1986 British 500 Motocross GP - Hawkstone Park

This was the Live/Delayed ITV broadcast of the British round of the 1986 500 world motocross championship from Hawkstone park.

[@johndrover6005]

This has to be the Golden Age for motocross. Can’t beat the smell of a two stroke and the excitement of watching masters of their craft!

[@mboyer68]

I agree. To see 40 bikes of the 500cc/4-speed variety rip off the line and there wasn't a single pile up anywhere..these guys were awesome!

[@paulbarry9601]

Had the pleasure of meeting George jobe at hawkstone Park with my son. He was a real gentleman, had plenty of time for my little boy giving him a signed poster. R. I. P

[@marctunney3743]

I met dave wow cool man 😍😍

[@staudio]

Nice to hear that sweet sound of a 500cc two-stroke....

[@frediheld5649]

Sweet Snarlers.....

[@wheelieking3976]

490 Maico what a bike I used to race them. 💪💪

[@husqvarna17]

It sure is, I still love it and I’m an old geezer now.

[@christopherjohnson3685]

What a rider Georges Jobe was! Battling virtually single handily in 1984, 1985, 1986 against the might of HRC Hondas of Thorpe, Malherbe and Geboers. Georges might of been champion in 86 but was let down by a series of mechanical failures on the Kawasaki having won as many Moto's as anyone in that season. No wonder he jumped on that private Honda to win the championship in 1987. Before that had legendary battles in 250cc class in 1982/1983 with American Danny Laporte. Who will ever forget jump over Andre Malherbe at Hawkstone infamous double jump in 1984. Sadly no longer with us but will always remain a true icon of World Championship Motocross.

[@1969cmp]

....a snapped frame at the Dutch GP in '86 was gut wrenching. Georges was a true great in motocross.

[@jeffnickels2279]

Malherbe was such a great rider, and person. I hate so badly that he ended up paralyzed from simply just doing what he loved. These men are much more skilled and brave than most people know; you're life could be changed in an instant riding these bikes at the speed they race with. God bless all of these giants of the past. The best years of my life were being 12 years old and reading about these bigger than life riders in my well worn copies of Motocross Action and Dirt Bike Magazine.

[@roosthrower]

They dont make mx tracks like this anymore. Tough riders with strength of steel. Thanks loved it.

[@evo5349]

Yes snapped my internals of my fork such a hard track, big holes. Paul Malins mechanic rebuilt my forks as had snapped the damping rod.

[@brucefile7430]

These were some iron men to ride those two stroke 500's the way they did for 2 45 min motos!

[@kurtvonfricken6829]

Unadilla used to be, but they turned it into a flat track with supercross obstacles.

[@robertrishel3685]

My god it’s a BEAUTIFUL motocross track! 😍 Just EPIC! It’s kind of sad to see the circus that motocross has become today from this…. It barely compares.

[@LarryLinton]

Wow..I got a little bit emotional watching this . I remember sitting in front of the TV watching this when I was 10 years old... mesmerised!! Man those 500s fly out of the corners!

[@fixitup686]

Me and my dad used to go and watch all the 90s at hawkstone park, the hill always used to amaze me how step it was in real life

[@gunsknives5395]

2-45 minute motos. These guys were bulls to hang that long on 500s.

[@patbriggsmbr]

God I miss those days. It’s watching Thorpy that sent me into motocross. That sound, the feeling, fitness, the smell of octane plus. The best days of my life.

[@groovystuff1741]

well said

[@odanne29]

Awesome upload, this is the best era of Motocross.

[@ianmangham4570]

Amen

[@BlueHopi144]

i used to go see those moto cross warriors in Belgium at that time ...only Thorpe could beat the flying belgians talents .

[@marctunney3743]

O yes no 4 stroking

[@endosfly]

When Dave Thorpe fell in the first Moto I was stood right there. I picked up his goggles and kept them for many years as a treasured possession. Lost them in a house move some decades later. Happy times at Hawkstone Park and Farleigh Castle. Saw Georges jump the Hawkstone double. R.I.P. Eric and Georges.

[@jobe5450]

I was there as well mate,I saw him fall off,was gutted

[@Jsixseven]

Also now RIP Andre Malherbe.

[@mboyer68]

This is my childhood!! The old 500cc 4-speed BEAST bikes!! I rode a couple but i never owned one, couldn't afford one but more important, i couldn't really ride one! Just way too much power, crazy. i kept riding and finally hung up my riding boots two years ago at age 50 with a compound tib/fib fracture counting as my only really bad injury. My last bike was a 2008 CRF250R which was the most amazing off road motorcycle I've ever ridden. I love motocross, I love the Euro GP racing even better as I never could really do seat bumping to get over those massive gap doubles, and I didn't want to die. I was always mid pack...but not one rider had a bigger smile or had more fun then me! Cheers mates!

