Kenny Roberts rides his 1980 Yamaha YZR500 at Laguna Seca
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- Опубліковано 13 вер 2011
- King Kenny takes his historic 1980 Yamaha YZR500 for a few laps at Laguna Seca. SUBSCRIBE to see more from "Yamaha Motor USA" on UA-cam: yamaha.us/SubYMUSA
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So many memories of Kenny...My motorcycle hero when I was a kid.
He changed how people raced and road the race bikes.
He really is a legend.
Sometimes UA-cam recommendations are quite good. Kenny the legend. And yeah, the music is not necessary
@simple31 J Kiwi ;- Ivan Mauger
World Champion: 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1977, 1979 - R/Up 1971, 1973, 1974
New Zealand Sportsperson of the Year (Halberg Award) 1977 and 1979.
Long Track World Champion 1971, 1972, 1976 R/Up 1974, 1975
World Pairs Champion 1969, 1970 R/Up 1971, 1972, 1978, 1981
Speedway World Team Cup Champion 1968, 1971, 1972, 1979
European Champion 1966, 1970, 1971, 1975
British Champion 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972
Intercontinental Champion 1975
New Zealand Champion 1974, 1981
New Zealand Long Track Champion 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986
New Zealand South Island Champion 1977, 1981, 1983
Australasian Champion 1977, 1981
Australasian Grand Prix winner 1970, 1971, 1972
Sunday Times King of Claremont winner 1973, 1980, 1981, 1983
British-Nordic Champion 1968, 1971
British League Riders Champion 1971, 1973
Embassy Internationale Winner 1970, 1971, 1972
Northern Riders Champion 1964, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1980
Provincial League Riders Champion 1963, 1964
Lubos Tomicek Memorial Trophy Winner 1971, 1972, 1973, 1979
Silver Sash Match Race Champion 1968, 1969
Golden Helmet Match Race Champion 1970
Scottish Open Champion 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973
Scotianapolis Winner 1969, 1970
Welsh Open Champion 1964, 1973
Westernapolis Winner 1968, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975
Leningrad Cup (USSR) Winner 1969
Lokeren Memorial Trophy Winner 1970
Golden Key of Bremen 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975
Australian Long Track Champion 1962
Victorian State Champion (Australia) 1962, 1963
Queensland State Champion (Australia) 1962
Western Australian State Champion 1973
Yorkshire Television Trophy 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980
Lada Indoor International 1979
British Long Track Champion 1980
World Champion of Champions Match Race Series 1989
South Australian 150 Jubilee Trophy 1986
It would been cool if Barry was riding with him.
Just 'cause you can add music to a video doesn't mean that you should.
Just ‘cause you can add a comment to a video doesn’t mean you should
@@joshuatillman60 I love how you don't live up to your own advice.
@@joshuatillman60 Remember that the next time you are tempted to use a keyboard.
my thaughts exactly.
I think in this case it suits the theme. But I agree with some videos
The only thing better than an 80’s yamaha is an 80’s Yamaha being ridden by Kenny Roberts.
The sound and smell of a Yamaha 2 stroke from that time is something you never forget
A 60s Honda being ridden by Mike Hailwood. Motorcycle racing peaked in 1967.
Still the best colour scheme on any motorcycle, period
Kawasaki looks Great also at the time.
Ya but those yammy colours speak volumes,
Pretty sure it started with Bob Hannahs early 80s Motocross bikes. I have the same on my yz.
the red white and black European colors are nicer !!😂😂😂😂🏍🏍🏍🏍🏍🏍🏁🍺🍺🍺
Owned 6 motorcycles growing up here in Canada...All Yamaha RD/RZeds….raced Box Stock a few times..... King Kenny was/is our hero!....Great Times.!
I love the smell of 2-stroke in the morning, smells like victory. Awesome stuff.
I got to meet Kenny Roberts when I was a kid. My Dad raced Kawasaki in drag and road race on the old Z1 .
Dad introduced me to Mr. Roberts at an Elsonore scramble.
My Dad told me I just shook hands with the greatest rider of all time.
Still agree. The man did it all!
It’s entirely possible that this is the most beautiful racing machine ever crafted by the hand of man. I love Yamaha’s
I saw Kenny race at Laguna Seca in 1981 when I was attending the Defense Language Institute in Monterey. This video brought back some amazing memories.
Kind of brought a tear to my eye . In 1972 I saw my first race at Loudin NH . Kenny finished 2nd to Gary Nixon . I was 13 at the time.....never forget that day with my dad
Loudon. Sure just a typing error.
