Show Notes
MotoGP Legend Jerry Burgess on Rossi, Doohan & Gardner | Racing Back Ep 34 #RacingBackPodcast #JerryBurgess #MotoGP #ValentinoRossi #MickDoohan #WayneGardner Nick and Jules are joined this week on Racing Back by one of the most influential figures in Grand Prix motorcycle racing history — Jerry Burgess. JB is Australian, he was doing the standard European tour in 1980 when friends he was staying with in South London put him forward for a mechanic’s job at Heron Suzuki. He worked for Suzuki for three years, primarily for Randy Mamola before moving to Honda - where he stayed for 21 years. he started as a mechanic for Ron Haslam before being moved to Freddie Spencer’s team to work for race engineer Erv Kanemoto, from whom Jerry learnt the art of being a crew chief during Freddie’s double championship year 1985. Honda then moved him to be race engineer for Aussie new recruit Wayne Gardner, winning the title in ’87. JB was again moved by management to be crew chief for another young Aussie, Mick Doohan in 1989. The first title came in 1994 and was followed by four more consecutively. It was an era of total domination. Doohan retired in 1999 and the arrival of Valentino Rossi at Honda kept JB in the sport. Three world championships with Honda followed by four more after a sensational move to Yamaha. He applied to analytical ability he learnt from Kanemoto and his own experiences. JB is an acute observer of paddock behaviour Above all, he wanted to win as much as his riders and he knew how to make victory possible All of which makes Burgess the most successful crew chief in MotoGP history. Packed with humour, honesty, and hard-earned wisdom, Episode 34 is a must-listen for racing fans, engineers, and anyone fascinated by the human side of elite motorsport. Whether you’re a MotoGP fan, racer, engineer, or motorsport history lover, this is an unmissable conversation with a genuine legend of the sport. Watch, listen, and subscribe for more iconic racing stories.
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Racing Back Episode 71 – Kevin Schwantz: The Legend of Number 34 What a guest we have for you this week! Nick Harris and Julian Ryder are joined by one of the greatest names in Grand Prix motorcycle racing – 1993 500cc World Champion Kevin Schwantz. The legendary number 34, Kevin became one of the most exciting and popular riders of the late 1980s and early 1990s, thrilling fans around the world with his spectacular riding style and extraordinary commitment. His battles with Wayne Rainey became the stuff of Grand Prix legend, while his relationship with Suzuki produced some of the most memorable moments in 500cc racing history. And in 1993, after years of battling at the very highest level, Kevin finally secured the 500cc World Championship. This week, Kevin joins Nick and Jules to revisit that incredible period of motorcycle racing, discussing the riders, motorcycles, rivalries and experiences that shaped his remarkable career. From the fearsome 500cc two-strokes to the characters and personalities of the paddock, there is no shortage of memories to explore. And with Nick and Jules having followed so much of Kevin's career firsthand, this promises to be a very special conversation. Kevin Schwantz. Number 34. A true Grand Prix legend. Another Racing Back episode not to be missed! Kevin Schwantz's extraordinary Grand Prix career
This week on Racing Back, Andrea Coleman returns to the paddock for the second part of her fascinating conversation with Nick Harris and Julian Ryder. In Part 1, Andrea introduced us to the extraordinary work of Two Wheels for Life, the official charity of MotoGP and the FIM, and how the motorcycle racing community helps support healthcare programmes across Africa. This time, Nick and Jules delve deeper into Andrea's own story. Where did her journey into charity work begin? What motivated her to get involved in the first place? And how did those early experiences eventually develop into a mission that would bring together the worlds of motorcycles, healthcare and Grand Prix racing? Andrea talks about her beginnings, the reasons behind her determination to make a difference and the journey that ultimately led to the work being done today through Two Wheels for Life. It's a fascinating conversation about the person behind the organisation – and the passion and purpose that can turn an idea into something capable of changing lives. After discovering what Two Wheels for Life does in Part 1, this time we discover much more about why Andrea does it. Another very special episode of Racing Back.