[@jmsiii4751]

Motocross like it was meant to be, natural track, 500cc two strokes, 40 minutes plus two laps. I'm an old racer from the 70's and this was better racing. Todays riders would be much more fun to watch if this was still how MX was being run...

[@jamesstacey529]

I agree with you wholeheartedly I'm a child from the 70s .. And today's Motocross is basically Sprint were these men ran a marathon Stay safe keep the rubber side down👍🙏🇺🇸

[@ALIVE8455]

There were like 2 small jumps on the whole track. This would be boring as hell to watch today. The main thing that would make modern MX better today would be more 2 strokes.

[@rex.d4810]

Plus they were 2strokes

[@swanerz211]

Hawkstone is 1 of the best tracks on the planet. I can not understand why they don’t use in gps today. Love riding there.

[@rustyj5092]

After many years watching him race as a young man , I was lucky enough to have a day out riding with Dave with my son in early 2020 . A top bloke ,with effortless speed . he`s still got it !

[@pezanson2809]

Fantastic, me and my mates were there the whole weekend, awesome time.

[@t.s.racing]

3 years before that I thought I was fast, a future motocross legend. Jammin Jimmy Weinert showed up at out local track 1 weekend and stuffed me in every turn, passing me like I seized up. These guys are on a whole nother level, TRUST ME !!!!

[@Dynamic3DLtd]

Best era for MX, can still smell the mud, 2 stroke and burger vans :)

[@quickrelease100]

This was in my hay day. Always amazed at the strength and stamina of these blokes. great watch for a lazy work day :) thanks.

[@brucefile7430]

Props to Jobe for charging the entire moto....thats what a champion does! Mad respect!

[@pauldean8638]

That camera angle of the hill don’t do it justice , it’s well steep

[@peterbalac1915]

It was like the eiger 😮

[@jamesgoodwin8506]

I had this on video for years , you can’t beat Murray Walker commentating 👏🏻

[@jamielee-hill449]

I was there, I was 13, Tony Francis turned to my Dad and asked him how many people he thought were there. My Dad said, around 20,000. Then on 3:50, Francis said there are 20,000 people and I've counted every one of them. 🤣The 80s was the greatest era of motocros for me, early 90s when I raced were still pretty good too.

[@ianmangham4570]

👍🤠

[@jamielee-hill449]

@@ianmangham4570 I was at the veterens MX des nations this weekend Ian, my first return to Farleigh Castle since the golden era of GPs in the 80s, magical!

[@peterbalac1915]

I was there I would have been 30 at the time, five of us went all keen motocrossers you think you're fast till you see these boys. Sadly many are not with us anymore 😢

[@jamielee-hill449]

@@peterbalac1915 we could all go fast on the straights, these boys kept good speed through the corners, with superb balance and athleticism, especially in the sand.

[@angelosantaniello4113]

That was awesome the glory days!! Thanks

[@stevechartrand4362]

THAT BEAUTIFUL SOUND!! Had this race taped on VHS when I was a kid, been looking for it, on here for ages. Great upload!!

[@DavidJones-ig8cl]

so did me and my dad, happy days, R.I.P. dad

[@rustyj5092]

David Jones ;is that south wales David Jones kx125 ?

[@DavidJones-ig8cl]

@@rustyj5092 no sorry mate, i'm from staffs

[@mxfanmatt]

Staffihound - the unofficial keeper of the motocross community archives. Awesome

[@JonLloyd65]

Dave Thorpe - Mr Charisma!! Classic stuff - thanks!

[@ottoulyate3226]

Would have loved to have been there, awesome track/riders/bikes. Real men.

[@loracle6051]

Great races ! Thanks for sharing !

[@robertrishel3685]

Oh man those big works 500 two strokes on natural MX tracks😍😍😍😍😍😍😍. Just heavenly perfection. From idle to WFO…music.

[@nvmcrider8475]

1986 was an awesome year for Honda and MX, both in Europe and the USA, culminating with an epic USA victory of the MX des Nations with O'Show, Johnson and Bailey winning all 3 moths. Sadly, David Bailey's career was cut short right after this year and more recently, Jobe, and Geboers passing away too soon.

[@paddydunne774]

Andre was a great champion. Hands like shovels. Proud man. Thorpey was bloody quick though.

