The GREATEST Motorcycle Racer of all time

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Today we're looking at the life and career of legendary motorcycle racer Giacomo Agostini
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[@bartmotorcycle]

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[@gustavmeyrink_2.0]

6:02 It is Nürburg not Nuremberg. The bike races took place on the 4.2m South Loop as opposed to the 14m North Loop used by cars. Nuremberg is mostly famous for political rallies and trials but they do also have a racetrack: The 2.4m Norisring, a temporary street circuit.

[@stevefreeman6646]

Surtees, who raced for Norton and MV, had tried talking Ago into F1, which could have given him the same unparalleled achievement of world championships on two and four wheels. We will never know. The only other person to have a shot was Rossi with Ferrari, but, like Ago, he decided against it. So, Surtees still remains the only man to win both F1 and MotoGP world championships. Going from a Norton Commando to an RD 250/350, modified, taught me one thing you mention. Most people get the bike to fit them instead of the other way around - adaptability.

[@MeYou-yz2yz]

You're Forgetting about Mike Hailwood and Johnny Cecotto.

[@BastardX13]

The Great Rossi was such a virtuoso on motorcycles, he couldn't have possibly equaled his achievements by adding two more wheels. Would have been fun to watch though. Rossi forever!

[@grooviefan]

@@MeYou-yz2yzneither won in F-[

[@mr.145]

Michael Stanley Hailwood.

[@GordonMoat]

Rossi doing well in GT racing. He’s not too old yet, that he may get a top seat for Le Mans in the near future.

[@mikeopo]

I had the previlege of watching Ago win the 1974 Jarama Grand Prix on a 350cc Yamaha. Epic with Cecotto at its debuts. I was 17 years old and I rode a 50cc 600km (rain included) each way just to watch my idol on his last year of racing. Later in 2011 I met him at a Classic bike event and he gave me an autograph on a MV Agusta badge I keep religiously till now.

[@mosca3289]

600km on 50cc must have been tough!

[@cosmicsurfer5911]

50cc bikes were freedom for us youngsters in those days. I was lucky enough to have both smokers and four strokes in those days and the took me everywhere. Respect for a 600km trip though. 💪👊 Must have been a great adventure.

[@kasperkjrsgaard1447]

Worth mentioning is that in 1968, 69, 70, 71 and 72 Agostini won the world championship in both 350 and 500 cc. I know that Freddie Spencer is the only one who won both the 250 and 500 in same season, but ......

[@Rollin_L]

The 350 and 500 were much closer to each other in performance and riding style, which is why winning both titles in one year was doable. Likewise, winning both 250 and 350. The discontinuation of the 350 class is the evidence that it was too similar to both the 250 and the 500 and, effectively, redundant. But the disparity between the 250 and the 500 was such that I think few even attempted that, and no one but Freddie accomplished winning both in one season. It is instructive to look at what that did to Freddie. He said that they sometimes had to lift him off one bike and drop him on the other because the finals were sometimes back to back. He was so exhausted that he couldn't switch machines without help. He gave it his all, every race. That season also resulted in permanent damage to Freddie, and he never completed another GP season. Wear and tear on his wrists and hands caused him to lock up and be unable to operate the hand controls. I don't know if it was a carpal tunnel thing or something similar, but likely the result of repetitive motion, too much over too short a time. That, at least, is my understanding. I saw him racing the Two Brothers twin in that AMA series a few years after his last GP season, and also riding at a Honda event at Willow Springs in 2000. But his days of competitive racing at the top level ended after that amazing 1985 season. Maybe it would have happened anyway, given he was racing since he was in single digits I believe. But I am inclined to think that double championship did him in.

[@squigmcguigan8965]

Also worth mentioning. In 1968,69,70,71 & 72. Agostini had very little competition. After Honda pulled out of racing.

[@MadAlPlays]

Geoff Duke, Werner Haas, Carlo Ubbiali, John Surtees, Gary Hocking, Jim Redman, Hugh Anderson, Mike Hailwood, Phil Read, Ángel Nieto, Walter Villa, Kork Ballington, Anton Mang, Freddie Spencer, Jorge Martínez all won two in one year (some multiple times) in various combinations of classes. Back in the 60s/early 70s, there were some 11 or 12 rounds of which possibly only six counted (for the 50cc class it was as few as three rounds some years), so you didn't actually need to compete in each class at every round either... and some rounds didn't have all the classes, just to add to the confusion.

[@xvdd1]

@@squigmcguigan8965 True, MV had an easy few years there.

