Peter Padgett, the visionary behind one of Britain’s most beloved dealerships and most successful racing teams, has died at the age of 94.
Padgett’s Motorcycles in Batley, Yorkshire, is one of the country’s longest-running bike shops, offering new and used Honda, Suzuki, and Yamaha models from their impressive Bradford Road location. Beyond the showroom, Padgett has played a big role in launching and supporting the careers of some of Britain’s top racing stars, from legends like Hailwood, Ivy, and Read to Haslam, McElnea, Fogarty, Camier, Richards, Vincent, and modern greats like McGuinness, Hutchinson, Todd, and Mossey – plus many more. The dealership was founded in 1958 by Padgett and his brother Don with a £300 loan from their grandfather. Originally focused on selling and servicing British bikes, Padgett decided to take a chance on Yamaha after spotting the brand at the Earl’s Court Show in London.
“It was a bold move to take on a Japanese brand back then,” Peter told MCN in 2014. “We managed to get our hands on the TD1A, one of the first Yamaha race bikes, and soon began making and selling special parts for the YDS2 and YDS3 to turn them into racing machines and café racers.” Having plenty of track experience himself, Peter first raced a Manx Norton before switching to Yamaha, never looking back. He remembered one race at Cadwell Park: “On the Manx I’d only ever finished 13th, but I took the Yam out and ended up winning! The Yamahas were incredibly quick and so much better than what we’d had before.”
Peter followed in the road racing footsteps of his brother Don, competing in the Isle of Man TT, Southern 100, and Manx GPs during the mid-1960s. He later dedicated himself to supporting his sons, the late Gary Padgett and current Padgett’s Racing team boss Clive, in their on-track careers. A familiar face in the showroom well into his late 80s, his vision, drive, and passion were key to making Padgett’s Motorcycle and Racing Team the success it is today. In a statement released on Monday, March 9, Padgett’s Motorcycles said: “It is with an extremely heavy heart that today we said goodbye to our founder, Mr. Peter Padgett. He died peacefully at home, surrounded by his wife Audrey, son Clive, daughter-in-law Sue, daughter Cath, and granddaughter Helen.”
“So, as many Irish road race fans would say: ‘there’s only one Peter Padgett!’”
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