Kenny Roberts: what he really thought about Barry Sheene

We caught up with Kenny Roberts at FoS 2013 to talk bikes, modern racing and what he really thought about Barry Sheen
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[@terryallen5328]

Being a Brit I used to follow Sheene around back in the 70’s his races were always epic to watch. His two world championships wins were fantastic and he should’ve had a couple more. Great to hear King Kenny talk so affectionately about him, even though they didn’t get on it shows real class and respect for a fellow racer and world champion. RIP Barry Sheene.

[@clintanthony1779]

I stopped Barry in Geelong, Vic and asked him if he'd sign his autograph for me, problem was he was shopping with his family and I had no pen or paper. I asked him would he wait while I ran into the shopping center to buy a note book and pen, he said 'of course but be quick' as he was with his family. So I ran in & out as fast as I could, he signed it for me and it's sitting on my mantle to this very day. What a legend he was.

[@BenjWarrant]

He set light to your notebook?

[@lorenzomagazzeni5425]

The wife was (apart from the phony posh accent) a super looking broad.

[@skenthome]

was working at earls court with bt on press day at motor show. he was on the Suzuki stand. stepped aside as he thought i wanted a pic of the vitara. had to tell him it was him i wanted photo of. solid guy.

[@JG-iz8ko]

Great to hear Kenny talk about Barry, two of the greatest racers.👍

[@davemonday5381]

Must admit I’ve always liked Kenny. Met Barry once and had a chat. What a top guy Barry was too. Mid 70s. It doesn’t get better than that.

[@g.w.7893]

too*

[@robedwards8466]

Childhood heroes for me and the reason I couldn't stay off bikes... Barry is sorely missed...

[@MM-lp5pp]

Yeah and on 2:02 another childhood hero walked passed Kenny…Alain Prost.

[@sideshowbob5237]

What a concise, brilliant, informative interview. He's certainly kept his head together.

[@je7887]

Met Barry at Oulton Park as I was support crew for a rider. Years later when I moved to Gatwick, I was living near his home where he would take off in his helicopter. Great guy, as is Kenny, true giants of the sport!

[@graysinclair6572]

Driving home from work last year in rush hour traffic at slow speeds, a BMW R1100 passed me. On the back of his helmet was Barry Sheene’s name which I thought was very cool. When I caught back up to him, I gave him the 🤙 sign just to affirm his tribute. Sheene is a legend!

[@tweakintrax6097]

What a wonderful statement about the difference between today and yesterdays bikes "We looked out of control when we fell off today they don't look out of control and they fall off "

[@G58]

I did some marketing work for Barry during his truck racing days. Lovely bloke. He was my hero years before when I watched him race at Mallory Park.

[@K777John]

I had the great good fortune to share a paddock and a couple of beers with Barry at Croft Autodrome in 1971. Couple of mates were racing a 1000 Vincent outfit, I used to spanner it and drove the van, we were parked next to Barry and his dad Franko in their old battered transit van. Barry was racing his ex works 125 twin Suzuki, it was a national meeting-he won of course.

[@davexjs5889]

Great respect Kenny Roberts fantastic legend from the 70s and 80s

[@4Kandlez]

Barry and Kenny both Legends

[@64t120r]

To show that respect for your rival, that's cool. That is a great example to the rest of us.

[@Wally-H]

Given what they were fighting for on the track they couldn't really be the best of friends, just like Lauda and Hunt, Senna and Mansell and now, Hamilton and Verstappen. When the races are done and the cars or bikes rolled away for the last time though, there will always be the respect you have for a formidable opponent. Just as Ali and Frasier put their differences aside in later years, I'm sure if Sheene was still with us he'd be sharing a drink and a joke about the old days with Roberts.

[@borjastick]

Never heard Kenny say so much in one chat. He was a bit like Randy used to be. They were both very understated in their racing days. In fact Randy would sit in the corner so you wouldn't know he was there. Not any more! I totally agree with what Kenny said in that fabulous interview.

