The Greatest Racebike of all time... by far 

Spencer , Lawson , Rainey , Schwantz , Doohan , Gardner ... Thanks for the memories !

The close firing order on the big bang NSR was meant to provide a break in the power pulse. The power pulse break allowed the rear tire some "rest" to regain traction.

the 2 strokes were the GOLDEN days. I remember a feature for TV in Australia where Mick Doohan (retired) and Casey Stoner swapped bikes... Mick was clearly bored on the newer 4 stroke, while Casey was visibly shook, COMPLETELY different animals. Makes you wonder how they even fit their balls in those pants :D

Not only was the NSR the most blistering bike over the longest time, its still probably one of the most beautiful motorcycles ever made, and its even better with its clothes off!

One of my most enduring memories is of watching Kevin Schwantz podium or bust racing style. I remember seeing him on one occasion getting held up by a back-marker. The camera zoomed in as he finally got past on the exit of a turn, back wheel spinning, front wheel in the air and turned round on his bike to give the other guy a certain well known hand gesture to make his feelings clear. To a teenage bike fan the level of skill on display in Moto GP was just awe inspiring.

The Honda Interceptor was when I fell in love with bikes. The full fairing, the colors, and the V-4. Was a beautiful machine.

The Rainey and Schwantz era was the pinnacle of the motorcycle racing imo.

The greatest era in racing there ever was or will be. It's not just the machines, the riders weren't under half the media/manufacturer pressures they are now. So the riders then rode wild bikes and lived pretty wild lifestyles. The perfect era for involved, riders and fans. I can still remember the emotion of sitting on the Rothmans NSR500s and NSR250s at the Day of Champions. I knew it was special then. I raced a tuned NS400 triple for 2 seasons, yes I thought I was Spencer and Lawson, but won nothing.

I remember Kenny Roberts on his Yamaha, I was fascinated with his dominance at the time.

Couldn’t agree more with many of the comments made here. These two strokes were beasts of wonder…and the sound AND smell…!! Such a sensory experience going to these GP’s as a kid. I idolised Spencer and the NSR500. I was at Donington when he came around McLean’s IN THE LEAD!! I totally erupted! This was after more than a year out with wrist issues. Then a lap or two later he pulled, such a shame. That version of the NSR500 was pretty perfect as well, like his 85 bike. Surely anyone who can both the 259 and 500 in the same season with some of those godawful weather conditions in Europe in 85, on two strokes, has to go down as the greatest ever accomplishment in the sport of motorcycle road racing…

The 80's? I watched Kenny Robert's and Yvon Duhamel in the early 70's...now that was raw racing.

I couldn't agree more with the point that you made about putting today's fastest riders on these old bikes and seeing how they would perform. Back then a 1/4 inch on the throttle was the difference between a brilliant pass.....or ending up highsiding into a rhubarb bush 200' off the track, especially with those TZ 750s, they were insane and the riders were a completely different breed of rider compared to today.

As an Aussie, I recall GP500 racing well. I worked in TV at the time and got to watch several of the local races either as a tech remotely or at the track I was simply gobsmacked at the ability and fearlessness of these guys. Remember Doohan riding with a broken leg and Gardiner at the first Philip Island? The last race I ever watched as an excited kid was when Rainey crashed out at Misano. It changed for me then both as a fan and a rider and car racer.

Maybe the bikes of the 2 stroke era were more exciting but to call motogp, especially this season, “boring” is somewhat absurd. It was a great season with numerous winners and close races

Nothing beats the sound of some high reving two stroke engines and also the smell is unbeatable. I was lucky to see them race in the late seventies and early eighties at the Assen TT track. Our farm was only 25 miles away from the track.

I was there, PR manager of Suzuki GB in the early eighties when Sheene came back. I then married into one of those racing families. My then brother in law was Gardner's crew chief and went onto be Schwantz's too. The bikes and the atmosphere of GP racing back then was astonishing. I even wrote a book about those times called Barry Sheene and my part in his downfall.

I've always liked cars more than bikes. But when I was about 12 years or so I built a plastic model of an NSR250 or 500 and I've loved that era of motorcycles ever since.

The Smokers were awesome to watch. So much could happen within a race & they were always on the edge. MotoGP today is a snooze fest where 1 or 2 bikes checkout and the race is over on lap 3.

