The Biography Channel - Barry Sheene Biography

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[h3]He was the second child of Iris and Frank, a resident engineer at the Royal College of Surgeons. Sheene and his sister Maggie grew up in Queen’s Square, Holburn and he was riding by age five. [/h3]

His love of motorcycles grew, as did his ambition to become a world-class racer. By the age of 20, he had entered his first Grand Prix in the 125cc class, riding for Suzuki in Spain.

The following year, Sheene won his first 125cc Grand Prix, in Belgium in 1971 and finished second in the World Championships for the 125cc class. He very quickly began to enjoy the trappings of being a macho bike racer with irresistible charm.

Drinking, smoking, clubbing and woman were on his leisuretime agenda. He was a colourful and exuberant character, liked by men and women. This, combined with his Cockney accent, good looks and success on the track, went a long way towards Sheene’s self-promotion. He was interested in business and decided to seek financial aid for his racing, from the commercial market. He was one of the first riders to earn large amounts of money from endorsements.

Sheene experienced his first major 175mph crash at the 1975 Daytona 200 in Florida, from a blown rear tyre. It was horrific and threatened to end his career. His injuries included a shattered left thigh, a broken right arm, a fractured right wrist, a broken collarbone and several broken ribs. A determined man, Sheen recovered and was back to racing a mere seven weeks later. He met Stephanie McLean, a model for Mayfair and Penthouse magazines, whilst he was still on crutches. The couple married and went on to have two sons, Sidonie and Freddie.

In 1976, Sheene won five 500cc Grands Prix, finally achieving his dream of becoming World Champion. In 1977, he retained his 500cc World Championship, with six wins. In 1978 he was awarded an MBE (Member of the British Empire) for his services to motorcycle racing. It was in 1979, after the racing season, that Sheene left the Suzuki works team, believing he was receiving inferior equipment to his team-mates, changing to a privateer Yamaha. He later rejoined the Suzuki team.

He won what would prove to be his last 500cc Grand Prix in 1981 in Sweden. In 1982, his crash at Silverstone, during the practice for the British Grand Prix, largely ended Sheene as a title contender. His legs were badly shattered and surgeons had to rebuild them, using metal plates and screws. The doctors told him it would take at least three months before he could bend his knee to a 90-degree angle. The ever-determined Sheene proved otherwise and after only two and a half weeks, he was bending his knee to 110 degrees. However, the extent of his leg injuries made him realise that his love of racing could leave him legless.
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In an extremely successful racing career, Sheene won more international 500cc and 750cc Grands Prix races than any other rider, between 1975 and 1982. Nevertheless, his horrendous injuries, along with the resultant arthritis, forced him to reconsider his career. Sheene raced his last 500cc Grand Prix in San Marino in 1984 before retiring from the racing circuit. It was a sad day for his fans around the world.

Sheene and his family moved to Australia, settling near the Gold Coast, Queensland, hoping the warm climate would be beneficial to his arthritis. He began working in the property development business before being offered a job as a motor sport commentator, with Darrell Eastlake, for Australian television network, Nine Network. He did this for a time, before moving to Network Ten for television coverage of the motorcycle Grand Prix. Viewers loved his style of commentary, as he couldn’t help but express his personal views on riders and teams. His candour, combined with his personal riding skill and behind-the-scenes knowledge of the race circuit, never failed to deliver an interesting overview of the race at hand.

Dipping into a spot of acting, Sheene starred as Barry in a low budget sci-fi film ’Space Riders’ (1984) about the ultimate bike experience. Directed by Joe Massot, the film’s original soundtrack featured [urlnew=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_home/841:0/Queen.htm]Queen[/urlnew], Simple Minds and [urlnew=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_home/1780:0/Duran_Duran.htm]Duran Duran[/urlnew]. Sheene also became involved in historic motorcycle racing. In October 2001, he was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame, with the FIM (Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme, governing body of motorcycle racing) naming him a Grand Prix Legend.

The following year, in July 2002, he was diagnosed with cancer and with his usual optimism, maintained that he could beat it, as many others before him had done. He opted for natural food and other treatments, instead of the usual chemo- and radiotherapy. Sadly, less than a year later, Sheene lost his battle and died on 10th March 2003 of complications from stomach and throat cancer, in Gold Coast, Australia.

Sheene was honoured posthumously in a well-written and entertaining biography, ‘Barry Sheene 1950-2003: The Biography’ (2003), by Stuart Barker. V8 Supercars, Australia made a memorial medal, the Barry Sheene Medal, for the 2004 Grand Prix season. Dedicated to his memory, the medal is awarded to the driver displaying outstanding sportsmanship, leadership, personality and fan appeal throughout the racing season. Its inaugural winner was Marcos Ambrose in 2004. Barry Sheene, the former Grand Prix World Champion, credited with boosting the appeal of motorcycle racing in the mass market, will certainly live on in history as one of the greats.

Carey Latimore

Barry Sheene biography

First Grand Prix: 125cc Spanish GP, 1970
First Grand Prix win: 125cc Belgian GP, 1971
Last Grand Prix win: 500cc Swedish GP, 1981
Last Grand Prix: 500cc - San Marino - 1984

- The only Brit to win the 500 Grand Prix Championship.

- Often remembered for his early 1980s television advertising campaign for Brut aftershave.

- Claimed to have lost his virginity at age 14, in the crypt of St Martin-in-the-Fields church in central London.

- Following his serious crash at the 1975 Daytona 200 in Florida, the first thing he asked for from the nurse when he regained consciousness was a cigarette.

- Managed to race with a bolt in his left wrist, metal plates in both his knees and 28 screws in his legs, at one stage of his career.

- Towards the end of his life, became involved in historic motorcycle racing.

- Raced in 102 Grands Prix, with 23 wins, 52 podium finishes and 19 pole positions.

- Kenny Roberts – former motorcycle racer and the first American to win the 500cc Road Racing World Championship – was Sheene’s greatest friend and rival.

- In 1973, invented the back protector for bike racers, initially using old helmet visors and placing them so they could only bend in one direction. In 1977, Sheene sold the concept to Dianese, a motorcycle protective gear manufacturer.

- The FIM (governing body of motorcycle racing) recommended that Brands Hatch motor racing circuit in Kent (host of 12 British Grands Prix between 1964 and 1986) underwent reconstruction for safety reasons. The Dingle Dell section was renamed Sheene’s Corner, in his honour.
Barry Sheene biography

Space Riders (1984)
Barry Sheene biography