[@dbrinkm1]

I raced some TT & flatt rack and watched Kenny's Flat track racing in Calif and the Midwest...what a racer !..He is telling us something here that is very foretelling of future racing and bike development. "Today's riders look in control..when they fall off." That means that the bikes themselves, are going to be, if not now, the controlling factor in how close to the edge a rider can come and not go off .Edge here, means cornering and acceleration.

[@_Ben4810]

They had a TZR750 Kenny Roberts flat track replica this year at Goodwood.....I think so many Europeans are unaware of this aspect of Kenny's career & flat track racing in general...amazing to watch & is a whole lot ffaster than European speedway...

[@Colin399]

Saw him race at Mallory in the snow at the Trans trophy, never forget it.

[@charlesaguilar8301]

Good job Kenny!! Tell 'em where it's at! All my bikes were 2 strokes!! Yamahas,Kawi's ,Suzuki's,and the like! There's nothing like a RG 500 comin' on the pipe and SCREAMIN' down the straightaway at Laguna Seca!! Lots of FUN!

[@sharpsdoublerifle1439]

Ditto...first bike a RD400, raced a RZ350, still have it, engine is still full tilt race, but the rest of it has been restored to near original....looking. It's quite fun to smoke guys on modern bikes who have no idea whats under the hood...so to speak.

[@keithattwood59]

I had a friend with a road version of the RG500. It could pass anything except a petrol station!

[@tinymonster9762]

Really couldn’t stand Kenny Roberts back in the day. I was a Sheene fan and it was tribal, my friend had the Kenny leathers, helmet and matching RD400 and for him it was Roberts all the way. My mates and I went to see the utterly fantastic Transatlantic races. Those two boys always gave world-class performances. We were so lucky to witness it. I’m glad Roberts defied the odds and lived through it all. Barry didn’t and I think the motorsport world is the poorer for it. Between them they got the sport to pay decently rather than as a circus side-show. They knew it is an entertainment industry as well as a competitive sport, they brought in the paying public and the whole World on TV. As for the intense rivalry, well I reckon Sheene is up there with the tyre warmers on that RG500 waiting.

[@craigashfield3589]

Sheen and Roberts are legends my heros in the 80 i rode a Yamaha Rd 350 power valve YPVS im no celebrating my 60 th birthday what memories

[@Deevo037]

Yes Barry was a sad loss to motorsport. He made quite the name for himself when he moved to Australia and started commentating motor racing, both two and four wheeled, he bought such knowledge and wit to it. The relationship between Barry and Kenny always reminded me of that between Peter Brock and Dick Johnson in Australia. Fierce rivals but with an undercurrent of mutual respect.

[@jamieteal2107]

Well put deevo037 like in the boxing world of Aurtoro

[@dannyboy1868]

Great clip loved the bit... we looked uncontrolled when we fell off

[@aussiesam01]

I used to travel around Mallory Park and Oulton Park to watch these two in my early biking days. I remember the two of them slagging each other over the tannoy before the start, Kenny finishing with "when the green flag drops, the bullshit stops". Loved it all, what great days.

[@craigpennington1251]

Both could blast each other on the track and were rivals because of it. Off the track a lot of respect for each other.

[@mkilner]

me and my brother grew up at race tracks in the 70's, we met all the greats from the transatlantic trophy races, kenny was always so nice and gave us autographs, barry as well, when he wasn't smoking or giving his crazy cute wife a snog, yep good memories!

[@grahamgray2421]

Kenny Roberts was absolutely fantastic on a bike ! So was Barry sheen Rip

[@kingharryannis]

Should make a movie about Barry and Kenny.

[@WarmothGuitarist]

Barry and Kenny...or Wayne Rainey and Kevin Schwantz.

[@anthonybutt5988]

@@WarmothGuitarist Let's have 2 great films and do both.

[@bobrogers7004]

Saw Kenny first at Mallory ...track dried during the race wearing a white strip on his intermediate rear. He won by a mile and we knew he was special. Barry was too and a great lad.Great days I miss it all .

[@danzesociety]

There was a classic photo on MCN. It showed Barry passing Kenny on the outside. Barry was looking across to Barry and winked at him.

[@johnhammond4214]

I used to have a season ticket for Mallory Park for all the bike races as I only lived 4 miles away - Happy Days!