Saying MotoGP is boring and there is little passing is a WILD take. Definitely agree that Moto3 has the most exciting racing right now, but MotoGP is as close and competitive as it has ever been

Its a damn shame that honda has forgotten its world wide history making two strokes ! Motocross &Road racing Honda CR-500 - best Motocross engine ever made

One of my mates is currently rebuilding his NSR125. Only been down a few months but before it was it was an absolute rocket. 100mph on a 125 is insane. Not surprised it's big brother has the reputation it does

When it comes to motorcycle racing, Mick Doohan is the King of Kings. Nobody else could drift a 2 stroke like Mick! 🏆

Attending Moto GP at Laguna Seca from the beginning to the end. I seen some fantastic racing and lots of changes. I feel fortunate to live 4 hours away. Good memories!

9:27 they were actually OVER 200hp. They got dynoed at Jerez in '98 and somehow the press got access to the numbers, they were published in a spanish motorbike magazine. I remember and the Yamaha put out 203hp, the Honda 207hp. And with 135kg of weight. Insane.

Few mastered 2 stroke like Joey Dunlop & Mick Doohan keeping in mind the tracks & road racing courses called for fearless commitment knowing an accident will be life changing or worse. I appreciate there are many other riders, Agostini and Hailwood come to mind, who also dominated two-wheel racing at various times, but I am an Irishman who calls Australia home so Joey & Mick it is for me. Shout out to Casey Stoner who is another story and period of racing all together.

It is quite sad that 2-t is gone. I still dream of owning a RG500 or RD500. One of these days...

Totally agree, MotoGP has become boring. I even fall asleep sometimes watching the race. Now you can see more than 15 riders within one second on Saturday's qualifying.

"So little passing in motogp" *cries in f1 fan*

I had a 1985 Honda NS400R in Rothmans livery, god I loved that bike!

Today MotoGP is not worse than "the good old days" races. It is just different. But is is still breathtaking action with shoulder-to-shoulder fighting on tracks with speeds, what were only in dreams in 80-s and 90-s. And i am not touching safety side.

My first time going to the local dragstrip was in 1966, and it is 1/8 mile, the bikes that were winning were Triumphs, I started riding motorcycles in the 60s and some were very fast, all you needed were balls & brakes, there were no electric Rider modes ect...just the ignition switch and the spark plugs, my 6th motorcycle when I was 14 years old was a Kawasaki H-1, all my friends said I would be dead in a week, Nope!! subbed 🏍

yes ..remember these guys and dont forget fast freddie .. love those 2 strokes!!

MotoGP has been the closest it has ever been. In the 80s the gap between the first two even went up to one minute. So yeah, it's a perspective thing

Followed the 125, 25 & 500cc 2-stroke racng back in the day. I rode small 2-stroke street bikes, so I loved the 125cc races in particular. Incredible max speeds (of 145mph from the race 125's) and fantastic tight racing.

I was a teenager throughout the 80's and a die hard GP fan, 80's and 90's racing was so engaging, I never missed a race on tv or at Phillip Island. I road a Yamaha RZ500 and I even managed to convince my girlfriend to get on the back of that little rocket a few times.

Rothmans livery is a legend

Those drag races between the Aussies and Americans at hockenheim are still fresh in my mind. I wish I could’ve seen vale race these guys from the 80s and early 90s. And Sheene as well

Fall asleep during the 2023 season? The two strokes were amazing, i still ride one, but the current racing with the sprints are very entertaining. If you are a Jack Miller supporter then I understand but man the current racing is wild!

The intro to this video kinda cracked me up, as an f1 fan it was completely identical to how people speak about modern f1, worse racing machines that are too aerodynamically focused to create a good spectacle etc etc etc. And the ending was the same aswell just like in f1 the advancements are so minuscule now it seems impossible to create something capable of dethroning the kings of the past but that sentiment is the same in every sport until one day the right machine comes around and just so happens to be paired with the right driver/rider and boom utter domination. Sure theres not the 1s a lap difference in performance between machines which is what makes the utterly dominant riders/drivers so amazing the consistency and the level at which they perform week in week out is just mind blowing.

The Isle of Man TT is never boring. Traditionally Honda used to start planning for these races a full year ahead.

