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!
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.
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👍🤣
Aint that just late 1970's and early 1980's! I owned a Suzuki GS 1000s and thought it was the bees' knees. Never owned a bell helmet and from memory weighed a ton. Currently own a Kawasaki Z900rs at 71 and love it.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
@@bretloyd8097 Its just a pity that the factories were handing out GP bikes like pies to guys that were only ever going to finish 10th etc . Had Gardner been given the chance to ride those bikes earlier in his life he would no doubt have won more Championships
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.
Lott's of memories there ,takes me right back .
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
I love the smell of 2 stroke in the morning. It smells like powerband 👍
Watching these on World of Sport sorted my Saturday afternoons 😂
Derek Cable dickie Davis !!!!
@@aviationiceman9549
Remember him well 😂
Derek Cable we’re showing our Age now 🤣
@@aviationiceman9549
Kendo Nagasaki & Big Daddy if the bike racing wasn't on 😂
@@aviationiceman9549
Sorry forgot 🤔 Giant haystacks !
Barry Sheene! what a legendary name for a legendary Bike Racer -7-
Thank you so much for putting this on here its just fantastic.
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!!!
mate what a video to pop up on my recommendations
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!
We've become such pussies with all of this safety.
Yeah what a line up. !!!!
Where were Kevin Schwartz and Wayne Rainey...lol
You forgot Joey Dunlop!
The good old days, when your dad would give you a pack of m80s and a lighter on 4th of July and say "get out of my hair".
A who's who of historic racing names, cheers!
What a great line up!
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?
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.
Loved watching Bazza race, great memories.
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👍🤣
Skinny tires and Bell helmets, man I'm old. Lol
You are legend!
@@Rubberfoxy 🤣🤣🤣👍👍👍
We prefer the term Experienced
Yep. I had both a MK1 and then a MKII Bell helmet, both with iodine visors. Every day was sunny!😊
Aint that just late 1970's and early 1980's! I owned a Suzuki GS 1000s and thought it was the bees' knees. Never owned a bell helmet and from memory weighed a ton. Currently own a Kawasaki Z900rs at 71 and love it.
*Awesome Barry - Well Done.*
I miss the old two strokes, the sounds, smells, and insane power bands made for great racing.
Fantastic memories - that was the year I first went to watch at circuits like Brands and Snetterton.
Ha - Kork Ballington, even. A little trip in the Wayback Machine...
1981 - year i made my driving license and started on a Yamaha RD350....good old times....
Me too! LC I take it? Mine was black. Great times... but lucky to be alive after some of the close calls I had.
@@jonathanmackie4884 mine was Black and Gold too with Microns. Oh I miss that knife edge power band 😂
@@David-ki6jq Good for unintended wheelies as I recall...
Wow, Kenny Roberts stopping to help a fallen rider. God's not making that model anymore. I wish I could go back in time...
No god, just Kenny and his parents are responsible for his character.
Ancient superstitious beliefs should be left behind.
This era beats MotoGP anyday,it's turned into F1 on two wheels.
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
I wouldn’t go that far pal. But I do see where you’re going from
I'm here in 2024 and you sir very accurately predicted the future of motor cycle racing.
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).
why were you standing there
Thats mind yr language cast hairstyle
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.
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
Bro, fyi, the 'gp' bikes were often referred to as 'superbikes' prior to 4 strokes series creation.
Good to hear Fred Clarke in the background doing the circuit commentary.
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.
I
@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.
Nah, they weren't evil, they were just narrow - and high. You just needed to keep it in the band else nothing would happen!
ALWAYS great viewing and fond memories
And Joey Dunlop in 6th, riding a barge compared to the GP500's.
Our Joe RIP..."King" Joseph William Dunlop#3.
I remember pinching smokes from Barry !! He got them from New Caledonia !! One of the nicest people I spent time with at work !
So many great names 🙌👌 ... notice the almost lack of kneepads 👀
Great memories!!!! Barry and the others....
"Pork Wellington" UA-cam auto subtitles didn't get it quite right there
Ex ITV World of Sport- Great
7:42 beautiful moment when Robert’s stopped to help Parrish. Not sure what happened? Did they both crash?
Kenny stops to help Stavros. Gentlemen racers.
Sorry, but I doubt Roberts "stopped" to help, he most likely was involved in the incident.
@@raynic1173 The commentators repeatedly said he had stopped to assist. Perhaps you know something the rest of us don't.
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.
I remember seeing Gardener on that bike at Brands when he first came over to UK. So fast, but so sketchy!
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.
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.
Unless there were flags, he didn’t have to.
@@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.
I can smell that two stroke just beautiful
Wayne Gardener on a streetfighter!
Pretty much... a road bike against gp machinery.
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!
And to think they were racing for hundreds, and thousands back then!no wonder the top riders were up in arms!
Aussie boys ride hard!
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.
Its literally exactly the same except for the additiom of the melbourne loop
this was connected to the "space riders" movie? i remember that as a kid
Epic stuff!
Woww they are posh. I was riding in 1972.only had TT 100 tyres.
TZ。RG、YZR、RCB、MORIWAKI Z...2st、4st入り乱れての 差し詰めオールスター戦ですな。
中でもアップハンドルのガードナーが前列スタートは偉い 👍
やはりバリーはSUZUKIの方が似合うと思う。
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
Read sounds like he should be hosting the drivetime on Radio 1 in 1979.
ガードナーはモリワキモンスターかな？
2st500cc相手に部が悪そうだけど頑張ってるね。
Steve P owes Kenny ! But I'm sure he paid it back . Sure was considerate of the King thought !
Bollox, they both stopped because they were going to get their arses kicked in that race...and they knew it LOL
classic
I can almost smell the Castrol R
すごいメンツ！森脇さんとガードナーが居る
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.
There was o proper medical cover back then
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.
A young Wayne Gardner couldn’t even afford a fairing 😂
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
And don't forget our own Cal Crutchlow. [I'm British by the way] :)
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
Not much of a crowd
Everyone from the second row back has lung cancer now
I think over his career Barry Sheen spent more time hospital than he did on a bike!! lol
I'm sure Kenny Roberts looked at Gardner's Moriwaki sitting next to him on the grid a said "wtf is that hunk of shit doing here".
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.
@@topcat4759 the cranky little prick (Gardner) could ride anything fast, I believe he didn't know how quick he was at this time.
@@bretloyd8097 Its just a pity that the factories were handing out GP bikes like pies to guys that were only ever going to finish 10th etc . Had Gardner been given the chance to ride those bikes earlier in his life he would no doubt have won more Championships
@@DealMe-wv3iu yep, dead right, they, the factories, were all desperate looking for the next European star. . .
Today's races may be faster, but nowhere near as interesting. Computers have ruined racing.
A fantastic window into the best period of road racing only to be ruined by that boring cheat rat Phil Read...
"Best" is determined only by age .
Surtees , hailwood & Ago were hardly boring .
Rossi , marquez & crutchlow for today's kids .