Mr Sheene

[Nigel]

Hi all
Now here's a story , strange but TRUE.
That there man up top , when in his racing days had a mechanic , that mechanic had a girl friend, sadly they split up.
but luckily my mate started dating said lady who just so happened to be Mr Sheene's cousin (her mum and his mum is sisters like init)
I was even lucky enough to meet him at his home near Gatwick before he went to sunnier climes.
The sting in the tail is that my mate has the leathers that they cut Barry out of after his last big crash.
TRUE story

[zapo]

Top bloke he was.
I think of him for some reason every time I get my bike out

[wardy]

I love Mr Sheene, but also find that Tesco's own polish is just as good.

[es2GT550]

Thanks Nige - there are so many blokes of a certain age who wish they were Mr Sheene - cool bloke !!

[Alan H]

Never rated him. Hailwood was the only Bike God back then.

[stevewharton]

Yeh but Mike the bike couldn't charm a crowd like Barry Sheene, here's an example. Bought a couple of tickets to see Barry at the Lincoln showground for an audience type question and answer show, sadly about 18 months before he passed and possibly the last time he visited the UK.
In true style he was late and the crowd started getting a bit restless, 20 minutes went to 40 minutes then 60 and still no sign of him, by now people were getting really miffed with some demanding their money back. When he finally arrived 75 minutes late I thought he was gonna be lynched, but within seconds he had everyone eating out of his hands and I swear some of the women were swooning.
Such was the charisma of Barry Sheene and boy could he ride a bike too. RIP Barry, still my favourite biking "celebrity".
P.S. turns out he'd flown himself to the showground from Kirmington airport in his own helicopter and there'd been a lot of fog.

[Flyingscotsman1]

For me he was the best i think his personality has put motorcycling racing where it is today he could just work the crowed like no one else could.

[PaulD738]

Although as Alan says I think Mike Hailwood was the better rider, Bazza is the reason I ended up a Suzuki fan. I’ve had a few other makes but I always come back to Suzuki’s.

[Alan H]

First time I saw Hailwood was in 1968 at Oulton Park - 297 Honda 6 - and the sound and riding really impressed me when he won races against such as Bill Ivy, Read and others. I already had a Suzuki at the time, and bought Hondas afterwards! CB92, then CB72, plus several bikes of other makes until I bought the 550 in '72.
I never was impressed with what the others rode and always decided what I bought on what I liked at the time (and could afford).
I packed in with bikes in '76 as work & family took over, so didn't see him win his last TT on a RG500 in '79.
Started back in 2009 (IIRC!) with a Honda 6, then back to Suzukis since, so he never dictated my bike choice.
The TT was and is, a man's race, wonder why Sheene always slagged it off? He was ok I suppose, but never a patch on Hailwood.