One of the best rides in Moto history.

[motomaniac]

Dave Thorpe rides into ledgend statis.

http://motorbikearchives.com/Video-Gallery/High-Resolution/1985-500cc-British-Motocross-GP-Moto-2.html

[NR555]

What a legend.  My old man took me to see him race heaps of times.  My all time fave rider.  I still have the following week's Motorcycle News (UK) with a pic of Thorpey absolutely spent after that race.

I remember going to the 86 GP at Hawkstone when I was 7 years old and marvelling at his shiny new red 911 Carrera.  Not bad coin for a 23 year old...

[Gerard De Ruyter (Twistandshout)]

I have a DVD of the 1989 500cc world mx championship round at Namur, which is highly recommended viewing.  Love fast sand tracks!!!  Love the sound of late eighties 500cc bikes!  Love the fact that our leisky blew them away first moto!  And full points to Thorpe's grit and determination to win overall despite very nasty knee injury a week old.

[motomaniac]

Agree Guys .I was lucky enough to see Thorpey a few times in 1990 , once at Namur, albiet he was on the Kaw then.I've been to Namur once more since then to see Everts win #10 (Geboers won #5 there in 90) and that place hadn't lost any of its atmosphere.Its MX Mecca for me.
Would love to go to Farliegh castle and Hawkstone oneday.

[pmc57]

Wow, that track is half mx, half enduro. Did you see those down hills and tight corners?

[motomaniac]

Wow, that track is half mx, half enduro. Did you see those down hills and tight corners?

Yer not exactly an easy track to pass on.Just makes that ride even more incredible.

[motomaniac]

Yep found it.

[mainline]

it's hard to believe the American press wrote Thorpe off as a bit on the boring side

[motomaniac]

it's hard to believe the American press wrote Thorpe off as a bit on the boring side

yer I was going to say something like that myself. Unfortunately the American press was the most read in english world back then and they were pretty cockie after the first MXdN win.
They didnt give Malherbe much credit either , back then they had Bailey,Ward Johnson Hannah O'mara Glover Leichen and superx had really taken off so the focus was more at home than say in the 70's when Europe was the place.

[pirie593]

Anybody who thinks the modern 4-strokes destroy tracks and makes them too rough needs to watch this....its certainly like the Farleigh I remember, along with many such tracks in the late 70's to mid 80's (at which time my memory fades somewhat....ah, that's right, it was bitumen  )

[TT]

You know, if motocross tracks were like that and we had decent length races over here, I don't reckon I would have ever quit to go desert racing. 

Great stuff!!

btw It's obviously Murray Walker commentating on the video, but can anyone name the course commentator? 

[grouty]

Farleigh Castle....... the best track there is. (well I think so  )

[tony27]

Could you imagine the tears from the riders if the sadists who set that track were let loose nowadays