90s championship racer from Lincolnshire reveals why he can’t sell his prize-winning motorbike

Dean Williamson first got him Suzuki in 1986, and he immediately took it to a drag strip for fun with his mates. This passion for his bike would then progress.

He had learned how to ride motorbikes with his older brother, Martin before he was even old enough to get his licence. The Suzuki was one of many bikes and, at first, he just used it as a run-around while he made adjustments to it.

“It was amazing. I’d never ridden anything like it. So fast, so light as well – and it still is now for an 1100 – the handling, everything, it was just way ahead of its time,” he told Forever Bikes.

He would then decide to “stick a turbo on it” and make some more upgrades, which changed its purpose.

For ten years, Mr Williamson and his Suzuki dominated the street legal class in UK Street Bike championships, smashing records, including one from 1996 that still stands to this day.

“I was racing every week,” he recalled.

“I’d get home, get it on the workbench, drop the oil, check everything, and get it ready for the next one, so I never had any time to ride it on the road. And because it was longer and lower, it wouldn’t have been any fun.”

He also made a statement on the Avon Park Raceway’s quarter mile.

“It was the first street legal bike to go into the 8s, and nobody had done 170mph before,” Mr Williamson revealed.

He would impressively win 11 out of 12 championships, being featured in ACU, MCN, and Streetfighters.

“The year I was second was the year I got married and I didn’t do all the rounds, so I blame her for that,” he joked.

He would then retire in 2000 after he nearly had an accident on his bike and the arrival of his second child.

“I just thought ‘that could have been nasty’, you’re doing 150mph and if you come off…” he reflected.

“I’d done my time, 10 years of racing, out every weekend, travelling around the country.”

24 years later, Mr Williamson has put in the work to keep his beloved Suzuki on the road, but now as a casual run-around again.

“Because it’s quite a well-known bike, a lot of people have said they’ll buy it if I ever wanted to sell,” he said,

“but I couldn’t ever sell it, it’s got too much history now.”