[@SherKhan-b1kes]

Remember being in the pits with lots of people around and as „Ago“ arrived he exuded an air of calm amongst everyone, including myself. Before he arrived things were loud from chatter which was then followed by an aura of tranquility. Never seen or experienced this in any other person. Excellent work Bart with massive hugs from Düsseldorf 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@SherKhan-b1kes]

….when asked by a journalist on his success, Ago replied by riding on the limit during practice at eg T1. Next round T2 on absolute limit etc. coming in between to the pits for set ups. Then in the race he would put everything together and win. I‘ve tried this during practice events on supersports (600cc Yamaha) and it works! 🤩

[@ricardobufo]

I think Giacomo's friend, Mike the Bike, is the best comparison. Hailwood won more IoM but Agostini won more World Championsips. Hailwood envied the handling of the MVs and Agostinis envied the power of the Hondas.

[@tedecker3792]

Following racing in the 60s and 70s wasn’t easy. Midwest newspapers didn’t report niche sports from the other side of the globe, and there was no internet. We usually only got race results in Cycle World magazine, two or three months after the fact.

[@davidecasassa8679]

In the States the paper of reference was the weekly Cycle News, which in the pre-Internet days was by far the best way to keep up. Or pretty much the only way, as mass media ignored motorcycle racing. I never rose above the ranks of club racers, but a close friend had an AMA Pro license (and one year finished 12th with his TZ700 at Daytona as a privateer on a woefully shoestring budget) and rode with (i.e. behind) Ago a few times. Them were some days!

[@zenzotazawa1764]

My favorite Grand Prix (top class) rider of all time was Norifume “Norick” Abe. The way he arrived on scene as a wildcard rider at the Japanese round is something I’ll never forget! As far as my G.O.A.T., it has to be Valentino Rossi. He won at every level, and in different eras. He mastered the wild 500cc GP bikes as well as the 4-stroke MotoGP bikes, from analog to modern tech. He was not only skilled, but calculating and cunning. I can see one arguing that Marquez is faster (which I believe is true), but I give the overall nod to Rossi. Giacomo Augustini is definitely one of the greats, but I feel that the competition was lacking back in his era, compared to after he retired, when the likes of Roberts, Lawson, Spencer, Rainey, Schwantz, and Doohan joined the series and started to excel and elevate the sport.

[@cloudstreet9]

I with you about Abe! His riding style was absolutely wild!!

[@keithelliott2191]

My lifelong love of Grand Prix racing started in the early 70s when I was captivated by stories of the legendary Agostini-Hailwood battles of the 1960s. At that time, Mike the Bike had moved into car racing, so the automatic choice of racing superhero for me was Ago. I was lucky enough to see him race a couple of times in 1975 and 1976, and even then, nearing the end of his career, he was an inspiration to watch. Later, I was privileged to experience Mike Hailwood's glorious return to racing on the Ducati in 1978 and to see at first hand his own inspirational riding style. I have always admired Hailwood as one of the greatest ever, but for me, Ago's style, charm and of course his unequalled record on the track, place him in a class of his own. Forza Ago!

[@dharmadasa487]

Love d it.Agustini inspired me to ride motorcycles at age 16 I still ride at 67 and I have always respected him as the best all round motorcyclist ever!

[@ronaldlebowitz7409]

Don't forget about Jarno s. he was great!

[@Rollin_L]

Yes, and lost too soon. Same with Cal Rayborn.

[@kevinconville9258]

Ago was a handsome devil as well. I stood next to him in the pits at Ontario ('75) while he ate a hot dog. Barry Sheen was a dashing lad as well. Those guys were not only fast, they lived glamorous lives. That was also the race I first saw anyone drag their knee., everyone was talking about it. It was Kenny Roberts.

[@johnbeasley824]

Great video!! Love the coverage of Ago. He doesn't get enough. There was so much in your piece that I didn't know. Thank you. I'm a proud owner of a 2002 MV Agusta 750 F4. It's the best bike I've ever owned, hands down. Thank you for a great video

[@deandrezberkeley2175]

Love the channel been watching for a couple months now u inspired me to buy my first classic motorcycle a 1973 cb750

[@maryhines322]

Watching these videos and comparing them with GP races of today really shows the difference in tire technology. Ago and Hailwood, the best of the best, look like they're not even trying when really they were getting all that bike had. Thanks for posting this!

[@mechanic3d]

Motorcycle driving is not only a skill work but riding a motorcycle on the road is a phobia and a person must have a tremendous amount of confidence and courage.

[@dalewarren9885]

Greatest of all time? In your opinion maybe. He was racing twin cam multis against british singles for many of those wins and titles. Valentino Rossi is No1, proved it year in, year out, against top class competition.