This week on Racing Back, Nick Harris and Julian Ryder are joined by the fantastic Andrea Coleman, co-founder and CEO of Two Wheels for Life, the official charity of MotoGP and the FIM. And this is a rather different – and very special – motorcycle story. For more than three decades, Andrea has been helping harness the extraordinary passion and generosity of the motorcycle racing community to support healthcare programmes in Africa. Through unique MotoGP events, auctions, memorabilia and incredible fan experiences, Two Wheels for Life raises money to support transport systems that enable healthcare workers to reach some of the most remote communities. At the centre of it all is something wonderfully simple: Motorcycles can save lives. Andrea takes Nick and Jules through the origins of the organisation, its extraordinary relationship with MotoGP, the support it receives from riders, teams and fans, and how the money raised by the motorcycle community is turned into practical help on the ground. It's a fascinating story about what can happen when a sport and its community come together with a shared purpose. And it's a reminder that the impact of motorcycle racing can extend a very long way beyond the chequered flag. Another very special episode of Racing Back. Find Out More Find out more about Two Wheels for Life, its work, MotoGP experiences, auctions and how you can get involved through the charity's website. Motorcycles save lives.
Stu Shenton is back! This week Nick Harris and Julian Ryder are joined once again by legendary Grand Prix mechanic and crew chief Stu Shenton for another fascinating journey through a lifetime spent at the very heart of motorcycle racing. Stu first joined us in Episode 59, but with a career stretching back to the 1970s and encompassing World Championship success with Kawasaki, Honda and Suzuki, there were simply far too many stories to fit into one visit. So we've invited him back! From Kork Ballington and Freddie Spencer to Wayne Gardner, Kevin Schwantz, Anthony Gobert, John Hopkins and Loris Capirossi, Stu worked alongside some extraordinary riders during an extraordinary period in Grand Prix racing. This time Nick and Jules once again tap into Stu's remarkable memory as he shares more stories about the riders, motorcycles, engineers, teams and characters he encountered along the way. It's a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes of Grand Prix racing from someone who wasn't merely watching history unfold – he was part of it. If you enjoyed Stu's first Racing Back appearance, this is another episode you won't want to miss. • Stu Shenton returns to Racing Back • More stories from his remarkable Grand Prix career • Working with some of motorcycle racing's greatest riders • Life with Kawasaki, Honda and Suzuki • The relationship between rider, mechanic and machine
This week on Racing Back, Nick Harris and Julian Ryder are joined by Terry Rymer – British Superbike Champion, twice an Endurance World Champion and five-time winner of the legendary Bol d'Or. And with Terry's incredible history in endurance racing, Jules is very much in his element! Terry's career spans an extraordinary period of motorcycle racing, from British and World Superbikes to competing – and winning – in some of the toughest endurance races on the planet. In 1992 he became FIM Endurance World Champion and repeated the achievement in 1999. Along the way came an incredible five victories at the Bol d'Or, establishing Terry as one of Britain's most successful endurance racers. Nick and Jules delve into the racing, the motorcycles, the teams and the characters behind those achievements, as Terry shares stories from a discipline that demands something very different from both rider and machine. Because endurance racing isn't simply about being fast. It's about maintaining that performance hour after hour, sharing the motorcycle with your teammates and relying on an entire team to keep rider and machine competitive through some of the toughest conditions in motorsport. Superbikes, World Championships, endurance racing and FIVE Bol d'Or victories – there's a lot to talk about! Another fascinating slice of motorcycle racing history from Racing Back. • Terry Rymer's remarkable racing career • Becoming British Superbike Champion • Winning the 1992 and 1999 FIM Endurance World Championships • Five victories at the Bol d'Or • Life inside a 24-hour motorcycle race • The physical and mental demands of endurance racing • The motorcycles, teammates and characters Terry raced alongside • Stories from an extraordinary period of motorcycle racing If you're enjoying Racing Back, you can support the show by joining The Racing Back Paddock on YouTube for £3.99 per month. Members receive early access to episodes, loyalty badges, member shoutouts and more exclusive perks coming in the future.