His nickname is “Superman” and, even as he hits the ripe old age of 67, he’s still proving faster than a speeding bullet and maybe even able to leap small buildings.
Paul Pavletich, from Ararimu, near the Bombay Hills, has been up to his same old tricks this season … winning major motorcycle racing titles … and he says he has no plans to slow down just yet.
He again showed that age is no barrier to winning at the top level, clinching the Pre-89 Senior Post Classics class title in the three-round 2025 Suzuki International Series, which wrapped up on the public streets of Whanganui’s world-renowned Cemetery Circuit on Boxing Day.
Pavletich and his 1000cc 1989 Yamaha OW-01 bike have always been at the sharp end in his class and so, when the Suzuki International Series kicked off at Taupo in the first weekend of December, that’s exactly where he was, leading the way.
He qualified fastest and then second-fastest at the first two rounds of the series – at Taupo and also the following weekend at Manfeild, in the Manawatu – and Pavletich went on to win all three races in his class at both of these events.
This unbeaten six-race win streak earned Pavletich a handy points lead over his nearest challengers – Hastings rider Gian Louie and Hamilton’s Jordan Burley – and so, for the third and final round at Whanganui on Boxing Day, the racer from Ararimu could afford to ease back on the throttle and reduce the risk quotient, particularly with rain forecast to arrive at the tricky street circuit early in the afternoon.
A third placing, behind Burley and Louie, in the first race at Whanganui was enough for Pavletich to capture the 2025 title with a race to spare.
“My strategy had been to go to Whanganui finish race one no matter what. I was telling myself ‘do not get tangled up in a first corner pile-up or get drawn into any bare-knuckle scraps which could lead to a crash’.
“To be honest, it was a bit stressful racing with that mindset.
“The racing at Whanganui was quite aggressive at the front and I thought ‘relax, don’t engage, just bank the points and go home and enjoy the rest of summer with the trophy in the cabinet’. So that’s what I did. I finished third in race one and the series was won.”
Pavletich is modest in accepting kudos for his race wins, generously attributing a part of his successes to his elder brother, Mark Pavletich, who operates as his mechanic.
“My brother Mark does the majority of the work on the race bike, including engine development,” Pavletich explained.
“He is extremely talented engineer and tuner and as a former successful rider, he understands my feedback and knows exactly what to do to sharpen the 170hp plus beast.
“Every season my goal is to get on the podium at Whanganui’s Cemetery Circuit. I first achieved this way back in 1982, riding a Honda CBX550, so to nail that 43 years later is something to be very proud of.”
Class winners in the 2025 Suzuki International Series, which wrapped up in Whanganui on Boxing Day, were: Whakatane’s Mitch Rees (formula one); Auckland’s Cameron Leslie (formula two/supersport 600); Silverdale’s Tyler King (formula three); Silverdale’s Tyler King (supersport 300); Paraparaumu’s Richard Markham-Barrett (formula sport, senior, over-600cc); Whanganui’s Jeff Croot (formula sport, junior, up to 600cc); Auckland’s Paul Pavletich (Pre 89 post classics, senior, over-600cc); Auckland’s Scott Findlay and Hawera’s Martin Gray (Pre 89, post classics junior, under-600cc) first equal; Upper Hutt’s Keiran Mair (Pre 95, post classics senior, over-600cc); Te Awanga’s Eddie Kattenberg (Pre 95, post classics junior, under-600cc); Tokomaru’s Barry Smith/Whanganui’s Louise Blythe (F1 sidecars); Whanganui’s Tracey Bryan & Jo Franzen (F2 sidecars); Whanganui’s Richie Dibben (supermoto); Masterton’s Jadin Galway (pre 72 classic solos, Cemetery Circuit only); Carterton’s Mark Smith & Graham Wilkinson (pre 82 classic sidecars, Cemetery Circuit only).
Pavletich was supported by Academic Audio, Metzeler tyres, Bike Rider magazine, Brett Roberts Dyno and Pro Rider.
© Words and photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com
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