GT Motorcycles was registered as a business in 1978, the name GT derived from the surnames of the two original partners Mike Grainger and Peter Tribble. The business started at Belliver in Plymouth with the manufacture and sale of motorcycle products, fairings, top-boxes and exhaust systems.

In 1981 the opportunity to obtain retail premises came along and a move was made into motorcycle retailing. Within six months GT secured the Kawasaki franchise and business began to grow steadily. Profits were put back into the business, sponsoring various riders along the way. By June 1984 this policy paid off when the late Geoff Johnson won the Isle of Man Production TT on a Kawasaki GPZ900R supplied by GT.

Continued growth followed and in 1988, Mike and Peter took over Bill Northcott Motorcycles in Molesworth Road, Plymouth. This brought with it the franchises for Honda and Suzuki. Towards the end of 1991 Peter retired from the business and in January 1992 Mike moved both shops to Albert Road. Mike and Peter remain firm friends to this day.

Business was now expanding throughout Plymouth and with the rest of the country coming out of recession Mike continued to invest in GT Motorcycles. In 1996 he acquired Arthur's Motorcycles in Paignton, which held the franchise for Yamaha.

The Torbay branch became the first GT Motorcycles branch outside of Plymouth and rapidly won the franchise for Suzuki and Peugeot. It was also the only dealer for both Suzuki and Yamaha Off-Road bikes in Devon and Cornwall.

The next chapter in the story is the opening of the showroom at Clifden Road, St. Austell where GT is proud to have both Suzuki and Triumph franchises on site. The former Unipart building has been completely refitted and contains two magnificent showrooms, a well stocked clothing department, a parts department and large workshop.

Finally the September 2007 opening of a new purpose-built facility at Elburton Road, Plymouth brings the GT story up-to-date. Two superb showrooms, one of them a Honda solus dealership, have all the modern facilities GT customers could expect in the twenty-first century. There's off-road parking, a Cafe where everyone is welcome and of course hundreds of motorcycles, both new and used, plus accessories and clothing items to enjoy. A very worthwhile experience for those who love motorcycles.

When Mike says GT are "Passionate about Motorcycles" he means it. His love of bikes is what drives this business forward and inspires both staff and customers.