Gary Nixon..rip.. such a great guy..old school.. and Kenny Roberts you know all these guys are so approachable and down to earth 🇺🇸
I raced motocross as a teenager in the 80's and Keny Rogers was the man. Later on Bob Hannah became my hero of motocross. Now that I'm 49 and my body hurts daily from racing and crash and burns ...seeing Kent still going strong gives me hope to never stop the drive of life. Now I'm a sailer. Sailboating gets my Hart rate up..but it's so much easier hitting the water than the dirt ...
Once a King, always a King. Kenny was simply unmatched. I am old enough to remember the time when he was the King. It is a real shame that America doesn't have a single representative in Moto GP neither in WSBK.
Last Sunday, Another american also called ROBERTS got pole position in Catar GP in Moto2
Roberts did some crazy amazing things. He won on a Yamaha 650 Twin. Used a TZ750 2 stroke on dirt and won.... That shit was epic.
The early eighties were golden years for F1 GP500cc racing at Laguna Seca and King Kenny was always the one to beat on the faster 9-turn layout.
4:18, it's Saturday February 13, 2021, I just felt that 80s air, for a brief time, my body felt like I was in my 20s (am 61), Thanks soooo much Kenny, Kel and Wayne, very nostalgic r/now👍👍👌👌😪
The greatest motorcycle racer the world has ever seen. They didn’t call Kenny the King for nothing, absolute Legend.
Kenny can still get it up! American legend.
Kenny is THE King ! I have loved him since I started riding. Kenny and Yamaha.....unmatched and undisputed. Ever. Love you Ken.
I was there that day, and it was way beyond cool to see and hear Kenny and that bike again.
As a brit thus takes me back to Kenny and Barry. Went to a lot of the transatlantic races. A big event in our year. 4 strokes just dont excite like 2strokes and expansion pipes. They reinvented motor biking and everyone had a Yamaha or a suzuki.
Haven't thought about this for many years, but tonight I hung out with my neighbors who are avid dirt bike riders (Bobby Tocco) . Told them how Kenny Roberts brought back so many good memories of my childhood. How my dad worked 7 days a week trying to support a family of 11.....his only enjoyment; and my best memory was at Northville Downs Race Track ....... My dad would be front and center screaming "go Kenny!" thrusting his arm into the air, smiling, having fun, loving life. My Dad passed 25 years ago. What great memories, thank you
Kenny Roberts is why I bought my 1979 Yamaha RD400F Daytona Special. I still have that bike
I rode a Kawasaki Mach III in the 1970s, so my favorite rider was Yvon du Hamel from Team Kawasaki. Loved the battles between Roberts and du Hamel. Saw them race at Laguna Seca several times.
Me to
And then later watching his kid Migual du Hamel battle Scott Russell, Edwards and Fogerty.
Ya gotta love the way the guy goes into the cork screw and then takes his hand off the left clip on and waves to the crowd!!
Beautiful... Yamaha and KR, two living legends
When he goes through the corkscrew...it is simply epic (for a fan, like me). What a legend.
I had the sound turned down, but it was an honor to be able to watch Kenny race flat track in Houston the years that I went as a teen.
Got to see Kenny race once at Mosport . A privateer mechanic/ racer by the name of Mike Baldwin blew him away. Am sure it was rare and feel so privileged to have seen
We rode form so cal to Modesto to watch Kenny as early as ‘77 what a rider
It was pretty cool seeing Wayne Rainey as well!
Yeah...
Always good to see Kenny and Kel together... Kel looks good..
I started riding on the road in 1980 here in the UK when most English kids wanted to be Barry Sheene but for me Kenny was my hero and the king. If you saw him race he was a total professional cool smooth and the yellow Yamaha's just looked so good.
Thanks for some great memories Kenny 👍
What a Legend !
These guys were the TRUE pioneers of the sport.
What an Era !
I was in the grandstands that night. This video doesn't do it justice. He did like three laps and when he came across the front straight away wide open it was friggin awesome. He was in it to win it. It was probably my favorite flat track memory.
I used to try and keep up with Kenny when he rode up on Skyline Blvd and the hills of the South SF Bay. They call him the King for great reasons
oh, to smell Blendz All again. the King signed a piece of artwork I had made back in the late 70s during a break at the Laguna Seca old track. I had my Spec II RD-350 painted in Yamaha USA yellow and black colors in his honor. yeah, Kenny was pretty special.
wow...a legend...i not only got goose bumbs...i got a little choked up!
