Going into the final round of the season he was second in points, but lost out to final-race winner Kenny Roberts Jr.. On lap 12, he overtook Alex Barros for sixth, and did likewise to Kenny Roberts Jr. at the start/finish straight at the beginning of lap 13, promoting him to fifth place. Kurtis Roberts was hand delivered a Cease and Desist notice on August 11 on behalf of Roberts Sr. and his brother, 2000 500cc World Champion Kenny Roberts Jr. “Both Messrs. Roberts are respected professionals in the community and within the racing industry,” the notice to Kurtis Roberts …

The chance to test the actual reverse-cylinder OW48R Yamaha which Roberts Sr. rode to win the last of his trifecta of 500cc world titles came at Assen, the circuit at which this piece of lateral thinking hardware made its debut back in June 1980.

At the start, both Max Biaggi and Hayden put pressure on Kenny Roberts Jr. who started from pole before passing him. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenny_Roberts, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurtis_Roberts, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenny_Roberts_(musician), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzuki_MotoGP, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sete_Gibernau, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loris_Capirossi, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Love_Unlimited_Orchestra, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobuatsu_Aoki, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_Grand_Prix_motorcycle_racing_season, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makoto_Tamada, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1999_Grand_Prix_motorcycle_racing_season, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Note_by_Note:_The_Making_of_Steinway_L1037, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hopkins_(motorcyclist). It steers really well, and not only on faster turns as at the end of the Assen main straight, where I could maintain an improbably high turn speed after flicking down four gears in swift succession on the race-pattern gearbox while squeezing hard on the front brake lever to take advantage of the surprisingly potent brakes for such period Japanese stainless steel kit.
Wikipedia, Former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and the nephew of successful Grand Prix motorcycle road racer Ángel Nieto. Thanks to the attention of his quality team of race mechanics, headed by Kel Carruthers with Nobby Clark and Trevor Tilbury alongside, that wasn’t a problem that Roberts ever encountered in a race in 1980—and it also didn’t feature on the impeccably restored reverse-cylinder bike at Assen. Manufactured by the Italian firm from Mitsubishi composite material, which maintained heat longer and so gave better feel at lower lever pressures, as well as super-effective stopping at higher speeds, these were also more durable. Photography by Henny Stern and Paul Barshon.

You certainly inspired Junior, who was recently inducted into the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) Hall of Fame. Wikipedia, Australian former Grand Prix motorcycle road racing World Champion, who won five consecutive 500 cc World Championships. Who inspired you as a racer? Kenny Jr’s 2000 title allowed Suzuki to break a six year long championship winning stint by Honda, and gave the factory a much needed boost for future endeavours. There has only been one father and son who have each won the 500cc World Championship, our own Kenny Roberts and Kenny Roberts Jr. Come for a trip down memory lane as we ride the bikes they made famous. On Sunday, he struggled and lost to Biaggi, title contender Kenny Roberts Jr. and Alex Barros to finish fifth. Stay up to date on result for: Kenny Roberts Jr. In doing so, he achieved a unique double victory—the first time ever that a father and son had won 500cc GP world titles on two wheels, exactly 20 years apart. After an argument turned into a physical altercation at his California ranch, three-time 500cc Grand Prix World Champion Kenny Leroy Roberts, age 64, has sought legal protection from his son…

In the 1979 500cc world championship, when he finished second to Kenny Roberts. Copyright 2020 CycleNews. "He will have to up his game. Online condolences may be sent to http://www.funeralalternatives.net. King Kenny II may have had his work cut out to defend his 500 GP world crown in 2001 after Suzuki suspended two-stroke R&D in favor of its new four-stroke MotoGP project. "One thing is we're a much better company now than when Kenny rode our bike. Kurtis Roberts won three AMA road racing titles in the United States around the same time his brother was racing in grand prix. It's obvious we can go round the race-track fast. One of the most charismatic Grand Prix motorcycle racers of his generation, becoming a favorite because of his interaction with race fans both on and off the track, as well as his aggressive, spirited riding style. Nobuatsu Aoki will race alongside Kurtis this season, the Japanese providing team stability as he starts his third season with the independent outfit. The Roberts are the only father-son duo to have won 500cc World Championships and be inducted into the MotoGP World Championship Hall of Fame. After a long career in MotoGP, for 2006 he moved to the Superbike World Championship. In 1981 he won the FIM 500cc World Championship. Indeed, it will be the second time that 'King' Kenny has had the extra burden of a son in his racing team: Kenny Roberts Jr raced for his father on a Yamaha, and … The family would like to thank the Androscoggin Home Hospice team, Shana, Alissa, Kelly, Sara and Michelle T. as well as the staff at the Auburn Hospice House for the wonderful care they provided for Kenny. After success in the 250cc class he moved to World Superbikes and made one MotoGP start. Wikipedia, Japanese former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He joins his father Kenny Roberts as the only father-son duo to have won 500cc World Championships.

Kenny Roberts really had to work hard to earn the third of his world titles, and the key element in allowing him to do so was the OW48R Yamaha’s more assured handling package—but 40 years on, nothing has changed. Only Kenny prefers the bigger 320mm discs for their extra performance at the several points of heavy braking from high speed in Australia.”. "Kurtis is a very talented kid, and he is maturing very quickly. The previous year at Jerez this was the one aspect of the bike I felt able to criticize, and indeed its lack of stability under heavy braking was also commented on by some of Kenny’s rivals, including the man he succeeded as world champion, Honda’s Alex Crivillé. Let’s take a trip down the Roberts family memory lane, starting off with Kenny Roberts Sr.’s 1980 Yamaha YZR OW48R.
Plus, it was noticeable when braking hard from high speed for the Assen chicane, and again for the National circuit’s tight Turn 1 hairpin, that the brake-operated hydraulic anti-dive on the Kayaba forks really minimizes weight transfer, by using caliper reaction to close a valve and increase compression damping, thus slowing front-end dive. Wikipedia, American former professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and current television sports commentator. Considered one of the most promising and talented motorcycle racers of his era until he was killed during the 1973 Nations Grand Prix in Italy. When you have talent and once you get maturity, you're ready for GP racing. Wikipedia, French former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. It's like going home for me - the tracks, the people and the atmosphere. "I'm very excited about MotoGP.