Valentino’s last 500cc win was on a bike with 168hp and that was considerably lower than a wsbk at the time. There’s absolutely zero chance a 1000cc 4 stroke with 300hp would be rideable without electronic aids.

To me, once the 500 two strokes stopped racing and the characters that tamed them retired, Moto GP as it was renamed, became boring. As an annual visitor to the Isle of Man TT and the North West 200, I'm guaranteed excitement and real men riding on the edge!

It's winter where i live but this video inspired me to go for a really chilly ride on my Honda

Thank you Bart for helping me get through winter in upstate NY. Your documentaries are some of my favorites!!!

Way to completely ignore the most dominating forerunner and all-time benchmark - the Yamaha TZ750 which made more power than any of these in it's original form and was completely unrideable except in the hands of King Kenny (his bike was detuned even) because tire, frame, braking, and suspension technology was not up to the ability of this engine.

Those high sides were gut wrenching, but the racing was... well,...exiting! Rossi got the tail end and said it was the scariest, and most incredible bike he ever rode.

For me it began in the 1960's. Great bikes.

My uncle raced and gave me his practice 1992 YZR500 in 1995 when I was 16. It was insane. You literally had to be given a blessing from Jesus to hold onto it, even though mine was detuned to be a club racer.

BSB best series to watch at the moment and Road Racing and the TT.

2 strokes never die......long live the stink wheel. My weapon of choice was the RG Gamma i had 2 they were brutal but so much fun.

All very true, but I fondly look back at the huge rivalry between Suzuki and Yamaha on square four and straight four twostrokes riden by Sheene and Roberts in the late 70's.

You left out the guys with the EXTREME-size testicles. The most AWESOME race bike of the two-stroke era was Yam OW69, 690cc square four rotary disk valve two-stroke that won Daytona by such a big margin they were outlawed. In the same vein the Yam TZ750, Suzuki TR750, Kawasaki KR750, all big fire-breathing two strokes. I was at a race in 1984 at Mt Panorama in NSW Australia and watched lap after lap as pilot Michael Dowson opened the taps of the Pittmans TZ 750 on the 3km straight while I stood trackside on a cutting in a hillside about 2 meters high about 2/3 down the straight. Every lap Michaels TZ was airborne way over my 1.8meter height standing 2 meters above the track for at least 30 meters. The Formula 750 bikes made the 500s look like kids' toys. They shredded tyres and at the height of their development were pushing 180hp weighing around 150kg. The best thing was ANYONE could buy one, in 1977 they were about $3500, when the 750 roady was about $1200. They are still WILD motorcycles.

Awesome vid man, great journalism. I remember those days, Kevin Schwartz being the first to slide the front as well as the rear wheel. Wouldn’t you love to have one of those in your garage 😜

I raced against Schwantz in an 8 hour endurance race at TWS. If you know you know. The man was insanely accurate, left me holding my hotdog in turn 10. Him and Blake were getting ready for the Suzuka in Japan. for the record his team came in fourth!

Those old 2-strokes were CRAZY! The riders were crazier who still managed to master the riding such difficult and ultra powerful machines with absolutely no electronic riding aid! I am lucky to have witnessed the rise and rise of Mick Doohan - he was so talented that he could qualify in almost any position on the grid and still make it to the podium - mostly the top one! For me, Mick Doohan was one Aussie whom I liked more than Shane Warne (the GOD of CRICKET from Australia!!) - and that's really something special!! He was the one who managed to master both the big-bangs and screamers! Rossi is revered by a large number of people also because he was one guy who could successfully transition from the 2-stroke era to the 4-stroke era and still became Champion..That was no easy feat...

Great video! Very informative and well researched. Boy do I miss those two strokes.

Hey Bart thanks for the video, amazing memories...;D It would be worthwhile doing a short on the crazy research and development bikes that Ron Haslem was riding for the Elf Honda program. He was an absolute Boss, and was still placing 10-15th each week on a bike that came from outer space that was different each week. Cheers!

100% agree with you, Moto 3 is just brilliant.

Love your videos!! SUPPER glad to see you hit 101K subscribers. Very happy for you!!

Both GP and MX was so much more interesting in the 2T era

I really enjoy your videos, very informative and interesting! Keep 'em coming.