I had the pleasure of meeting Kenny at Daytona when I was an 18 year old in '75. I had just hung up my motocross (I also did a little flat track and Enduro races and some Trials competitions) racing boots after about a 6 year career where I earned an AMA Experts License in 125cc class (ranked as high as 7th in the state of Florida)and my local Yamaha shop that had sponsored me (Island Yamaha in Merritt Island Fl.) was looking at me to campaign a partial season on a TZ-250, I went to Daytona with them just to get some practice laps in for me to see what I thought of road racing and for them to see if my times warranted them giving me a somewhat full ride. Kenny was there (with Cal) on the factory TZ-750's and on pit row during their practice I walked up and introduced myself and congratulated him on hos Grand National championship and talked to him about steering with the rear wheel (explaining I had just started doing it in motocross, I just stumbled into it, thinking I had invented it, and was wondering what he thought of doing it in pavement)...his eyes lit up and he spoke for about 2 or 3 minutes about the advantage of steering with the rear tire on pavement. As it turned out I did get a few sponsored rides in late '75 and '76 on the TZ-250 and loved it but I then was off to Engineering college so ended my racing career...I kinda always felt had I stuck with it I may have been able to make a living at it, but in hindsight I feel like we (my dad and I, who was an Engineer who gave me lots of financial support not to mention was my chief wrench) made the right decision, as I just recently retired with 31 years at America's largest defense contractor so I am pretty well financially set...but re: Kenny, while he was very serious, he was just the nicest guy you'd ever want to meet, and I could tell he was smart as a tack, not to mention he obviously had other worldly scooter skills.
Translation: 'I gave up a career in entertainment for a career in genocide...'
It's a motorcycle story. We have fun here. Lighten the Fuck up.
@@izzysykopth Yawn...if you'd like to argue your point with some intellectual heft I would be happy to respond in kind.
@@darthvisor9289 So you're saying the official 911 narrative is believable?ROFL! That takes a special kind of stupid. BTW I had a fine career as a journey ironworker. I run my own business now. I'm also a performing musician and a patent holder. I've been teaching empty hand for twenty years. It's likely I accomplished more by the time I was out of grade school than you have in your entire pathetic life....
@@stevefowler2112 you'd have to have to display some intellectual capacity before I will engage....
I saw Kenny race at Laguna Seca and at the Golden Gate Mile. He just ran away from everyone.
He was showing off on the Corkscrew and doing wheelies down the finish straight. Such a great man for the sport.
In 1980 I was 27 and had owned 4 bikes. Now I'm 59 and have owned 20 different bikes. Right now I have a ZRX Kawa. I remember buying the moto magazines and reading about Kenny and dreaming it was me on my knee going around the corners. He was mr. cool on the track and off. I'm glad we both survived. Glen
Sound,Power and the good Castrol GTX Oil was our Aftershave 😂👍All what a men need👌
You know, it's awesome to watch this..... Especially knowing that i have sat on that exact bike at Kenny's house.... Amazing. Just shaking his hand was an honor....
Saw King Kenny win at Daytona,and his teammate Eddie Lawson 2nd,in 1983. Both on OW61 Yamaha 2 strokes! Got to walk right into pit area after race and look at their bikes. I'll never forget. Thanks to Wayne Graham,Central Carolina Motorcycle Mechanics program professor.
I'm proud to say that I was in my white pants and bright red Lucky Yamaha windbreaker on the crew at Ascot Park when we placed third behind Kenny and Gary Scott. Our "Get" kitted DT 250 MX was giving the farm to the Bultaco and the Montessa. Carl Byers, I think, didn't go beyond Novice.
His battles with Barry Sheene were so fantastic to watch. As a teenager in the UK back in the day, these guys were idols...great video
Kenny Roberts is to road racing, What Roger Decoster was to Motocross= BOTH LEGENDS !!!
Thd
amen
kenny is for american riders the same as Angel nieto for spaniards (who now dominate the earth)
The Dunlop family are the kings of "road racing".....there is a big difference between what king kenny does on a track and what the dunlops do on the ROADS
Oh and by the way the music killed it
I was a follower back then, was doing a little racing myself (Yamahas!) & got to meet Kenny (and 'Ago!') at the '74 Daytona. His braking & exiting turns was almost poetry, a privelege to see, as he wrangled a 2nd place out of a sick machine. His career was just starting to take off, and there's no wonder they called him "The King".
I got an RD-400, and it was real quick.
Thank God the Z-100 was so expensive, otherwise I wouldn't have survived those years.
Kenny was magical, it's impossibly crazy stuff he did on a bike, He made it look easy, just like master craftsmen do.
Hey James! Port the cylinder to given specs (sorry I can't reveal mine) and it'll really "ZING"!