[@MM-lp5pp]

2:02 Alain Prost walk passed Kenny.

[@mozdickson]

Enjoyed that. Guys were more candid than the take a knee gits of today.

[@kevinkirwin3561]

Pitty those guys created the gits of today.....

[@patthewoodboy]

we would look out of control and fell off , these guys dont look out of control and fall off ... spot on KR

[@Pete-z6e]

King Kenny, good communication.

[@lycian123]

Roberts clearly still respects Sheene. There is some other material out there concerning Sheene's attempt to get start money raised and Roberts supporting him.

[@27THEBREEZE]

what a true british champion the famous NO 7 AND WITHOUT kenny roberts we would,nt have had those spectacular finishes i have been a despatch rider since 1979( first rode 1976) as a young bike i went all over the country not for the racing just to watch barry sheene and the racing BARRY INSPIRED ME SO MUCH that i ended up completing 2 MILLION MILES ON A MOTORCYCLE MY RIDER NUMBER was always 27 as there was only ever one NO 7 r i p barry sheene from stevethebreeze MANCHESTER,S 2 MILLION MILE MOTORCYCLE COURIER BARRY SHEENE NO 7

[@Deevo037]

Yes and in his later years when he moved to Australia his knowledge and wit were boons to Australian motorsport presentation.

[@rogerblackwood8815]

Brings back the memories your story! My first bike was a KH250 in 1979, in six months I was an in house courier for a London warehousing and storage company. They sponsored me into 250 production racing on an LC. I just bought a new YPVS350 and they sent me to the John Smiths Brewery in Tadcaster, on an urgent job! Lucky it had 600 miles on the clock and i did it in just under 4 hours! Don't know if i clocked quite as many miles as yourself, but i got a lot of memories from the rides! in those days I earned my money riding, tinkered in the evening in the garage and went to ride outs, and weekends were spent racing or same as before! Great days, ride safe and keep the wind in your face mate!

[@Not_Yandere_Im_Ayano]

@@rogerblackwood8815 i have 2 ypvs 350 yams and love 2 stroke riding at 62 years old, ps when riding i feel 19

[@astonmartin4360]

Rivalry makes racing even more exciting.Resect to Kenny.

[@barryotoole6990]

Used to love watching Barry and Kenny race great Duels...

[@TheKitchenTechnician]

King Kenny. Gotta love him!

[@matthewstokes1608]

KR was and is a legend...Barry Sheene was just a superstar to millions of young boys... I saw him on the Kings Rd before he died in the Mona Lisa Cafe... I could see he was ill - he could see that I could see - but he had the sparkle in his eyes like a film star and I doubt he was ever supposed to live into old age... He truly was a cockney gent! He's the one I still miss.

[@vonSnook]

Kenny Roberts will always be the " King" to me .

[@markmark2080]

Saying it the way it was with respect and no guile, hard to believe it's been so long ago already...

[@johncunningham4820]

Of Course Ken Roberts loves Barry Sheene . Greatest Rival . Two of the Greatest Riders of all time . Didn't just Ride the things . Active in development .

[@COIcultist]

Kenny who team managed then ran his own team. Barry years earlier saying Kenny couldn't develop a cold. They just snagged each other off.

[@Corinthian44]

A great rider, and enemy of Barry at that time, but also, quite obviously sharing a great mutual respect for each other !

[@sharpsdoublerifle1439]

Awe, they were mate's, on the track fierce rivals, behind the seen good buds. Barry was just the most likable guy in racing. I always wonder if the Americans that raced 500cc Gp ever "enjoyed" the perks of fame over there that Sheen and Hunt did. I hope so for their sake, otherwise that would be an opportunity lost.

[@dukecraig2402]

@@sharpsdoublerifle1439 No, Roberts was always a stick in the mud, being a kid in America during the 70's I can say this, Kenny Roberts was like the kid next door racing a motorcycle, but Barry Sheene was like James Bond racing a motorcycle.

[@alid8113]

@Todd M Todd your village called. They want their idiot back. Yank. Not so good when resorting to childish comments eh? The honest truth was that Roberts was the better rider, in terms of technical ability. However, Sheene had a big heart, bigger balls and occupied a level of hero status that Roberts could never hope to aspire to...James Bond. Celebrate both Todd - without each other neither would have been as good.

