40 years ago as of today. It feels like yesterday when these racers were the talk of the motorcycle magazines I was reading. Time flies like an old 500cc 2 stroke GP bike.
I was at Donnington when the Norton Rotarys took on the 500cc screamers, Nortons finished out of the top 10. I was chuffed to be a witness to that race. You could tell where the Nortons were by the sound of screaming fans and that heavenly roar of rotarys on full power. The smell of 2stroke and hot Rotarys. What a blast what a memory
Had the great privilege of getting to have a chat with Barry Sheene at a truck race meeting at Brands Hatch many moons ago, he was superb company! Good old Dickie Davies getting a quick shout out at the end there too!!!
How times have changed in terms of the safety. Just look at where that marshall is stood at 5:24 minutes in! You'd never see a marshall positioned anywhere near that kind of position these days. And the mass start with about 8 bikes on the front row. What an incredible front row though: Mick Grant, Crosby, Gardner, Roberts, Ballington, Haslam, Sheene, Mamola!
Ah the good old days of the "Money Races" GP's where one thing, the new embryo "Superbikes" where another. I don't think you will see this sort of thing again
This is great footage thanks takes me back to when I was a kid , Barry My Hero had the little Matchbox bike with him on it I lost the helmet but he showed off his cool 70s hair👍🤣
When I see that guy wearing the white Yamaha shirt at 1:29 I think that back in 1981 there's no way I'd end up with that sort of hairstyle. And almost 30 years later I ended up looking very similar! (apart from the Yamaha shirt).
Totally agree with that. Talking of t-shirts does anyone remember the replica leathers t-shirts by a company called"Promoto" they used to sell back then. They did replicas of all the top riders leathers on printed t-shirts and looked great. Still got my old KR one but doubt it will fit me now. Not seen or heard of those t-shirts for years and do not think Promoto even still exist. Donington was my local track along with Darley Moor and Mallory Park, great days.
Evil powerbands on the two smokes, the weight of the four strokes and the shite tyres for everyone. Yet so much entertainment, makes you realise just how talented these guys where.
@Kolin Mademe Taking off helments isn't really a problem. The late Dr John Hinds (aka the racing doctor) mentions it specifically in one of his talks. And he's had more than his share of crashed riders to look after.
First started going to Donington the same year, my one abiding memory has always been Wayne Gardner taking on all the two strokes on his Moriwaki. Exciting to watch to say the least, wheelies virtually out of every bend. 15 years old and free entrance, a great day out to say the least!
Crosby rode the Moriwaki back in 1979 but then switched to the Heron Suzuki team with Randy Mamola for 1980 after Sheene had switched to Yamaha. Wayne Gardner moved to the UK in 1981 and joined the Moriwaki team with Roger Marshall. He did so well that Gardner switched to the works Honda team in GP's not long after.
You seem very noligable can you tell me did sheene make his debut on the akai yamaha at cadwell Park I saw him there and he blitzed the field winning every race can't remember year though.
@david Not exactly knowledgeable just a decent memory as my mates pull my leg about! Sheene switched to the privateer TZ500 Yamaha in the red and black Akai colours in 1980 and then subsequently to the full works team with KR in 1981where he still had sponsorship from Akai but the bikes were painted in the Yamaha Japan colours of red and white.I think 1980 would be your answer anyway. Classic days for bike racing, remember building a model of his Akai Yam I had for Christmas that year.
@@topcat4759 I remember Crosby on the Moriwaki at Donnington, when you're 11 you don't forget the guy on the upright bike pulling huge wheelies. He was fast too. Thought it was '80 but maybe it could have been late '79. Think it was a one-off Europe vs The Rest of the World event.
All my teenage heroes on the front row... this is the first time I've seen this race, appalling sportsmanship from Sheene when Ballington slowed for Parrish's crash scene twice.
@@SvenTviking there certainly WOULD have been flags, however, those flags ONLY mean No Passing, unless it's RED so it's up to the rider... Sheen was a tough competitor... no doubt about that.
@@cliftonmanley3882 that's incorrect info on flags. A yellow flag shown stationary means you must slow down and not overtake. When it's being waved the danger is more imminent and riders must be prepared to stop.
Rossi was 125cc 250 500cc All two stroke. And moto g p . All close . Better tyers.safer Raceing closer 7 or 9 different Winners .In moto g p ..last year
Remember watching him on that bike back in 1981. Amazing how quick he was pulling wheelies out of virtually corner, exciting to say the least. He had to lie flat on the tank for improved streamlining speed, just like my days on my old X7!
Donnington barely recognisable compared to nowadays, seeing the lack of track safety aswell, how far we have come, although Donnington track safety changes and quest for dearer tickets has made it harder to spectate there, unless you can afford the stands prices.
I'm sure it's possible but outside of eye witness accounts, I still doubt it. First racers are told by the race director generally not to do this, as more people and machinery on scene than necessary, creates more of a hazard. Riders are normally so focused at being at 'speed' that peripheral events are a distraction. The commentators are similar to politicians, they do a lot of speculating without having the facts. They blow tons of smoke up your ass, just to keep talking. I would bet that he only mentioned it because it came up on his television screen in his press booth. He had no idea how Roberts came to be off his bike and the fact that Kenny got to the rider, 'Parrish', prior to the corner workers, means that this was an immediate and current event. Of course I'm speculating also, but without a replay or eye witness accounting, I still doubt it.
Just my opinion, commentators blow smoke all the time, if Roberts did deliberately stop that's pretty unusual and I can't find any confirmation to that event. Which, you would think would make headlines or referenced to in MC articles or interviews, but can't find any.
Unlikely and unusual, agreed. But I'm thinking: non-points race, Roberts' poor start, his coming up in the States (emphasis on sportsmanship). And, finally: this was 1981, after all.
Oh yes!! The years where reputation of helping a fellow racer, payed of more than winning first place... We will never see it again in our money screwed century
While I love the guys that stop to help injured riders.... why would you? Thats the job of the medical teams on the track. I know its sporting in the English sence, but it really has no place in competive sport. If he won the Champoinship it would make the victory sweeter, but that didnt happen.
0Zolrender0 Kenny Roberts is American. Medical coverage around the track was pretty poor back then. We’re fortunate that things have changed so much. Guys like Sheene and Roberts were instrumental in making these changes.
I have to say, that, even though these guys are pushing hard, they look like they are cruising compared to the likes of Marc Marquez and Maverick Vinales
The don't have the advantages of modern day tyres and traction control. The skill requirement was, if anything, probably higher back in the day. But essentially the top riders of ALL eras do the same thing - extract the maximum performance that can be got out of their machinery
Yes I bet he was but it was a f....quick bit of shit and a great looking bike also. No wonder Gardner got his move to the Honda GB works team the following season along with Mick Grant, Joey Dunlop and Ron Haslam.
Yeah me too. I was 11 years old and my Dad and me would head off on his CX500 early on Sunday morning with cheese sandwiches and a flask of coffee to watch the racing. My strongest memory of Gardener on the Sit-up and beg Kwak was going over the Mountain at Cadwell.
