His Final Years

Frank Perris passed away on March 17, 2015. He was 83 years old. His daughter said he had been ill for a long time. His funeral was held on April 1, 2015, on the Isle of Wight.