[@turboslag]

KR, what a legend!

[@robertmiles6492]

My aunt owned interstate leathers i got to see a lot of racing as a kid , happy memories .

[@headhunter7616]

I grew up watching these two battling. My Dad liked Kenny, he said Barry had a book of excuses.

[@rogerbarrett9920]

Haha- but they were often witty ones. Good times.

[@philipstanley8142]

I think when you are a born winner its sometimes very hard to lose.

[@vinm300]

I read an anecdote about Barry : Olivers Mount (Scarborough) it was raining heavy and a miserable day, but they said every time Sheen past them he popped the front wheel up.

[@charliecroker7005]

2:00 Barry Sheene would have glanced over his shoulder about now.

[@Leosarebetter]

Ha Ha, absolute gold comment! Unfortunately I never met or knew Barry personally, but he was one hell of a guy. RIP Barry.

[@jeffallinson8089]

I couldn't take my eyes of her.

[@fiarandompenaltygeneratorm5044]

2:02 Alain Prost was in hot pursuit.

[@bastogne315]

Kenny Rogers what a legend. RIP BRUVY.

[@BatMan-oe2gh]

Those 500cc 2 strokes were just demons, simple as that. Today's Motogp is tame compared to when Kenny, Sheen, Doohan, Gardner etc rode.

[@theant9821]

Prefer the 4 strokes myself, both the original 4 stroke era and motogp era over the 2 strokes. Heard old honda and nortons ect. sound incredible and when i got to meet caparossi and they fired up bayliss Ducati, was incredible, mini earthquake machine. The 2 strokes I've heard sound good but nowhere near as brutal as some 4 strokes or as much of an orchestra almost like the old 6 pot hondas. Impressive machines but i side on 4 strokes.

[@aximusroh6453]

@@theant9821 fair call mate 👍

[@TheHalloweenmasks]

That's right! They looked like proper racing bikes too.

[@motoputz3201]

my hero, kenny taught me what a motorcycle is

[@boyo57]

A true champion from the era of heros on two wheels

[@martinpye549]

Sheene V Roberts wow. I was only a kid, but I've watched everything on these two. You couldn't script it , it just happened. Be an amazing movie....

[@peterlewis3540]

My recollection of Barry Sheene, was a miserable sod, who would not come out of his caravan in Silverstone, back in 1979. I can remember around twenty or so of us, looking towards his mobile home, seeing him talking to some of his mechanics. You could get up close to the stars in those days, and security was not as tight as it is today. He looked towards us, turned his back on us, and refused to come out of his caravan. You would never get that with Mike Hailwood, or Kenny Roberts, they at least acknowledged you, and Hailwood was especially nice to his admiring fans

[@davidmarshall1259]

Legend. That’s it. Nothing more to add.

[@jay999tv]

1:17 a proton livery that’s kinda sick but proton is the car company from malaysia

[@3879keith]

great interview.......... and it would be a lot more fun if Barry was still here

[@TerryShrifle]

Cool to see Prost walk past.

[@caseyhansen4567]

We saw Kenny at Ontario motor speedway in the 70s Kenny won by half a mile. We still have a set of drinking glasses with king kenny on them.what a race

[@soulman1419]

Loved Barry sheene👍🏻bikes,birds,booze and ciggies😂way to go r.I.p Barry ✌🏻

[@rossbrown6641]

nonsense

[@stephenwilliams411]

True sportsmanship

[@bogthing1]

My, he's calmed down in his elder years...

[@jesseshepherd10]

thanks Kenny. you have my RR heart. long live. the king

[@autocrow]

Roberts seems like a pretty nice guy. Contrary to what I've heard others say about him.

[@fishyfool]

He's an asshole, but only if you piss him off or he's in a bad mood. He's completely fearless so he didn't care if you were ten times his size, he'd come at you. His brother Ricky was pretty much monster size so he had something to back up whatever he did.