[@peterbalac1915]

Great upload 👌nice afternoon spent watching the 3 Kings George's jobe, Eric geboers, Dave Thorpe 👏👏RIP George's and Eric ,thanks for the great memories lads❤

[@BlueHopi144]

George left us recently , thanks . The Biggest Legend still is STEFAN Everts ( only word champ in the 3 categories )

[@stuartwallace6154]

Thanks for sharing I used to go to all these as a youngster awesome.

[@Oxjuve]

Never forget this race was amazing day at hawkstone park was there epic track and always packed ❤

[@vincemarshall8550]

when men were men and paper wasnt invented ,2 stroke 500,s and group b rally cars ,turbo f1 cars mike tyson in boxing what a time to be alive

[@johnshrimpton135]

Thanks for uploading, killed a couple of hours of self isolation 👍

[@richardbarton7]

nice to see top lads using so many different lines, not like follow the leader 4 strokes.

[@evo5349]

RIP Murray Walker always will remembered.

[@davecox900]

I rode at Hawkstone park back in 1987 & 88 has to be one of the hardest tracks I ever raced on,

[@sidewaysaction9983]

Having been lucky enough to once owned a CR500 I can't imagine what a works engine would of been like.

[@andybowyer3602]

Then were the days! REAL BIKES REAL TRACKS!!! 👊✊✊💨💨💨

[@idontcareaboutyou7757]

any of these monsters with a good pair of modern ohlins beats the shit out of any 2020 four stroke crap.

[@Cooper-kk4uk]

Thanks for posting this was very good.would love to see the one from farleigh castle where Thorpe came from last to first in a few laps thanks again 👍

[@kelevra558]

Man...want a lesson in motocross fundamentals? Watch races from the 80's. These guys all have perfect technique. Body position, throttle control, line choice, elbows up, eyes up, steer with the rear. Hell yeah.

[@panjang4709]

Andre Malherbe comes across really well. Such a nice guy.

[@dirk6001]

Thanks from Lommel Belgium 👍Jaak van Velthoven rules 😀

[@cj64crosser]

BRILLIANT, thanks for uploading this top vid☺️👍

[@maurizioferrante7720]

La meilleure décennie du moto cross, quelle souvenir 😊😊😊

[@volksquadman]

We all thought we were good cos we won on a few local tracks, until we went to Hawstone on 500 GP Day! and watched Thorpey, Malherbe, Jobe and the kid doing 2 x 45 mins. Any one remember Jobes double jump the previous year!

[@peterbalac1915]

Yeah I was there with five mates , George was a legend how he did that jump on that old iron never ceases to amaze me!!!

[@volksquadman]

Fkn great to hear this comment mate1- i still can stop riding at 60 because of those memories! Top Dude, YOU were acvtually there!!!@@peterbalac1915

[@peterbalac1915]

@@volksquadman Great times my freind, I remember someone left an alsatian dog in the back of a car it was a hot day we were going to put the window in and get him out luckily police man turned up with the owner and got the dog out. Glad to hear your still riding unfortunately I'm a few years older and carrying a lot of injuries, just a road bike now I sold my Honda xr650r about five years ago mainly because I couldn't ride it as good as I could have when I was younger 🤙

[@volksquadman]

I know how you feel- I only ache when i get off the bike now. I rode with a 28 yr old lad today and very much hope every ride wont be my last. In 2021 i broke the front wheel on my 89 CR500 of a Jump in South Wales- its in one of the vids somewhere. Almost took it as a Signal to Stop. I had a lovely XR600 nicked- Almost cried.@@peterbalac1915

[@jamesstewart7224]

I glad i got to see them back in the 80s at the castle also . they will be missed. our heros

[@slagletoby]

Bigfoot rode a 500 back in the day that’s why his arms are so long now.

[@1971carmichael]

recorded this from live tvback in the day...one of my treasured collections..viva la vhs lol

[@tennispennis7579]

That was a great race, thks for uploading!!

[@idontcareaboutyou7757]

I met Malherbe on his Ferrari F-40 in Florence circa 1988

[@ddhmoto44]

Legendary Bikes, and Legendary Riders!

[@charliecharliecharliecharl8554]

That 500 Brrrrrraaappp , proper athletes racing these bikes

[@christianpetit9347]

Des vrais pilotes de motocross sur des 500 2tp surpuissante et un circuit pour avoir des, gros bras 💪💪💪💪👍👍👍👍❗ un régal pour les oreilles👂👂 500 2tp ❗

[@ianmangham4570]

This is the age of the last true works machines , titanium and expensive alloys

[@df9834]

Awesome years 👌

[@michaelsuarez5201]

It took the strength of an orangutan to ride like these guys. In these days a 500cc two-stroke would pull your arms out.

[@davemonday5381]

Dave didn’t make many mistakes. This footage is rare.

