Over on the auction site we’ve got an interesting leather suit from arguably the most famous British motorcycle racer of all time, Barry Sheene. Barry won the 500cc World Championship in 1976 and 1977 aboard a Suzuki RG500 and his 1977 Championship stood as the last British solo motorcycle championship for decades until Danny Kent won the Moto3 Championship in 2015. In 1977, Barry won 6 of 13 races (he boycotted the Austrian round due to safety concerns after the death of Hans Stadelmann) and won the overall championship with a commanding lead.
Dawn Grindle (Co-Owner of Bates Leathers) confirmed that this suit was custom made for Barry, though she was unable to verify the date of manufacture.
The seller has provided an email from 2015 in which he contacted Steve Parrish (Barry’s teammate in the 1977 season), who says that they “look correct and I would put them circa 1977.” In response to a question as to if these were maybe a back up set as there were no sponsor patches sewn on, Steve said, “It could have been that Bates made them and Barry switched to Dainese. In those days they where [sic] stitched on badges.”
The seller has also provided an email from Andrew Sargent, a collector in the UK who has owned several Sheene leathers – he was friends with Barry and met him in 1981. “I know they are from 1976 or 1977,” both of which were his championship years. “It wasn’t until 1978 that Barry changed from Bates to the Italian leathers Dainese.”
Andrew’s collection of Barry Sheene’s leathers (not included in the sale!)
Find these leathers for sale in Mount Airy, North Carolina with bidding up to $5,200 and the reserve not yet met here on Iconic Motorbike Auctions.
Disclosure: Bike-urious is a partner in Iconic Motorbike Auctions.