He's the man who got my interest in sport bikes and I still ride them today at my advanced age. He and Agostini set a standard that probably will never be beaten by two riders in a period. And remember there were other great riders then.
I was headed the way of road scared because of King Kenny but high school friends ride dirt bikes, so there I went. Kenny is LEGEND even to a dirt bike racer like me.
It was good fortunate that put me among the Superbike entries during the 1984 AMA National at Laguna Saca, and it was the perfect time for my first AMA event. Among the Formula 1 entries was Kenny Roberts, Freddy Spencer, Randy Mamola and of course, all the Pro Superbike riders. The first practice session that Thursday morning was most memorable, with race officials combining the F1 bikes with Superbikes, allowing me to be on track with all the fine riders, and with Americas legends on two wheels.
Kenny not only inspired more pro's to ride, but probably lead the whole "Golden age" balloon of everyday riders. I'm one of them. King Kenny. Thank you for your inspiration.
Always loved the colours of this bike! I was a big fan of King Kenny and had my crash helmets painted like his, once when he was signing his autobiography at silverstone I got him to sign my helmet along the back just like his.
Man, he made it look easy. It looked good and he looked smooth! The king.
one handed down the corkscrew at speed.... awesome
DCSPEED23 amazing!!!
I wouldn't dare on that bike...both hands on😂😂😂
This guy was my favorite knee dragger! He pioneered the style. I haven't done it in decades. But I still love watching the master at work!
That has to be the single coolest bike, and rider, of all time.
Met the King a couple times in the paddock at Sears Point and Laguna Seca. A no nonsense, no unneeded words and to the point kinda guy.
A lot of people don't know this but when Kenny first when to race the Grand Prix's he was the only rider with a contract with Goodyear. Since Americans didn't race in the rain then he had to cut grooves in the tires with razor blades to run in the rain. What a true legend. In 1983 racing against Spencer there were only 12 races that year. They each won 6 so only two riders winning all the races.
nick palmer I
There is absolutely nothing like the sound of a 2T having it's neck wrung :-)
We love ya up in Canada King Kenny....RD350 Box Stock forever baby!
KR is the man, if you can't recognize and appreciate his riding genius and complete lack of fear and ability to push a machine past it's limits.......then F you....truly one of the greats never to be replicated, history in action.
KENNY, when I was child I watched you go fast. I stopped dreaming and climbed on a motorcycle 50 years later. Thanks for being my HERO.
As a little boy, while Kenny Roberts was making his mark on the racing world, I was riding a TY80. Trials riding was fun. Each night as I grew up, glued to the wall in my corner of the room, right beside my bed, were the clippings I took from Cycle News that showed Kenny taking all three classes, 125, 250 and 500cc championships. Old black and white photo newspaper shots. He was then and still is my hero. Kenny, if you see this, just know that when I see you ride, the little boy in me dreams of riding with you and like you, even today. I could go on but I'll leave it right here. You're an incredible man and rider and will forever be my hero! Thank you!
I have fond memories of this guy! I sponsored a two bike club team from 80' to 88'. During the summer went to Europe to catch the Dutch TT and the following week to Spa for the Belgium race. Through my bike company name, Motorsport Two Stroke Eng. got pit passes and start finish line seats to both. During the week to the race in Spa we would be with him and Eddie and Freddie in the pits. These are the nicest people to be with. Because of his belief in rider safety, the race in Spa after 88' was never run again. The front straight downhill into the kink and then up the hill to a long straight ended with a 90 turn to the right followed by a 90 to the left then a short piece to another 90 right slight downhill. Kenny had asked the race directors to put hay bales against the Armco at the first right, which had guys going into at decelerating down from 150mph to make the turn. Some didn't always make it and slid into it at 60-80 mph. They refused his request. They didn't realize Kenny wasn't bluffing, and being the riders spokesman, all riders refused to return and it's been that way ever since. In one of his early races overseas the track officials didn't like him. In one of his videos he tells the press after winning a race, " if they want to treat me shitty, that's okay, they can keep their damn trophy "............that's basically the essence of this guy. Cycle news a few years back , because of his devotion to the sport of motorcycling and trying to promote it all over the world, voted him racer of the century. I agree!
No music please, only the engine sound...
no music could ever come close to the bikes and they never sounded quite like they did in the days of Camelot. .impossible! with KR posters in the garage, following in his line. in all ways. on and off track. so good2C he's chill as ever. and still looks good doin it. best years in my life.
agreed
Music doesn't belong in motorcycle videos and anyone who puts it there should be fired from future production.
