Finest 10 bike racers of all time?

[smifffymoto]

srob said:

Maximus_Meridius101 said:

srob said:

Something funny poppet?

You think they were mechanically sympathetic?! You think they’d ‘nurse’ their bikes home? Guess you’ve never read anything about Mike Hailwood and his complete lack of mechanical knowledge? He was renowned for it. Those riders in the fifties and earlier rode just as hard as anyone does now, which is why most modern racers you’d speak to have massive respect for them.

And you do know they were averaging 100mph in the late fifties around the TT course on 500cc bikes? Their straight line speed obviously wasn’t as high, their acceleration way worse and their corner speeds wouldn’t be as high due to tyre and suspension quality (not to mention road conditions) but if you think that’s not on the edge of skill, bravery, determination and ability you deserve another which is what you’d get from anyone who knows anything about bike racing outside of what they’ve seen on tv.

Hickman and co have big balls for doing 130mph laps but the biggest balls must still belong to Bob McIntyre

[Rob 131 Sport]

blade7 said:

Rob 131 Sport said:

Both great riders, but you would have to put Niall Mackenzie in front of both of them.

And I'd put Shakey in front of him.

No way. Niall was a Top Class GP Rider in arguably one of the toughest periods as regards the competition. One of the worlds most naturally gifted riders.

What did Shakey ever do outside of the UK.

[LukeBrown66]

Rode the hardest bike ever to grace a FGP grid to points, the Cube, also the slowest GP bike of the era, (including the WCM) the Proton KTM, was unlucky away from BSB, was easily a WSB race winner on talent, but had the bad breaks and went for crap GP rides!!

[slopes]

Ten finest racers of all time you say? This is my list

Eric Geboers - first man to win Motocross Triple Crown.

Jonathan Rea - yes he might be on the best kit but he still has to be able to ride the thing and i hate the fact he is dominating but he is efficient and i can't deny that.

Joey Dunlop

Luca Cadalora - especially in the smaller classes

Jean Michel Bayle - First rider i am aware of who raced at the top level both on dirt and tarmac - I'm discounting dirt track in this

Flying Freddie Merkel - first ever WSB champion

Mark Salle - made being a privateer look professional R.I.P.

Mick Doohan - redefined the top level class

Cal Rayborn - anyone who could hussle a HD like that deserves praise

Barry Sheene - made motorcycle racing fashionable

[Rob 131 Sport]

LukeBrown66 said:

Rode the hardest bike ever to grace a FGP grid to points, the Cube, also the slowest GP bike of the era, (including the WCM) the Proton KTM, was unlucky away from BSB, was easily a WSB race winner on talent, but had the bad breaks and went for crap GP rides!!

No doubt he’s a great rider, I just don’t think he’s quite up their with Mackenzie.

One very underrated rider is Leon Haslam. He was close to winning the WSBK title in 2010 on a Suzuki. He should really of won more BSB Titles.

[Maximus_Meridius101]

smifffymoto said:

Go and watch some old 750 races and you will see some damn good riders,even just British races.
No traction control,no electronic suspension,no electronics full stop.
No one doubts the skill of todays riders but without electronics I do wonder if they would be as good.

That’s the eternal conundrum.

[Maximus_Meridius101]

smifffymoto said:

Hickman and co have big balls for doing 130mph laps but the biggest balls must still belong to Bob McIntyre

It’s still going to hurt a lot less at 100 than 130+. Personally, screw that whole thing for a game of soldiers. There is literally no way on god’s green earth I would road race at those speeds. That’s why I love watching road racing. Lamp posts / phone boxes, flint walls, houses, donkeys. No no no. It’s really not going to happen. Which is where the respects are paid.

[dickymint]

Maximus_Meridius101 said:

smifffymoto said:

Hickman and co have big balls for doing 130mph laps but the biggest balls must still belong to Bob McIntyre

It’s still going to hurt a lot less at 100 than 130+. Personally, screw that whole thing for a game of soldiers. There is literally no way on god’s green earth I would road race at those speeds. That’s why I love watching road racing. Lamp posts / phone boxes, flint walls, houses, donkeys. No no no. It’s really not going to happen. Which is where the respects are paid.

