The Legend:

In 1969 and 70 he won the British 750cc championship. In 1973 he won the European 750 title. Three years later he won the 500cc world championship riding a Suzuki. He won it again in 1977 with 6 race victories.

He won more 500cc GPs and 750 races than anyone during the period 1975-82. In 1978 he was awarded MBE (Member of the British Empire) by the Queen. After his retirement from racing in 1984 he moved to Australia where he has been a prominent sports commentator on television. He helped to launch many Australian riders including the world champion Mick Doohan. As a media commentator Sheene covered a range motor sports events including MotoGP, World Superbikes and Australian Touring cars (V8 Supercar). He still competed in special classic motorcycle events and won the International Classic race held after last year's British GP at Donington. Bazza died in March 2003 at the age of 52, on Australia's Gold Coast, after an 9 month battle against cancer of the throat and stomach. He leaves behind a wife, son and daughter.

• Sep 11, 1950 born in London, UK
• 1969 British 750cc champion
• 1970 British 750cc champion
• 1971 world 125cc championship runner-up
• 1973 European 750cc champion
• 1976 world 500cc champion - Suzuki
• 1977 world 500cc champion
• 1978 MBE (Member of the British Empire)
• 1984 retirement from racing
• 2001 Motorcycle Hall of Fame induction
• 2002 Won International Classic - Donington
• 2003 ** Dies from Cancer aged 52 **

He began racing motorbikes at the age of five, remains the last British racer to win a 500cc GP in 1981. Barry won 19 GP races in all and is also still the last British rider to have won the world title GP title in 1977 having also bagged the title the year before in some epic battles with Kenny Roberts.

Barry who was awarded the MBE in 1978 inspired hundreds of young men (and quite a few women too!) to take up motorcycling and it became the favourite phrase of traffic police on stopping speeders "Who do you think you are then, Barry Sheene?".

Sheene was equally famous for overcoming his numerous crashes on the track, nicknamed the bionic man after one stage in his career when he was racing with metal plates in both knees, 28 screws in his legs and a bolt in his left wrist! Barry was forced to move to the warmer climes of Australia in the early '90s to ease the pain caused by arthritis from numerous broken bones suffered in bike crashes and gained employment working as a motorsport TV commentator.