[@Usualsuspect420]

I agree Rossi is great, but in every interview Rossi says Agostini is the best, of course Rossi is super humble. The Doctor!🇮🇹

[@caribman10]

He got ragged on for not having competition, but when he went to Yamaha he was champ again. Came over to Daytona and won first time out. Beat the two-stroke 500s with an MV4 built five years earlier. A real champion, and he'll still take your girlfriend.

[@robbieracer3294]

Its wild seeing the old Augusta bikes back then and seeing what they became not long ago. The first time i ever saw an Augusta, cant remember the model, but this was around 97-99...four tail pipes(tapered pipes at that)tucked up under/around the tail, the lines on the tank...the front end, my god it was a beautiful bike. I havent seen an MV that struck me that hard these days, but good lord did they make some absolutely beautiful bikes from 97-2010 ish

[@pauldonnelly7949]

Absolutely the greatest, even the other contenders would agree. Great vid, thanks for sharing..

[@patrickporter6536]

He won the majority of his races on bikes that developed 50% more power than his opposition. That said, he was also a fearsomely good rider too..

[@fj5434]

Are you sure about that? Aren't all the bikes supposed to be in a similar power range? Wouldn't that be cheating to have 50% more power?

[@patrickporter6536]

​@@fj5434 he was cometing with single-cylinder Nortons, AJSs, etc with about 50hp. His 4-cylnder MV had about 70 hp.

[@permunk-nielsen856]

For sure he was very very good. However, he was also beaten to the 500cc championships in both '73 and '74 by his team mate Phil Read. Perhaps as much a statement of how good Read actually was as any detraction from Ago's brilliance.

[@ricardobufo]

Hailwood always had more power in his Hondas but envied the handling of the MVs.

[@patrickporter6536]

​@@ricardobufo later maybe.

[@yetanotherjohn]

I was interested to learn how he rode in the dirt as well, ALL motorcyclists should spend some time riding on dirt! Controlling a bike in dirt taught me SO much about handling a bike on the street.

[@johnwood4448]

another great video Bart,thanks

[@BillLeavens]

Nicely done, and you may well be right about Agostini being the Greatest of All Time.

[@paulblouin6955]

Before the 2 stroke era, MV was putting new and better bikes under Agostini on a regular basis. Lots of ither GP riders were still racing on Manx Nortons and Matchless singles. For a significant part of Agostinis career he was on better more modern equipment than his competitors. He was still great.

[@stephenwilliams926]

I was expecting Kenny Roberts snr or Barry Sheene for the show bizz side in the 1970's.

[@boris2997]

No bike no life, two wheels down 🤙

[@StuartBlake-iz6rf]

I always like your take on things. Everyone has an opinion. Thanks for yours. Cheers.

[@rogermcadams8806]

"...and the machines were so unforgiving at this time" . What people need to remember. Natural born racer and well done documentary. I have a sweet spot for these bikes and riders from this era. Bikes looked like works of art but mechanically antiquated versus current machines. Lit of respect from me looking back at these guys. Like to put Rossi on one of these and say "Go get 'em tiger!". He would be like "You trying to kill me or what?" after half a circuit.

[@RichardGuy-yl1gv]

Ago was v. good, however I know from personal experience that Mike ' the bike ' Hailwood was the true supremo on 2 wheels. Mike was born to it and he prevailed in every race, including against Ago on every occasion I was present.

[@jamessmith9786]

Excellent presentation, great archived video. Your insight on GOAT is compelling. In summary, nice job!

[@juliaanpostma926]

I saw Ago race the TT in Assen, a great perfomance on the MV. By the way, great sound these MV's!

[@FreddyFromage-lk4mp]

I really enjoyed this video, top notch. Thank you

[@vincedibona4687]

Giacomo Agostini led to Kenny Roberts led to Eddie Lawson, John Kocinski, and Wayne Rainey. ‘Nuff said.

[@paulblouin6955]

I disagree. Roberts and the following Americans came out of dirt track racing. They were used to sliding both ends of the bike and brought that to the world of FIA road racing in a nearly unbeatable way.

[@BooklessT]

It's a great pity that Saarinen never got to having an extended career as I'm sure he would have challenged Ago's records.

[@KenAustin-i4x]

thanks ! that was well done. I didn't know he had technical savvy as well. cheers, Ken A

[@stewartmckay9830]

I used to love the 2 strokes to ride, The inline four were fun, But the piggish manner of the 2 strokes were unbelievably addictive

[@sigmaoctantis1892]

I saw Ago in 1971, in Australia, at Oran Park near Sydney. Ago on the MV was beaten by local Bryan Hindle, riding a TR3 Yamaha, in the 350 race but untouchable riding the 500. Of course I have to give a shout out to Mick Doohan as one of the greats. I remember seeing him before he got internationally famous. At some local event, I recall passing the remark, hey, check out this guy, he's really good!