[@richardcurtis2469]

It's a far statement that if you can finish the day without falling off at this track..you are a good rider . If you can get a overall first at this track you are bloody good rider

[@kennywilliams7513]

ARRGH Takes me back... commentary "dave Thorpe, the hard man of motocross" idolised him and fox on the cagiva

[@peterbalac1915]

Met Dave at Elsworth cambs on a practice day, he had just moved to Kawasaki at the time it was mid week A young Rob herring was there as well. Dave was there with Dickie dye in a white P100 pickup we were in the park ferme Dave came walking over and commented on my bike, a cagiva 500 said he raced against them in eastern Europe and they were really quick. They say never meet your heroes couldn't be further from the truth smashing guy very unassuming posed for pictures as well !!!

[@stiches660]

I was there

[@christophe2591]

Tellement différent du motocross " formule 1 " de nos jours ... et tellement mieux !!

[@frfo9527]

#3#rip 'the kid'...goosebumps to watch this...

[@worthyo]

When was it when the second place bloke jumped over into first? I was a young motocrosser back then n#56. The flying ant I remember in juniors. Loads of good memory’s and bruises. My dad and uncle competed in British championships,keith and Allan Worthington.

[@peterbalac1915]

85 I think the year before this race George jobe did the jump later in the day I think an American did it as well.

[@evo5349]

Hawkstone was a hard track to ride but I liked it and the shock oil was always very hot and I snapped the fork damping rod on my Kawasaki just shows how rough it would get.

[@papakarlo6639]

Да, было время 500! 500 - навсегда!

[@yzmoto80]

The best thing to happen to moto-x on tv ......is HD !!

[@maximummilitiaimmaculataem883]

I was wondering how long the track was and I guessed a real long one at around 3kms. Just looked it up and it’s says it’s 2.9kms. It may have been longer in 1986?

[@jaimieboy999]

My arms are hanging of me after 5 minutes on my 250 can't comprehend 45 minutes on an old 500 😅

[@adamlloyd9786]

Does anyone know what year Derek Roberts won the British Grand Prix by any chance? Plz help me if you can I beg lol

[@wheelieking3976]

Proper track. Before super cross lol.

[@marctunney3743]

Wow time's go best day of my life

[@youngflyj]

REAL MOTOCROSS

[@Alfsp1]

I just watched 999lazer video on Thorpes actual bike!

[@laurentsouvenirs1081]

Hello, have you the french gp 500CC 1980?

[@ianmangham4570]

That ktm sounds a BEAST

[@n03lr055]

I just loved seeing this, I remember the bomb hole when the Cagiva 125 dropped in and came up the other side with a collapsed front wheel, I had a great action shot of that in the air which my d-head brother lost the negatives, why oh why didn’t yam and Suzy build water box 500s

[@davidm4160]

80 to 85 was the pinnical of mx

[@davidm4160]

@Alexander Van Heugten you've widened the range considerably. We could go back even further to the first mono shock.

[@peteraustin370]

Great stuff.!! The regular guys haven't got much chance against the works bikes though.!!!

[@ianmangham4570]

Yup,ktm is an animal

[@evo5349]

RIP Eric.

[@peterbalac1915]

Yeah really sad, small in stature but a giant on a motorcycle ❤

[@BlueHopi144]

the Belgians mastered everyone here ...wow

[@philippe7605]

Super pilote aussi

[@davide2912]

Gold years...

[@ADE2366]

Mmmm Castrol R 😋👍🏼

[@markward6076]

Most people don't understand just how much power these 500's have. It's like riding a rodeo horse for an hour or more. Riding a bucking bronco is only a few seconds and those guys get beaten up bad.

[@merdith6]

Watching this increases testosterone.

[@marcusfistarol8270]

What happend to M. Robert?

[@paolo4074]

Quando gli uomini diventano leggende......

[@huggybear3156]

Is that Honda motorcycle in tip top condition?...it's fackin HRC mate, what do you think?

[@kurtvonfricken6829]

5:05 “ mini” version of Gravity Cavity

[@easilyscan]

45 minute moto's back then ?

[@markward6076]

Why is the Honda team racing 1984 bikes in 1986. The exhaust is on the wrong side for an 85 or 86.

[@STAFFIHOUND]

They’re 86 factory Hondas completely different to the 86 production bike

[@markward6076]

I just noticed the upgrade of rear disk brakes.

[@giovanni91910]

Bei tempi

[@ianmangham4570]

Listen to the BARK on that ktm 2 popper KATANGA KATANKA TINK TONK TING PING TONG KATANGA BAAAAAARK 😅🤘🇬🇧🔥🇺🇸🙏😎