In your opinion who was the best?
 

In the 70's and 80's these five road racers pretty well reigned supreme over the world
of motorcycle racing. (IMO) Who would you want on your team?

Wayne Rainey, Eddie Lawson, Kenny Roberts Sr., Freddie Spencer, Kevin Schwantz.

Just asking.

Tough choice!

Roberts

My vote is Kenny Roberts.

Tough choice is right! Aliens, every one of them.
I'll go with Kevin.
Every corner was an adventure. The Cardiac Kid.
Lucky Strike bikes always looked cool, too.

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I left out Randy Mamola, he's from that era, but not quite as successful. Right?

Also The Kentucky Kid was from the modern era. Wish he was still racing.

And Scott Russel in a different league, a Daytona specialist.

I remember back then I couldn't wait for Cycle World to get the news. Times are diff now.

It's kinda like picking a winner from the lightweight boxing world of the '80s

Sugar Ray Leonard, or Marvin Hagler, Roberto Duran or Tommy Hearns, anyone of them would hurt you!

Best boxing ever.

Sad, sad day for me.

which one of those guys decided the fastest way around a corner was to put some of the weight of the bike on their knee, and get the rear wheel spinning around the corners? kevin Shwantz? I remember reading the interview.

1985. Nuff said.

Thanks for the correction with a "C" BTW just noticed that Dick Mann died yesterday.

He was a great guy, sorry to see him go.

Maybe not the best, but having my teens in England I was a fan of Barry Sheene, particularly when batting the awesome Kenny Roberts.

MX was the same. LaRocco, Hannah, Magoo, Marty Smith, Chuck Sun, Broc Glover, Brad Lackey.

Whatever happened to the good old days?

What about Jay Springsteen? Wasn't he an AMA champ for a while?

I'll admit that I never followed the sport very closely.

EDIT: Looked him up, he is a HOF racer but dirt tracker.

Jeff Ward.

I think all those guys had their moments at the top- all great champions. I'm no expert, but I think Kenny Roberts may have been the best. I met Wayne Rainey for a moment at Alice's Restaurant 15 years ago. He didn't get a full career due to his crash.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/bmw-r1100s-r1200s-tech-forum/243907-ate-ducati-breakfast-met-wayne-rainey.html

Wayne rides again!
 

Did you guys know that Wayne Rainey did laps at Suzuka recently (2019) at 250 K?
He was on the track with 3 or 4 others (Roberts) and looked in fine form.

Look it up, very interesting

Just to toss some other names into this discussion

Mick Doohan - how many championships would he have won without the after effects of the broken leg?

Steve Baker - First American world championship in 1977 (Formula 750) and second in the 1977 500cc world Championships to Sheene. Lost his ride, received some horrific injuries and retired.

If we are keeping it to the first five then either Roberts (most ruthless) or Schwantz (fastest of all for a lap). Spencer had an amazing period through his double World Championships but something let go in his head and he was never able to recover the mojo. Rainey is the outlier as he was on the gas right up to his injury. Again, how many Championships would he have won? Lawson was steady, fast and unremarkable.

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Well said. Roberts was ruthless for sure, and built for speed. No very big, but strong.