[@6AlphaMikeCharlie9]

I reckon Vale would have got close to Ago's record if he rode in different classes on race weekend. These Dudes were real animals on a bike.

[@BlehVR._.]

I feel like his story would make a cool racing game and if you didn’t know his story you would be suprised every time something bad like a mechanical failure at the worst point of the race

[@brianperry]

Ago was undoubtably a great racer, but he wasn’t better than Mike the Bike….he could ride just about anything and win…and frequently did…it’s a real shame Mikes life was cut short, not on a race track but a public road…..

[@mort8143]

Sorry. It was always Mike the Bike for me. 🇦🇺👍

[@permunk-nielsen856]

Yes!

[@istra70]

Definitely - the greatest rider of all time .... AGO...

[@joestrickland5153]

GREAT PIECE AGO LEGEND MV AGUSTA LEGEND 🏆🏁

[@paulblouin6955]

I like the story of Hailwood beating Honda on a Ducati after Honda refused to give Hailwood a ride. Honda wanted to put "winners" on their factory bikes. They got spanked by a winner on a Ducati.

[@queenslander954]

Not in Australia he didn’t , he got flogged at Laverton by Kenny Blake .. 😂

[@domidom1960]

Saarinen, Read, hailwood, Pasolini, Sheene, Cecotto, Kanaya, Pons pour ne citer que certains de ses plus glorieux adversaires affrontés en 16 ans de carrière sans parler des conditions de course éprouvantes de l’époque, de l’état des cicuits, de l’hebergement, des équipements des pilotes, de la fiabilité aléatoire des machines.. avec des dispositifs de sécurité rudimentaires voire inexistants (cf. affaire récurrente des bottes de paille).. sincèrement c’est un très très grand monsieur du monde de la moto si ce n’est le plus grand et toujours aussi courtois et élégant à 82 ans.. Respect !

[@dja1353]

Nicely evaluated.

[@whalesong999]

Great coverage of the champion and Hailwood. Super to see those sassy 175s of the early era. 7:00 First I've heard of a 500cc Honda with five cyclinders ....(?)....

[@permunk-nielsen856]

Yes exactly - 5 cylinders was the 125cc. The picture is the 250 or the 297cc (for the 350 class) I think. Those who know the difference between the colours of the number plates can tell.

[@patrickporter6536]

There wasn't one. Honda's 350s were 5-cylinder, 250s 6-cylinder if I remember correctly..

[@whalesong999]

@@patrickporter6536 The Hondas that won the 350 classes was also a six, roomed out to 294cc IIRC (RC174). The only five cylinder was the 125. That got my attention first, longtime fan of the factory Hondas back in the day. Not sure if Hailwood actually rode the 125.

[@dralexmclean]

Interesting but it was interesting to learn that Honda has a 500cc FIVE cylinder race bike for Hailwood.

[@thewatcher5271]

Good Video & Quick Study Of Vintage GP Racing! I Remember Seeing Ads In Motorcycle Magazines In The Early '70's For Posters Of Agostini & Hailwood. Thank You. (Like #307)

[@proffmongo]

He also started hanging off. If you look at his later picture he was hanging a cheek off the seat.

[@purpleret]

Do history on jawa motorcycles (Love the videos btw)

[@melissahunt6125]

That was a very good biography and a very good video of the history of motorcycle racing Thank you

[@baka120y4]

Well said about GOAT talk!

[@6AlphaMikeCharlie9]

I'd love to see the 2009 GP line up race eachother on vintage bikes, That would be hilarious fun.

[@vetb882]

My gosh, 15 times World Champion. Sorry y'all, that makes him the GOAT.

[@senior_ranger]

I guess with the Internet you have an international audience now. In the U.S. in those days (sixties/seventies) this European stuff was nowheresville. We had Daytona and Charlotte and Louden and Sears Point and Cal Rayborn and Kenny Roberts and 20 or so others I've long forgotten. I started covering road racing for Cycle News in '74 and we never heard a word about anything you're talking about here --- riders or machines.

[@paulblouin6955]

The Trans Atlantic Chsllenge must have started before that. Cal Rayburn on his XR mixing it up with the Tridents and Rocket 3s in the pre two stroke 700 and 750 era of AMA racing.

[@cantkeepitin]

Small town northern Italy???? Your picture shows Florence. A major rich capital of Italy.

