Where are they now?

wheelsportaddict · 8 May 2012, 15:47 (Ref:3071272)

As a fan of all forms of motor sport since I was a kid (many years ago, I know) and been to events where the racing cars of my childhood and long before have been raced, it got me thinking.

What happened to all the 1980's and 90's (pre Moto GP rule) Grand Prix 500cc bikes? Would be great to see some of them hurtling around some of the UK's circuits.

I've had a look on the CMRC website but no one seems to race one with them. Anyone got any ideas?

chunder · 8 May 2012, 18:35 (Ref:3071352)

Err, if you didnt know this then I guess you either didnt read much stuff about GP bikes in those era's or it was a passing interest.

The factories used to crush most of their GP bikes of that year, unless it maybe won a title then it perhaps would be kept. One of each bike was often kept in secret by people like honda, Suzuki or Yamaha, as most times a team could use this as a testbed or a comparison.

A good example of this is that in 94 as world champ, Schwantz wanted to go back to a 93 frame, but there were none!

And in 93 Rainey was so fed up with the YZR that Roberts managed to persuade Yamaha to let Team Riberts use a ROC Yamaha frame. This was a customer frame built by Serge Rosset for privateers when Yamaha leased out their V4 engines in 1992.

The ROC frame was better than teh Yamaha one and Rainey went on to dominate the championship before his accident.

There are surviving bikes obviously, Honda has hundreds in its museums, as do Suzuki and Yamaha. But the vast majority were crushed to prevent the opposition buying them, getting hold of them etc.

wheelsportaddict · 8 May 2012, 19:04 (Ref:3071365)

I admit I haven't read much about the bikes from that era, so I didn't realize that they got crushed. Surely the designs would be of no significance for today's Moto GP bikes?

Would Honda, Suzuki etc not be prepared to sell or lease the bikes for an informal race series?

chunder · 8 May 2012, 21:37 (Ref:3071440)

Not really, it dopesnt work like that!

there are running versions of the bikes that a few collectors have got, for instance Schwantz's 93 titel Suzuki is a runner, as are various Honda's that won titles.

But as I say, these bikes simply werent avilable to buy, most were scrapped

GORDON STREETER · 8 May 2012, 21:58 (Ref:3071449)

Even if they were still about I doubt if anybody would actually race them in anger, especially the 500 two stokes !!!!.
Going back further it's only because of people like George Beale that we can still see and hear what they were like

There are some classic GP type races going on in different places especially 250/350 two stroke. Guy at Exactweld told me that he was going to several meetings this year with one of his old bikes including Jerez.

chunder · 9 May 2012, 06:46 (Ref:3071547)

Obviously there is a huge classic racing scene. But maybe not so much in the two strokes. Maybe stuff fromt he 80's like Tz's, but very rare to get a 500.

You might get an RG500 or Yamaha somewhere, but in the UK its mainly older stuff and thumpers.

There are a few people who own these 2 strokes, but they are mainly restored demo bikes. And from the Sheene era mainly.

I cant imagine you would ever go to a classic meeting and find an NSR/YZR/RGV in the paddock. But you might find an RS or TZ Honda that has been raced in GP's, but it certainly wont have all the kit goodies on it anymore!!