You’ll know the name from Mortgages and Real estate but today he’s here as Mike Pero motorcycle racer. Mike calls himself a blast from the past. Young Mike was first a New Zealand Road Race Champion at the age of 17. He won six NZ Championships including the 350cc and 500cc racing classes in the 1980s. Mike set a NZ land speed record for 350cc machines, which still stands today and he is the only New Zealand rider to ever win four New Zealand Grand Prix titles on four different machines in one day. Mike is riding a Yamaha TZ250W which is a two stroke factory-built Grand Prix machine from the late 1980s. In the past three years Mike has competed at half a dozen classic meetings both here and in Australia. As he said he’s 30 years later and just out for a Sunday ride today.

Mike Pero - 1989 Yamaha TZ250W

You’ll know the name from Mortgages and Real estate but today he’s here as Mike Pero motorcycle racer. Mike calls himself a blast from the past. Young Mike was first a New Zealand Road Race Champion at the age of 17. He won six NZ Championships including the 350cc and 500cc racing classes in the 1980s. Mike set a NZ land speed record for 350cc machines, which still stands today and he is the only New Zealand rider to ever win four New Zealand Grand Prix titles on four different machines in one day. Mike is riding a Yamaha TZ250W which is a two stroke factory-built Grand Prix machine from the late 1980s. In the past three years Mike has competed at half a dozen classic meetings both here and in Australia. As he said he’s 30 years later and just out for a Sunday ride today.

1989 Yamaha TZ250W:

Owned by Rod Price of Helicraft Helicopters, of Wanaka, this Yamaha TZ250W was restored in 2014 by Rod and Mike for Mike to compete in a Melbourne event in January 2015. The machine finished third equal over the weekend. Since then Mike has piloted the bike three times and this weekend is one of his favourite events. The high gearing of a TZ Grand Prix machine does not ideally suit the hill climb here but it certainly sounds different to most competitors with the high pitch note of a two stroke. It is a 250cc factory-built road racer with reverse cylinders, power valves and it is capable of 230kph. This motorbike was one of the most popular Grand Prix contenders of its time and is still considered one of the very best handling 250cc speed machines of its day.