[@franciscomelendez3894]

Bergamo

[@eatsblades]

I think ots agreed in the motorcycle world. Agostini was the best.

[@RedRouge-j4j]

The greatest is always subjective. Agostini would not have won as many races if Mike Hailwood hadn't migrated to cars. Not only would Mike the Bike have won many of those races, Agostini wouldn't. The way Mike won the TT on a Honda 500 twitching at corners, that had a slipping twistgrip and had to stop & beg a screwdriver from the crowd, and still won! Ago broke down that race. They were great friends off the track.

[@briantaylor9285]

MotoGP's first god.

[@rossm2763]

You could look into joey dunlop and the dunlop family. Many still class him as the greatest road racer ever and a really good bloke off the track.

[@buffalodebill7986]

OT a bit - in this video, a random ad kicked in during the paid promotion.. Great job, YT 😞

[@gpz7525]

Legend!!!🥇🏆👑✨

[@tootall222]

Any plans for a Mike The Bike episode?

[@davidpeters6536]

When is the "get-go", would that be the START? At least the narrator doesn't say "like" for no reason. I was a Hailwood fan but I appreciated how good Ago was. Good video, I agree with the GOAT thing as it isn't fair to compare one era with another. I am a Rossi fan but he will never surpass John Surtees as the only F1 and motorcycle world champion.

[@larryt.atcycleitalia5786]

JOCK-OMO, not GEE-AH-COMO, OK? AH-GO-STEENEE while we're at it. Nobody will EVER be as cool as Ago, even at 80+!

[@mrdarryljones1]

Nice.👍🏾

[@MartinKillips]

It is nonsense to call Ago the greatest motorcycle racer of all time. Most of his wins occurred when he rode the only works factory motorbike in the race and the rest were privateers on old or home made machinery. That doesn't mean Ago was not an excellent rider - he was top drawer. But he was beaten by Mike Hailwood many times when Hailwood rode an inferior works bike.

[@zoltankaparthy9095]

Very good vid!

[@davidbrock2450]

I don't disagree with U. But, somewhere in this conversation should be the great Sir John Surtees. The only person to win both the 500cc world championship, but also the World F1 Car racing championship.

[@VeryAutisticYoungMan]

Very cool

[@FunAllDayLong4353]

Obviously Mike Hailwood, John Surtees and even Phil Read might well have disagreed with you.

[@edllorca9468]

why do people insist on measuring the unmeasurable?

[@michaelstrauss6587]

good report

[@Norton600ss-sj5nr]

Ago had the perfect storm .Honda had won two years on the Honda 500 cc Honda stopped racing and paid Hailwood not to race . AGO had the track to himself The only competition was a single cylinder Norton Manx 500 or G50 ,s against a 5oocc four cylinder for years Austrlian Jack Finley beat Ago in the rain once until the two strokes came in. It was all over then

[@lucac297]

n. 123 wins, last one gp 750cc FIM

[@rogerw3818]

This can't be. The "geniuses" out there say that it's the motorcycle, not the rider.

[@ElsinoreRacer]

Hailwood.

[@glowingbunny5865]

Just such a fantastic, insightful joy to view/share the passion of two wheels. Thank you from the UK…x

[@adamkaczynski3940]

Deam the bots everywhere 🤖

[@Del_S]

Don't worry, I'm sure KZbin will swiftly restrict everyone's ad revenue to deal with the problem(!)

[@bimmjim]

What about Mike the Bike ??

[@jarikinnunen1718]

Ago was combination of best bike and talent and pure luck. Until Yamaha/Jarno Saarinen did show his real position. He wasn`t really fast.

[@franktaylor7978]

“He wasn’t very Italian”. You’re assuming Italian means illogical and impulsive. History says otherwise

[@tomobedlam297]

Grand Prix pronounced "gron pree"

[@robbieandbeckie]

MSR

[@jarodofficer]

Can anyone tell me what car is in the photo at 13:26?

[@TheMickvee]

It is a Maserati.

[@jarodofficer]

@@TheMickvee Thank you. I didn't recognize that particular model.

[@ruben_santos]

🤘😎

[@johnburns3703]

get tae falkirk! opera never, brave is gute.

[@OilyNinja]

No

[@knifola4128]

yeah i'm not getting that shitty fucking browser LMFAO

[@Del_S]

It's worse than Edge. How do you even manage that?

[@alexnutcasio936]

All time?? Nah, I'd have to disagree with that one.

[@jcarr0314]

Valentino Rossi ?

[@toddhazzard1562]

Considering the Equipment and tracks at the time, you just can't live up to the Racers and how hardcore they was over the past 100+ years.