Classic Racer takes you so close you can actually smell the Castrol R. With the world's finest archive, and an editorial team who live and breathe the sport, the only way you'll get closer will be to put on your leathers.
ARCHIVE Geoff Duke – not just a six-time world champion or six-time Isle of ManTT racer – he was much more than that… Geoff was the first superstar of two-wheeled racing, being a household name before the days of John Surtees, Mike Hailwood, Phil Read and Barry Sheene. Like Sheene (and the later Valentino Rossi) he would transcend ‘mere’ motorcycle racing and become mainstream. He was an innovator, too: early in his career Duke had discovered the potential benefit of a tighter-fitting leather suit. When he taped back the baggy parts of his leather jacket and trousers he soon found he could cut through the air more easily and shave tenths off his lap times, he also wore the first ‘one-piece’ leather suit and helped develop proper racing boots. Post…
ARCHIVE We’re never too old or experienced to learn something, and so it proved with Kenny Roberts – a three-time world champion at the penultimate race of the 1983 500cc season. He was battling the young gun – Freddie Spencer – in this titanic battle of established King and young pretender to the 500cc World Championship. Roberts was riding aYamaha 0W70 V4 (seen here at the 1983Transatlantic Match Races at Donington) which – for the first time – was using the Deltabox aluminium beam frame, attached to a 17-inch front wheel. Running in a Marlboro-backed team alongside fellow Californian Eddie Lawson (and with Giacomo Agostini as team boss) many felt this was Kenny’s best chance of recapturing his crown after Suzuki’s two titles in 1981 and 1982. Up against him…
ARCHIVE Suzuki’s stunning-looking RGV500 Gamma will always be associated with lankyTexan Kevin Schwantz. With his cavalier riding style, he tamed the fast, but often fickle Suzuki 500cc V4 two-stroke while many others fell by the wayside. The general rule of thumb in the1990s was that the Honda NSR500 was the most powerful, theYamahaYZR500 the most rideable and consistent and the RGV seemed to be good on the brakes (or was that thanks to Schwantz?) but lacked consistency on all tracks. But how did the RGV really compare? Niall Mackenzie was close to a Suzuki 500cc GP ride in 1986, riding the old square four XR70 – but he took up Honda’s offer for 1987 before moving to Yamaha for 1989. By 1990 he’d joined Schwantz in the Lucky Strike-backed Suzuki…
These Weise Ridge Jeans are AA rated for protection, with an abrasion-resistant aramid lining and armour at knee and hip, Ridge Jeans have got you covered. Available in black and blue in sizes for men and women priced at £139.99: find out more at: www.weiseclothing.com Across 1: They are the “right way up” but perhaps not as common on the front end these days. (12,5)6: Double WSB championship winning Tornado. (7)9: Double World 250 Champion Sito Pons’ real first name. (7)10: Vital links necessary for drive. (5)11: See 23 Across.12: The way an old leather racing seat gets with excessive wear. (5)15: Monsieur Coulon, veteran technician with wild hair. (3)16: Oil, grease, silicon spray, as an example. (9)18: Mr Länsivuori, world number 2 when Mr Sheene was first number 1.…
Classic Racer, Mortons Media Group, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs, LN9 6JR. CRletters@mortons.co.uk facebook.com/ClassicRacerMag/ MY DAD… Dear CRI will try and keep my letter concise but I felt the overwhelming need to write to you. Back in 2020 at the early onset of the pandemic I sadly lost my dad at 69 years old. As a result of the pandemic I never got to say goodbye or have what would have been a much cherished final chat with him about his favourite thing in the world – motorcycle racing. My dad, Robert, lived for motorcycle racing. It was his world and he introduced me at three years old to speedway at Wolverhampton. His plan to share his passion with his only child partially worked as I likewise fell in…
Yes, I’m biased but I have to say that while ‘you meet the nicest people on a Honda’ I actually think you meet the nicest people in the paddock and in motorcycling as a whole. That hackneyed image of motorcyclists in general, ‘rockers’ or ‘greasers’ all up for a ruck has largely been dispelled – to ride on the road you need a fair amount of disposable income and that means many riders are older, rather than younger. Bikers are – by and large – kind-hearted, charitable (just think of all the toy runs) and it’s a fraternity (irrespective of gender) that makes me feel proud to be part of. The racing fraternity is the same – only more so. As competitive a place as it can be, the (often…
