In the annals of Bike Grand Prix racing there are not many
machines that are more lusted after than the 500cc two-stroke bikes than
reigned supreme in the ‘80s and ‘90s – Honda’s NSR500, Yamaha’s YZR500 and
Suzuki’s RGV500 were top of the tree.
However, the sad reality for most of us
is, apart from the astronomical cost of buying and owning one, we’d generally
not be able to ride the thing at even a fraction of what it is capable of. Even
at the height of their powers the very best riders in the world struggled to
tame the ‘unrideables’.
With over 150bhp on tap, no rider aids, ultralight
frames and super-responsive handling every time they rode they were on a
knife-edge.
This pair of great documentaries examines what it took to be a Grand
Prix racers at the climax of the two-stroke era – and what huge prices some of
the riders paid.
Built around interviews with Rainey, Schwantz, Mamola, Lawson,
Gardner, McElnea, Roberts and Spencer the two DVDs make for an unforgettable
afternoon’s TV. Be ready for some wince-inducing horror crashes…