Interesting video once again, I love your channel bart, and I know it's all about the nostalgia for a mainly elder audience. However the bashing of today's racing is completely unwarranted. The "good old days" are still here my friend. There are overtakes constantly in MotoGP, and there are 7 or 8 race winners in a season nowadays. Just because most of them are on Ducatis, the races are still epic to watch! Don't forget that in the magical 90s Doohan won 5 years in a row - what's more boring than knowing the winner ahead of time? (Case in point: F1) Having electronic aids just means they are even closer to the edge every time, and they are riding a LOT faster. To say they would be bad on an old bike is absolutely ridiculous... Of course they would be if they've never ridden one. Do you think Schwantz could ride with his bloody shoulder scraping on the ground like today's riders? You know what, he probably could. He could adapt to whatever is possible at the time, just like Pecco or Martin could adapt.

BSB... No traction or wheelie control, great racing

It’s fun to see guys my age (50s) panning modern racing simply because it’s different than what they watched when they were in their 20s. Today’s riders can’t ride? I don’t recall ever seeing Doohan, Rainey, Spencer, or Schwantz get their elbows on the deck after backing their bikes in, putting their rear tire back on the ground from braking AFTER they started turning. You think there are too many electronics on today’s bikes? Then bikes from the 80s should have only been carbureted, used bias ply tires, and had no fairings on them. If you think racing got boring after the 90s, go watch a replay of the 2006 Portuguese Grand Prix. You don’t like Ducati’s current dominance? Take a look at Honda’s 1997 season.

I would agree for most of the last seasons in MotoGP but tbh I really enjoyed 2023 and 2024 so far and I am fairly satisfied with the number of overtakes

I have fond memories from the early 90's of spending evenings watching the MotoGP live with friends then hopping on our RG & RZ 250's for a blast around the streets. It was an incredible period where you could buy a cheap street legal version of what they used to race in the 250 GP & have fun with friends. I can't see people in their 20's doing the same today. Who's got the money for a Panigale these days?

I owned an NSR400 TRIPLE , in nsw,Australia. It was by far one of the quickest excellerating bikes ive ridden.

I attended all 3 500gp races in South Africa back in the 80s at the old Kyalami circuit and remember Freddie crashing when his NSR500 carbon fibre rear wheel collapsed on him during practise. Spectators took pieces of the wheel for keepsakes and there was a request on the PA to return them as it was such new tech the Honda guys wanted the pieces for investigation..

Great video! One comment: I remember the Big Bang engine being touted as slightly less horsepower, but much more ridable. The tire was more likely to grip than to spin up and cause a high side, which also meant a wider usable powerband. At least that's how I remember it explained in the magazines and/or race commentary.

I remember going to a moto go in the seventies at Assen in Holland and will never forget the screaming sound of the two strokes, and as a bonus a demo of a benelli six with special exhaust going around the track, great times

I can clearly remember the dominance of Freddy Spencer at the 1985 Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps

Nice video. Thanks for taking the time and effort to make it.

Feel sorry for modern young riders who may never experience the power and feel of a last of the line two strokes. Leaving aside the 200bhp 500cc gp bikes, the last of the 250cc road bikes like the rgv 250 Suzuki and tzr 250 vee twins could put 750 and 1000cc bikes in the shade , having raced 250 cc based road bikes they couldn't catch big bikes on acceleration but could catch them on deceleration and higher corner speed. It was a real art keeping a 2 stroke up in is power band. . No electronic launch control, wheeley control. Ride modes , just the dubious connection of brain and right wrist..

Oof caught a glimpse of the Cagiva, now that’s a bike to do a video on.

In 1986 I first heard, then saw a Honda NSR400R screaming through the cobblestone streets of Rothenberg W. Germany. It's an instant in time I'll never forget. I aways watch Moto3 first eventually I get around to the MotoGP race, Brad Binder on the KTM is still a hoot. I liked that you showed the Colombian rookie David Alonso when mentioning Moto3, the most exciting rider on two wheels!

The YZR500 was first with most of the innovations you are crediting to the NSR, and if not for all of the fast riders (mostly American) retiring by 1994 Doohan and the NSR would not have been anywhere near as dominant. If you look at the results over the years it was back and forth Yamaha and Honda with Yamaha dominating from 78 until the ping pong started in 83. If you lift out Doohan's dominance over a weak field for those 5 seasons it is a very close back and forth matchup, which is really the reason for so much exciting racing of that era. Both brands were really in it to win it with a real chance and it shows in the intense fighting. Add in Schwantz as the Suzuki wildcard and it makes for an era of the best racing ever on 2 wheels.