Barry Sheene was non too fussed either

[Davetheraver]

Maximus_Meridius101 said:

It’s still going to hurt a lot less at 100 than 130+. Personally, screw that whole thing for a game of soldiers. There is literally no way on god’s green earth I would road race at those speeds. That’s why I love watching road racing. Lamp posts / phone boxes, flint walls, houses, donkeys. No no no. It’s really not going to happen. Which is where the respects are paid.

Well I would much rather do 130 on the tyres, suspension and brakes they have now than 100 back when they were doing that.

Factor in the massive changes in road surface and the track layout itself. The much better protective gear on the riders and at the roadside. The improvement in medical attention, helmets etc.

Those boys 50 years ago had way bigger balls than the current lot IMO. Almost impossible to compare things are so different.

The changes at Brandish and Windy corner on their own account for a significant speed increase and huge reduction in danger without the riders even having to do anything.

[Tom Logan]

dickymint said:

Barry Sheene was non too fussed either

Sheene held (still holds?) the lap record for the old Spa Francochamps road circuit at over 135 mph, he wasn't a fan of the TT which is where this idea of him not liking road courses comes from.

How many times did he race and win at Olivers Mount? Lots.

[dickymint]

Tom Logan said:

dickymint said:

Barry Sheene was non too fussed either

Sheene held (still holds?) the lap record for the old Spa Francochamps road circuit at over 135 mph, he wasn't a fan of the TT which is where this idea of him not liking road courses comes from.

How many times did he race and win at Olivers Mount? Lots.

Back in the day and for many years I did hold it against him and wrongly accused him of "bottling out" when it came to the IOM (ony entered once). But of course he was an absolute legend and I get it now. Since this thread i've been watching some of his stuff on Youtube, especially enjoyed some of Kenny Roberts tributes to him and that video of his bike collection. Top man died too young.

[NAS]

slopes said:

Eric Geboers - first man to win Motocross Triple Crown.
Jean Michel Bayle - First rider i am aware of who raced at the top level both on dirt and tarmac - I'm discounting dirt track in this

Am quite tickled that MX/Off-Road is barely mentioned before this post. The guys mentioned are good shouts.

Other considerations should be:

Stéphane Peterhansel (won Dakar 6 times on 2 wheels and 8 in a car)
Stefan Everts (10 times MX world champion over the course of 15 years)

[take-good-care-of-the-forest-dewey]

NAS said:

Am quite tickled that MX/Off-Road is barely mentioned before this post. The guys mentioned are good shouts.

Other considerations should be:

Stéphane Peterhansel (won Dakar 6 times on 2 wheels and 8 in a car)
Stefan Everts (10 times MX world champion over the course of 15 years)

Was just going to post Stéphane too. Incredible rider.

I'm also surprised how little love for Stoner there is. I know he was seen as quiet and a moaner, but he was an incredible rider. His ability to ride the knife edge of grip was preternatural.

[the cueball]

slopes said:

Ten finest racers of all time you say? This is my list


Jonathan Rea - yes he might be on the best kit but he still has to be able to ride the thing and i hate the fact he is dominating but he is efficient and i can't deny that.

Got to be on the list purely because he's just passed his CBT andthe big bike test this month!

Go JR!

[ArnageWRC]

NAS said:

slopes said:

Eric Geboers - first man to win Motocross Triple Crown.
Jean Michel Bayle - First rider i am aware of who raced at the top level both on dirt and tarmac - I'm discounting dirt track in this

Am quite tickled that MX/Off-Road is barely mentioned before this post. The guys mentioned are good shouts.

Other considerations should be:

Stéphane Peterhansel (won Dakar 6 times on 2 wheels and 8 in a car)
Stefan Everts (10 times MX world champion over the course of 15 years)

I don't know why the off roaders are being discounted - it's the same for 4 wheeled motorsport, or even in cycling. I only put two in my Top10...but I'd probably include Hard/Extreme Enduro legend Graham Jarvis, and maybe even David 'Knighter' Knight.

[tight fart]

My top ten in no particular order
Rossi
Doohan
Agostini
Dunlop
K Roberts
Sheene
Spencer
Shwantz
Surtees
Hailwood
Lawson
Rainey
Marquez
Oh bugger that's 13, not sure who to take out.