[@peoplehavetherights]

Roberts is a pretty nice guy. Met him in the paddock at Laguna Seca in 1983 when he and Eddie were riding the 680cc two-strokers. Was able to both chat for a bit and he signed a photo of he and I that I still keep from the previous year. Class act.

[@realasscracka]

@@peoplehavetherights was there also

[@shannonchurchill4556]

2:04 was that Alain Prost that walked behind him?

[@Derpderpson123]

Yes

[@xlvi1168]

Very dry personality but a great racer and a great guy.

[@fishyfool]

Oh god, you don't even know. I knew Kenny's brother and occasionally we'd go to Kenny's home in Oakdale ca. I remember being in the kitchen one evening when Kenny was making pizza from scratch. We were watching Star Wars on pirate VHS tape and Kenny said something or another about that tape costing him over 1,000 bucks. We thought he was kidding, turned out he wasn't. o_0

[@juancarrera657]

Carl Skaggs I always grow up trying to watch is races one of the best motorcycle riders in the world I think he crashed twice in MotoGP ! This guys really good on those bikes amazing racing and amazing man and not a dry personality . I’ll bet he’s got some wild ass stories to tell.

[@smokepeddler]

Dry personality? Dudes the biggest practical joker on the planet. Id say King Kenny is cynical, but far from dry.

[@anthonyleighton4754]

That's what made the rivalry tends to be fire and ice

[@Dave.S.TT600]

2:02 Alain Prost walks by in the background?

[@danjo1967]

yes it was :)

[@bosprocket]

only reason i noticed him was because of the cute blonde that preceded him,lol

[@darrenjpeters]

Following the tall stunning blonde, a true frenchman.

[@Bobby-fj8mk]

It looks like Alain Prost.

[@rogerblackwood8815]

@@darrenjpeters That's funny, I definitely noticed the blond with the jigglers😁 But not Alain Prost, and I am an F1 fan of that era👍 But lets be honest, he isn't a pretty man😁

[@rosssoutherland8118]

Alain Prost walks by around 2 mins lol

[@tomtaylor6163]

Kenny and Barry . Coolest ever

[@Colin399]

What a great guy.

[@glanzbo]

Can't wait for this year.

[@damienmillett5546]

Those 2 were gladiators , their riralry was like Ali and Fraziers , so intense and captivating ! I wonder how they'd compare to riders like Marquez and Rossi . I kbow its often pointles to compare the best f r om different eras but i can t help but wonder , like Kenny Roberts said the bikes of his era were nowhere near as refined as the bikes of today . Its stands to reason , like comparing the fastest few cars at Bathurst in the from the late 70s to cars o f today , chalk and cheese

[@harveymushman2219]

a 2 stroke comes on like a bolt of lightning hits .....

[@jimlyon7276]

@ Harvey Mushman - It depends how you tune them! After all a LOT of good trials bikes were 2 strokes. I had a tuned 350LC that came in REALLY strong @ 7.5K rpm. I could live with that but even in 1st gear as soon as the revs dropped to 3K rpm it stalled like the ignition had been switched off ! I changed the stainless reed valve petals to glass fibre ones for long term engine protection & then fitted a "boost bottle"/ Helmholtz resonator (which cleaned up the carburation & gave 10% better fuel consumption ). But more importantly the 2 mods stopped the low speed stall ( I could run top gear down to 1.8K rpm holding it down on the brakes - the engine didn't like it but I was curious - I then had to drop 4 gears to get it to respond to the throttle ! ) As for coming on the pipe viciously that was gone. I could hear the gases resonate @ 5.6K & the power curve was then a LOT smoother & more user friendly :)

[@tonyb9735]

@@jimlyon7276 True enough but if you wanted every last drop of power then they tended to be a bit binary, they were either "on" or "off", certainly before the likes of the power valve system. I liked that about them, it made smaller bikes exciting but it wouldn't work for big ones ... can you imagine a modern 750 two stroke tuned that way???!!!! OMG

[@jimlyon7276]

@@tonyb9735 - It's not so bad on a tuned road bike if you know when it comes on the pipe, but as I said when the cost on my tuned Yam 350LC was it stalled @ 3k as if the ignition was switched off that just became a pain, Coincidentally my 2 mods ( glass fibre reed petals & boost bottle ) solved that & also gave me a MUCH more user friendly power curve, once I got used to it I preferred it FAR much more ! :)

[@carusmike]

King Kenny, always was my hero since before he ever set foot in Europe. Loved the Transatlantics, always supported the Americans. Those yams were hot. Never liked Barry, I think he knew it when he pushed his bike over my foot.