Come on YAMAHA you guys should know better!
He can still ride it at 70, yes? Awesome.
I hope so, I am 64.
This video wasn't posted when it was filmed. Near the beginning it says he is about to turn 60. Still impressive. I'm 58 and will never let go of my RD400.
I had the 1979 RD400 Daytona the 1985-86 RZ-350 but the RZV V4 was just crazy fun till I could afford a TZ250 which was light years ahead of any Two Stroke I ever rode. You just can't explain it in words, you have to ride them to understand why we grin seeing these old bikes.
nice music flooded out the sound of the bike
king kenny, was a super inspiration to me though the 51 years I've been a part of Yamaha, thanks for all the great memories☺
Saw him (them - Rainey, Lawson, Baldwin, Mamola etc) in 78 & 79 at Laguna Seca old configuration. Would have been fun to be at this current event & see King Kenny ride again...
Kenny Roberts..the king👑🏍️and always will be...
Kenny at the Laguna's downhill! YES! ! LOVE IT!!
i remember kenny and eddie in 80 or81 every lap out of old turn 9 (at laguna) wheelie past the foot bridge. they lapped everyrider some twice
Nothin' like the sound of a 2-stroke GP bike!
Yep Loved the smokers & those 500's basically tried to kill the men riding them
If you could hear it properly.
Kenny Roberts. The Man.
Seeing him ride the 750 on the Mile again was really impressive.
That bike/rider combo will still smoke 99% of anything out there today!
This guy represents America and motorcycles so well, makes me proud to see him still loving the sport, taking part in events at any capacity, the dude just loves bikes!
My childhood idol like many other kids, cool video, thanks for sharing
A salty cat but that's not a criticism! He changed modern racing and brought North America to the podium! Invented a style and was a winner. Awesome video!
Thanks for putting the music over the best part.
Thank you again "King" Kenny... for ALL the GREAT Memories. We have grown Older together......
The King is back, long live the King.
Been too many GPs at Laguna during the 80's High point of my life watching all the top guys racing them 500's.
One of my child hood hero's and part of the reason I bought a brand new RG 500 from the Suzuki dealer in Prince George B.C. Canada and rode it all over the west coast in the 80's and 90's
What a beautiful motorcycle,an absolute dream ride.
Still his riding skills r tremendous specially in corners he is on 🔥
In 1980 I was 25 and working for a Honda and Yamaha dealer as a shop mechanic. I subscribed to all the cycle magazines and I read everything about Kenny Roberts I could find. I attended several bike week races at Daytona as well. It was always a thrill to see him ride the Yamaha's to victory.
Brings back lots of memories from watching him race. Great to see him take the bike out again!!!
Having just started watching the 500 gp bikes about the same time that kenny was going out, it is really cool to see some of the old races on you tube and still see him ride his vintage stuff today! Thanks for sharing that with us.
As I recall...Wayne Rainey got his start in GP racing in the 250cc class on a team that KR was running on the TZ (or maybe YZR) 250.
The yellow and black the sound king Kenny...whats more in life...priceless!
Love Kenny Roberts💙👌
Kenny Roberts was my hero in the late seventies early eighties I couldn't wait to get my cycle and cycle world magazines to read about the races during high school our art Dept asked the students to do a mural and all the students in my art class submitted a painting two paintings were picked one of John Bonham and mine of Kenny Roberts on his 1980 OW 48 this was in 1980 and the mural is still there almost 40 years later for all the high schools students to see
I watched those late 1980's Laguna Seca races where Kenny Roberts won each event. It was fantastic.
I just saw this for the first time...
My, how fun it is to again see Bazzo (#7) where he belonged...
Behind the King.
Miss my Kenny Roberts RZ350. That bike was so gd fun.
It was hard not to do 100 MPH on it. Got a few speeding tickets on mine.
My Yamaha Bolt using color theme "Kenny Robert" for Yamaha 60th Anniversary. That striking Yellow bring out old memories.
Brings back a lot of good memories, sure miss seeing everyone! It was good to hear Dreb's voice again, too! Ride safe!
I wonder if this is the first time Kenny rode the "new" longer track. He raced on it prior to it's FIM homologation. The infield was added to meet FIM minimum length. I remember Kenny wheeling through the cork screw. He was leaps and bounds faster then the other riders of the time. Good to see the old livery, the yellow and black was always my favorite yamaha colors. My only complaint is Kel Carruthers not wrenching on it the bike and the music. The target audience are all motorcycle fans and would much prefer to hear the bike!
Yup. The amazing YZR 500 baby. And whoever rode it.