I have been watching motorcycle racing all my life, since the early seventies anyway, I grew up watching Kenny Roberts, Barry Sheene, and all the MotoGP since then. The 500's were awesome! But often one rider won by half a lap, and the field was very spread out at the end of the race. Remember the Doohan title years? Anyway, I have to disagree with you that the current racing is boring. I don't like one manufacturer being so dominant, but that will get sorted out. I liked the pre-winglet and no lowering era better than now, but it's about enjoying it the way it is, not being upset about the way it isn't. Also, flat-track racing is amazing. Maybe you need to watch it sometime.

Thanks for the video. There is a nostalgic remembrance for the 2 stroke era. I’m 35 and it’s mostly before my time but the energy when it’s talked about is a huge draw card. Doohan and gardnier are hero’s of my fellow Australians. Even the second hand market for 2T in Australia is bonkers but that won’t stop me buying one to love and own. Love your stuff mate. Keep it up 👍

Excellent video Bart. Great racing and technical scenes with detailed, quality narration. Until your video I thought the Suzuki Gamma 500 held this crown Keep up the good work!

This is an awesome video, well done 👌🏽 and thanks for posting!

One of the reasons I really loved VR 46 was his ability to ride the dragon like these guys did. Once the electronics started to proliferate his natural skills, no longer set him apart. I still like modern MotoGP but I agree the NSR 500 was definitely the golden age

Really nice job on this video, thanks

Thanks for another great video, cheers!

Races in the 80s / 90s were not always close at all. Doohan used to win by huge margins. Today, motogp is super close. And anyone in the top ten can win, even top 12, previously unheard of in the sport. No one gets lapped anymore either, very common back in the day. Ducati dominates? Sure, but for a period in the 90s we used to call GP the Honda NSR cup too. But that Rainey, Lawson, Doohan era was the best, but not for reasons of close racing. The livery, the looks of the bikes (todays bikes are ugly imo), the riders weren't pint sized jockeys. And yes the tech is too much these days and the aero is making overtaking harder. But there;s still more overtaking than people are saying.

I had an Aprilia Af1 Futura 125cc 2 stroke, and that machine was a beast and super fun. I imagine the brute power of a 500cc 2 stroke racing bike.

Schwantz & Senna was always my hero in those era

I went to Phillip Island GP from 1987 onwards, I live 1 hour down the road. The 500's and the men that rode them were so enthralling. I had an RZ500 too. Good times

Excellent video, Thanks

1986 GSXR 1100 owned all. I added 36 mm Mikuni carburetors, an electric shift , Goodyear slick and wheelie bar. 9'80 1/4 mile at 146 mph

My first GP was silverstone 1979 and my bike broke down on the way home 😢

I was there back in the day. Beside the track. All the classes were gripping, 125, 250 and 500. I still can't believe that Honda never built a version with lights and indicators, and I can't believe Yamaha and Suzuki only built theirs for 2 years. Even today, I'm sure they'd sell like hotcakes.

I miss the good old days of Yamaha 2-strokes dominating with Kenny Roberts behind the handlebars!

Great video, thank you.

Thanks for this excellent upload😃👍

This was great. Thanks a lot.

We love your Honda reviews ❤‍🔥❤‍🔥🌟🌟

Completely agree that Moto3 is currently the most exciting racing. Will David Alonso become the next Pedro Acosta next year? It will be interesting to see if Pedro Acosta on the KTM can become the next Marc Márquez next year, or if Marc Márquez on the Ducati can become Marc Márquez again. Fermín Aldeguer added some excitement to the end of the Moto2 season. Can he carry that into next season? Eight Ducatis this year seemed a bit much. It will be good if VR46 goes to Yamaha in 2025 and Yamaha can start getting back in the game again. Might be a long time before Honda gets back in the game again. Maybe no one will be able to beat Ducati as long as Gigi Dall’Igna is there.

Well done again!

Some things you never forget and one of them was watching a Cbx1000 racing on the Estoril racetrack doing the infamous S corner.

The big bang motor was about lateral grip, not acceleration. That is why the XR750 worked...