[@RonniePeterson]

?

[@carusmike]

@@RonniePeterson ?

[@RonniePeterson]

@@carusmike Never liked Barry?

[@carusmike]

@@RonniePeterson it was more that I was a Kenny fan. From before he took a TZ750 on a wide line on the dirt. I remember watching Mick Grant and Co come into the pits when it started to snow. The Brits were delighted their only chance of winning was if it was wet. The yanks just went into dirt mode around Gerrards. Having fun. BS was one of the best Brits. They were not good enough though.

[@godimsofuckingbored]

@@carusmike Nothing to do with the Americans having all the best factory machinery, then?

[@raymondtonks]

Top bloke true legend's sheene Roberts rainey and doohan all the racers from that era

[@paulcookies]

A true gentleman.

[@59megawagon]

I have ridden that Yellow Triumph in the background at Donnington.

[@steveskeggy61]

2.02 Is that Alain Prost walkin behind Kenny??

[@PInk77W1]

We were total enemies

[@jonelson1983]

Alain Prost walking by as well

[@ericjacobsen3912]

That was a nice piece of of honestly from Kenny ,great video. Just a small observation towards the end of the video, a beautiful girl walks by with four guys in tow! 😋😜

[@BatMan-xr8gg]

I saw them, tongues on the ground. They weren't in tow, they were following...lol... Cheers

[@grahambeale9543]

Not just some guys, looked like Alain Prost to me .

[@its_me_dave]

The wobble starts at 2:00 to the right of Kenny.

[@seanokeefe703]

Kenny Roberts and Waine Rainey are a class act

[@bluebee4346]

Yes they should make that movie. I'll play Barry

[@WisperMetal]

Alain Prost passing by at 2:02?

[@yodoleheehoo]

+Drumciclist Rudimental YES SIR

[@pabloperez4063]

looks like

[@ernieturner5479]

certainly looked like him

[@maxflight777]

The professor 😂

[@davidsmith-jj4iq]

@@maxflight777 Steve Parrish.

[@neilbartlett536]

Interviewing King Kenny and Alan Prost walks past

[@gregmenego2200]

Fast Freddie was his nemesis.

[@rjung_ch]

Like Schwantz vs Rainey, they were similar

[@trollextreme9438]

bit different....basically kr and sheene shared middle fingers together

[@davefloyd9443]

For me as a child of the 80's Revvin Kevin was the man.

[@harold-sweat-head8111]

2:02 Looks like Alain Prost.

[@jellis2306]

I think it was.

[@GrocMax]

+Joseph Ellis You noticed a guy walking by after that?

[@sharpsdoublerifle1439]

I never liked Prost..

[@darrylkelly7958]

Have a go at the bird in front of him.... what a set?

[@alexveldhuis6004]

@@darrylkelly7958 That's why Alain was following her.

[@Marklaing]

Excellent. Still the man.

[@nigelwilliams9307]

Respect!

[@jarnosaarinen4583]

Hi Kenny!

[@DirtyMerkin]

Onya Kenny 👍🇦🇺

[@aximusroh6453]

Bloody oath mate 👍🇦🇺

[@aaroni5074]

"Slagging"👌🏽😂

[@deancrisp3596]

LEGEND

[@patrickmccann3577]

WHATS THE YELLOW BIKE IN DE BACKGROUND. IS IT A SAXON . KENNY ROBERTS IS A LEGEND. SO WAS SHEENE.

[@Abcd-hr9ot]

F y i. Back in the day all d irish bike fans wanted kenny to beat barry .....king kenny had a cool helmet also.

[@jeffhildreth9244]

"shouldn't have cut a hole in his helmet"

[@ja60123]

King Kenny

[@sofalugger]

KING KENNY