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.
Giacomo Agostini – a legend and all-time most successful rider in Grand Prix history. Eight 500cc championships and seven 350cc championships: perhaps his astonishing record will never be surpassed? Critics will say that a number of his titles were against little in the way of opposition when on the dominant MV Agusta machines in both classes, but you can only beat the racers and machines that are there. Fifty years ago he made a brave move, from the Italian four-stroke race machines at MV Agusta to the new two-stroke 500cc machines fromYamaha. Perhaps the move was more about serving notice to MV. In 1973 Ago dutifully gave them another 350cc world title but lost out to team-mate Phil Read in the 500cc class, who was armed with the newer four-cylinder…
ARCHIVE Anthony Gobert was an incredibly talented off-road and Tarmac racer, who should have become a world champion. “Without any doubt, Anthony Gobert was the biggest natural talent I ever saw ride during my career,” said Colin Edwards, two-time World Superbike champ and former MotoGP star. James Whitham also echoed this sentiment, saying: “When I followed him on track, when he was on his game I couldn’t follow him for more than two corners before throwing it into the trees. He was a very special talent on a bike.” Anthony Gobert was an off-road racer who came late to the Tarmac. By the time he’d come to road racing in the early 1990s, Gobert had already learned a great deal and had a wild, rear-wheel sliding style. He was teamed…
ARCHIVE “That is my bloody traction control mate…” Mick Doohan points to his right wrist, leaving the young journalist asking the question, a tad flustered. It was a relevant question: was Mick using all the various tech aids that the other HRC riders were rumoured to be using in the early 1990s? Apparently not: Shinichi Ito (who’d cracked 200mph at the Salzburgring) was running a Honda NSR with fuel-injection, but the HRC press officer said he was on carbs when he did it. Mick just wanted to use tried and tested parts on his NSR500. After all, he’d come such a long way and knew what worked. Mick’s career trajectory was meteoric: 18 months after riding a 250cc production bike, two top 500cc Grand Prix teams were after his signature…
The perfect partner for winter rides.These waterproof gloves have a snugThinsulate G60 thermal lining, held firmly in place with mcFitTechnology... Find out more at www.weiseclothing.com Across 1: The first team that put Wayne Rainey onto a 500cc GP podium. (5,6,6)7: To go fast on a straight, all riders must put this on the tank. (4)8 & 36 Across: The rival organization for Kenny Roberts, both towards the end of his racing career and in his time as a team manager. (5,6,11)10: Mr Grace, first ever points scorer in Grand Prix road racing for 26 Down. (6)12: MonsieurToffolo, Belgian whose best GP result of 4th came at his home GP on a 250cc Armstrong. (4-4)14: Vital fluids for any racing machine. (4)17 & 31 Across: Kentish rider who Murray Walker named…
If you want to get in touch… Then please do. We read every letter, email and comment sent to us and we enjoy hearing from you whether it’s about an event coming up, a motorcycle you own or you just want to let us know about something you find interesting in CR’s world. Classic Racer, Mortons Media Group, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs, LN9 6JR. CRletters@mortons.co.uk facebook.com/ClassicRacerMag/ REYNOLDS – A GENTLEMAN! Dear CR Just wanted to say what a great read both the John Reynolds features were and that they gave great insight into the man himself and his racing history – as well as how much respect there clearly was between him and Steve Hislop. That was great to read about and see out there on track more…
GP ORIGINALS is GO for 2024 The thrills and spills of the post classic racing era will be back in style this summer as the GP Originals season returns with a six-round series. GP Originals held their first event in 2017 at Oulton Park at an event hosted by No Limits. Since then they’ve held a five-round series, albeit with 2020 cancelled due to COVID-19. In addition they’ve also held a non-championship event at Portimao in 2019 and had a similar event at the British Superbike round at Cadwell Park back in 2021. GP Originals runs three championships: ■ 250cc (bikes up to 1984)■ 350cc (bikes up to 1981)■ Masters (riders aged 55 or over, irrespective of machine capacity). Masters riders are also included in the championship for their machine…
